With an economic crisis leaving no corner of the country untouched, university officials are looking at how to manage cutbacks and spend wisely.
“It’s been a difficult time,” Chuck Heath, Baker University Board of Trustees finance committee member, said during the BOT business meeting Friday. “This has certainly presented us with a lot of opportunities to understand our budgeting process better. We’ve all developed better communication, and it’s been arduous.”
The BOT was on campus Friday for its annual meeting to discuss facilities and will return in February to focus on faculty. The final meeting of the year will be in May and the focal point will be students.
With the announcement from University President Pat Long earlier this month that the university would be cutting the budget anywhere from 6 to 7 percent, the BOT and other university officials held a closed session meeting Friday morning to discuss the implications of cutting spending and instituting a hiring freeze.
Heath encouraged people during the business meeting Friday afternoon to ask questions and be prepared for the budget cuts, which are currently being discussed and worked out by deans, department chairs and other university officials.
“It’s going to be hard; it’s going to be difficult. It’s not going to be easy,” he said.
Jo Adams, vice president of financial services, agreed the process wouldn’t be easy but said she has a positive outlook.
“I am optimistic; I feel certain that we will get through this and thus far the response has been positive and cooperative,” she said.
BOT member Don Parker said the property committee is reworking its budget.
“We’re working on a revision of our budget, as all committees should be,” he said.
Parker also addressed student concerns about a lack of lighting west of the Living and Learning Center and in the parking lot west of Horn and Markham apartments brought forth by Student Senate President Chad O’Bryhim. Parker said Gary Walbridge, director of the physical plant, is aware of the problem and working with Baldwin City officials to get holes dug for light posts.
“The holes will be dug and the posts will be installed – this needs to cure up and we can run the light ourselves, the electricity lines ourselves. So that will be taken care of,” he said.
Parker also brought forth a proposal by the property committee to sell the Art Affair building in downtown Baldwin at the corner of Sixth and High streets. The committee proposed the building be sold for $45,000, which was approved.
Parker said the committee is making a list of all the properties and assets the university owns that could be sold in order to access ready cash if the need arises.
The BOT also reviewed facility changes including updates to the cafeteria, Rice Auditorium and Jolliffe Hall.
Provost Randy Pembrook said the only decision the BOT made regarding facilities includes moving forward with the deconstruction of Denious Hall.
“They supported a notion of change, and we’re just all looking for ways, timelines to make things happen that work with the budget,” he said.
