Budget update: Jan. 31
January 31, 2019
Last week, I shared information about the strategic planning efforts currently underway. That work will inform our priorities for this legislative session, the FY20 budget and future years’ budget requests.
The new legislative session is now underway, and we are all well aware of the budget challenges facing the state. Until we see Gov. Dunleavy’s proposed changes to Gov. Walker’s budget — expected to come out the second week of February — we won’t have actual budget targets to work from.
In the meantime, President Johnsen has asked us to provide a plan to internally cover roughly $14 million in expenses and initiatives in FY20 that were included in the Board of Regents’ budget request. Yesterday, I shared a memo with the provost and vice chancellors outlining the steps we will be taking to address this request.
In the coming weeks, I plan to provide a weekly budget update in Thursday’s edition of the Cornerstone newsletter. Like many of you, I am concerned about what I’m reading in the headlines and hearing from Juneau but ever optimistic about our great university and opportunities ahead. I look forward to working with all of you to advocate for the university and find innovative solutions that will ensure a bright future for our students, community and state.