Miscellaneous
| Comment: | Consider linking student ID cards to Visa or Mastercard so that NAU can get a percentage back on everything that students purchase with the card. It would also expand the usage of the cards to establishments off campus, resulting in even more use, and could still probably be "charged up" with money as they are able to do. |
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| Question: | Question: What will be the impact of the stimulus money on the university budget? I'm not asking how much money will the university get and what will we use it for BUT to what pre-crisis level will our budget have to be restored by the legislature in order for the whole state to received any stimulus money? If our budget is restored this year can the legislature cut it again in the future or does the stimulus money also include a provision for future state education funding levels? Question: I am confused about the impact of the Federal Stimulus Funds. If I am not mistaken, I read that the state legislature cannot cut the higher education budget below the 2006? levels or Arizona will be disqualified from receiving the much larger general Federal Stimulus funds. In one article I read that state legislators said that they would reluctantly have to restore the University budgets in order to not lose access to larger quantities of Federal Stimulus money for the state. Is this true? If so, doesn’t this mean that the University budget is “out of the woods” (at least for one year). |
| Answer: | No, those articles were incorrect. The federal stimulus legislation does require “maintenance of effort” levels for state funding for education. Arizona has not dropped below the defined 2006 maintenance of effort levels to date, and so no restoration is required by the state in order to be eligible to receive federal stimulus monies. 4/20/2009 |
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| Question: | I am faculty in SBS and am hearing that we may have to increase our teaching load to 3-3 (from 3-2 in our department; others in SBS already have 3-3). We are getting the message that this is a required change, at the same time as being told that exceptions are possible if the 3-2 load is "justified." It is also my understanding that other units around campus are maintaining a 3-2, while we are being told that is not the case. Can you confirm whether some variation in teaching workloads is still possible AND what criteria are used to justify 3-2 (i.e., cost savings, research load, service to students, student class needs being met by unit, and similar). I appreciate the information and response to this question as it is quite murky with misinformation and rumor abound. |
| Answer: | A 3-3* teaching load for faculty with an active research agenda has become the new benchmark for departments across campus. Few if any are using 3-2 teaching loads as a default. However, in consultation with their department chairs, some faculty may carry a 3-2 load if they have a commitment above and beyond a research project, such as coordinating large graduate programs, supervising student teachers, serving on a dissertation or thesis committee, or if they have a large amount of research funding. Faculty are being asked to be cautious of their administrative assignments, and there are a number of colleges that have cut back in this area. 4/8/2009 |
*Note: As a point of clarification, a "3-3" load is considered equivalent to 18 credit hours of teaching in the academic year; a "3-2" would be equivalent to 15 credit hours of teaching in the academic year. 4/9/2009 |
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| Comment: | I am a concerned student and after reading the announcment about the cut in faculty, I became curiouse to other measures taken by the administration to reduce the impact of the budget cuts. All information is greatly apprecated because in our battle againts the arizona state congress, the only weapon the students have is knowledge. Thank you for your time. |
| Answer: | To clarify, the announcement you received earlier this week details budget reduction strategies for all areas on campus excect Academic Affairs, which includes each of the university's colleges and their faculty. Those strategies will be announced around mid-April. Some of the strategies being considered by Academic Affairs include increasing faculty teaching loads, combining course sections and eliminating low-enrollment courses. Academic Affairs has also been impacted by a hiring freeze, which has left more than 100 positions vacant campuswide this past year. So far, the budget reduction plans include adopting improved technology, consolidating functions and eliminating some services. The reductions come from Information Technology Services, Research, Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, Administration and Finance, Distance Learning, Advancement, Institutional Effectiveness and the President's Office, including Athletics. For details on the cost-cutting measures that have been announced thus far, including about 45 non-faculty layoffs in Flagstaff and statewide, visit http://www4.nau.edu/insidenau/extra/2009/3_26_09/index.html. 4/1/2009 |
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| Comment: | As a parent of an NAU student, I want to thank President John Haeger for his professional and responsible handling of the extremely difficult budget situation. Of course it is regrettable that any employee should lose their job, but you are going about making cuts in a thoughtful way. My daughter loves NAU, and our son is considering attending in 2010. Thank you for not “grand-standing” and for working with legislators and the Board of Regents to create the best possible outcome. It is a shame programs have to be closed right now, and I hope this is only temporary. When the economy turns around, I know NAU is in good shape to continue to grow and thrive. 3/27/2009 |
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| Comment: | Could the Governor, through the Arizona Lottery Commission, create a “Special Lottery” ticket for the sole purpose of aiding the 3 state universities. They could make this a “Special Lottery” (good for a limited time). I don’t know how many students, faculty, staff, parents, family members, and other concerned citizens that represents amongst the 3 universities, but I’d bet that it would generate a pretty fair amount that may help to save programs and jobs. I would think that even people who never purchase lottery tickets would, considering the cause (and maybe a considerable amount too). 3/26/2009 |
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| Question: | President Haeger frequently says the NAU will become a different university as a result of the current budget adjustments. So far, I have not seen anything that is different this fiscal year, or in the announced plans for the next fiscal year, other than trimming budgets at the edges. I, personally, think this could be a huge opportunity to reshape NAU for the 21st century -- but I do not see that at all. So what is he talking about? |
| Answer: | This is actually a discussion the president would like to initiate with the campus in the next few months. Some of the issues include streamlining of the curriculum and building upon the university's research mission on the Flagstaff campus and how that might influence the off-campus mission. The date for such a forum has not yet been determined, but we will get the word out to campus as soon as it is scheduled. 2/26/2009 |
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| Question: | Can you elaborate on President Haeger's comments on January 28th regarding state budget cuts to education affecting the receipt (or not) of potential federal budget stimulus funding? |
| Answer: | Of the estimated $4 billion Arizona is likely to receive as part of the federal stimulus plan, approximately $1 billion is deposited into a budget stabilization fund under the governor's control. Of this estimated $1 billion, approximately $830 million is specifically earmarked for aid to education, including K-12 schools, community colleges and state-run universities. But the law contains a "maintenance of effort" provision for the state to be eligible for this fund: States cannot reduce their own investment in education below what they spent in 2006. The $140 million in cuts to higher education made last month on top of the original reduction at the beginning of FY09 now leaves higher education funding only about $70 million above those 2006 levels. That leaves little room for further cuts to community colleges and universities this coming budget year without risking the loss of those federal dollars in the budget stabilization fund. Understand that these dollar figures are based on an initial review of the federal stimulus package and have been determined through research from various national organizations, but the U.S. Department of Education and other federal agencies have not yet defined areas through further rules and regulations, so this is our best understanding at this time. 2/23/2009 |
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| Question: | Last week President Haeger and Provost Grobsmith spoke to CEFNS about budget issues. It was made quite clear that teaching loads will go up next year (yes, we'll be doing more work for less money, at least those of us who still have jobs). My question is about what will happen after the budget crisis is over. Will the teaching loads go back down to pre-crisis levels? President Haeger's ambiguous comment was that "the university will look very different" afterwards. For faculty who are trying to do research, this response sounds like "no, the teaching loads will not go back down." |
| Answer: | At this point, we just don't know. President Haeger has called these budget cuts "unprecedented"—there's no way to predict how things might look two or three years down the road. We will have to work our way through this process together. 2/23/2009 |
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| Comment: | A suggestion for reducing expenses - eliminate cell phone policy reimbursement. We lived without cell phones for years past and can do it again! Maybe won't save millions - but every penny adds up. 2/20/2009 |
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| Comment: | NAU must tighten its belt under the enormous budget cuts. The great news is the federal government is poised to pass the largest investment in higher education and grant aid in decades - along with billions in infrastructure support for struggling university projects. The bad news is caused by the terrible economic climate. Over extended families and students cannot afford to pay any more than they already do. Crushing levels of debt are turning away low-income students from enrolling in college, and preventing graduates from taking socially important careers like teaching and social work. Graduates with high levels of debt also delay buying homes, getting married and having children. So how does NAU prevent the most over burdened students stay in school? The solution is switching MERIT BASED institutional student aid to NEED BASED institutional student aid. Giving merit based aid to students who are not over-extended financially is a waste of valuable capital under the current budget crisis. President, will you consider switching the vast majority of our grant aid to need based student aid? 2/20/2009 |
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| Question: | Has the university considered a temporary suspension of sabbatical or other administrate leave during the current financial crisis? While I have heard that some forms of sabbatical leaves may be cost effective (i.e., full-year), I am primarily concerned with the public perception of granting people time off for sabbatical projects when we are facing unprecedented cuts and reductions. |
| Answer: | Sabbaticals play an essential role in the continuing professional development and productivity expectations for faculty. Sabbaticals are approved more than a year in advance, and NAU will not renege on previous agreements. The Office of the Provost has asked the deans and department chairs to consider the possible delay of some sabbaticals—particularly one-semester—to avoid the need to provide replacement instruction by units. Full academic year sabbaticals produce salary savings, so the individuals receive 60 percent their salary and the remainder may be used to replace instruction. It's difficult to "stop" or "postpone" sabbaticals because some faculty members have written grants, others are in the midst of major research programs that cannot be sustained without that sabbatical effort. NAU's goal is not to have across-the-board dictums, but to work with deans and chairs to conserve as much as possible. |
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| Comment: | As a 1968 out-of-state alum I am impressed with the planning, the transparency, the candor, the attempts to protect the current workforce, and the element of sensibility adopted by the NAU administration during these challenging economic times. I have colleagues employed at ASU who are stunned by the immediate cuts announced Feb. 10th by ASU administrators negatively affecting faculty, staff, programs, colleges/schools and campuses. I am employed in Higher Education in the state of Kansas – which also has a Legislature debating drastic cuts. However, we are also taking the “calm” sensible approach and not taking deep cuts to projects, programs and especially to people (faculty, staff, students). I am proud of my institution’s administration with its people-first approach as well. These are also times to look at creative financing, to examine programs and the ways in which we have been doing things. It is stressful for many, but we are all in the same boat – some just paddle more efficiently than others – I am proud of my alma mater – keep up the good work NAU. 2/12/2009 |
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| Comment: | Whomever came up with this "rumor mill" site and email address is a genius. 2/12/2009 |
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| Comment: | Two ideas for revenue generation:
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| Comment: | President Haegar, Thank you for taking the time to visit with us at the budget meeting last week. After the visit, I was reading an article in the Harvard Business Review that solidified your message on the necessity to welcome a changing ideology. The opening statement read, "You can't do today's job with yesterday's methods and be in business tomorrow." Thank you for leading us to and through change! 2/7/2009 |
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| Comment: | I agree with President Hager's comment at the Wednesday forum that we cannot get through this budget crisis simply by cutting; we must look at revenue generation as well. Give this, has the university considered moving to a trimester format during the traditional academic year terms? I will confess that I don't know the mechanics of this approach, but I wonder if it may not generate an additional semester of tuition revenue in a traditional academic year - fall/spring - while maintaining the summer and winter sessions as local, revenue generating semesters. 2/7/2009 |