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New UW President Unveils Budget Reduction Plan

WPR/AARON SCHRANK

Just one week before Laurie Nichols took over as the University of Wyoming’s new president, Governor Matt Mead cut UW’s budget by 8 percent. On Wednesday, Nichols announced her plan to cut $19 million for the 2017 fiscal year, beginning July 1.

“It’s not ideal,” said Nichols. “But is it doable? Yes, it is. And I think we’ve actually put together a pretty solid plan."

Speaking to more than 600 members of the campus community at a town hall, Nichols led with the good news.

“If you were worried about—thinking—you were going to lose your job today, rest assured: you have a job,” she said.

No employees will be laid off in the first year, but 70 positions that are currently vacant will be eliminated. UW will standardize course loads for professors, which means many will have to spend more time in the classroom—to save money spent on part-time teaching staff. There will also be retirement packages offered, cuts to overtime and other measures.

“As we work through this budget cut, we want it to have minimal impact on student success,” said Nichols. “We’re here first and foremost to educate students and provide a higher education to them. And we need to stay very true to that mission.”

Nichols says she’s now working to figure out where exactly she’ll cut $10 million dollars from the 2018 fiscal year’s budget--which begins July 2017.  As part of that process, at least 40 different University programs will be reviewed—including philosophy. Department head Franz-Peter Griesmaier says his program is central to UW’s mission. 

“As a matter of fact, when you look at the establishment document of the University, philosophy is mentioned twice, explicitly, as something that has to be taught at the University of Wyoming,” says Griesmaier. “So, it’s hard for us to understand how we could even be considered for elimination, given that we are basically written into the very constitution of the University.”

No programs have been approved for elimination yet. President Nichols expects to announce those details in the fall. Still, English professor Carolyn Anderson says faculty morale is low.

“There are a lot of faculty who are remarkably depressed,” said Anderson. “That may take a lot of fixing. I would point out that if you eliminate a department, if and when the economy returns to something like normality, how exactly are you going to persuade somebody to come back and start a new program?”

Nichols said, whatever happens, she plans to keep people in the loop. Several more town halls are planned for this summer.

“We want to make sure that you’re informed and that you know what’s happening here, and that you have the opportunity to provide feedback,” said Nichols. “I really want you to know a pillar of my leadership will be providing transparency and communicating, and I’m going to work hard at that.”

Agencies across Wyoming are facing similar cuts after a decline in state revenues caused by a downturn in the energy industry.

The 8 percent cut detailed this week was on top of the 1.5 percent ‘penny plan’ cut announced earlier this year.

Nichols says she has already presented her proposed budget plan to Governor Matt Mead. UW's Board of Trustees will consider Nichols’ proposal at its June 15 meeting.

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