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By Aimee Sheppard
When
the provincial budget was announced in March, Memorial’s
operating grant was increased more than $6.4 million over the
previous year’s amount, but that increase was still $2
million short of meeting the university’s needs. Despite
this shortfall, the Board of Regents was able to balance the
budget for the current fiscal year.
According to President Axel Meisen, there is still a lot of
work to be done but the board’s balancing act is a positive
sign.
“At the board’s meeting in May we looked at the
budget in global terms by envelope,” he said. “For
example, there is an academic envelope, an envelope for administration
and finance, and for research. Each envelope has its allocation
and we determined that it is possible to live within these allocations,
thereby accomplishing a balanced budget.”
Dr. Meisen said this means there will be some curtailment of
activities within the envelopes, but the envelopes at this level
can balance. “Each of our budgets is increasing but not
quite enough to meet our increasing demands.”
He said this was a difficult budget for everyone who depends
on government support, however government recognized that the
university is an important expenditure.
Therefore the province reinstated a teaching equipment fund
and reduced the deferred maintenance fund but still provided
$3 million for building repairs and upgrades.
Dr. Meisen expects that the budget realities will affect some
course offerings but asserts that the quality of the programs
will not be affected. “There will likely be some impact
on the diversity of programs we offer but I believe that is
an acceptable impact given the alternatives. A student that
may have had a choice of five electives may have that choice
reduced to four but we will ensure that the basic integrity
of the programs is not impaired.”
Two primary assumptions about the current fiscal year that guide
the budgetary process are that there will be an increase in
the number of student enrolments and that the fees for Canadian
and international students will remain frozen. Working within
those conditions, the various departments and units on campus
have until June 14 to find further efficiencies in their operations
and to submit revised budget proposals. The Board of Regents
will see the detailed budget at its July meeting. |
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issue: June 30, 2004
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