Budget process - amendment to the Procedure for Travel Requests
In advance of the 2016 provincial budget, Memorial has been asked by government to consider various cost-saving scenarios for discussion during this year’s budget process. That work, led by the president and vice-presidents, is ongoing. In addition, a steering committee has been established to participate in government’s fiscal planning, and comprises the chair of the Board of Regents, the president, the provost and vice-president (academic) and the vice-president (administration and finance), along with the deputy minister and assistant deputy minister of the Department of Advanced Education and Skills. Government has also asked that the university uphold the spirit of measures recently taken by government, agencies, boards and commissions regarding expenditure reduction in areas such as hiring, discretionary spending, engaging consultants and travel. Options regarding that request are under review.
In the meantime, units are asked to monitor travel budgets and approve only non-discretionary travel. This request applies to travel funded by operating budgets only — not to grants or other externally-funded travel. Vice-Presidents Council has also approved an amendment to the Procedure for Travel Requests effective immediately. The updated procedure stipulates that before travel is undertaken, all employees, including those reporting to an associate vice-president, vice-president, or the president, are required to complete a travel request form. The previous procedure did not include all employees. The updated procedure is available here: http://www.mun.ca/policy/site/procedure.php?id=515.
As a publicly funded institution, Memorial continues to seek and assess ways to reduce costs and increase efficiencies while minimally affecting students, employees, university programs and operations.