SLU Budget Reduction Decisions
"For both a university and its new president, the first year in office is much like formative experiences in everyone’s life, such as reliving the freshman experience or going on a blind date. Every day brought new discoveries, certainly to me and doubtless also to those I met and worked with—the process was textbook quality in its community and off-campus dimensions: smooth, instructive, and fruitful. Right in the heart of tough economic times, 2009-10 tested us unlike any other challenges most of us have known. We accomplished a very great deal together in the past year, accomplishments recognized by our Board of Trustees at its year-end retreat as a job well done, notable for its order, decency, and positive direction. We demonstrated to ourselves the strength and resilience of a community under stress. One of our colleagues remarked, “The bad times didn’t drive us apart, as they could have, but made us recognize and appreciate the closeness of community here.”
But while a critical year in St. Lawrence’s institutional history for these and other reasons, 2009-10 needs to be understood as the beginning of an ongoing process, one crucial to the future of the University in many ways....
While we continue to adjust ourselves to a different order of pressures and economic values, there is also in this next stage of strategic thinking the tremendous potential to release the impulses of creativity, the splendor of new ideas and forms. Our greatest advantage is the nature, character, and goodness of this place. What we have in the finer qualities of our community is not a common staple at other universities and colleges. We need to remember well that particular indelible mark; and we should even be aggressive at using it to better expedience and benefit. It is what has and will set us apart."
President William L. Fox
August 30, 2010
SLU and the Recession: Complete information about 2009-2010 recession planning.
Recommendations of the Recession Reponse Planning Task Group
Employees who have new ideas can submit them through our new page IdeaConnect.
This site will track our decisions:
Budget Reduction Decisions
Eliminated 50 positions from exempt and hourly workforce, though 8 people ultimately lost their positions after bumping processes for bargaining unit employees was completed.
Effective July 1, 2010, the employee discount at Brewer Bookstore will remain 15% on books but be 10% on all other purchases.
We will continue to close the University between December 24 and January 1. However, the workdays that fall between December 26 and December 30 must be taken as vacation days (and thus deducted from your annual vacation allowance) or without pay if employees wish to retain vacation days for other times.
The University's health care plan will require 10% share contributions from those with single coverage, whereas in the past, no contribution was expected.
The Center for Teaching and Learning will continue as a project of the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs' office.
Contracted with Travel Guard service to achieve cost efficiencies and best service. Read more.
Recognizing lower rates for energy and improving energy conservation.
Managing faculty sabbatical and leave replacement more tightly.
Imposing a minimum delay in the filling of all administrative positions of 90 days and beginning a program of voluntary reductions in annual appointment length for administrators.
Reductions in entertainment expenses and travel costs, primarily through less expensive travel.
Reducing expenses associated with the First-Year Cup.
Reducing the quantity of printed Catalogs and directing faculty and students to on-line resources.
Eliminating the printed telephone Directory for faculty, staff and students.
Eliminating the printed Report of Appreciation (donations and volunteerism) and creating an on-line appreciation resource site.
Sending paystubs through campus mail rather than US Mail.
Increasing vehicle registration fees for students (to $80/year).
Charging $25 per ride for airport transportation.
Eliminating clipping service used to track newspaper citations.
Starting with Class of 2010, charging for academic regalia ($20/person).
Reduce University membership costs in external professional organizations.
Updated September 2010
