Campus Message - May 7, 2020

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7 May 2020

FY21 Budget Planning

Dear Colleagues,

As you are aware, Chancellor Wrigley last week shared in an email with all USG faculty and staff that all institutions must prepare for a possible 14% reduction in our base allocation for Fiscal Year 2021. I want to stress that this is a planning exercise. We do not yet know how large any actual budget reduction will be, and while some reduction is inevitable, we hope that the final number will be less than 14%.

As we complete our planning, we will consider several possible reduction strategies. For instance, Chancellor Wrigley indicated last week that furloughs may become necessary, and today, the Board of Regents took action to enable the System to enact, if necessary, a tiered furlough model based upon salary level. I know this action would be challenging for many, but I am grateful to the Board for the steps they took to minimize the impact on those whose salaries are lower.

For your review, I have attached the Board release regarding the actions taken today. The President’s Cabinet will work together over the coming days to review the Board’s guidelines in detail and complete the requested planning exercise. I will also be meeting with leaders from Faculty Senate and COSA early next week to collect their input. Finally, I will continue to provide updates to all of you as they become available.

That said, let us never forget why we do what we do. Saturday, the VSU family will join together to celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates at our first-ever Virtual Commencement. This year’s graduates have most certainly earned the degrees they will be receiving, and we are proud of each of them! COVID-19 has not changed that; in fact, the need for higher education and the opportunities our credentials enable will never be greater than in the months and years ahead.

Please know, therefore, that I value each of you who make life-changing moments happen here every day. While the months ahead will be challenging, I am confident that we will work together to continue providing our students with the world-class education and experience they deserve.

Best wishes, and stay well!

Dr. Richard Carvajal

President

For ongoing updates on operations resulting from COVID-19, please visit the university’s resource page at www.valdosta.edu/coronavirus.

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