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Sent: 2014-01-24
From: Bill Perry, President
To: Students, Employees
From: Bill Perry, President
To: Students, Employees
Subject: Program Analysis Update
I write to update you on EIU's program analysis initiative (http://www.eiu.edu/programanalysis/). Program analysis is part of our continuing evolution as a university dedicated to providing our students with a first-choice educational experience. Program analysis, along with our strategic enrollment initiatives, will ensure that EIU remains highly competitive and well positioned to deal with the accelerating changes in the higher education environment.
As you may recall, program analysis had its genesis as part of our strategic planning process. We identified financial sustainability as one of the six themes for our strategic plan (http://www.eiu.edu/strategicsummary/), and we determined that one of our priorities would be to conduct a university-wide program analysis to ensure that our limited resources are focused on achieving our mission. As I stated back in November 2012, program analysis will provide a guide for:
* Allocating and reallocating university resources to support academic excellence
* Strengthening programs that foster sustainable enrollment
* Supporting university financial sustainability
* Identifying opportunities to decrease costs
We accomplished a key step in the program analysis initiative last year, when a campus-wide, 22-member committee designed the program analysis template. Last summer, the university's web team built a web interface for the program analysis template, and budget, institutional research, and human resources staff pulled data to pre-populate the template. Last fall, department chairs, deans, directors and others worked diligently to review the collected data and provide valuable and detailed information about their programs. These data and narratives are now available on the program analysis website.
The next phase of the program analysis initiative will be conducted by the Council on University Planning and Budget (CUPB) beginning this spring. After substantial dialogue with the Council that included detailed reviews of our enrollment, revenue, and cost projections, I presented to CUPB today (January 24, 2012) two goals that I believe can be achieved over the next two fiscal years. The first goal is to achieve a $7-million reduction in our current appropriated budget of roughly $110-million, which represents a 6.7% reduction to be spread over two years. The second goal is to reallocate $1-million in the appropriated budget to provide additional support to programs that can produce sustainable, quality enrollment growth for the university.
The aggregated amount of $8-million is significant. Certainly no single area in the university can bear it all. More importantly, as we strive to preserve and enhance EIU's heritage and vitality, no area can be considered exempt.
The administrative team and I will be using the CUPB's recommendations, informed by program analysis, to help us shape the university's budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2015 and budget request for Fiscal Year 2016. These financial plans will be submitted to the Board of Trustees for approval in June 2014. Changes in state appropriations, the economy, and enrollments will further affect our budgets in the future and may lead to further decisions on resource allocations and investments, but those decisions will also benefit from our work on program analysis and will remain aligned with EIU's strategic goals. We have in place the knowledge and dedication needed to turn challenges into opportunities and to secure EIU's continued success. Going forward, we will keep a strong focus on our university mission and our financial sustainability.
I am confident that the program analysis process, including the work of the CUPB, takes us in the right direction and that the changes already in progress to our recruitment and admissions areas will create growth in new student enrollment and enhanced retention. Progress in all these areas contributes to EIU's financial sustainability.
The actions we take in the next two to three years are necessary to improve our competitiveness as we face declining high school senior populations, growing competition from other in-state and out-of-state colleges and universities, and heightened concern among students and families regarding affordability of a high-quality college education. In effect, EIU is redeploying its significant capabilities and resilience to thrive in this new environment. Consistent with our strategic plan, our course will enable us to achieve the highest possible quality of instruction with sustainable enrollments on and off campus, while also developing maximally efficient operations.
Throughout its history, regardless of the challenges, EIU has educated and empowered tens of thousands of people from across the state, the nation, and the world. Today, every day, thousands of students receive a great educational experience at EIU. We achieve our educational mission because of our collective efforts, as dedicated members of EIU's faculty, staff, and administration. I am privileged to serve EIU, and I thank you for all you do for our university.
Please email me or call me if you have questions or concerns regarding the program analysis initiative. Alternatively, you may contact any member of CUPB. The membership list is posted on the CUPB website (http://castle.eiu.edu/eiucupb/).
Sincerely,
Bill Perry, President
----------
Program analysis website: http://www.eiu.edu/programanalysis/
Strategic planning website: http://www.eiu.edu/strategicsummary/
CUPB website: http://castle.eiu.edu/eiucupb/
As you may recall, program analysis had its genesis as part of our strategic planning process. We identified financial sustainability as one of the six themes for our strategic plan (http://www.eiu.edu/strategicsummary/), and we determined that one of our priorities would be to conduct a university-wide program analysis to ensure that our limited resources are focused on achieving our mission. As I stated back in November 2012, program analysis will provide a guide for:
* Allocating and reallocating university resources to support academic excellence
* Strengthening programs that foster sustainable enrollment
* Supporting university financial sustainability
* Identifying opportunities to decrease costs
We accomplished a key step in the program analysis initiative last year, when a campus-wide, 22-member committee designed the program analysis template. Last summer, the university's web team built a web interface for the program analysis template, and budget, institutional research, and human resources staff pulled data to pre-populate the template. Last fall, department chairs, deans, directors and others worked diligently to review the collected data and provide valuable and detailed information about their programs. These data and narratives are now available on the program analysis website.
The next phase of the program analysis initiative will be conducted by the Council on University Planning and Budget (CUPB) beginning this spring. After substantial dialogue with the Council that included detailed reviews of our enrollment, revenue, and cost projections, I presented to CUPB today (January 24, 2012) two goals that I believe can be achieved over the next two fiscal years. The first goal is to achieve a $7-million reduction in our current appropriated budget of roughly $110-million, which represents a 6.7% reduction to be spread over two years. The second goal is to reallocate $1-million in the appropriated budget to provide additional support to programs that can produce sustainable, quality enrollment growth for the university.
The aggregated amount of $8-million is significant. Certainly no single area in the university can bear it all. More importantly, as we strive to preserve and enhance EIU's heritage and vitality, no area can be considered exempt.
The administrative team and I will be using the CUPB's recommendations, informed by program analysis, to help us shape the university's budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2015 and budget request for Fiscal Year 2016. These financial plans will be submitted to the Board of Trustees for approval in June 2014. Changes in state appropriations, the economy, and enrollments will further affect our budgets in the future and may lead to further decisions on resource allocations and investments, but those decisions will also benefit from our work on program analysis and will remain aligned with EIU's strategic goals. We have in place the knowledge and dedication needed to turn challenges into opportunities and to secure EIU's continued success. Going forward, we will keep a strong focus on our university mission and our financial sustainability.
I am confident that the program analysis process, including the work of the CUPB, takes us in the right direction and that the changes already in progress to our recruitment and admissions areas will create growth in new student enrollment and enhanced retention. Progress in all these areas contributes to EIU's financial sustainability.
The actions we take in the next two to three years are necessary to improve our competitiveness as we face declining high school senior populations, growing competition from other in-state and out-of-state colleges and universities, and heightened concern among students and families regarding affordability of a high-quality college education. In effect, EIU is redeploying its significant capabilities and resilience to thrive in this new environment. Consistent with our strategic plan, our course will enable us to achieve the highest possible quality of instruction with sustainable enrollments on and off campus, while also developing maximally efficient operations.
Throughout its history, regardless of the challenges, EIU has educated and empowered tens of thousands of people from across the state, the nation, and the world. Today, every day, thousands of students receive a great educational experience at EIU. We achieve our educational mission because of our collective efforts, as dedicated members of EIU's faculty, staff, and administration. I am privileged to serve EIU, and I thank you for all you do for our university.
Please email me or call me if you have questions or concerns regarding the program analysis initiative. Alternatively, you may contact any member of CUPB. The membership list is posted on the CUPB website (http://castle.eiu.edu/eiucupb/).
Sincerely,
Bill Perry, President
----------
Program analysis website: http://www.eiu.edu/programanalysis/
Strategic planning website: http://www.eiu.edu/strategicsummary/
CUPB website: http://castle.eiu.edu/eiucupb/