Provost Lou Anna K. Simon’s
Message to the University Community

December 12, 2003

Dear Members of the MSU Community:

In a mid-year executive order, Governor Granholm will cut State of Michigan support to Michigan State University and public higher education across the state by 5 percent, to help close state revenue gaps. This comes after MSU already has absorbed a 10 percent reduction in state support and a 12 percent cut in purchasing power for the 2003-04 academic year. But despite spending reductions totaling $31 million coupled with a double-digit tuition increase this fall, MSU’s budget increased by only 1.6%, about the rate of inflation. Details and the most recent information on how this affects MSU can be found on the MSU Budget web site.

As we near completion of the annual planning conversations with the colleges, it is clear that this rescission falls within our contingency planning range. While it may not be welcome news, it is within the range we anticipated. Unfortunately, there are no surprises. The planning and preparation we have done mean that we will be able to handle part of the shortfall during 2004-05 on a cash basis. In addition, each of the colleges is working to identify new or supplementary revenue opportunities—other than tuition—such as enhanced grant and contract activity, more effective use of summer semester, development and other entrepreneurial enterprises. We hope that by identifying alternative revenue sources, we can offset part of the base reductions, preserve programs and enhance the quality and value of an MSU education.

Our success depends a great deal on our ability to maintain a collaborative spirit in order to continue MSU’s academic growth and progress, seeking synergies even as we pursue our individual academic and scholarly interests. Our historic strength lies in our capacity to work together, and to turn challenges into opportunities that will build our collective strength and better position the university, not only for our future, but for generations of students and faculty to come. Thank you to everyone who has engaged in this process.

At the same time, we also have been thinking and talking about something much bolder. Those ideas are being developed and organized under a “Vision for the Liberal Arts and Sciences” rubric. The discussions dovetail with college-level plans and our ongoing evaluation of central resources, and are moving forward within the expected timeframe. This multi-faceted process goes beyond simple budget-cutting and embraces purposeful and creative thinking about the fundamental ways we might envision and be the quintessential land-grant university for the 21st century. Check the Office of the Provost web site for regular updates.

Finally, I particularly want to thank the countless members of the MSU community who have been sharing their ideas and innovative thinking via the Office of the Provost web site, the Budget web site, the VISION2004 listserv, the “Vision for the Liberal Arts and Sciences” discussion groups and in formal and informal conversations across campus.

Going into our winter break, be assured that we have a framework in place to handle the challenges we face, in no small part because of your participation and efforts. And when Spring Semester gets underway, the conversations will go forward to identify the best strategies to make MSU a stronger, better-positioned institution, even during these difficult times.

Sincerely,