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Chancellor 's Message to Campus

January 13, 2009

To: The Campus Community

As we start the new year, and prepare to begin a new semester, our university faces significant challenges. As you know from reports from the state and from frequent messages from me, the budget crisis is among the most serious in our institution’s history, and will force us to make very difficult choices and decisions in the weeks and months ahead.To deal with this fiscal crisis, we have formed a Budget Planning Task Force composed of faculty, staff, and students, and this group has been meeting regularly to develop advice and recommendations for me in dealing with this serious situation. In November I asked this group to consider a broad range of options for reducing expenses and increasing revenues and also, specifically, to look at reorganization and consolidation of academic administration, including the possible reorganization of the schools and colleges.

In light of what now appears to be more than $45 million in budget cuts to campus, it is more important than ever that we look hard at all possible cost-cutting measures. If we are committed to doing all we can to retain academic quality, it would be foolhardy to presume we will not have to change our organization in response to a budget deficit of this magnitude. To that end, I recently announced significant planned cuts in the Office of the Chancellor and Provost, as well as many other cost-savings steps that we will implement in the coming year, including elimination and delays in critical capital construction projects.

We must respond to the need to make change by thinking about the ways we would improve our structure, while at the same time cutting administrative costs. To think of this only in terms of short-term savings misses the point. We should not only produce a structure that reduces administrative costs now, but also better positions us going forward. My charge to the Task Force was simple: consider all strategies to deal with this fiscal crisis in ways that allow us to focus our energy and resources on our core values of teaching and research, and maintaining quality in these efforts.

At the same time, I shared with the Task Force a few overriding principles that I believe we must take into account as we discuss the issue of possible reorganization: Any plan must produce savings in administrative spending, but do so in a way that protects as much as possible the integrity and quality of the academic units/departments. Although reorganization will be considered in an environment of fiscal crisis, we must focus on creating an administrative structure that can best support faculty achievement now and in the future. We must do what we can to minimize the negative personal impact on faculty, staff and students. We must always keep as our focus providing the best quality education possible.

Despite rumor and insinuations to the contrary, there have been no decisions about the final shape of reorganization. As I said when I wrote to the Task Force in December, decisions of this magnitude must and will include a broad opportunity for input and feedback from the entire campus. In addition to the discussions in the Task Force, I have asked the Provost to work with the deans and department chairs on possible reorganization efforts and to solicit further input from faculty – and that process continues.

I have also scheduled a series of meetings with senior faculty and departments. In December, I asked the Faculty Senate to create a process to hold open sessions on possible reorganization, and to engage the faculty directly in discussing these options. We are committed to an open and transparent process in dealing with this budget crisis.

I understand that change in times of turmoil causes stress and apprehension. I would certainly like to have begun my tenure at UMass Amherst under different circumstances – none of us would have chosen the current state of affairs. From my experience with reorganization at the University of California and the University of Tennessee, however, I know that how we deal with change will go a long way in determining how successful we ultimately are. It is easier to lament fate and resist change than it is to work to improve our circumstances, but our challenge is to face the reality of our current situation and choose the latter course of action. As part of this effort, our institution will work hard with our faculty, alumni and friends to make the case in Boston and in Washington that higher education is an essential part of our nation’s economic vitality, and should be central to any economic stimulus plans.

Our response to this crisis will say much about our institution. It would be understandable, but regrettable, for our campus to refuse to accept changes. It is better, I believe, to step back from the present crisis and remember that even with these challenges we are part of a great institution of higher education. UMass Amherst has weathered difficult times before, and the campus will overcome this crisis as well. More than ever before, however, we need to work together in an open and honest fashion to position our institution for a brighter future and to realize our tremendous potential.

Robert C. Holub, Chancellor