Dear UMD Campus Community:
I enjoyed seeing many of you at the End of Semester Buffet. It is a wonderful time for faculty and staff to gather together. Again this year, you were generous in your donations at this celebration and community fund raiser. You contributed $712.58 to the Union Gospel Mission, 151 pounds of food to Champ's Cupboard, and 271 pounds of food to the CHUM Food Shelf. Meg Kearns from CHUM asked me to share her thanks and said: "Working together allows us to have a greater impact in our community. We're happy to have your support in our outreach to families who have a difficult time making ends meet."
Meg's comments reflect the incredible influence we have on the Greater Duluth community throughout the year. So, I thank you for the great work you do at UMD and for the positive difference you make for our neighbors who need our help.
I wish you all a happy holiday season and a peaceful and joyful new year!
Sincerely,
Lynn Black
Chancellor
Monday, December 22, 2014
Friday, November 21, 2014
Budget Message to Campus
Dear Campus Community:
I am writing to give you an update on our continued progress toward resolving the remaining budget deficit at UMD. Although we still have challenging work to do, I remain optimistic that we will solve the remaining issues soon, and I remain pleased with the progress we have made over the past year.
Since the beginning of the fall semester, I have been working with the Strategic Planning and Budget Committee on developing specific strategies for the remaining $6 million structural deficit. We continue to focus on a three-prong approach, using a combination of trimming expenses, finding new revenues and partnering with the Twin Cities campus. Our intention is for budget reductions to be achieved primarily through strategic consolidation and trimming and not through drastic cuts.
A financial planning team with representation from our three vice chancellor units is building a multi-year budget framework as the foundation for discussing and addressing our remaining deficit. We are focusing on a plan to reduce the deficit as quickly as possible while modeling a sustainable budget for future years. The multi-year model draws from budget data for all units across UMD. This allows various revenue and reduction scenarios to be modeled to determine their effect on the deficit. The model, which also includes projections for new and continuing students, will be piloted by the end of this semester.
In the meantime, the Strategic Planning and Budget Committee is conducting brainstorming sessions to identify potential revenue and reduction ideas. A campus-wide survey will soon follow to gather input for additional suggestions. During January and early February, we will model various scenarios to develop a budget that meets the goal of eliminating the budget deficit in the next few years. The multi-year budget model will be presented to President Kaler in spring semester, prior to the compact budget process.
We are approaching this budgeting process with a focus on how this work positions us for the future, and how we advance the University of Minnesota Duluth's quality and competitiveness through targeted and timely investment in mission-critical academic and capital priorities. We are exploring new processes and new ways of delivering an outstanding UMD education, as we explore new student populations. This work is difficult, but we will emerge from these budget challenges stronger than ever.
Sincerely,
Lendley C. Black
Chancellor
I am writing to give you an update on our continued progress toward resolving the remaining budget deficit at UMD. Although we still have challenging work to do, I remain optimistic that we will solve the remaining issues soon, and I remain pleased with the progress we have made over the past year.
Since the beginning of the fall semester, I have been working with the Strategic Planning and Budget Committee on developing specific strategies for the remaining $6 million structural deficit. We continue to focus on a three-prong approach, using a combination of trimming expenses, finding new revenues and partnering with the Twin Cities campus. Our intention is for budget reductions to be achieved primarily through strategic consolidation and trimming and not through drastic cuts.
A financial planning team with representation from our three vice chancellor units is building a multi-year budget framework as the foundation for discussing and addressing our remaining deficit. We are focusing on a plan to reduce the deficit as quickly as possible while modeling a sustainable budget for future years. The multi-year model draws from budget data for all units across UMD. This allows various revenue and reduction scenarios to be modeled to determine their effect on the deficit. The model, which also includes projections for new and continuing students, will be piloted by the end of this semester.
In the meantime, the Strategic Planning and Budget Committee is conducting brainstorming sessions to identify potential revenue and reduction ideas. A campus-wide survey will soon follow to gather input for additional suggestions. During January and early February, we will model various scenarios to develop a budget that meets the goal of eliminating the budget deficit in the next few years. The multi-year budget model will be presented to President Kaler in spring semester, prior to the compact budget process.
We are approaching this budgeting process with a focus on how this work positions us for the future, and how we advance the University of Minnesota Duluth's quality and competitiveness through targeted and timely investment in mission-critical academic and capital priorities. We are exploring new processes and new ways of delivering an outstanding UMD education, as we explore new student populations. This work is difficult, but we will emerge from these budget challenges stronger than ever.
Sincerely,
Lendley C. Black
Chancellor
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Chancellor Black's Welcome Speech to Faculty/Staff 2014
Chancellor's Welcome
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
3 p.m., Marshall Performing Arts Center
Good afternoon and Welcome! I appreciate you being here today as the faculty, staff and administration of UMD gather together to begin another academic year, which will be my fifth academic year at UMD. While summer was a bit late in arriving, I hope you had some time off to relax and to refresh.
My summer was a little different from the norm. For those of you who don't know, I had my right knee replaced in May. It was at times a challenging recovery, but all is well, even though this experience forced me to practice patience and to depend on others more than I like. I had wonderful help from my family, and outstanding medical care here in Duluth. The variety and quality of medical care in this area is another reason I'm glad I live here. But I was particularly thankful for the assistance I received from my family.
My wife Connie put up with a lot from me, although I tried not to whine too much.
She saw me through surgery and stayed with me at home for the first two weeks.
Since Connie is in heavy demand as a lecturer and consultant focusing on Montessori training, teaching and community outreach, she had a number of commitments nationally and internationally this summer. Connie is also Director of Outreach Programs for the Montessori Center of Minnesota and project director for a grant to place quality Montessori schools in areas of poverty and other underserved places where children need quality early childhood education.
I was blessed to have my sister, Cindy, visit from Memphis and help take care of me for a week while Connie was gone. Cindy threatened to "get back at me" for the way I treated her in high school. As I was in my recliner with a swollen knee, I had images of Kathy Bates in the film Misery. But, Cindy was a great care giver when I needed it. Plus, my memory of how we treated each other in high school is different from hers.
I also had some good times this summer to spend with our grandkids in the Twin Cities, where we went to a Twins game and had a few excursions and with our grandkids in Boston, where we attended a game at Fenway and spent a day on a Massachusetts South Shore beach. My four-year-old grandson Max is fascinated that I have metal in my knee, especially when I set of metal detectors, and he likes to check out my scar. His older sister Sarah, who is eight, just says, "That's gross!"
This year, we continued what we started last year by holding this one event for faculty and staff in the spirit of building community while also being stewards of our limited financial resources. I hope that you will join us after my remarks for a reception in the lobby to help us greet each other and network, as we kick off the start of another academic year.
I would like to thank you for all that you have done to get ready for the start of the academic year. Working together, we make an incredible impact on the lives of our students. Tomorrow, members of the Chancellor's Welcome Team will be greeting the new students and their families as these new students move into the residence halls. Whether this is our first or 40th year on campus, we need to remember that it's the new freshman's first day at UMD. Please do what you can to welcome them, to challenge them, and to help them be successful.
It is also a new beginning for the faculty and staff who have joined the campus community this year. I would like to ask all the NEW faculty and staff members to please stand. We welcome you into the UMD community, and I would like to thank you in advance for joining your colleagues in providing an outstanding educational experience for our students.
It is important to also remind ourselves of the incredible impact we have on students' lives. Last week, Alumni Director Lisa Pratt and her staff hosted a reunion for members of the Class of 1951. That's right, the Class of 1951, which was the first class of students to graduate from UMD. Here's a short history lesson. We began as the Normal School at in 1895 and became Duluth State Teachers College in 1921. Since we became part of the University of Minnesota system in 1947, the students who were members of the Class of 1951 were the first group to graduate from UMD. Most of these alumni are retired educators, and they gather each year to celebrate their connections to UMD.
Many of you might have seen the story in the Duluth News Tribune this summer about Janet Petersen, a member of the UMD Alumni Association Board of Directors. Janet has just celebrated her 100th birthday, and is a proud member of the Class of 1936 of Duluth State Teachers College. Janet continues to be one of our strongest ambassadors. I keep reminding myself that if we do our jobs well as faculty, staff and administrators, the students we meet this week will remember their time at UMD for the rest of their lives. Our potential impact on these students is huge. Let's take full advantage of this opportunity and work together to provide them the deep and high quality education they deserve and we aspire to offer.
Overall this fall, we anticipate that total campus enrollment will remain around 11,000 total students. We are welcoming a new freshman class of about 2,200 students, which is up over 7% from last year and last year was up over 9% from the fall of 2012. I thank the staff in admissions and all faculty and staff across campus who assisted in our recruitment efforts. Your good work and our new recruiting and enrollment management strategies are making a difference. The academic profile of the new freshmen remains strong, with an average high school GPA of 3.45 and an average ACT composite score of 23.9. The new freshman cohort is representative of the increasing diversity we want here at UMD, with students of color comprising about 12.5 percent of the class, an increase of 4% since 2010.
Even though new freshman enrollment is up again this fall, both continuing undergraduate and new transfer student enrollment is down. We anticipate that overall undergraduate enrollment will be down between 2 to 3% this fall, primarily due to the large fall 2010 entering class graduating this past spring, our increase in graduation rates, and the small fall 2012 class progressing through.
As I shared with you last fall, we had a collaborative plan for dealing with our budget deficits, and I'm pleased to tell you now that our strategies are working. Much effort and some controversy characterized our work over the past 12 months to address the budget challenges at UMD. But we are in a much better place now, because of those efforts. As I shared during last May's Town Hall meeting, UMD is in a much improved financial position compared to last year. Since that Town Hall meeting, the Board of Regents has approved our budget for this fiscal year (FY 15) and President Kaler has shared with us his budget expectations.
As a result of the program prioritization initiatives, voluntary layoffs, new revenue generation, and a larger allocation of state funds from the University of Minnesota system, our structural and recurring deficit has been cut in half since this time last year and reduced from $11.9 million to approximately $6 million. In addition, through the combined efforts of UMD working in partnership with President Kaler and his budget team, the non-recurring deficit of $8 million for fiscal year 2014 was eliminated.
The trend of declining state support for UMD and the entire University of Minnesota System has been reversed, and UMD will see additional new revenue through the MnDrive research initiative and through new capital projects. Although it's too early to know for sure, we are optimistic that our net tuition revenues will be higher than budgeted, primarily because of the larger new student enrollment.
I will review the details of our remaining budget challenges and opportunities next month with the Strategic Planning and Budget Committee. We still have some hard work to do in order to have a true structural budget for UMD that supports our academic priorities. We have also implemented a new budgeting process that puts more control and responsibility for managing budgets in units across campus and holds much less money centrally. Within our faculty, staff and administration we have the talent and time to solve the remaining budget challenges and to focus on the future and on achieving our strategic goals. Our external stakeholders in the legislature, the Governor's Office, and on the Twin Cities campus are important partners. We will continue to be assertive and collaborative with them as we continue to enhance support for UMD. Our alumni, donors and supporters throughout the U.S. are also critical in assisting us with the resources we need to reach our full potential.
Through the voluntary workforce reduction program, restructuring, cutting expenses, increasing revenues, and increased University of Minnesota support, we have addressed our budget challenges while continuing to maintain academic excellence, to be relevant, to be mission-driven, and to be fiscally responsible. To thrive in the future, we must continue to seek new populations of students, and continually re-evaluate how we provide our students with the premiere educational experiences they expect and deserve.
While we have faced financial challenges the last year, we need to remember to celebrate our successes. I am very optimistic about UMD's future. Compared to many higher institutions around the country, UMD is positioned to prosper and to thrive.
There has indeed been much good news to share over the past year, especially in the areas of academic excellence, advancing our stature in research and creative activities, and making a difference in our local, national and international communities. We all need to be proud for what we have accomplished. I'll not repeat all of the accomplishments I shared with you in May, but will highlight a few things here we need to be sure we celebrate:
• The new constitution and bylaws were approved in May and we began implementing our new shared governance process last fiscal year. I want to thank all of you who worked so hard the last year to weave this new governance structure into the fabric of the campus, and I look forward to beginning a new academic year with our new shared governance in place.
• The Office of Polar Programs at the National Science Foundation recently awarded an $8.97 million grant to UMD to construct a new drilling platform for research in Antarctica. John Goodge, professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences, is the lead principal investigator. Congratulations to Dr. Goodge! The new drilling system will be able to penetrate the Antarctic ice sheets in order to take cores of the deepest ice, sample across the glacial bed, and continue coring into bedrock below. This type of technology has never been tried or deployed in either Greenland or Antarctica, but it will provide a critical first look at the interface between the major ice caps and their sub glacial geology.
• I just learned this morning that a literacy program in Turkey, which was founded by Psychology Professor Aydin Durgunoglu, has won the U.S. Library of Congress International Literacy Award. Congratulations to Dr. Durgunoglu!
• UMD's international reach continues expand in other ways. Students and faculty members from the Foreign Languages and Literature were invited, all expenses paid, to the University of Tomsk in Russia. CLA is also connecting to Ocean University in China to expand study abroad opportunities across the Pacific. International health policy expert Dr. Jeremy Youde was quoted in the Washington Post addressing the Ebola outbreak.
• A delegation of faculty from CEHSP and SFA went to Cuba in June to explore the potential for partnering with a sister institution and establishing community-based programs.
• In recognition of the legacy of strong faculty in the college and to continue that tradition, the Swenson College of Science and Engineering received a $1 million commitment for an endowed professorship in Mathematics and Statistics.
• SCSE launched a new 10-week intensive summer research program in Biology called BURST (Biology Undergraduate Research in Science and Technology) and celebrated 20 years of the Swenson Scholars and the Swenson Summer Research program in Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
• The Center for Economic Development was recently named the Minnesota SBDC Center of Excellence of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
• We have either developed recently or are developing a number of new degree programs that demonstrate the integration of disciplines and the integration of our curriculum and co-curriculum. Examples include the Bachelor of Tribal Government Administration and Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship.
• We are proud of the MMAD Lab (Motion + Media Across Disciplines). An interdisciplinary group of researchers in the Viz Lab has been awarded an Infrastructure Investment Initiative grant for research investment in the Viz Lab. This high definition video production and motion capture studio will foster faculty collaboration and research in biomechanics, ergonomics, animation, performing arts and computer generated virtual environments research. The Viz Lab and MMAD Lab will continue to evolve with faculty collaboration from theatre, digital arts, exercise science, mechanical engineering, and computer science.
• We are extremely proud that UMD was recently recognized again as one of the top 50 Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender-Friendly Colleges and Universities in the country. Last year they recognized the top 25 LGBT schools, and this year they expanded it to fifty. We remain among the leaders of top LGBT friendly campuses in the country who receive top ratings on the Campus Pride Index.
• Our work on issues of equity, diversity, and social justice continues in many other ways as well. The campus climate change teams at the unit and university-wide levels are doing great work. The Diversity Commission and the Campus Climate change teams invite the campus community to again share our stories with one another under the theme of Creating Inclusion: One Story at a Time. In the words of Parker Palmer, "The more you know about another person's story, the less possible it is to dislike, distrust or dismiss them." We need to build trust, or in some cases re-build trust among faculty, staff, and administration, and by sharing our diverse stories and perspectives we can build greater understanding, as well as trust.
• In September, we will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Multicultural Center and celebrate the many contributions our Multicultural Center continues to make on behalf of our students, faculty, and staff.
• As I was reading articles this summer about higher education, several of them dealt with the issues of sexual assault on college campuses. We have also made progress at UMD in addressing this issue, but much more needs to be done. During Sexual Assault Awareness Month last April, Lisa Erwin, Vice Chancellor for Student Life, and Tim Caskey, Director of Human Resources and Equal Opportunity and UMD Title IX Coordinator, sent a communication to the campus community describing several initiatives at UMD and within the University of Minnesota. I encourage you to read it or re-read this article to understand many ways we are approaching this serious issue. I also want to recognize the work of the UMD Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Stalking and Dating Violence Task force, a group of dedicated faculty, staff, students and community members that I have charged with the mission "to lead campus change that strengthens victim-centered services, fosters an environment where reports are taken seriously and appropriate actions occur, expands campus-wide prevention education and training, and provides feedback to the administration about safety in campus facilities." I want to acknowledge the work of the UMD Women's Resource and Action Center, UMD Health Services, and the Sexual Violence Response Team, which is initiating a "Know Something, Do Something" campaign. These and other groups across campus are helping us make sure that sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, and dating violence have no place at UMD, and when they do occur, we address the issues in an assertive and transparent manner. This fall, UMD will play an active role in the university-wide initiative on the prevention of sexual assault. Vice Chancellor Erwin and I, along with representatives of the other four campuses, are presenting on this topic to the Board of Regents in September.
• During the Kirby Lounge renovation, our focus was on giving maximum value to the student body. By tearing down staff offices, making better use of student organization space, and being more efficient with our Welcome Desk space, we were able to give back over 1,200 square feet of lounge space to the general student body without increasing our overall footprint. The renovation was also done with sustainability in mind, including use of local materials, energy-saving LED lighting and controls, and providing new recycling and composting bins.
• The Rec Sports and Outdoor Program staff and activities played a prominent role in Duluth being named "Best Outdoors Town in America" by Outside Magazine. UMD staff was the first to promote the social media campaign and were pictured playing among the icebergs when the News Tribune broke the story.
• UMD students continue to be highly successful in finding jobs after graduation, according to a recent Career Services survey of nearly 2,000 alumni from the class of 2012-13. About 95 percent of the graduates surveyed are employed or are continuing their education, a year after graduation, demonstrating the economic value of a UMD education. Of course there are many values to a UMD education beyond economics, but this study verifies you can get a job with a theatre degree.
• UMD's Supportive Services Program, a partner in the Learning Commons, was awarded the 2014 Award of Excellence at the national conference of the Association for the Tutoring Profession.
• The UMD campus was featured in the spring 2014 Princeton Review's Guide to Green Colleges for the fourth time, which profiles schools that have shown notable commitments to sustainability.
• In transportation, the UPASS provided over half a million rides to campus commuters, UMD built a new bike and walking path connecting campus to the Woodland Avenue neighborhood, the first Electric Vehicle Charging Station was installed (and has been used nearly 100 times), and UMD Bike-to-Campus members burned a million calories and biked over 30,000 miles!
• Last academic year, UMD's 417 student-athletes posted an average GPA of 3.14, an all-time high. Of that group, 95 achieved GPAs of 3.5 or above and 10 turned in perfect 4.0 figures. Football, Women's Volleyball and Soccer all went deep in the NCAA playoffs and Athletics set a fund-raising record of $1.3 million.
• Our many club sports programs remain strong, and the UMD Dance and UMD Men's Rugby Sport Club teams both achieved National Championships.
• In Cina Hall, I understand faculty and staff were pleased with the new furniture in the offices and classrooms. At last, we are beginning to address the facility issues in Cina, and I hope we will see significant progress this year.
• We will also see major improvements in the Tweed Museum soon and will announce in September a major foundation grant for the Tweed.
• UMD's campus writing center - the Writers' Workshop - will open for its second year next week, once again offering writing support to the entire campus community.
• Employee Engagement Survey work continues and the survey will be updated this fall. The campus learned a lot from the survey, and action plans are being developed. The results support the campus climate initiative of creating inclusion one story at a time, with each individual playing a unique part in the big picture.
• I also want to thank you for giving back to the greater Duluth/Superior community. UMD makes an amazing impact on non-profit organizations, religious groups, civic organizations and social clubs across the area. As I've said often, we are not just located in Duluth. We an integral part of Duluth and fully engaged in the progress and challenges of this region. LSBE's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is the largest university-sponsored VITA program in Minnesota. Student volunteers completed more than 1,000 tax returns in spring 2014 for low-to-moderate income households, generating more than $1 million of tax refunds for those clients.
Often we are so busy that we do not take time to recognize our accomplishments. What I have listed for you today is a small representation of the progress we have made recently in moving our great university forward. Let's give ourselves a round of applause for these and the many other UMD achievements!
Now I would like to introduce to you the following new campus leaders:
• Josh Hamilton is the new dean of the Swenson College of Science and Engineering. Dr. Hamilton comes to UMD from the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, where he served from 2008-2013 as the Chief Academic and Scientific Officer. In this role he oversaw five research Centers and Programs and all educational and outreach programs. He received his Ph.D. in Toxicology and M.S. in Genetics from Cornell University and his BS in Biology from Bridgewater College in Massachusetts.
• Rolf Weberg started in March as the new director at the Natural Resources Research Institute. Dr. Weberg was previously with DuPont, starting there in 1990 and leaving in 2014 as Global R&D Manager in DuPont's Building Innovations, Surfaces Division in Buffalo, New York. Dr. Weberg has a Ph.D. in Synthetic & Mechanistic Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Colorado in Boulder and a Bachelor of Science degree from UMD in Chemistry.
• Robert Sterner is the new director of the Large Lakes Observatory. Dr. Sterner comes to UMD from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities where he served in several capacities since 1994, including professor, and head of the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior. Concurrently, from 2007-09, Dr. Sterner was the director of the Division of Environmental Biology for the National Science Foundation, where he was responsible for a $110 million budget.
Thank you to those who brought food today to donate to Champ's Cupboard, the food shelf for students created by Student Life.
Welcome to the beginning of another academic year at UMD. We all make a difference in our students' lives. We are all integral members of the UMD community. Thank you for coming today and Go Bulldogs!
Please join us for that cupcake reception in the lobby!
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
3 p.m., Marshall Performing Arts Center
Good afternoon and Welcome! I appreciate you being here today as the faculty, staff and administration of UMD gather together to begin another academic year, which will be my fifth academic year at UMD. While summer was a bit late in arriving, I hope you had some time off to relax and to refresh.
My summer was a little different from the norm. For those of you who don't know, I had my right knee replaced in May. It was at times a challenging recovery, but all is well, even though this experience forced me to practice patience and to depend on others more than I like. I had wonderful help from my family, and outstanding medical care here in Duluth. The variety and quality of medical care in this area is another reason I'm glad I live here. But I was particularly thankful for the assistance I received from my family.
My wife Connie put up with a lot from me, although I tried not to whine too much.
She saw me through surgery and stayed with me at home for the first two weeks.
Since Connie is in heavy demand as a lecturer and consultant focusing on Montessori training, teaching and community outreach, she had a number of commitments nationally and internationally this summer. Connie is also Director of Outreach Programs for the Montessori Center of Minnesota and project director for a grant to place quality Montessori schools in areas of poverty and other underserved places where children need quality early childhood education.
I was blessed to have my sister, Cindy, visit from Memphis and help take care of me for a week while Connie was gone. Cindy threatened to "get back at me" for the way I treated her in high school. As I was in my recliner with a swollen knee, I had images of Kathy Bates in the film Misery. But, Cindy was a great care giver when I needed it. Plus, my memory of how we treated each other in high school is different from hers.
I also had some good times this summer to spend with our grandkids in the Twin Cities, where we went to a Twins game and had a few excursions and with our grandkids in Boston, where we attended a game at Fenway and spent a day on a Massachusetts South Shore beach. My four-year-old grandson Max is fascinated that I have metal in my knee, especially when I set of metal detectors, and he likes to check out my scar. His older sister Sarah, who is eight, just says, "That's gross!"
This year, we continued what we started last year by holding this one event for faculty and staff in the spirit of building community while also being stewards of our limited financial resources. I hope that you will join us after my remarks for a reception in the lobby to help us greet each other and network, as we kick off the start of another academic year.
I would like to thank you for all that you have done to get ready for the start of the academic year. Working together, we make an incredible impact on the lives of our students. Tomorrow, members of the Chancellor's Welcome Team will be greeting the new students and their families as these new students move into the residence halls. Whether this is our first or 40th year on campus, we need to remember that it's the new freshman's first day at UMD. Please do what you can to welcome them, to challenge them, and to help them be successful.
It is also a new beginning for the faculty and staff who have joined the campus community this year. I would like to ask all the NEW faculty and staff members to please stand. We welcome you into the UMD community, and I would like to thank you in advance for joining your colleagues in providing an outstanding educational experience for our students.
It is important to also remind ourselves of the incredible impact we have on students' lives. Last week, Alumni Director Lisa Pratt and her staff hosted a reunion for members of the Class of 1951. That's right, the Class of 1951, which was the first class of students to graduate from UMD. Here's a short history lesson. We began as the Normal School at in 1895 and became Duluth State Teachers College in 1921. Since we became part of the University of Minnesota system in 1947, the students who were members of the Class of 1951 were the first group to graduate from UMD. Most of these alumni are retired educators, and they gather each year to celebrate their connections to UMD.
Many of you might have seen the story in the Duluth News Tribune this summer about Janet Petersen, a member of the UMD Alumni Association Board of Directors. Janet has just celebrated her 100th birthday, and is a proud member of the Class of 1936 of Duluth State Teachers College. Janet continues to be one of our strongest ambassadors. I keep reminding myself that if we do our jobs well as faculty, staff and administrators, the students we meet this week will remember their time at UMD for the rest of their lives. Our potential impact on these students is huge. Let's take full advantage of this opportunity and work together to provide them the deep and high quality education they deserve and we aspire to offer.
Overall this fall, we anticipate that total campus enrollment will remain around 11,000 total students. We are welcoming a new freshman class of about 2,200 students, which is up over 7% from last year and last year was up over 9% from the fall of 2012. I thank the staff in admissions and all faculty and staff across campus who assisted in our recruitment efforts. Your good work and our new recruiting and enrollment management strategies are making a difference. The academic profile of the new freshmen remains strong, with an average high school GPA of 3.45 and an average ACT composite score of 23.9. The new freshman cohort is representative of the increasing diversity we want here at UMD, with students of color comprising about 12.5 percent of the class, an increase of 4% since 2010.
Even though new freshman enrollment is up again this fall, both continuing undergraduate and new transfer student enrollment is down. We anticipate that overall undergraduate enrollment will be down between 2 to 3% this fall, primarily due to the large fall 2010 entering class graduating this past spring, our increase in graduation rates, and the small fall 2012 class progressing through.
As I shared with you last fall, we had a collaborative plan for dealing with our budget deficits, and I'm pleased to tell you now that our strategies are working. Much effort and some controversy characterized our work over the past 12 months to address the budget challenges at UMD. But we are in a much better place now, because of those efforts. As I shared during last May's Town Hall meeting, UMD is in a much improved financial position compared to last year. Since that Town Hall meeting, the Board of Regents has approved our budget for this fiscal year (FY 15) and President Kaler has shared with us his budget expectations.
As a result of the program prioritization initiatives, voluntary layoffs, new revenue generation, and a larger allocation of state funds from the University of Minnesota system, our structural and recurring deficit has been cut in half since this time last year and reduced from $11.9 million to approximately $6 million. In addition, through the combined efforts of UMD working in partnership with President Kaler and his budget team, the non-recurring deficit of $8 million for fiscal year 2014 was eliminated.
The trend of declining state support for UMD and the entire University of Minnesota System has been reversed, and UMD will see additional new revenue through the MnDrive research initiative and through new capital projects. Although it's too early to know for sure, we are optimistic that our net tuition revenues will be higher than budgeted, primarily because of the larger new student enrollment.
I will review the details of our remaining budget challenges and opportunities next month with the Strategic Planning and Budget Committee. We still have some hard work to do in order to have a true structural budget for UMD that supports our academic priorities. We have also implemented a new budgeting process that puts more control and responsibility for managing budgets in units across campus and holds much less money centrally. Within our faculty, staff and administration we have the talent and time to solve the remaining budget challenges and to focus on the future and on achieving our strategic goals. Our external stakeholders in the legislature, the Governor's Office, and on the Twin Cities campus are important partners. We will continue to be assertive and collaborative with them as we continue to enhance support for UMD. Our alumni, donors and supporters throughout the U.S. are also critical in assisting us with the resources we need to reach our full potential.
Through the voluntary workforce reduction program, restructuring, cutting expenses, increasing revenues, and increased University of Minnesota support, we have addressed our budget challenges while continuing to maintain academic excellence, to be relevant, to be mission-driven, and to be fiscally responsible. To thrive in the future, we must continue to seek new populations of students, and continually re-evaluate how we provide our students with the premiere educational experiences they expect and deserve.
While we have faced financial challenges the last year, we need to remember to celebrate our successes. I am very optimistic about UMD's future. Compared to many higher institutions around the country, UMD is positioned to prosper and to thrive.
There has indeed been much good news to share over the past year, especially in the areas of academic excellence, advancing our stature in research and creative activities, and making a difference in our local, national and international communities. We all need to be proud for what we have accomplished. I'll not repeat all of the accomplishments I shared with you in May, but will highlight a few things here we need to be sure we celebrate:
• The new constitution and bylaws were approved in May and we began implementing our new shared governance process last fiscal year. I want to thank all of you who worked so hard the last year to weave this new governance structure into the fabric of the campus, and I look forward to beginning a new academic year with our new shared governance in place.
• The Office of Polar Programs at the National Science Foundation recently awarded an $8.97 million grant to UMD to construct a new drilling platform for research in Antarctica. John Goodge, professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences, is the lead principal investigator. Congratulations to Dr. Goodge! The new drilling system will be able to penetrate the Antarctic ice sheets in order to take cores of the deepest ice, sample across the glacial bed, and continue coring into bedrock below. This type of technology has never been tried or deployed in either Greenland or Antarctica, but it will provide a critical first look at the interface between the major ice caps and their sub glacial geology.
• I just learned this morning that a literacy program in Turkey, which was founded by Psychology Professor Aydin Durgunoglu, has won the U.S. Library of Congress International Literacy Award. Congratulations to Dr. Durgunoglu!
• UMD's international reach continues expand in other ways. Students and faculty members from the Foreign Languages and Literature were invited, all expenses paid, to the University of Tomsk in Russia. CLA is also connecting to Ocean University in China to expand study abroad opportunities across the Pacific. International health policy expert Dr. Jeremy Youde was quoted in the Washington Post addressing the Ebola outbreak.
• A delegation of faculty from CEHSP and SFA went to Cuba in June to explore the potential for partnering with a sister institution and establishing community-based programs.
• In recognition of the legacy of strong faculty in the college and to continue that tradition, the Swenson College of Science and Engineering received a $1 million commitment for an endowed professorship in Mathematics and Statistics.
• SCSE launched a new 10-week intensive summer research program in Biology called BURST (Biology Undergraduate Research in Science and Technology) and celebrated 20 years of the Swenson Scholars and the Swenson Summer Research program in Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
• The Center for Economic Development was recently named the Minnesota SBDC Center of Excellence of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
• We have either developed recently or are developing a number of new degree programs that demonstrate the integration of disciplines and the integration of our curriculum and co-curriculum. Examples include the Bachelor of Tribal Government Administration and Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship.
• We are proud of the MMAD Lab (Motion + Media Across Disciplines). An interdisciplinary group of researchers in the Viz Lab has been awarded an Infrastructure Investment Initiative grant for research investment in the Viz Lab. This high definition video production and motion capture studio will foster faculty collaboration and research in biomechanics, ergonomics, animation, performing arts and computer generated virtual environments research. The Viz Lab and MMAD Lab will continue to evolve with faculty collaboration from theatre, digital arts, exercise science, mechanical engineering, and computer science.
• We are extremely proud that UMD was recently recognized again as one of the top 50 Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender-Friendly Colleges and Universities in the country. Last year they recognized the top 25 LGBT schools, and this year they expanded it to fifty. We remain among the leaders of top LGBT friendly campuses in the country who receive top ratings on the Campus Pride Index.
• Our work on issues of equity, diversity, and social justice continues in many other ways as well. The campus climate change teams at the unit and university-wide levels are doing great work. The Diversity Commission and the Campus Climate change teams invite the campus community to again share our stories with one another under the theme of Creating Inclusion: One Story at a Time. In the words of Parker Palmer, "The more you know about another person's story, the less possible it is to dislike, distrust or dismiss them." We need to build trust, or in some cases re-build trust among faculty, staff, and administration, and by sharing our diverse stories and perspectives we can build greater understanding, as well as trust.
• In September, we will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Multicultural Center and celebrate the many contributions our Multicultural Center continues to make on behalf of our students, faculty, and staff.
• As I was reading articles this summer about higher education, several of them dealt with the issues of sexual assault on college campuses. We have also made progress at UMD in addressing this issue, but much more needs to be done. During Sexual Assault Awareness Month last April, Lisa Erwin, Vice Chancellor for Student Life, and Tim Caskey, Director of Human Resources and Equal Opportunity and UMD Title IX Coordinator, sent a communication to the campus community describing several initiatives at UMD and within the University of Minnesota. I encourage you to read it or re-read this article to understand many ways we are approaching this serious issue. I also want to recognize the work of the UMD Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Stalking and Dating Violence Task force, a group of dedicated faculty, staff, students and community members that I have charged with the mission "to lead campus change that strengthens victim-centered services, fosters an environment where reports are taken seriously and appropriate actions occur, expands campus-wide prevention education and training, and provides feedback to the administration about safety in campus facilities." I want to acknowledge the work of the UMD Women's Resource and Action Center, UMD Health Services, and the Sexual Violence Response Team, which is initiating a "Know Something, Do Something" campaign. These and other groups across campus are helping us make sure that sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, and dating violence have no place at UMD, and when they do occur, we address the issues in an assertive and transparent manner. This fall, UMD will play an active role in the university-wide initiative on the prevention of sexual assault. Vice Chancellor Erwin and I, along with representatives of the other four campuses, are presenting on this topic to the Board of Regents in September.
• During the Kirby Lounge renovation, our focus was on giving maximum value to the student body. By tearing down staff offices, making better use of student organization space, and being more efficient with our Welcome Desk space, we were able to give back over 1,200 square feet of lounge space to the general student body without increasing our overall footprint. The renovation was also done with sustainability in mind, including use of local materials, energy-saving LED lighting and controls, and providing new recycling and composting bins.
• The Rec Sports and Outdoor Program staff and activities played a prominent role in Duluth being named "Best Outdoors Town in America" by Outside Magazine. UMD staff was the first to promote the social media campaign and were pictured playing among the icebergs when the News Tribune broke the story.
• UMD students continue to be highly successful in finding jobs after graduation, according to a recent Career Services survey of nearly 2,000 alumni from the class of 2012-13. About 95 percent of the graduates surveyed are employed or are continuing their education, a year after graduation, demonstrating the economic value of a UMD education. Of course there are many values to a UMD education beyond economics, but this study verifies you can get a job with a theatre degree.
• UMD's Supportive Services Program, a partner in the Learning Commons, was awarded the 2014 Award of Excellence at the national conference of the Association for the Tutoring Profession.
• The UMD campus was featured in the spring 2014 Princeton Review's Guide to Green Colleges for the fourth time, which profiles schools that have shown notable commitments to sustainability.
• In transportation, the UPASS provided over half a million rides to campus commuters, UMD built a new bike and walking path connecting campus to the Woodland Avenue neighborhood, the first Electric Vehicle Charging Station was installed (and has been used nearly 100 times), and UMD Bike-to-Campus members burned a million calories and biked over 30,000 miles!
• Last academic year, UMD's 417 student-athletes posted an average GPA of 3.14, an all-time high. Of that group, 95 achieved GPAs of 3.5 or above and 10 turned in perfect 4.0 figures. Football, Women's Volleyball and Soccer all went deep in the NCAA playoffs and Athletics set a fund-raising record of $1.3 million.
• Our many club sports programs remain strong, and the UMD Dance and UMD Men's Rugby Sport Club teams both achieved National Championships.
• In Cina Hall, I understand faculty and staff were pleased with the new furniture in the offices and classrooms. At last, we are beginning to address the facility issues in Cina, and I hope we will see significant progress this year.
• We will also see major improvements in the Tweed Museum soon and will announce in September a major foundation grant for the Tweed.
• UMD's campus writing center - the Writers' Workshop - will open for its second year next week, once again offering writing support to the entire campus community.
• Employee Engagement Survey work continues and the survey will be updated this fall. The campus learned a lot from the survey, and action plans are being developed. The results support the campus climate initiative of creating inclusion one story at a time, with each individual playing a unique part in the big picture.
• I also want to thank you for giving back to the greater Duluth/Superior community. UMD makes an amazing impact on non-profit organizations, religious groups, civic organizations and social clubs across the area. As I've said often, we are not just located in Duluth. We an integral part of Duluth and fully engaged in the progress and challenges of this region. LSBE's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is the largest university-sponsored VITA program in Minnesota. Student volunteers completed more than 1,000 tax returns in spring 2014 for low-to-moderate income households, generating more than $1 million of tax refunds for those clients.
Often we are so busy that we do not take time to recognize our accomplishments. What I have listed for you today is a small representation of the progress we have made recently in moving our great university forward. Let's give ourselves a round of applause for these and the many other UMD achievements!
Now I would like to introduce to you the following new campus leaders:
• Josh Hamilton is the new dean of the Swenson College of Science and Engineering. Dr. Hamilton comes to UMD from the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, where he served from 2008-2013 as the Chief Academic and Scientific Officer. In this role he oversaw five research Centers and Programs and all educational and outreach programs. He received his Ph.D. in Toxicology and M.S. in Genetics from Cornell University and his BS in Biology from Bridgewater College in Massachusetts.
• Rolf Weberg started in March as the new director at the Natural Resources Research Institute. Dr. Weberg was previously with DuPont, starting there in 1990 and leaving in 2014 as Global R&D Manager in DuPont's Building Innovations, Surfaces Division in Buffalo, New York. Dr. Weberg has a Ph.D. in Synthetic & Mechanistic Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Colorado in Boulder and a Bachelor of Science degree from UMD in Chemistry.
• Robert Sterner is the new director of the Large Lakes Observatory. Dr. Sterner comes to UMD from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities where he served in several capacities since 1994, including professor, and head of the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior. Concurrently, from 2007-09, Dr. Sterner was the director of the Division of Environmental Biology for the National Science Foundation, where he was responsible for a $110 million budget.
Thank you to those who brought food today to donate to Champ's Cupboard, the food shelf for students created by Student Life.
Welcome to the beginning of another academic year at UMD. We all make a difference in our students' lives. We are all integral members of the UMD community. Thank you for coming today and Go Bulldogs!
Please join us for that cupcake reception in the lobby!
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Audio Town Hall Meeting on May 15
Campus Community,
Here is the link for the audio from the Town Hall meeting on Thursday, May 15, 2014 regarding accomplishments and reduction of the budget deficit.
http://youtu.be/wUfLXZDuGAk
Lendley C. Black
Chancellor
Chancellor's Office
University of Minnesota Duluth
515 Darland Administration Building
1049 University Drive
Duluth, MN 55812
218.726.7106
218.726.6535 (fax)
Support the U
Here is the link for the audio from the Town Hall meeting on Thursday, May 15, 2014 regarding accomplishments and reduction of the budget deficit.
http://youtu.be/wUfLXZDuGAk
Lendley C. Black
Chancellor
Chancellor's Office
University of Minnesota Duluth
515 Darland Administration Building
1049 University Drive
Duluth, MN 55812
218.726.7106
218.726.6535 (fax)
Support the U
Friday, May 16, 2014
Town Hall Meeting on May 15
Chancellor Black Remarks
Town Hall Meeting
May 15, 2014
9-10 a.m.
Kirby Ballroom
Good morning and thank you for coming to today's Town Hall meeting. This is perhaps our busiest time of year, but I thought it was important that we gather before the end of the semester to celebrate our accomplishments and to review the progress we have made in solving UMD's budget challenges. It has been a stressful academic year, but it has also been a year of great achievements. Several other colleges and universities in our area are beginning to struggle with similar challenges and institutions across the country have been dealing with budget issues for some time which are much more severe than the ones we face.
You are all valued members of the UMD community and have an incredible impact on the lives of our students. There will always be internal struggles, challenges and disappointments. But there is also great joy in the impact we have on our students and there can be great joy in our daily work, especially if we can get beyond the hard feelings and lack of trust that comes from a lack of understanding and from a fear of the unknown. I continue to be dedicated to improved communication and collaboration. This is why I asked you to join me today in celebrating our accomplishments as we plan for the next steps in addressing our budget challenges.
I'm wondering how many of you saw the letter to the editor in the Duluth News Tribune on May 7 from Richard Beeson, who is chair of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents. For those of you who missed it, Chair Beeson wrote this editorial after he, five other Regents, members of the Regents staff, and President Kaler's Chief of Staff visited UMD. I won't read the entire letter to you, but I will highlight a few points.
• He referenced how impressed he was with the academic and athletic achievements of our student athletes. Chair Beeson and our other guests attended the annual the Dinner With Champions, a partnership between UMD and the Duluth business community. He said, "These were Bulldogs who represent themselves and their school well, both in competition and as students. As importantly, they are dedicated to public service in the Duluth community. . ."
• He also applauded the firsthand look at some of the incredible work and important research being done on a daily basis across campus. . . and at the Natural Resources Research Institute. He said, "It's clear UMD continues to have a positive impact regionally and throughout our state." And while he was here, we made clear that our research also has a national and international impact.
• He said the Regents came away with a better understanding of the preparations we have made to address the dynamic challenges of higher education budgeting. He said that the Regents have the highest level of confidence the solutions moving forward will maintain UMD's critical value to the University of Minnesota system and the entire state.
• Chair Beeson's letter ended with this statement: "UMD's success on all fronts is paramount, and we will continue to ensure the necessary resources are available to advance the distinct mission of the campus and establish a strong foundation for the future."
I was so proud to read such a positive, thoughtful and upbeat letter from Regent Beeson, who as chair of the board literally oversees the entire University of Minnesota system.
The letter reminded me that while it is human nature to focus on the negative, we must remember to celebrate all of the positive work that you do each day for the success of our students. I am an optimist, but also a realist by necessity. For me, the UMD glass is WAY over half full.
Here are just a few examples from across campus of our successes during the 2013 - 2014 academic year:
• Celebrated an academic milestone that we'll be talking about for years to come: Brian Kobilka returned to UMD last fall to lecture and to be honored for receiving the 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
• Alec Habig, UMD professor of physics, along with the other scientists working on the world's longest-distance neutrino experiment, announced in February that they have seen their first neutrinos.
• The UMD Theatre production, Last Summer at Bluefish Cove, was one of only five productions selected to compete in the six-state Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival regional competition in Lincoln, Nebraska.
• A year of great artistic and academic success in the School of Fine Arts with the largest group of students honored for being on the Dean's list six or more semesters in their academic careers.
• We hosted the Sieur Du Luht Creativity Conference, a series of interdisciplinary lectures and discussions involving faculty, staff, students, community members and invited guests.
• The College of Liberal Arts launched the Cultural Entrepreneurship degree and hosted a lecture series organized by Dr. Scott Vollum on the topic of the death penalty in America. This series brought together students, faculty and members of the Duluth community and culminated in this year's Overman Lecture.
• Students in the Labovitz School of Business and Economics manage the Bulldog Fund, which is at the heart of our Financial Markets program. This year, the Bulldog Fund exceeded $1 million for the first time in its history.
• The Center for Economic Development and Northeast regional office of the Minnesota Small Business Development Center Network at UMD was named the Minnesota SBDC Center of Excellence of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
• In the College of Education and Human Service Professions, Psychology professor Aydin Durgunoglu received the system wide 2013 Award for Global Engagement for her work on adult literacy in Turkey.
• The College also began a new bachelor program in Social Work and a new master program in Psychological Sciences.
• We survived a pretty brutal winter! Facilities Management crews successfully supported campus operations by responding to 3 water main breaks, 12 frozen heating coils, 2 power outages, and the third most snowfall on record. Not to mention that we had more snow days and late starts than anyone can remember.
• We continued to take our sustainability efforts to the next level. We now have a charging station for electric vehicles, 36 water bottle filling stations, and a wind turbine at the Farm; supporting energy conservation by upgrading boiler controls, installing LED lights throughout campus, and replacing building control systems; and building a pedestrian/bike path to Woodland Avenue to better connect the campus and community.
• Incorporated local produce from the UMD Farm and local farms in Dining Services.
• The Dining Center went Trayless last summer, which led to waste being down by 4.5 percent as of February and water consumption down by 10 percent. That translates into more than $54,000 in savings.
• Launched Champ's Cupboard food shelf for students, and the UMD community has donated over 2,000 items since it began.
• UMD became an anchor tenant for a regional fiber optic hub established by the Northeast Service Cooperative. We now have five active learning classrooms with three more planned to be constructed this summer.
• Broadened campus involvement in creating an open, transparent environment through the implementation of the new Shared Governance process.
• Completed the campus master plan.
• Received ranking as one of the top 25 GLBT-friendly colleges in the country.
• In Alumni Relations, made contacts at events across the country and reached more than 30,000 alumni with a monthly electronic newsletter and through enhanced social media contact.
• So far, the Development Office has raised $6.7 million in new gifts and commitments for this fiscal year, with most of the gifts designated to specific departments, programs or scholarships. There is at least one very large gift that should be finalized before the end of the fiscal year. We will announce it as soon as the gift is official.
• By the end of June, 72 faculty and staff will have participated in the Intercultural Leadership Development training.
• The Swenson College of Science and Engineering Unit Change Team developed a free online course Math Prep to help prepare under represented students entering the STEM fields.
• UMD hosted the system wide Annual Summit on Equity, Diversity and Multiculturalism in February.
• Celebrated football Coach Curt Weise being named as the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year for Division II, with $50,000 distributed to local charities and to the Alumni Relations office.
• We had a banner year in athletic achievements, and about 400 student athletes achieved an average GPA of 3.1 or higher. We had three student athletes receive the Myles Brand award for a GPA of 3.75 or higher, and the women's basketball team won the Chancellor Cup for their combined GPA of 3.55.
• Revamped the UMD homepage and began navigating the campus website with the new UMD mobile app.
• The Learning Commons opened in the library, and the Supportive Services Program Tutoring Center was recognized in March as the outstanding program of the year at the national conference of the Association for the Tutoring Profession.
• Celebrated many successes at events throughout the year, from the Multicultural awards, to the faculty, staff and student awards to the Athletic Hall of Fame and the Academy of Science and Engineering in the Swenson College.
• Recognized the 10th anniversary of the College of Pharmacy Program at UMD.
• Learned that UMD has one of the best lifetime returns on investment, with AffordableCollegesOnline finding that UMD grads are among the most likely to have the largest earnings potential when compared to those who do not have college degree, and that UMD graduates earn more on average than graduates from many other peer schools.
• A UMD education is about much more than earning money. We prepare our students for life-long careers and fulfilling lives. At the same time, it's good to see data that attests to the economic value of a UMD education. We are more expensive than our primary competitors, and we need to narrow that gap. But the value of an UMD education in all respects is well worth the cost.
• This academic year UMD released its first ever completely online Bridge magazine. It resulted in 1) more than three times the amount of content including enhanced multimedia features, 2) a distribution to thousands more people than the previous printed issue, and 3) saved more than $20,000 in printing and postage costs.
Meanwhile, as we all know, we worked hard on solving budget challenges at UMD. Pending final approval from the Board of Regents, we are optimistic that UMD will be in a much improved financial position next fiscal year. As a result of the program prioritization initiatives, voluntary layoffs, new revenue generation, and a larger allocation of state funds from the University of Minnesota system, our structural and recurring deficit will hopefully be reduced to approximately $5.5 million, and our non-recurring $3.9 million deficit for fiscal year 2014 will be eliminated.
In very simple terms, President Eric Kaler's proposed allocation of recurring operations and maintenance funds for UMD will increase over $4.1 million, or 13.2 percent over fiscal year 2014. Of that amount, almost $3 million is an expected increase as part of the biennial budget approved last year by the state Legislature and Governor Dayton that allows UMD to continue to freeze in-state undergraduate tuition. The remaining $1.2 million is a recurring budget increase for UMD from the University of Minnesota system. That means state funding will contribute 26 percent of UMD's O&M budget, an increase of 3 percent over last fiscal year. We have reversed the trend of declining state support for UMD, and we will see additional new revenue through the MnDrive research initiative and through new capital projects. (At present $1.5 for CSAM design and $42.5 University-wide HEAPR)
I want to thank the entire campus community for coming together to find creative ways to operate more efficiently. This has not been easy, and we still have hard work ahead. We continue to work on implementing the suggestions from the Program Prioritization process and look for additional revenue sources. We will continue to work closely with the Strategic Planning and Budget Committee to determine how we will solve the remaining structural budget, and we will set a goal of resolving this issue over the next three years.
As you can see from my list of accomplishments, we are doing amazing things at UMD and are transforming this institution to be a premiere comprehensive university for the 21st Century. Now that the budget challenge is at a more manageable lever, we need to turn our focus to what is on the other side of solving these financial challenges. We need to further clarify UMD's distinctive mission and vision and find the strategic investments that will help us reach our goals. As you can see, we have the full support of President Kaler, his administrative team, and the Board of Regents.
Enrollment projections for this fall are strong, and for the second year in a row we will see a significant increase in the numbers of new students coming to UMD. I hope that you will join me in sharing with prospective students the good news about UMD and encourage them to join our community.
Thank you again for all the amazing work you do and have a wonderful summer!
Town Hall Meeting
May 15, 2014
9-10 a.m.
Kirby Ballroom
Good morning and thank you for coming to today's Town Hall meeting. This is perhaps our busiest time of year, but I thought it was important that we gather before the end of the semester to celebrate our accomplishments and to review the progress we have made in solving UMD's budget challenges. It has been a stressful academic year, but it has also been a year of great achievements. Several other colleges and universities in our area are beginning to struggle with similar challenges and institutions across the country have been dealing with budget issues for some time which are much more severe than the ones we face.
You are all valued members of the UMD community and have an incredible impact on the lives of our students. There will always be internal struggles, challenges and disappointments. But there is also great joy in the impact we have on our students and there can be great joy in our daily work, especially if we can get beyond the hard feelings and lack of trust that comes from a lack of understanding and from a fear of the unknown. I continue to be dedicated to improved communication and collaboration. This is why I asked you to join me today in celebrating our accomplishments as we plan for the next steps in addressing our budget challenges.
I'm wondering how many of you saw the letter to the editor in the Duluth News Tribune on May 7 from Richard Beeson, who is chair of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents. For those of you who missed it, Chair Beeson wrote this editorial after he, five other Regents, members of the Regents staff, and President Kaler's Chief of Staff visited UMD. I won't read the entire letter to you, but I will highlight a few points.
• He referenced how impressed he was with the academic and athletic achievements of our student athletes. Chair Beeson and our other guests attended the annual the Dinner With Champions, a partnership between UMD and the Duluth business community. He said, "These were Bulldogs who represent themselves and their school well, both in competition and as students. As importantly, they are dedicated to public service in the Duluth community. . ."
• He also applauded the firsthand look at some of the incredible work and important research being done on a daily basis across campus. . . and at the Natural Resources Research Institute. He said, "It's clear UMD continues to have a positive impact regionally and throughout our state." And while he was here, we made clear that our research also has a national and international impact.
• He said the Regents came away with a better understanding of the preparations we have made to address the dynamic challenges of higher education budgeting. He said that the Regents have the highest level of confidence the solutions moving forward will maintain UMD's critical value to the University of Minnesota system and the entire state.
• Chair Beeson's letter ended with this statement: "UMD's success on all fronts is paramount, and we will continue to ensure the necessary resources are available to advance the distinct mission of the campus and establish a strong foundation for the future."
I was so proud to read such a positive, thoughtful and upbeat letter from Regent Beeson, who as chair of the board literally oversees the entire University of Minnesota system.
The letter reminded me that while it is human nature to focus on the negative, we must remember to celebrate all of the positive work that you do each day for the success of our students. I am an optimist, but also a realist by necessity. For me, the UMD glass is WAY over half full.
Here are just a few examples from across campus of our successes during the 2013 - 2014 academic year:
• Celebrated an academic milestone that we'll be talking about for years to come: Brian Kobilka returned to UMD last fall to lecture and to be honored for receiving the 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
• Alec Habig, UMD professor of physics, along with the other scientists working on the world's longest-distance neutrino experiment, announced in February that they have seen their first neutrinos.
• The UMD Theatre production, Last Summer at Bluefish Cove, was one of only five productions selected to compete in the six-state Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival regional competition in Lincoln, Nebraska.
• A year of great artistic and academic success in the School of Fine Arts with the largest group of students honored for being on the Dean's list six or more semesters in their academic careers.
• We hosted the Sieur Du Luht Creativity Conference, a series of interdisciplinary lectures and discussions involving faculty, staff, students, community members and invited guests.
• The College of Liberal Arts launched the Cultural Entrepreneurship degree and hosted a lecture series organized by Dr. Scott Vollum on the topic of the death penalty in America. This series brought together students, faculty and members of the Duluth community and culminated in this year's Overman Lecture.
• Students in the Labovitz School of Business and Economics manage the Bulldog Fund, which is at the heart of our Financial Markets program. This year, the Bulldog Fund exceeded $1 million for the first time in its history.
• The Center for Economic Development and Northeast regional office of the Minnesota Small Business Development Center Network at UMD was named the Minnesota SBDC Center of Excellence of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
• In the College of Education and Human Service Professions, Psychology professor Aydin Durgunoglu received the system wide 2013 Award for Global Engagement for her work on adult literacy in Turkey.
• The College also began a new bachelor program in Social Work and a new master program in Psychological Sciences.
• We survived a pretty brutal winter! Facilities Management crews successfully supported campus operations by responding to 3 water main breaks, 12 frozen heating coils, 2 power outages, and the third most snowfall on record. Not to mention that we had more snow days and late starts than anyone can remember.
• We continued to take our sustainability efforts to the next level. We now have a charging station for electric vehicles, 36 water bottle filling stations, and a wind turbine at the Farm; supporting energy conservation by upgrading boiler controls, installing LED lights throughout campus, and replacing building control systems; and building a pedestrian/bike path to Woodland Avenue to better connect the campus and community.
• Incorporated local produce from the UMD Farm and local farms in Dining Services.
• The Dining Center went Trayless last summer, which led to waste being down by 4.5 percent as of February and water consumption down by 10 percent. That translates into more than $54,000 in savings.
• Launched Champ's Cupboard food shelf for students, and the UMD community has donated over 2,000 items since it began.
• UMD became an anchor tenant for a regional fiber optic hub established by the Northeast Service Cooperative. We now have five active learning classrooms with three more planned to be constructed this summer.
• Broadened campus involvement in creating an open, transparent environment through the implementation of the new Shared Governance process.
• Completed the campus master plan.
• Received ranking as one of the top 25 GLBT-friendly colleges in the country.
• In Alumni Relations, made contacts at events across the country and reached more than 30,000 alumni with a monthly electronic newsletter and through enhanced social media contact.
• So far, the Development Office has raised $6.7 million in new gifts and commitments for this fiscal year, with most of the gifts designated to specific departments, programs or scholarships. There is at least one very large gift that should be finalized before the end of the fiscal year. We will announce it as soon as the gift is official.
• By the end of June, 72 faculty and staff will have participated in the Intercultural Leadership Development training.
• The Swenson College of Science and Engineering Unit Change Team developed a free online course Math Prep to help prepare under represented students entering the STEM fields.
• UMD hosted the system wide Annual Summit on Equity, Diversity and Multiculturalism in February.
• Celebrated football Coach Curt Weise being named as the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year for Division II, with $50,000 distributed to local charities and to the Alumni Relations office.
• We had a banner year in athletic achievements, and about 400 student athletes achieved an average GPA of 3.1 or higher. We had three student athletes receive the Myles Brand award for a GPA of 3.75 or higher, and the women's basketball team won the Chancellor Cup for their combined GPA of 3.55.
• Revamped the UMD homepage and began navigating the campus website with the new UMD mobile app.
• The Learning Commons opened in the library, and the Supportive Services Program Tutoring Center was recognized in March as the outstanding program of the year at the national conference of the Association for the Tutoring Profession.
• Celebrated many successes at events throughout the year, from the Multicultural awards, to the faculty, staff and student awards to the Athletic Hall of Fame and the Academy of Science and Engineering in the Swenson College.
• Recognized the 10th anniversary of the College of Pharmacy Program at UMD.
• Learned that UMD has one of the best lifetime returns on investment, with AffordableCollegesOnline finding that UMD grads are among the most likely to have the largest earnings potential when compared to those who do not have college degree, and that UMD graduates earn more on average than graduates from many other peer schools.
• A UMD education is about much more than earning money. We prepare our students for life-long careers and fulfilling lives. At the same time, it's good to see data that attests to the economic value of a UMD education. We are more expensive than our primary competitors, and we need to narrow that gap. But the value of an UMD education in all respects is well worth the cost.
• This academic year UMD released its first ever completely online Bridge magazine. It resulted in 1) more than three times the amount of content including enhanced multimedia features, 2) a distribution to thousands more people than the previous printed issue, and 3) saved more than $20,000 in printing and postage costs.
Meanwhile, as we all know, we worked hard on solving budget challenges at UMD. Pending final approval from the Board of Regents, we are optimistic that UMD will be in a much improved financial position next fiscal year. As a result of the program prioritization initiatives, voluntary layoffs, new revenue generation, and a larger allocation of state funds from the University of Minnesota system, our structural and recurring deficit will hopefully be reduced to approximately $5.5 million, and our non-recurring $3.9 million deficit for fiscal year 2014 will be eliminated.
In very simple terms, President Eric Kaler's proposed allocation of recurring operations and maintenance funds for UMD will increase over $4.1 million, or 13.2 percent over fiscal year 2014. Of that amount, almost $3 million is an expected increase as part of the biennial budget approved last year by the state Legislature and Governor Dayton that allows UMD to continue to freeze in-state undergraduate tuition. The remaining $1.2 million is a recurring budget increase for UMD from the University of Minnesota system. That means state funding will contribute 26 percent of UMD's O&M budget, an increase of 3 percent over last fiscal year. We have reversed the trend of declining state support for UMD, and we will see additional new revenue through the MnDrive research initiative and through new capital projects. (At present $1.5 for CSAM design and $42.5 University-wide HEAPR)
I want to thank the entire campus community for coming together to find creative ways to operate more efficiently. This has not been easy, and we still have hard work ahead. We continue to work on implementing the suggestions from the Program Prioritization process and look for additional revenue sources. We will continue to work closely with the Strategic Planning and Budget Committee to determine how we will solve the remaining structural budget, and we will set a goal of resolving this issue over the next three years.
As you can see from my list of accomplishments, we are doing amazing things at UMD and are transforming this institution to be a premiere comprehensive university for the 21st Century. Now that the budget challenge is at a more manageable lever, we need to turn our focus to what is on the other side of solving these financial challenges. We need to further clarify UMD's distinctive mission and vision and find the strategic investments that will help us reach our goals. As you can see, we have the full support of President Kaler, his administrative team, and the Board of Regents.
Enrollment projections for this fall are strong, and for the second year in a row we will see a significant increase in the numbers of new students coming to UMD. I hope that you will join me in sharing with prospective students the good news about UMD and encourage them to join our community.
Thank you again for all the amazing work you do and have a wonderful summer!
Friday, May 2, 2014
Budget Message from Chancellor Black
Dear Campus Community:
I'm writing to give you an update on the substantial progress we have made in meeting our budget challenges. In addition, I'm summarizing UMD's proposed Operation and Maintenance (O&M) allocation from the University of Minnesota for next fiscal year (FY15), which begins July 1, 2014.
Pending final approval from the Board of Regents, we are optimistic that UMD will be in a much improved financial position going into fiscal year 2015. As a result of the program prioritization initiatives, voluntary layoffs, new revenue generation, and a larger allocation of state funds from the University of Minnesota system, we are hopeful our structural and recurring deficit will be reduced to approximately $5.5 million, and our non-recurring $3.9 million deficit for fiscal year 2014 will be eliminated.
President Eric Kaler's proposed O&M allocation for UMD increased $4,178,467 or 13.2% over fiscal year 2014. Of that amount, $2,978,467 is an expected increase as part of the biennial budget approved last year by the state Legislature and Governor Dayton that allows UMD to continue to freeze in-state undergraduate tuition. The remaining $1.2 million is a recurring budget increase for UMD from the University of Minnesota system. If the Board of Regents approve President Kaler's proposed budget, state funding will contribute 26% of UMD's O&M budget, an increase of 3% over last fiscal year. In addition, the state Senate has proposed a $2.5 million allocation to the University of Minnesota system to help UMD address our non-recurring budget. President Kaler's budget proposal augments that potential state allocation to eliminate UMD's non-recurring deficit for the current fiscal year.
I want to thank the entire campus community for coming together to find creative ways to operate more efficiently. This has not been easy, and we still have hard work ahead. We are starting immediately on strategies to address our remaining structural deficit. However, we also have great things in our future as we continue to pursue our vision and continue to position and to transform UMD for the 21st Century.
At this time, we have cut in half the budget deficit I announced last September, from $11.9 million to approximately $5.5 million. We will be more certain about the $5.5 million deficit after we close out fiscal year 2014. Even though this deficit number may shift, I am confident we will get through this challenge over the next couple of years. As we solve these challenges, we will remain focused on our strengths and achieving higher levels of excellence. That is why we chose not to make across-the-board cuts, but made strategic reductions that had the least negative impact on our academic areas and on students. We have established true budgets in all units that allow people greater freedom in planning and monitoring those budgets with increased control and accountability.
I also want to thank President Kaler, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Richard Pfutzenreuter, and system Budget Director Julie Tonneson for listening to our UMD campus community and partnering with us to address our budget challenges.
The proposed University of Minnesota budget will be discussed in a public forum on Friday, May 9 from 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. in the Board Room of the McNamara Alumni Center on the Twin Cities campus. The budget is subject to approval by the University of Minnesota Board of Regents on June 13, 2014.
Sincerely,
Lendley C. Black
Chancellor
I'm writing to give you an update on the substantial progress we have made in meeting our budget challenges. In addition, I'm summarizing UMD's proposed Operation and Maintenance (O&M) allocation from the University of Minnesota for next fiscal year (FY15), which begins July 1, 2014.
Pending final approval from the Board of Regents, we are optimistic that UMD will be in a much improved financial position going into fiscal year 2015. As a result of the program prioritization initiatives, voluntary layoffs, new revenue generation, and a larger allocation of state funds from the University of Minnesota system, we are hopeful our structural and recurring deficit will be reduced to approximately $5.5 million, and our non-recurring $3.9 million deficit for fiscal year 2014 will be eliminated.
President Eric Kaler's proposed O&M allocation for UMD increased $4,178,467 or 13.2% over fiscal year 2014. Of that amount, $2,978,467 is an expected increase as part of the biennial budget approved last year by the state Legislature and Governor Dayton that allows UMD to continue to freeze in-state undergraduate tuition. The remaining $1.2 million is a recurring budget increase for UMD from the University of Minnesota system. If the Board of Regents approve President Kaler's proposed budget, state funding will contribute 26% of UMD's O&M budget, an increase of 3% over last fiscal year. In addition, the state Senate has proposed a $2.5 million allocation to the University of Minnesota system to help UMD address our non-recurring budget. President Kaler's budget proposal augments that potential state allocation to eliminate UMD's non-recurring deficit for the current fiscal year.
I want to thank the entire campus community for coming together to find creative ways to operate more efficiently. This has not been easy, and we still have hard work ahead. We are starting immediately on strategies to address our remaining structural deficit. However, we also have great things in our future as we continue to pursue our vision and continue to position and to transform UMD for the 21st Century.
At this time, we have cut in half the budget deficit I announced last September, from $11.9 million to approximately $5.5 million. We will be more certain about the $5.5 million deficit after we close out fiscal year 2014. Even though this deficit number may shift, I am confident we will get through this challenge over the next couple of years. As we solve these challenges, we will remain focused on our strengths and achieving higher levels of excellence. That is why we chose not to make across-the-board cuts, but made strategic reductions that had the least negative impact on our academic areas and on students. We have established true budgets in all units that allow people greater freedom in planning and monitoring those budgets with increased control and accountability.
I also want to thank President Kaler, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Richard Pfutzenreuter, and system Budget Director Julie Tonneson for listening to our UMD campus community and partnering with us to address our budget challenges.
The proposed University of Minnesota budget will be discussed in a public forum on Friday, May 9 from 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. in the Board Room of the McNamara Alumni Center on the Twin Cities campus. The budget is subject to approval by the University of Minnesota Board of Regents on June 13, 2014.
Sincerely,
Lendley C. Black
Chancellor
Monday, April 21, 2014
Friday, April 11, 2014
Campus Update from Chancellor Black
April 11, 2014
Dear Campus Community:
This week there has been much deserved attention to the 50th anniversary of President Lyndon Johnson signing into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As President Obama indicated, the Civil Rights Act opened doors for many of our brothers and sisters who were shut out of public places and were victims of overt racism and discrimination. Students at UMD saw first-hand the successes and failures of the civil rights movement during a week-long trip to the South during Spring Break. The students were moved by the victories of the civil rights leaders they met and studied, but were disturbed by the stark disparities that still exist. I congratulate Cheryl Reitan, John Arthur, Mary Cameron, Chris Davila, Betty Greene, and Kaohlee Vue for serving as leaders on the trip and Susana Pelayo-Woodward in the Office of Cultural Diversity for her support in the planning and organizing of the trip. I was fortunate to spend an afternoon with the group in Memphis, where I hosted them for traditional Memphis barbecue and explored the National Civil Rights Museum.
As we continue to address issues of equity, diversity and social justice at UMD, we need to celebrate our progress and recognize that we still have much to do in order to reach our goals. This is also a good time to reflect on the importance of finding new ways to work with each other in collaborative and productive ways as students, faculty, staff, and administrators. We have had a number of challenges during this academic year, but we have many more successes and achievements that need to be celebrated. Every day I see examples of the amazing work of our faculty, staff and students.
We also continue to make progress on addressing our budget challenges. Our assertive and collaborative approach is working, and I am optimistic that we will receive strong support from President Kaler and his budget committee through the budget allocations for next fiscal year. We should have that information within the next week or two. Vice President Pfutzenreuter and Budget Director Tonneson spent two days this week meeting with several shared governance committees to explain the university budgeting process. They have pledged to provide more detail information regarding UMD's budget as needed. I appreciate the time and effort they have given us over the past several months and look forward to ongoing collaboration with them in the future.
Our Program Prioritization process continues based upon the results we have been discussing over the past few months. I appreciate the input we have received about the Program Prioritization results and appreciate the assistance of the Strategic Planning and Budget Committee. Administrators have been working with the staff and faculty of the programs affected. We have had to make tough decisions, but we are committed to keeping our focus on moving UMD forward to become a premiere comprehensive university.
As we keep our focus on undergraduate education, we will continue to explore new graduate programs that are distinctive and take advantage of our strengths. UMD faculty and students are conducting groundbreaking research and creative inquiry that creates new knowledge; solves problems; improves the quality of life locally and in many parts of the world; and enhances the economy, cultural life and artistic vitality of this region. We are producing top-notch graduates in all five of our colleges and schools.
In order to reach our strategic goals, we need the continued support of our legislative leaders and Governor. I appreciate the many members of our university and our community partners who have reached out to political leaders to advocate for UMD. We are seeing positive results, but we need to be diligent as this legislative session comes to a close over the next few weeks. Please continue to advocate for a larger allocation for the Higher Education Asset Preservation and Renovation Fund (HEAPR) and for the UMD Chemical Sciences and Advanced Materials Building. Our new building is in the House bill, but they recommended only $30 million of the University of Minnesota's $100 million HEAPR request. In order for us to renovate Cina Hall, Heller Hall, and the Romano Gymnasium, we need the university's HEAPR allocation to be much higher. The Senate's bonding bill should be released soon. Please contact your legislators, especially members of the Senate, as soon as possible, and voice your support for both UMD and the University of Minnesota's requests.
Thank you again for the outstanding work you do for our students. This is often the busiest time of year as we sprint toward the finish of another academic year. But it is also a great time of year as the snow melts (finally) and we can return to enjoying the unique natural areas around us in warmer temperatures. We also look forward to another commencement and to seeing the results of our work. Let's keep our focus on the successes of our students as we work together to achieve even greater levels of excellence at UMD.
Sincerely,
Lendley C. Black
Chancellor
________________
Chancellor's Office
University of Minnesota Duluth
515 Darland Administration Building
1049 University Drive
Duluth, MN 55812
218.726.7106
218.726.6535 (fax)
Support the U
Dear Campus Community:
This week there has been much deserved attention to the 50th anniversary of President Lyndon Johnson signing into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As President Obama indicated, the Civil Rights Act opened doors for many of our brothers and sisters who were shut out of public places and were victims of overt racism and discrimination. Students at UMD saw first-hand the successes and failures of the civil rights movement during a week-long trip to the South during Spring Break. The students were moved by the victories of the civil rights leaders they met and studied, but were disturbed by the stark disparities that still exist. I congratulate Cheryl Reitan, John Arthur, Mary Cameron, Chris Davila, Betty Greene, and Kaohlee Vue for serving as leaders on the trip and Susana Pelayo-Woodward in the Office of Cultural Diversity for her support in the planning and organizing of the trip. I was fortunate to spend an afternoon with the group in Memphis, where I hosted them for traditional Memphis barbecue and explored the National Civil Rights Museum.
As we continue to address issues of equity, diversity and social justice at UMD, we need to celebrate our progress and recognize that we still have much to do in order to reach our goals. This is also a good time to reflect on the importance of finding new ways to work with each other in collaborative and productive ways as students, faculty, staff, and administrators. We have had a number of challenges during this academic year, but we have many more successes and achievements that need to be celebrated. Every day I see examples of the amazing work of our faculty, staff and students.
We also continue to make progress on addressing our budget challenges. Our assertive and collaborative approach is working, and I am optimistic that we will receive strong support from President Kaler and his budget committee through the budget allocations for next fiscal year. We should have that information within the next week or two. Vice President Pfutzenreuter and Budget Director Tonneson spent two days this week meeting with several shared governance committees to explain the university budgeting process. They have pledged to provide more detail information regarding UMD's budget as needed. I appreciate the time and effort they have given us over the past several months and look forward to ongoing collaboration with them in the future.
Our Program Prioritization process continues based upon the results we have been discussing over the past few months. I appreciate the input we have received about the Program Prioritization results and appreciate the assistance of the Strategic Planning and Budget Committee. Administrators have been working with the staff and faculty of the programs affected. We have had to make tough decisions, but we are committed to keeping our focus on moving UMD forward to become a premiere comprehensive university.
As we keep our focus on undergraduate education, we will continue to explore new graduate programs that are distinctive and take advantage of our strengths. UMD faculty and students are conducting groundbreaking research and creative inquiry that creates new knowledge; solves problems; improves the quality of life locally and in many parts of the world; and enhances the economy, cultural life and artistic vitality of this region. We are producing top-notch graduates in all five of our colleges and schools.
In order to reach our strategic goals, we need the continued support of our legislative leaders and Governor. I appreciate the many members of our university and our community partners who have reached out to political leaders to advocate for UMD. We are seeing positive results, but we need to be diligent as this legislative session comes to a close over the next few weeks. Please continue to advocate for a larger allocation for the Higher Education Asset Preservation and Renovation Fund (HEAPR) and for the UMD Chemical Sciences and Advanced Materials Building. Our new building is in the House bill, but they recommended only $30 million of the University of Minnesota's $100 million HEAPR request. In order for us to renovate Cina Hall, Heller Hall, and the Romano Gymnasium, we need the university's HEAPR allocation to be much higher. The Senate's bonding bill should be released soon. Please contact your legislators, especially members of the Senate, as soon as possible, and voice your support for both UMD and the University of Minnesota's requests.
Thank you again for the outstanding work you do for our students. This is often the busiest time of year as we sprint toward the finish of another academic year. But it is also a great time of year as the snow melts (finally) and we can return to enjoying the unique natural areas around us in warmer temperatures. We also look forward to another commencement and to seeing the results of our work. Let's keep our focus on the successes of our students as we work together to achieve even greater levels of excellence at UMD.
Sincerely,
Lendley C. Black
Chancellor
________________
Chancellor's Office
University of Minnesota Duluth
515 Darland Administration Building
1049 University Drive
Duluth, MN 55812
218.726.7106
218.726.6535 (fax)
Support the U
Thursday, April 10, 2014
UM Budget Process Presentation
Here is a copy of the presentation by University of Minnesota Vice President Richard Pfutzenreuter and Budget Director Julie Tonneson to a series of groups at UMD on April 10-11.
UM Budget Process Presentation April 2014.pdf
UM Budget Process Presentation April 2014.pdf
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Friday, March 28, 2014
Campus Update from Chancellor Black
Dear Campus Community:
I am writing to give you an update on our progress in addressing UMD's budget challenges and an update on our advocacy for new facilities projects. On March 14, we presented UMD's Budget Compact request to the University Vice Presidents who make budget recommendations to President Eric Kaler. The meeting went well, and we continue to get great support from Vice President Richard Pfutzenreuter and the Office of Budget and Finance. Vice President Pfutzenrueter will return to UMD and hold a series of budget discussions on April 10-11.
Our primary budget request included asking the University of Minnesota System to assist us with additional revenues and with both short-term and long-term strategies to solve UMD's budget challenges over the next few years. We anticipate receiving our fiscal year 2015 budget the middle of April. In addition to help with our budget challenges, we presented an appendix to the compact request consisting of a long list of new faculty and staff positions and programmatic support for many areas across campus.
Regarding our advocacy for bonding projects, we have made great progress in telling the UMD story to our elected officials. I have met with many leaders in both the House and Senate and have heard many positive comments about UMD. We are valued among our political leaders and are fortunate to have a local delegation who supports us. I wish to personally thank the UMD faculty, staff, and students, particularly the Student Association Leadership, who have spent time in St. Paul meeting with legislators and writing letters on our behalf. We had great turnouts for the Bulldog Day, Support the U Day, and the Duluth-St. Louis County Day at the Capitol.
Our primary focus is on funding for the Chemical Sciences and Advanced Materials building and for the University's $100 million HEAPR request, which would enable us to renovate Cina Hall and Heller Hall. At this time, the bonding proposal from the Chair of the House Capital Investment Committee includes full funding for our new building, and I am hopeful we will receive strong support in the Senate. Current HEAPR proposals are in the $40 million range, and we are advocating for the full $100 million request. I appreciate Gov. Mark Dayton's intention to provide additional funding to UMD, but it is unclear how much support his proposal will have in the Legislature. This legislative session is moving quickly, and I will keep you informed as we know more. Please continue to contact our legislators as their deliberations move forward.
Thank you again for all you do to keep UMD strong. You have my best wishes for a positive and productive end of the spring semester.
Sincerely,
Lendley C. Black
Chancellor
________________
Chancellor's Office
University of Minnesota Duluth
515 Darland Administration Building
1049 University Drive
Duluth, MN 55812
218.726.7106
218.726.6535 (fax)
Support the U
I am writing to give you an update on our progress in addressing UMD's budget challenges and an update on our advocacy for new facilities projects. On March 14, we presented UMD's Budget Compact request to the University Vice Presidents who make budget recommendations to President Eric Kaler. The meeting went well, and we continue to get great support from Vice President Richard Pfutzenreuter and the Office of Budget and Finance. Vice President Pfutzenrueter will return to UMD and hold a series of budget discussions on April 10-11.
Our primary budget request included asking the University of Minnesota System to assist us with additional revenues and with both short-term and long-term strategies to solve UMD's budget challenges over the next few years. We anticipate receiving our fiscal year 2015 budget the middle of April. In addition to help with our budget challenges, we presented an appendix to the compact request consisting of a long list of new faculty and staff positions and programmatic support for many areas across campus.
Regarding our advocacy for bonding projects, we have made great progress in telling the UMD story to our elected officials. I have met with many leaders in both the House and Senate and have heard many positive comments about UMD. We are valued among our political leaders and are fortunate to have a local delegation who supports us. I wish to personally thank the UMD faculty, staff, and students, particularly the Student Association Leadership, who have spent time in St. Paul meeting with legislators and writing letters on our behalf. We had great turnouts for the Bulldog Day, Support the U Day, and the Duluth-St. Louis County Day at the Capitol.
Our primary focus is on funding for the Chemical Sciences and Advanced Materials building and for the University's $100 million HEAPR request, which would enable us to renovate Cina Hall and Heller Hall. At this time, the bonding proposal from the Chair of the House Capital Investment Committee includes full funding for our new building, and I am hopeful we will receive strong support in the Senate. Current HEAPR proposals are in the $40 million range, and we are advocating for the full $100 million request. I appreciate Gov. Mark Dayton's intention to provide additional funding to UMD, but it is unclear how much support his proposal will have in the Legislature. This legislative session is moving quickly, and I will keep you informed as we know more. Please continue to contact our legislators as their deliberations move forward.
Thank you again for all you do to keep UMD strong. You have my best wishes for a positive and productive end of the spring semester.
Sincerely,
Lendley C. Black
Chancellor
________________
Chancellor's Office
University of Minnesota Duluth
515 Darland Administration Building
1049 University Drive
Duluth, MN 55812
218.726.7106
218.726.6535 (fax)
Support the U
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Monday, February 24, 2014
Audio Town Hall Meeting on February 24
Campus Community,
Here is the link for the audio from the Town Hall meeting on Monday, February 24, 2014 regarding Program Prioritization and Budget.
http://youtu.be/6d0azIdHezE
Lendley C. Black
Chancellor
________________
Chancellor's Office
University of Minnesota Duluth
515 Darland Administration Building
1049 University Drive
Duluth, MN 55812
218.726.7106
218.726.6535 (fax)
Support the U
Here is the link for the audio from the Town Hall meeting on Monday, February 24, 2014 regarding Program Prioritization and Budget.
http://youtu.be/6d0azIdHezE
Lendley C. Black
Chancellor
________________
Chancellor's Office
University of Minnesota Duluth
515 Darland Administration Building
1049 University Drive
Duluth, MN 55812
218.726.7106
218.726.6535 (fax)
Support the U
Audio links for the Faculty Assembly, Staff Council and Student Association meetings with President Kaler
Campus Community,
Here are the audio links for the Faculty Assembly, Staff Council and Student Association meetings with President Kaler on Monday, February 17.
Student Association. http://youtu.be/IlKUgZDtz7E
Staff Council. http://youtu.be/Kl4MlJFOz9A
Faculty Assembly. http://youtu.be/7WozBr6PXY4
Lendley C. Black
Chancellor
________________
Chancellor's Office
University of Minnesota Duluth
515 Darland Administration Building
1049 University Drive
Duluth, MN 55812
218.726.7106
218.726.6535 (fax)
Support the U
Here are the audio links for the Faculty Assembly, Staff Council and Student Association meetings with President Kaler on Monday, February 17.
Student Association. http://youtu.be/IlKUgZDtz7E
Staff Council. http://youtu.be/Kl4MlJFOz9A
Faculty Assembly. http://youtu.be/7WozBr6PXY4
Lendley C. Black
Chancellor
________________
Chancellor's Office
University of Minnesota Duluth
515 Darland Administration Building
1049 University Drive
Duluth, MN 55812
218.726.7106
218.726.6535 (fax)
Support the U
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Program Prioritization Update
Dear Campus Community:
I am sending you budget and program prioritization updates in preparation for our Town Hall meeting, Monday, February 24, at 3:30 p.m. in the Kirby Ballroom. The purpose of this meeting is to provide an opportunity for the campus to come together and explore how we will collaborate on solutions to the challenges we face.
Some faculty, staff, students and administrators have expressed varying degrees and types of frustration about UMD's budget challenge and program prioritization. I have to admit, I have also been frustrated over the past few weeks and months. This is difficult work, and I am absolutely confident that we are more than capable of rising above the frustrations and challenges if we work together and keenly focus on what is best for our students.
I know it is tempting to cast blame on others for these challenges. I've been tempted to do so myself, especially for decisions that were made prior to me coming to UMD. But it is clear this route will do us no good. Instead, we must focus on dealing with the present and in establishing a strong foundation for the future. I accept responsibility for my own actions and for the welfare of UMD as we move forward to even greater accomplishments.
There were several positive outcomes from our meetings with University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler and his budget staff last Monday at UMD. Clearly, UMD is a jewel in the crown of the University of Minnesota system and they are as committed as we are to advancing our distinctive mission and vision and to keeping UMD strong.
In preparation for this Monday's meeting, I am sending you the latest information regarding UMD's budget and program prioritization. I encourage you to look at this information prior to the meeting and be ready to ask questions and make comments.
The latest facts regarding our budget target are these:
• Over the past few months, UMD's finance staff and representatives of the Twin Cities budget office have collaborated on a thorough analysis of UMD's fiscal year 2014 budget, including both recurring and non-recurring revenues and expenditures.
• This process was completed last Friday, and we now have confidence in establishing an updated budget target of $9.4 million.
• As I indicated last fall, we also have a non-recurring deficit. We have taken steps to reduce that deficit, and it now stands at $3.3 million.
• We will address this budget challenge through a combination of cost reductions, revenue increases, and collaborations with the Twin Cities senior leadership.
• We will NOT just cut from our recurring budget, and we do NOT have to reach this budget target in just one year. President Kaler and his team are strong partners with us and they are helping us develop successful strategies.
The latest facts regarding program prioritization are these:
• Program prioritization is just one of several tools to help us address our budget challenges.
• There are potential benefits from program prioritization that will help increase efficiency, cut administrative costs, and keep our focus on excellence and our core mission. We will do a number of things differently to achieve these benefits. We will implement changes in ways that focus on what we do best and how we can position UMD to become stronger and achieve new heights of excellence.
• The latest program prioritization results are attached.
• As you examine the proposed changes in this document, you will see that IF we implement all of the items suggested, we will reduce expenses across units by $2.5 million and increase revenues by nearly $700,000.
• I emphasize that the program prioritization results are in draft form and for discussion purposes only. Final decisions (not impacted by voluntary layoff) will not be made until the campus has the opportunity to discuss the proposed changes.
Thank you again for your commitment to UMD and your hard work on behalf of our students. I am committed to more frequent and direct communications with the campus community, and will try to keep them succinct. However, at this point, I would rather share too much information with you than not enough. It is important that we are all working off the same set of facts.
Best wishes,
Chancellor Black
________________
Chancellor's Office
University of Minnesota Duluth
515 Darland Administration Building
1049 University Drive
Duluth, MN 55812
218.726.7106
218.726.6535 (fax)
DRAFT Program Prioritization Strategies February 20 2014-3.pdf
I am sending you budget and program prioritization updates in preparation for our Town Hall meeting, Monday, February 24, at 3:30 p.m. in the Kirby Ballroom. The purpose of this meeting is to provide an opportunity for the campus to come together and explore how we will collaborate on solutions to the challenges we face.
Some faculty, staff, students and administrators have expressed varying degrees and types of frustration about UMD's budget challenge and program prioritization. I have to admit, I have also been frustrated over the past few weeks and months. This is difficult work, and I am absolutely confident that we are more than capable of rising above the frustrations and challenges if we work together and keenly focus on what is best for our students.
I know it is tempting to cast blame on others for these challenges. I've been tempted to do so myself, especially for decisions that were made prior to me coming to UMD. But it is clear this route will do us no good. Instead, we must focus on dealing with the present and in establishing a strong foundation for the future. I accept responsibility for my own actions and for the welfare of UMD as we move forward to even greater accomplishments.
There were several positive outcomes from our meetings with University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler and his budget staff last Monday at UMD. Clearly, UMD is a jewel in the crown of the University of Minnesota system and they are as committed as we are to advancing our distinctive mission and vision and to keeping UMD strong.
In preparation for this Monday's meeting, I am sending you the latest information regarding UMD's budget and program prioritization. I encourage you to look at this information prior to the meeting and be ready to ask questions and make comments.
The latest facts regarding our budget target are these:
• Over the past few months, UMD's finance staff and representatives of the Twin Cities budget office have collaborated on a thorough analysis of UMD's fiscal year 2014 budget, including both recurring and non-recurring revenues and expenditures.
• This process was completed last Friday, and we now have confidence in establishing an updated budget target of $9.4 million.
• As I indicated last fall, we also have a non-recurring deficit. We have taken steps to reduce that deficit, and it now stands at $3.3 million.
• We will address this budget challenge through a combination of cost reductions, revenue increases, and collaborations with the Twin Cities senior leadership.
• We will NOT just cut from our recurring budget, and we do NOT have to reach this budget target in just one year. President Kaler and his team are strong partners with us and they are helping us develop successful strategies.
The latest facts regarding program prioritization are these:
• Program prioritization is just one of several tools to help us address our budget challenges.
• There are potential benefits from program prioritization that will help increase efficiency, cut administrative costs, and keep our focus on excellence and our core mission. We will do a number of things differently to achieve these benefits. We will implement changes in ways that focus on what we do best and how we can position UMD to become stronger and achieve new heights of excellence.
• The latest program prioritization results are attached.
• As you examine the proposed changes in this document, you will see that IF we implement all of the items suggested, we will reduce expenses across units by $2.5 million and increase revenues by nearly $700,000.
• I emphasize that the program prioritization results are in draft form and for discussion purposes only. Final decisions (not impacted by voluntary layoff) will not be made until the campus has the opportunity to discuss the proposed changes.
Thank you again for your commitment to UMD and your hard work on behalf of our students. I am committed to more frequent and direct communications with the campus community, and will try to keep them succinct. However, at this point, I would rather share too much information with you than not enough. It is important that we are all working off the same set of facts.
Best wishes,
Chancellor Black
________________
Chancellor's Office
University of Minnesota Duluth
515 Darland Administration Building
1049 University Drive
Duluth, MN 55812
218.726.7106
218.726.6535 (fax)
DRAFT Program Prioritization Strategies February 20 2014-3.pdf
Friday, February 14, 2014
President Kaler's Visit to UMD Monday, February 17
Dear Members of the UMD Community,
It is a pleasure for me to announce that University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler, along with Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Richard Pfutzenreuter, and Budget Director Julie Tonneson will be at UMD on Monday, February 17. President Kaler, Vice President Pfutzenreuter, and Director Tonneson will answer questions about the University of Minnesota budget process and address other areas of interest to the UMD community.
The schedule of meetings includes:
Student Association Congress: 1-1:45 p.m., Griggs Center
Faculty Assembly: 2-3:00 p.m., Kirby Ballroom
Staff Council: 3:00-3:45 p.m., Griggs Center
As I indicated to the campus last fall, we are taking a multifaceted approach to resolve the budget issues at UMD. Unfortunately, rumors and misinformation regarding UMD's budget status and allocations continue. Some media reports are misleading and wrong. Many of the comparisons of funding between UMD and the Twin Cities are incorrect.
To reiterate what I said in the town hall, faculty and staff meetings last fall, UMD has a significant budget challenge resulting from a variety of issues including actual tuition revenues coming in below budgeted projections due to a drop in student enrollment, planned and approved expense reductions in 2011 that were not fully implemented at UMD, and a problem with the way fringe benefit costs had been handled within the budget at UMD for many years.
As I have indicated, we are addressing this challenge by reducing expenses, finding new efficiencies, increasing revenues, and seeking assistance from the senior systemwide leaders in the Twin Cities. We are making progress on all strategies, and having President Kaler and Vice President Pfutzenreuter, and Director Tonneson on campus further solidifies the assistance we are getting from the system leaders. Their visit will also provide an opportunity to further clarify the role they play in UMD's budget process.
While I continue to be a strong advocate for UMD's budget, I want to be sure we are using accurate benchmarks within the University of Minnesota system. Many of the analyses that have been circulating and published are simply inaccurate. Straight comparisons between UMD's budget and the Twin Cities campus budget are flawed. There are four points I would like to emphasize:
• The source document for the data analysis that was initially published in the Statesman and subsequently shared among some on campus is configured around the University's organizational/budgetary structure and was never intended to represent a geographic display of revenues and expenditures. Some allocations in the source document are allocated to a Vice President or Dean who is organizationally located on the Twin Cities campus, but has a state-wide mission and responsibility. To illustrate the problem of using this data to compare campuses, is the fact that the analysis attributes $89 million in stimulus funds to the Twin Cities campus when the funds were actually used in large part to provide system-wide undergraduate scholarships.
• The cost structure of the instruction, research and public service mission activities on each campus is not equal. UMD and the Twin Cities campuses have unique missions, activities and characteristics. We will continue to advocate for resources to further the UMD mission and vision.
• Multiple revenue sources support mission activities on each campus. State appropriation is just one piece of the combined total of appropriation and tuition. A major factor contributing to our budget challenges (and those of other units in the University system) is that over several years the state reduced the University's appropriation, and the University responded by increasing revenue from tuition. Units with large undergraduate student enrollment, such as UMD, became more tuition dependent, and thus, our revenues took a major hit when enrollment declined.
• The good news is that UMD's state operations and maintenance appropriation for fiscal year 2014 has increased, and this allocation will increase again in fiscal year 2015. Our new student enrollment was up this year and projections are that we will see another increase next year.
We need to be diligent in understanding the University's budget process and advocating for changes that will best position UMD for success. We will be most successful if we approach solutions through a partnership, as opposed to accusations based upon inappropriate comparisons. I have every confidence that the health and success of UMD are a priority for President Kaler and the system leadership team, and I believe that they will work with us to find solutions. That does not mean that we won't need to make tough decisions, but it does mean we have a strong partner.
The next steps in the Program Prioritization process were shared in January with the members of the University Coordinating Council and the Strategic Planning and Budget Committee, and were also posted online on the Shared Governance committee and the Program Prioritization websites. It will be discussed at the next Strategic Planning and Budget Committee meeting and at a town hall meeting within the next few weeks. Please contact a member of this committee or me directly if you have questions, reactions, or suggestions regarding Program Prioritization.
In addition to the the Program Prioritization Next Steps, three-step process of working with system leaders on the budget solution is available in UMD Financial Planning with the Twin Cities University Budget and Finance Office. We have completed the first two steps and are on schedule with the one remaining.
Along with the Program Prioritization process, the campus administrative units have been finalizing the Voluntary Workforce Reduction program. The work plans are in the final review stage, and staff and faculty who have applied for the program will soon be notified. I appreciate your patience as we worked through the details of this program to ensure that we were meeting UMD's needs as well as those of our valued employees, while helping to solve the budget challenges.
Meanwhile, I hope that you heard the exciting news that Maurices is donating its downtown Duluth headquarters building to UMD. The 75,000-square-foot building will be available to UMD in 2016 after Maurices moves into its new headquarters being built on West Superior Street. Plans include using the space to teach courses that involve interaction with the downtown community, offering continuing education and certificate programs, hosting classes for adult learning, offering space for conferences, and expanding partnerships with other higher education and K-12 schools.
Thank you again for the outstanding work you do for UMD. I truly appreciate your efforts and commitment as we continue to keep our focus on academic quality and providing an exemplary education for our students during challenging times.
Best Wishes,
Chancellor Black
It is a pleasure for me to announce that University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler, along with Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Richard Pfutzenreuter, and Budget Director Julie Tonneson will be at UMD on Monday, February 17. President Kaler, Vice President Pfutzenreuter, and Director Tonneson will answer questions about the University of Minnesota budget process and address other areas of interest to the UMD community.
The schedule of meetings includes:
Student Association Congress: 1-1:45 p.m., Griggs Center
Faculty Assembly: 2-3:00 p.m., Kirby Ballroom
Staff Council: 3:00-3:45 p.m., Griggs Center
As I indicated to the campus last fall, we are taking a multifaceted approach to resolve the budget issues at UMD. Unfortunately, rumors and misinformation regarding UMD's budget status and allocations continue. Some media reports are misleading and wrong. Many of the comparisons of funding between UMD and the Twin Cities are incorrect.
To reiterate what I said in the town hall, faculty and staff meetings last fall, UMD has a significant budget challenge resulting from a variety of issues including actual tuition revenues coming in below budgeted projections due to a drop in student enrollment, planned and approved expense reductions in 2011 that were not fully implemented at UMD, and a problem with the way fringe benefit costs had been handled within the budget at UMD for many years.
As I have indicated, we are addressing this challenge by reducing expenses, finding new efficiencies, increasing revenues, and seeking assistance from the senior systemwide leaders in the Twin Cities. We are making progress on all strategies, and having President Kaler and Vice President Pfutzenreuter, and Director Tonneson on campus further solidifies the assistance we are getting from the system leaders. Their visit will also provide an opportunity to further clarify the role they play in UMD's budget process.
While I continue to be a strong advocate for UMD's budget, I want to be sure we are using accurate benchmarks within the University of Minnesota system. Many of the analyses that have been circulating and published are simply inaccurate. Straight comparisons between UMD's budget and the Twin Cities campus budget are flawed. There are four points I would like to emphasize:
• The source document for the data analysis that was initially published in the Statesman and subsequently shared among some on campus is configured around the University's organizational/budgetary structure and was never intended to represent a geographic display of revenues and expenditures. Some allocations in the source document are allocated to a Vice President or Dean who is organizationally located on the Twin Cities campus, but has a state-wide mission and responsibility. To illustrate the problem of using this data to compare campuses, is the fact that the analysis attributes $89 million in stimulus funds to the Twin Cities campus when the funds were actually used in large part to provide system-wide undergraduate scholarships.
• The cost structure of the instruction, research and public service mission activities on each campus is not equal. UMD and the Twin Cities campuses have unique missions, activities and characteristics. We will continue to advocate for resources to further the UMD mission and vision.
• Multiple revenue sources support mission activities on each campus. State appropriation is just one piece of the combined total of appropriation and tuition. A major factor contributing to our budget challenges (and those of other units in the University system) is that over several years the state reduced the University's appropriation, and the University responded by increasing revenue from tuition. Units with large undergraduate student enrollment, such as UMD, became more tuition dependent, and thus, our revenues took a major hit when enrollment declined.
• The good news is that UMD's state operations and maintenance appropriation for fiscal year 2014 has increased, and this allocation will increase again in fiscal year 2015. Our new student enrollment was up this year and projections are that we will see another increase next year.
We need to be diligent in understanding the University's budget process and advocating for changes that will best position UMD for success. We will be most successful if we approach solutions through a partnership, as opposed to accusations based upon inappropriate comparisons. I have every confidence that the health and success of UMD are a priority for President Kaler and the system leadership team, and I believe that they will work with us to find solutions. That does not mean that we won't need to make tough decisions, but it does mean we have a strong partner.
The next steps in the Program Prioritization process were shared in January with the members of the University Coordinating Council and the Strategic Planning and Budget Committee, and were also posted online on the Shared Governance committee and the Program Prioritization websites. It will be discussed at the next Strategic Planning and Budget Committee meeting and at a town hall meeting within the next few weeks. Please contact a member of this committee or me directly if you have questions, reactions, or suggestions regarding Program Prioritization.
In addition to the the Program Prioritization Next Steps, three-step process of working with system leaders on the budget solution is available in UMD Financial Planning with the Twin Cities University Budget and Finance Office. We have completed the first two steps and are on schedule with the one remaining.
Along with the Program Prioritization process, the campus administrative units have been finalizing the Voluntary Workforce Reduction program. The work plans are in the final review stage, and staff and faculty who have applied for the program will soon be notified. I appreciate your patience as we worked through the details of this program to ensure that we were meeting UMD's needs as well as those of our valued employees, while helping to solve the budget challenges.
Meanwhile, I hope that you heard the exciting news that Maurices is donating its downtown Duluth headquarters building to UMD. The 75,000-square-foot building will be available to UMD in 2016 after Maurices moves into its new headquarters being built on West Superior Street. Plans include using the space to teach courses that involve interaction with the downtown community, offering continuing education and certificate programs, hosting classes for adult learning, offering space for conferences, and expanding partnerships with other higher education and K-12 schools.
Thank you again for the outstanding work you do for UMD. I truly appreciate your efforts and commitment as we continue to keep our focus on academic quality and providing an exemplary education for our students during challenging times.
Best Wishes,
Chancellor Black
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Town Hall Meeting on Program Prioritization
Campus Community,
Below are the links to the audio file and the talking points from the Town Hall Meeting on Program Prioritization, which was December 19, 2013 in the Marshal Performing Arts Center at UMD.
Audio File
Town Hall Meeting Program Prioritization Talking Points 12.19.13.pdf
________________
Chancellor's Office
University of Minnesota Duluth
515 Darland Administration Building
1049 University Drive
Duluth, MN 55812
218.726.7106
218.726.6535 (fax)
Support the U
Below are the links to the audio file and the talking points from the Town Hall Meeting on Program Prioritization, which was December 19, 2013 in the Marshal Performing Arts Center at UMD.
Audio File
Town Hall Meeting Program Prioritization Talking Points 12.19.13.pdf
________________
Chancellor's Office
University of Minnesota Duluth
515 Darland Administration Building
1049 University Drive
Duluth, MN 55812
218.726.7106
218.726.6535 (fax)
Support the U
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