The deadline for putting the final touches on Ohio University’s budget for next year is quickly approaching, and the Board of Trustees will be tasked with approving it at this month’s meeting.
Trustees will be meeting June 22 to discuss the budget as well as upcoming construction projects. The meeting will also be the last for board secretary Tom Davis, student trustee Danielle Parker, national trustee Frank P. Krasovec and alumni representative Arlene Greenfield as their terms come to an end.
OU President Roderick McDavis has not yet received budget recommendations for the General Fee, which funds non-academic units, and the General Fund, which pays for faculty salaries and other academic-related expenses.
The university’s Budget Planning Council is meeting on Friday to discuss what recommendations it will make to the president, who will then pass on recommendations to the Board of Trustees.
BPC has a “wish list” of desired investments next year, but will likely not be able to include all of them in the budget.
"This is not budget cuts as in previous years. It’s going to be taking the wish list and saying you can’t do all of the things you wanted to do,” said John Day, associate provost for academic budgeting, in a March interview.
Investments on the General Fund “wish list” include safety maintenance projects, funding for instructional equipment, increased campus Internet bandwidth and additional class sections. Desired investments for the General Fee include replacing instruments for the Marching 110, funding for the future multipurpose facility, funding for the Bobcat Readership Program and funding for student minimum wage increases.
“I have a good idea of what’s on the wish list,” McDavis said. “I might make a decision to accept (BPC’s recommendation) or substitute some items.”
Trustees will also approve funding for construction projects that will be upcoming next year. Projects include phase two of the Schoonover Center for Communication, the Lausche Heating Plant replacement and phase one of the housing redevelopment, which is part of the housing master plan.
“We’re pleased about all of it,” McDavis said. “They’re much-needed renovation and construction projects.”
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