Notes from the Director, January 2009

I am inaugurating this column in Library News Notes to provide a new forum for communication with the MU Libraries staff. The column will appear about once each month and deal with major issues and initiatives affecting the MU Libraries. If you have suggestions for topics that you would like to see addressed here, please send them to me via e-mail.

As you all know, the economic outlook for 2009 and for the new fiscal year beginning in July is bleak. On December 18, UM President Gary Forsee provided the state legislature with broad-brush scenarios on how the four UM campuses might respond to budget cuts that could range from 15% to 25% in fiscal year 2010. There are many questions, and few concrete answers, about what this will all mean for employees here at MU, but I want to take some time to respond to questions that have been raised by library staff and to give my thoughts concerning how the MU Libraries should deal with anticipated budget cuts.

One question I have heard concerns why the library is funding some reclassifications and competency level increases if money is so tight. The answer is that these actions were underway prior to the announcement of the hiring freeze and were approved by Jesse Hall in recent weeks. For example, Ernest Shaw was reclassified to Manager, Information Technology, replacing Michael Bland and leaving vacant Ernest’s former position of System Support Analyst. A few other salary equity increases were approved for the 2008 calendar year, but no other increases will be considered until the full extent of our budget situation is known. The increases in minimum wage for student workers, mandated by law to take effect in January, will be the last salary adjustments until further notice.

A second question is about the possibility of a rescission, or “give-back” of the state budget allocation to the University. I’m told it is likely that the governor will withhold some portion of state funds for public higher education in the coming spring. This amount could be anywhere from 5% to 8% of the state’s final allocation to Missouri public colleges and universities. We have to wait for an announcement from the Governor and then direction from UM System, but we are currently looking at ways to trim funds from acquisitions, open positions, and “E&E” funds (supplies, travel, equipment, etc.). If we must do so, I will look first to recover funds from our E&E budget and existing open positions.

The biggest question concerns how we will deal with anticipated budget cuts for the new fiscal year, which begins July, 2009. The magnitude of cuts ranging from 15% to 25% of the University’s operating budget is unprecedented. For this reason, nothing can be taken off the table as a means of meeting the budget shortfall. However, I have often said that layoffs would be the worst method we could use to deal with our budget problems. I believe this should be the very last option employed to meet any funding shortfalls. Accordingly, I pledge to do everything I can to avoid layoffs, and I will be advocating for alternative solutions, which may include some form of wage and benefits reductions instead of layoffs.

As we begin the new year, we know we have formidable challenges facing us. However, we also know we can succeed in meeting these challenges by working together to address them. The work will not be easy, but we have the very best colleagues with whom to work. Together we will provide the quality service our users have come to expect. Thank you for your dedicated service to MU and its Libraries.

Jim Cogswell