WSU president says positions may not be filled to save money

Wright State University may not fill open positions to save money, president David Hopkins told Wright State students, faculty and staff in an email Monday.

Wright State’s strategic hiring committee has been instructed not to approve hires unless they represent health, safety, compliance needs or demonstrate a “direct impact on revenue,” Hopkins said in the email.

All vice presidents and deans were asked to reduce expenditures, where possible, for the rest of fiscal year 2017, In the email, Hopkins asked

“For position searches already approved but not completed, I have asked the SHC to re-analyze these positions,” Hopkins said.

A budget realignment plan, which Wright State is in the middle of implementing, originally called for the university to find $19.7 million in base savings in FY 2017 and $8 million in FY 2018, according to the email.

The realignment plan expected a 1 percent growth in enrollment but an enrollment decline has resulted in a loss of $10 million this year. The university is also expected to take a loss of $2.5 million in investment income, according to the email.

The losses mean Wright State will now need to find $25 million in base savings for FY 2018 as opposed to the originally projected $8 million, Hopkins said.

Hopkins has asked provost Tom Sudkamp and chief financial officer Jeff Ulliman to develop a plan to find more savings by April 3, according to the email.

“After reviewing anticipated enrollment trends and the recent release of Governor (John) Kasich’s biennial budget in regard to higher education, it is very clear that we must take further action now,” Hopkins said. “I appreciate everyone’s continued cooperation as we address the urgent need to balance our base budget and restore our unrestricted reserves.”

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