In anticipation of this Tuesday's budget proposal meeting, I ask two questions. Please feel free to comment here or at Tuesday's meeting. I have heard from some residents who want a zero budget increase. The question for them is, is that at any cost regardless of its effect on the academic programs? Is it simply a financial decision without regard to the ramifications or is there some academic component to your request? To those who say we should preserve all academic programs regardless of cost, is there no price too high? Is there any concern over cost and any thought to justifying a cost benefit analysis of some programs that could be cut?
I will be looking for those who not only point out problems and make demands, but I will be focusing on those who follow up problems with possible solutions. It is easy to sit back and say 0% or 5% budget over budget change, but to actually point out feasible ways to accomplish your goal is the hard part.
I also suggest that all sides in the budget debate remember that they can make their thoughts heard and their opinions known with dignity and civility. I would love to have what Jeffrey Weiss coined a civilog or a civil dialog.
JSM
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