Dear Colleagues,
I want to thank everyone who participated in the VCEA Town Hall meeting last week. I know this time of year is especially hectic, so I appreciate that you took the time to hear the latest updates from around Voiland College.
As we approach the end of the fiscal year, it appears that we will likely achieve the budgetary target given to us by WSU President Schulz. This was achieved, in large part, due to spending restraint and an increase in revenue from enrollment, especially through our new partnership with the INTO program.
Establishing a new program is never easy, and there are still many issues to iron out, so I appreciate all the efforts everyone is making to ensure this program is a success for our students and our college.
As we look forward, it is important to be aware that increased enrollment alone will not allow us to meet our future fiscal targets. I will continue to work with college leadership to solve our budget gap. As I noted at our previous Town Hall Meeting, this may occur through the following actions:
- hiring in only very special cases;
- reduced college and school level support for travel, new initiatives, and research;
- ensuring that Schools are not exceeding their allocated TA budgets;
- an increase in average class sizes;
- shifting resources to create programs to support student success;
- other efforts focused on both increasing revenue and reducing expenditures.
Operating with fiscal restraint can be challenging. It takes planning, coordination, and more than a little bit of creativity. That’s why I have been especially pleased by the dedicated, caring, and thoughtful feedback that many of you has given me during my first year here at Voiland. The discussions I have had with students, staff, and faculty gives me the confidence that together, we can achieve our goals without sacrificing the quality of the education and research we provide.
With the end of the school year rapidly approaching, I invite you to join me in celebrating the many achievements of our students and colleagues at several upcoming events, including Voiland College’s Convocation, tomorrow, April 12; the VCEA Capstone Expo on April 27; and WSU Spring Convocation, May 5.
Go Cougs!
Mary Rezac, Dean
Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture
Voiland.dean@wsu.edu