Rick Snyder reaching out to alma mater, University of Michigan president says
Mary Sue Coleman
Having a University of Michigan alumnus sitting in the governor’s chair should be good for the university, President Mary Sue Coleman said Monday.
Governor-elect Rick Snyder, who has both undergraduate and graduate degrees from U-M, has already been in contact with university officials, Coleman told the Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs Monday afternoon.
“We’ve already had several contacts with (Snyder),” Coleman said. “He has asked us for advice on appointments he is making."
“I like the fact that he is consulting broadly” across both parties, she said.
Earlier Monday, Snyder held a press conference at the university’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy to announce two appointments to his leadership team, including the appointment of Democrat Andy Dillon as the state treasurer.
Snyder’s election comes as the university is preparing its annual request to the state for funds. Coleman noted the amount of money the university gets from the state has been shrinking each year.
“It’s going to be a difficult year,” she said.
She also told the faculty group the university is continuing to solicit private funds from donors to make up the difference and help U-M continue to grow.
“We can’t let the economy … keep us from thinking in terms of the next 50 years,” she said.
Private giving to the university has dipped by more than 25 percent over the last two years, although university officials have said last year the drop was just over 4 percent.
In 2008, the university had gifts totaling $342,054,221. In 2010, that figure has dipped to $254,086,812, according to documents included in a recent report to the Board of Regents.
Coleman previously announced the university needs to cut $120 million out its budget by 2017.
College officials have said that through 2010, U-M has cut about $24 million of the $100 million targeted to be cut through the 2012 fiscal year. That means that the university is looking to cut a total of $196 million from now through 2017.
David Jesse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at davidjesse@annarbor.com or at 734-623-2534.
Comments
DonBee
Tue, Nov 9, 2010 : 7:56 p.m.
@Ignatz - So are all of us in the private sector. The latest cut for some folks in my industry was personal safety equipment. It used to be if you wore it out, it got replaced. Now you get an annual allowance and you have to pay for any equipment expenses beyond the allowance. We can't legally work without the gear. So if you work for one of these companies, you have to dip into your own pocket for replacements. What you see as required most of us watched disappear a couple of years ago. Coffee? Nope, bring your own. Secretaries, nope make your own schedule. Offices? Nope work from home or your hotel if you are on the road. Lunches on the road? Nope you would have had to pay for it at home, it is your expense. Cell phones? nope, that is a personal expense, but you need to give the boss the number for your business card. Company cars? Are you kidding. Trash? Take the bin out with you on the way home. Laundry? Nope, even if it is our safety gear, you got it dirty, you pay to clean it. And so it goes... The mantra will not go away, so long as the economy stays were it is. I don't like it, you don't like it, but it is life. So get used to it. Oh, by the way, about that office chair you wanted, they have them at Costco. Don't submit the expense report. (-:
81wolverine
Tue, Nov 9, 2010 : 1:06 p.m.
I think U-M may have to scale back it's extremely ambitious building plans for a few years. I don't see anything wrong with that. The University has upgraded, replaced, and created many new fantastic facilities over the last 15 years. Like everyone else in Michigan, U-M needs to scale back. In the long term, I think a lot of colleges and universities are going to be in trouble financially due to level or declining enrollment, falling donations, and the college loan bubble that sooner or later will burst. Still, I think U-M will fair very well. Our investment in new facilities and endowment that's been built will enable Michigan to thrive.
Ignatz
Tue, Nov 9, 2010 : 10:35 a.m.
@Jimmy McNulty: If you worked at U-M, you'd realize we've already done that. I'm getting weary of the "Cut the fat" mantra.
Jimmy McNulty
Tue, Nov 9, 2010 : 9:54 a.m.
Everyone and every business is doing more with less these days. Why should U of M be any different? Before raising tuition, consider what fat and excess may be cut.
Joel A. Levitt
Tue, Nov 9, 2010 : 7:58 a.m.
The future of its educational system, particularly its universities, is the future of Michigan. I hope Governor-Elect Snyder understands this.