Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Message from the President

Dear Faculty and Staff, 

I am writing with some updates on our efforts to align university expenses with our expected revenues as we prepare our budget for the upcoming 2025 Fiscal Year. As I’ve mentioned previously, our student enrollments have significantly declined since 2018, leaving us with a substantial deficit for the upcoming academic year that must be addressed. 

Our financial goal is to protect our mission as a student-centered research university and to invest in areas aligned with the UNO 2030 plan, while reducing other activities. Earlier this semester, I expanded our Executive Cabinet to include deans and the Faculty Senate president to share information more broadly about our budget and for their assistance in identifying areas that might be reduced or eliminated. 

I have asked our deans and vice presidents to construct budgets for the upcoming fiscal year that reduce our expenditures by 15%. Our Division of Athletics has been asked to reduce their budget by 25% given increased spending over the last 2 years. Some members of the Executive Cabinet, including me, are taking voluntary salary reductions. 

Our four colleges may likely take different approaches to this difficult task because they vary in terms of their programs and organizational structures. While some of these reductions may be permanent, many will reflect temporary but necessary changes as we take steps to stabilize and then grow our enrollments. We also must take every opportunity to ensure that we are delivering our curricula as efficiently as possible, removing barriers and streamlining requirements while also offering student-centered schedules. 

This work is incredibly difficult, but it must be done to establish a solid foundation for the redesign of the University of New Orleans to best fulfill its mission as Louisiana’s urban public research university. I also am eager to have input from as many people as possible. To this end, we have scheduled a UNO Town Hall for 3:15 – 4:15 p.m. on May 14 in the second floor ballroom of the Homer Hitt Alumni & Visitors Center. I also welcome you to submit your questions, suggestions, and concerns through this link. Your feedback will be used to develop an FAQ list as our work progresses throughout May and June. 

We take this cost-cutting process seriously and know the uneasiness it generates for our UNO community. I appreciate your understanding as we work together to build a stronger university. 

Sincerely, 

Kathy Johnson, Ph.D.
President
The University of New Orleans