November 7th, 3-5pm in SMSU Ballroom
On Tuesday, November 7th, 2023 President Cudd and Interim Vice President for Finance and Administration are hosting a Budget Forum. You and your co-workers have the power to influence what our University focuses on for its upcoming budget priorities. In fact, during this meeting you and your co-workers will be given the opportunity to provide input about what to fund, and to ask questions about participatory budgeting. Stumped on what to ask or prioritize? Here are some thoughts.
We need to fund things that directly support students. This means fully staffing student-facing services such as the Disability Resource Center and Advising. For any given project: How much of the money will directly support student-facing services and instruction?
We need to fund things that increase enrollment at the university with action, not with plans. How much of the funds for enrollment plans will put a plan into action, rather than continue to let enrollment stagnate by reinventing ideas at the planning stage?
Participatory budgeting will be explained at this forum. How are we to know whether input from non-administrative on-the-ground workers gathered from events such as the Fall Budget Forum will be weighted and used in any planning or decision making? What mechanisms will be used to implement the robust participation of advisors, counselors, teaching faculty, and other student-facing workers? How will we know that this participation is not a performance much like it has been in the past?
With our new President and our new Administration, you and your co-workers need to show President Cudd what engagement and shared governance look like. Show up. Ask questions. Push for your values. We need student-facing services and opportunities, not more reports and failed plans!