University to Hold Monthly Budget Meetings with Student Government Organizations

In an effort to increase transparency and improve communications about the operations of the University, senior administrators and student leaders from the undergraduate and graduate student associations will hold monthly meetings to enhance students’ understanding of the University’s budget process.

According to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Louis Marcoccia, the students attending the meetings will be provided information regarding the University’s spending by major category and the planned uses of annual tuition and student fees increases.

Chancellor Kent Syverud, his chief of staff, senior administrators and student leaders will also work toward improving communications to identify and address student funding priorities for programs and facilities that will add to the University’s value, attractiveness and environment for students.

Sensitive to the challenges faced by students and their families in paying for higher education, University and student leaders are committed to strategically adjusting the University’s cost of attendance while deliberately targeting funding that will build on the University’s strengths. Those involved will also stay focused on strategically managing the University’s tuition assistance to better address student affordability and student services and support.

The group will discuss how the University can prioritize, develop and maintain facilities and grounds that better serve students in a higher quality, more responsive, focused and efficient manner.

The Chancellor and his senior leaders are also committed to being more responsive and informative in their communications with students and student leadership groups and increasing their availability to students to discuss ideas and concerns.

The budget meetings are scheduled for once a month, November through May, with attendees to include Student Association President Boris Gresely ’15, along with a selected senior member of the association; Graduate Student Organization President Patrick Neary, along with a selected senior organization member; Senior Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz; Assistant Chancellor and Chief of Staff Hoang-Anh Tran; Vice Chancellor and Provost Eric Spina; Director of Budget and Planning Gwenn Judge; and Marcoccia.

In addition, there will be once-a-semester meetings, in September and February, which the Chancellor will attend.

Agendas for the monthly meetings and the semester meetings with the Chancellor will be developed by the student association presidents and the senior leaders attending the meetings.