UD envisions cuts to college programs and jobs to create ‘transformational change’

“We’ve already made cuts around the edges,” said Horner. “This initiative aims to identify structural changes to operations and university programs that will ensure our revenues exceed expenses through healthy and sustainable margins over the long term.” “

The UD has increased financial aid to new and permanent students during the pandemic. The coronavirus has also affected its enrollments of international students, the university said.

“We were able to achieve positive financial results by limiting spending in college and using other short-term tactics,” Spina said. “However, this approach will not create the kind of transformational change that will ensure and maintain the long-term health and quality of the university.”

The University of Dayton employs 2,797 full-time and 1,091 part-time employees, according to a spokesperson. It is one of the largest employers in the region.

Spina said in her post that changes to the following will be considered, along with other ideas once the community and campus leaders are consulted:

No decision has been made. These are some of the elements for the initial study, Spina said in her post, and the school committee on sustainable institutional transformation – made up of students, faculty and administrators – will assess all ideas.

Implementation of any changes would begin in the FY2023 budget.

“The university is financially strong, and we are undertaking this process as a way to protect the financial health and quality of a UD education,” said Spina.

Spina stressed that this effort would have little or no impact on students and their families. While he hasn’t done a final student tally, he expects a record enrollment of around 12,000 students this year, up about 3% from last fall.

The college is clear-sighted about the challenges it faces, Spina said.

“We will follow the example of our Marianist founders and take bold and decisive steps to maintain a high quality education at the University of Dayton for current and future students and continue to live our mission of service to others, while remaining financially strong, ”Spina said. . “The course we are tracing will allow the university to adapt wisely to these circumstances and to control our own destiny in a rapidly changing world.”

Joel Pruce, associate professor of human rights studies, said faculty representatives, including himself, met with university administrators on Friday afternoon to discuss the changes.

Pruce noted that in the fall of 2019, the DU was already under strain financially and at that time, the DU administrators launched the budget initiative. The COVID-19 pandemic cut it off, but administrators are renewing it now.

At the meeting, Pruce said directors discussed stressors for the medium-term financial health of UD, which included demographic shifts in enrollment.

Pruce said he wanted to see more faculty members on the committee. Right now, he said, four of the 15-20 committee members are faculty members.

“The faculty needs to be fairly and legitimately represented on this committee, because we do the work, the day-to-day work of the university – and that is to teach our students,” said Pruce.