Prioritizing: preventing crisis

EMU is preventing financial crisis in the future by assessing all campus programs during the next year.

Dr. Robert Dickeson, author of Prioritization of Academic Programs and Services, spoke to student leaders Mon-day, kicking off EMU's year-long prioritization process. Dickeson, former president of the University of Northern Colorado, has helped 800 universities and colleges evaluate their programs and determine ways to strengthen their overall curriculum.

Swartzendruber, observes that schools in crises try to prioritize in a short amount of time. He wants to prevent possible crises at EMU down the road. Recent trends have shown that undergraduate student enrollment has been flat and even decreasing. Enrollment for fall 2004 was exactly the same as enrollment for fall 2003, yet faculty increased by two.

Sixty percent of the budget is spent on salaries and benefits. EMU needs to stay competitive as an employer and keep up with the ever rising cost of living. Financially, EMU can not continue to invest in more programs without more students, money, or better allocation of existing funds.

In a discussion with student leaders at Common Grounds on Monday, Dickeson said that more students enrolling has created a greater demand, but the rapidly rising cost is going to deter many students from pursuing an education. The national economy is a concern as the national debt increases and states need to reallocate their funds. Taking a serious look at programs and funding at EMU now will help keep EMU above water as money tightens throughout the country.

To begin the process, a Steering Committee will meet once a week to determine the criteria that will be used to measure the existing programs. These criteria will include the degree to which the program matches the institution's goals, quality, costs, outcome, and resources. A rating system will compare the programs against the criteria and each other. This will help the committee reallocate money to programs that will thrive and enhance the institution. Faculty will be part of this process.

The committee will also be thinking of the needs for incoming students and looking for things that students want. They will be assessing anecdotal information and looking at the hard data. This process will include all the programs EMU offers, including athletics, Campus Ministries, and student life.

EMU is not alone in this process. Dickenson has consulted 800 campuses throughout the country, and meetings with other presidents have convinced Swartzendruber that every university in the country is struggling to balance money with services. Recently, Bethel College, Kan., a Mennonite sister school, completed a prioritization process that dramatically changed programs and faculty. Bethel's results have concerned many people who have heard that EMU is embarking on this process as well. Swartzendruber ensures those with concerns that unlike Bethel, EMU is not in crises mode and can take the time to carefully analyze each decision. EMU is making a careful effort to include everyone, and this will be a year long process rather than one semester.

The administration is prepared for the anxieties and frustrations related to this process. They know that they will not be able to satisfy everyone, but with faculty involvement and open communication across campus they hope that this process will include everyone.