A Call to Action on State Funding

May 10, 2006

Dear Rutgers Students, Faculty, and Staff:

In recent weeks you have heard from me and from other administration leaders about Rutgers' response to the proposed state budget cuts to higher education. This response remains an urgent priority for the university. Our leaders in Trenton face an enormous challenge in fashioning a budget by June 30 in a very difficult fiscal climate, and Rutgers seeks to work in partnership with the legislature and the governor to address both the budget crisis and the proposed budget's disproportionate impact on higher education.

We all have a stake in addressing the situation. Even if you already have written to your legislators, please telephone your state Senator and Assembly members now to advocate for higher education. Both the Senate and the Assembly will soon be meeting and preparing to make important decisions about the budget. Please also encourage your family, friends, and colleagues who support higher education to do the same. If you do not reach your representatives directly, please leave a message of support for higher education and for Rutgers.

My own efforts in response to the proposed cuts, made in consultation and collaboration with Executive Vice President Furmanski, Provost Dennis, and Provost Diner, include:

  • forming a budget advisory committee to identify cost savings and efficiencies within Rutgers that can be made while protecting our core mission;
  • asking Rutgers administrators to make contingency budget plans that anticipate various levels of state funding cuts;
  • establishing a budget advocacy task force to help Rutgers illustrate the impact of the cuts and advocate effectively for funding restoration;
  • holding one-on-one meetings with legislative leaders;
  • asking members of the university community, including alumni living in New Jersey, to urge their local legislators to restore funding;
  • joining other college presidents in meeting with newspaper editorial writers to make the case for higher education funding;
  • testifying at legislative budget hearings about our efforts to find savings, the economic benefits Rutgers brings to the state, and the impact of the proposed cuts on our educational programs;
  • reaching out to business leaders to ask their support of budget restoration;
  • asking academic deans and center directors to reach out to their advisory councils to advocate for higher education funding; and
  • speaking at Rutgers Day in Trenton tomorrow (May 11) about the value of the university's partnerships with and service to New Jersey.

While the semester is ending, I ask that you check your Rutgers email in the coming weeks, as I intend to keep you updated on the budget process and to continue to ask you to advocate for Rutgers. Again, you have my best wishes and my thanks for your commitment to the university.

Sincerely yours,

Richard L. McCormick
President
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey