When I developed my presidential priorities last fall, I did so with input provided by our campus community during my eight-month listening tour. In those sessions, I heard from faculty and staff about the challenges you face and the opportunities we have to improve—especially regarding university resources.

As I shared in last week's campus message, TU will need to re-adjust our budget for FY26 as part of the USM’s $155M cut in state appropriations. State appropriations account for approximately one-third of our university’s budget. We forecast that there may be additional required adjustments in our university budget over the next year and also in subsequent years. This affirms that our priority to Forge a Sustainable Path for TU’s Financial Health will be all the more important.

Here are a few key steps the university has taken to support this initiative:

  • Conducted proactive budget reduction exercises with each college and academic unit, helping to inform FY26 plans and reduce disruption to our TU community
  • Created a Budget Modeling Committee to explore changes to our budget model that will incentivize enrollment and retention, while closely monitoring our expenses
  • Established a Shared Services Committee to assess areas where we can make the best and most efficient use of campus resources
  • Expanded Stratus to enhance budget modeling and the submission process, allowing us to collect better data and provide a more automated system
  • Implemented quarterly projection reports, completed by departmental budget officers, to ensure we are aligning expenditures with strategic priorities and maintaining fiscal accountability throughout the year
  • Developed comprehensive one-year and 10-year budget plans, maintained by the University Budget Office, to proactively plan for short-term and long-term growth

TU’s leadership team has approached the fiscal challenges we face with both care and a focus on our identified priorities to ensure the continued success for our university, our students and our entire TU community. We will remain transparent as we manage the necessary budget considerations moving forward.

Despite the challenges ahead, please be assured we are well-positioned to weather this storm and maintain our upward trajectory as one of America’s top public universities.

Sincerely,

Mark R. Ginsberg, Ph.D.
President

Opportunities for Staff

It’s TU Staff Week, and I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our 1,645+ staff members who work so hard to support our students and our university. TU Staff Senate has organized a week of events to celebrate you and your many contributions.

Please also save the date for our Staff Town Hall on Mon., May 12, from 4–5 p.m., in Science Complex Room 2133. More information will be shared in the weeks ahead.

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Guidance on Federal Funding

The Office of Sponsored Programs and Research is monitoring proposed changes in federal research policy, funding and associated practices.

See all updates

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Board of Regents Faculty Winners

Congratulations to TU's three winners: Alexei Kolesnikov, Ph.D., mathematics professor and director of TU's Office of Undergraduate Research; Mary Sajini Devadas, Ph.D., chemistry associate professor and director of the Office of Competitive Fellowships & Awards; and Luis Engelke, a music professor teaching trumpet.

Read the story

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"On the Mark"

This month I am joined by Romy Hübler, Ph.D., TU’s director of civic engagement and social responsibility. We discuss the importance of civic education and how universities can prepare students to become active participants in today's society.

Listen now