Chancellor encourages optimism lauds efforts to conserve campus finances

UCCS faculty and staff should encourage students to remain calm during the current financial downturn, Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak told those who attended her December campus forum today.

And, of course, faculty and staff shouldn’t panic, either.

“We, as a campus, are relatively well positioned,” Shockley-Zalabak said. “We’re not affluent – you know that. But we are stronger that we were post-2001, thanks to all of you and many who are not here.”

“It’s not a happy budget forecast. But I am confident we can deal with it. I am guardedly optimistic.”

Shockley-Zalabak delivered a message of cautious optimism, emphasizing that the campus is not operating with structural deficits and was reaping the benefits of work during the past three to four years to make the campus financially stronger.

“We’ve been through tough times before and know that by working together to maintain enrollment and to retain students, we can weather this,” Shockley-Zalabak said. “But it is important to convey that message to students, asking them not to panic but to work with us , with financial aid, to help with individual situations that might prevent someone from making progress toward a degree.”

Shockley-Zalabak said she was concerned about students having job hours reduced and concluding they could no longer afford to attend UCCS. She plans to propose an expansion of work-study programs to allow students to work on campus.

Shockley-Zalabak was joined Friday by Brian Burnett, vice chancellor, Administration and Finance, and Kirsten Castleman, director, State Relations, CU System.

Burnett reviewed the campus FY 2008-2009 finances and both sources and uses of funds. Castleman reviewed state lobbying efforts that in recent years brought construction and building improvement funds to campus.

To see the Powerpoint slides used at the forum, click here.