What program/item in the budget do you anticipate the most growth for?

The largest cost increases will be for catching up to salary/labor costs approved in the prior year but not accurately reflected in FY 15. The March 2014 Sibson Salary Study implementation was paid out of MU net cash for the remaining months of FY 14 and for all of FY 15.   However, these adjustments are just now being caught up to in the FY 16 Unclassified Salaries.   The 7/1/14 merit for Unclassified Staff was allocated by SIFC in a single line item in the MUNADM index, rather than our customary method of moving it to each index.   The first 3 months of salaries for staff moved from the Ed. Act. Fund to the MU’s MUNPUB index in FY 15, were actually paid by the Ed. Act. Fund.   These salaries were shown for 9 months in FY 15 in MUNPUB and now are reflected as the full year costs. Thus, the FY 15 salaries are now out of date by two cost increases and three months of the salaries and benefits for those personnel moved from one fund source to another, which makes the FY 16 salaries appear to have increased much larger than they did in reality. We will also see the operation of the SEC for a full year, rather than the half-year that was in the FY 15 budget and for FY 16, we will also maintain a small amount of facility in Snell Hall for those programs dependent on MU space until the completion of construction that will specifically serve their needs.

Can you expand on how the MU’s budget and programs help to meet the OSU SP 3.0?

There are a number of programs that have aligned themselves to address goals in the OSU S.P. 3.0.   The three goals are:

• Provide a transformative educational experience for all learners;
• Demonstrate leadership in research, scholarship and creativity while enhancing preeminence in the three signature areas of distinction: Advancing the Science of Sustainable Earth Ecosystems, Improving Human Health and Wellness and Promoting Economic Growth and Social Progress and
• Strengthen impact and reach throughout Oregon and beyond.

The largest impact is in goal #1, to provide transformative educational experience for all learners. The MU organization through its programs creates a wide variety of reflective, educationally relevant, and life-transforming experiences.   These experiences can be found in our Center for Civic Engagement, the Student Sustainability Initiative, the Center for Leadership Development, the Student Events and Activities Center, as well as in any unit of the organization where student employment is present. For years, we have known that students highly value their out-of-class work and volunteer commitments.   We endeavor to create a rich and transformative experience that provide students will valuable skills, perspectives, and self-awareness that better prepare students for life after college.   Every student position in the MU Organization has learning outcomes associated with it and supervisors are required to measure those outcomes in a formal assessment method and report their findings.