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Budget / Planning Direction

Frequently Asked Questions

The following list of frequently asked questions about EOU's Draft Plan for Reduction, Reallocation, and Repositioning the Institution for the Future is based on feedback received by President Lund. Inquires and suggestions regarding the Draft Plan include requests for information and/or clarifications of details in the Plan. In responding to these messages, replies will be shared with the University community, so that everyone may have the same information. Responses and updates to this site will be posted regularly to help dispel misunderstandings or confusion. Your concern and thoughtful responses to the Plan are appreciated as we work to make Eastern strong and sustainable.

Why weren't any administrators on campus immediately subsequent to the presentation of the Draft Plan?

The President and VPs were required to be at the meetings of the State Board of Higher Education, which took place Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

This was indeed unfortunate.  Initially, the timing would not have coincided with required attendance at the November State Board meetings. However, due to some mixed communication between AAP and the administration on October 3, a second 15-day time period in which to receive input on the September 12 presentation of the financial condition of the University delayed the preparation and presentation of the Draft Plan until Oct.31. 

Will input on the Draft Plan really be considered?

All input being received about recommended changes in the Draft Plan are being considered.  However, if such input only advances the inclusion of a program listed in the Draft as being reduced or eliminated and is not accompanied by suggestions on how to realize additional savings, the end result may not appear substantially different from the Draft Plan. To provide adequate time for consideration of input, EOU requested and has been provided with additional time to formulate the Final Plan. President Lund will present the Final Plan to the State Board of Higher Education Executive Committee on Friday, January 5, in a confidential meeting, and with their approval, release the Final Plan to campus the week of January 7, 2008. Please note, however, that the deadline for submitting comments remains November 21.

Why is the mission statement in the Draft different from the one the Assembly approved last Spring?

The mission statement in the Draft Plan should have been marked as “proposed.”  The statement in the Draft Plan links with the intent of the re-positioning changes identified in the document. It was intended to be considered for review in the same way – as a draft proposal. 

What was the State Board’s reaction to the Draft Plan?

President Lund shared the Draft Plan with the executive committee of the State Board, and provided them with an overview of the proposal. As noted by the media during his campus visit last week, the Chancellor feels confident that the plan developed by EOU will effectively address the school’s financial crisis. He also stated that the Board will not comment until they have received the Final Plan.

Has the State Board mandated that academic programs be cut?

During the Chancellor’s visit to campus last week, he noted that the Board has directed EOU to have sustainable programs.

Why was the Director of Diversity position eliminated?

The elimination of this position should not be interpreted as EOU’s lessening of the importance the University places on diversity.  A large cross-campus committee of University faculty and staff comprise the Diversity Committee and will be taking on various initiatives associated with enhancing the climate for diverse populations of students and employees.  In addition, the President’s Commission on the Status of Women, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, and the Multicultural Student Center all have new members or leadership whose responsibility it will be to continue the work of improving the campus environment for recruiting and retaining students.

How will the Final Plan interface with EOU’s accreditation report?

EOU's Self-Study Steering Committee is currently in the middle of a two-year self study which began in Fall 2006. The end result of the study will be a final report and a site visit in October 2008. Our Provost has spoken with The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, who advised the steering committee to stay on course to complete the self study report in Summer 2008 and to prepare the university for its site visit in
October 2008. Although the report takes a "snapshot" of our data, policies, and practices in 2006-07, each subcommittee for the nine standards had an opportunity to submit "recommended actions" to the President's Cabinet in June of 2007.

Progress on these self- recommendations, combined with progress in implementing the final repositioning plan, will become part of the final self-study report submitted in 2008. To date, the Steering Committee is on course with drafting the report. In Spring 2008, there will be three occasions and multiple venues for the entire university community to read and comment on drafts of the report. Please know that it is as important to our accrediting commission as it is to EOU that we continue to provide our students with quality, sustainable programs and a sustainable future.

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