UF Trustees Vote to Cut University Budget by $42.2 Million

The Board of Trustees met by conference call on Tuesday and voted unanimously to reduce the University budget for 2009-2010 by $42.2 million. Additional details are available in the May 27th issue of the Gainesville Sun (http://www.gainesville.com/article/20090527/ARTICLES/905271004/1002?Title=UF-trustees-vote-to-cut-school-s-budget-by-42-2M).

2009-2010 Libraries Budget Reduction

Earlier this year President Machen asked all major units to prepare proposals for a 10% permanent reduction in state budget [appropriations] currently allocated to the unit. The Libraries were asked to identify budget cuts of $387,799 from the Health Science Center Libraries (HSCL) and $2.278 million from Smathers Libraries, for a total of $2,665,799.

Last week, we were informed that Libraries budget will be reduced by $642,296 (2.4%). The reductions are based on the Libraries priorities as submitted. This level of budget cuts does not require any faculty or staff layoffs or cuts in the materials budget.

The operations budget will be reduced by $66,250; OPS funding will be reduced by $232,978; and salaries and benefits will be reduced by $343,068. All of these cuts are from the Smathers Libraries budget; there are no cuts in the HSCL budget.

A Town Hall meeting on the Libraries 2009-2010 budget was held on Tuesday, May 26th. The PowerPoint presentation from that meeting provides additional details. It is available on the blog.

Town Hall Meeting on May 26th Confirmed; Proposed University Budget Released

On Friday President Machen released the proposed University Budget. The Smathers Libraries, including the Health Science Center Libraries (HSCL), will not have any faculty or staff layoffs and there will be no reduction (other than the loss of purchasing power) in our materials budgets. The Libraries budget will be reduced by $642,296 (2.4%), based on the Libraries priorities as submitted.

A town hall meeting on the Libraries budget is scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, at 2 p.m. in Smathers 1A. At that meeting we will discuss the implications of the Libraries' budget cuts identified by President Machen.

Town Hall Meeting TENTATIVELY Scheduled for May 26th

A Town Hall Meeting on the 2009-2010 Budget for the Smathers Libraries, including the Health Science Center Libraries, has been TENTATIVELY scheduled for Tuesday, May 26th, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in Smathers (Library East) Room 1A.

I am expecting to receive the 2009-2010 budget from the Provost next week; however, if I do not have official information by the 26th, the meeting will be postponed.

Although this meeting will be specific to the Smathers Libraries budget, including the Health Science Center Libraries, it is an open meeting and individuals from the Legal Information Center and FCLA are welcome to come. University Libraries Committee members are also invited.