[Plsfaculty] Effective immediately – Reduce spending within CALES

[Galbraith, David W - (galbrait)]

Hi Ramin:

Thank you for your email and your suggestions.  You and the faculty have exactly the information that I have concerning the reductions.  I was supposed to meet with the Dean this past Friday, and that was my top topic for discussion, but he rescheduled me twice for that day, and then asked me to defer meeting to this week.  I have heard nothing from his admin so far, and I have been asking regularly.  My interpretation is that budgetary struggles are underway at the highest levels of the administration, and until those are resolved, it’s hard (i.e. impossible) to say how we should react in SPLS. You have seen the email from Janis Rutherford which provides more granularity regarding the issues, but the solution(s) remain unclear for now.  I want to assure you that Shane wants to protect CALES from budgetary cuts to the greatest extent possible. I plan to communicate to the faculty any new information I receive, and if I receive any information that I am directed not to communicate, I will let you know that fact.

Next, regarding business office performance, let me reiterate to all faculty that if you have problems, please write them down, and make an appointment to see me to discuss them.  The university, for evaluation of the staff, operates on a system of performance guidance aimed at career path optimization.  This involves annual meetings between staff and their direct supervisor(s), at which point, performance successes and deficits can be recorded, performance amendments discussed, and a roadmap to implementation of agreed improvements provided and signed.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best wishes,

David

David W. Galbraith, PhD
Interim Director
School of Plant Sciences | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
Forbes 303 | 1140 E. South Campus Dr.
PO Box 210036 | Tucson, AZ 85721
Phone 520-205-1962 (Cell)


We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples. Today, Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes, with Tucson being home to the O’odham and the Yaqui. Committed to diversity and inclusion, the University strives to build sustainable relationships with sovereign Native Nations and Indigenous communities through education offerings, partnerships, and community service.

From: Yadegari, Ramin - (yadegari) <yadegari at arizona.edu>
Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2023 11:16 AM
To: Galbraith, David W - (galbrait) <galbrait at arizona.edu>; SPLS Faculty <plsfaculty at list.cals.arizona.edu>
Cc: Baltrus, David A - (baltrus) <baltrus at arizona.edu>
Subject: Re: Effective immediately – Reduce spending within CALES

Hi David,

I want to echo Dave's questions. I suggest that the faculty meet to hear what you and the school's senior leadership team are planning (or at least predicting to occur) with respect to the impending reductions. I would also like to hear what is being planned to address problems with the business office not fulfilling some of their basic tasks.

Regards,
Ramin

________________________________
From: Plsfaculty <plsfaculty-bounces at list.cals.arizona.edu<mailto:plsfaculty-bounces at list.cals.arizona.edu>> on behalf of Baltrus, David A - (baltrus) <baltrus at arizona.edu<mailto:baltrus at arizona.edu>>
Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2023 9:07 AM
To: Galbraith, David W - (galbrait) <galbrait at arizona.edu<mailto:galbrait at arizona.edu>>; SPLS Faculty <plsfaculty at list.cals.arizona.edu<mailto:plsfaculty at list.cals.arizona.edu>>
Subject: Re: [Plsfaculty] Effective immediately – Reduce spending within CALES

Hi David,

How does this affect us in SPLS? Where is our "extra spending" coming from, if at all?.

Dave
________________________________
From: Plsfaculty <plsfaculty-bounces at list.cals.arizona.edu<mailto:plsfaculty-bounces at list.cals.arizona.edu>> on behalf of Galbraith, David W - (galbrait) <galbrait at arizona.edu<mailto:galbrait at arizona.edu>>
Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2023 9:01 AM
To: SPLS Faculty <plsfaculty at list.cals.arizona.edu<mailto:plsfaculty at list.cals.arizona.edu>>
Subject: [Plsfaculty] Fwd: Effective immediately – Reduce spending within CALES

Janis asked all HODs to forward this to their faculty.

David

David W. Galbraith, PhD
Interim Director
School of Plant Sciences | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
Forbes 303 | 1140 E. South Campus Dr.
PO Box 210036 | Tucson, AZ 85721
Phone 520-205-1962 (Cell)


We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples. Today, Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes, with Tucson being home to the O’odham and the Yaqui. Committed to diversity and inclusion, the University strives to build sustainable relationships with sovereign Native Nations and Indigenous communities through education offerings, partnerships, and community service.


Begin forwarded message:
From: "Rutherford, Janis KM - (jmathias)" <jmathias at arizona.edu<mailto:jmathias at arizona.edu>>
Date: October 23, 2023 at 12:41:06 PM AST
To: "Thompson, Gary D - (gdthomps)" <GaryT at ag.arizona.edu<mailto:GaryT at ag.arizona.edu>>, "Tabashnik, Bruce E - (tabashnb)" <BruceT at cals.arizona.edu<mailto:BruceT at cals.arizona.edu>>, "Scaramella, Laura V - (scaramella)" <scaramella at arizona.edu<mailto:scaramella at arizona.edu>>, "Galbraith, David W - (galbrait)" <galbrait at arizona.edu<mailto:galbrait at arizona.edu>>, "Kacira, Murat - (mkacira)" <mkacira at arizona.edu<mailto:mkacira at arizona.edu>>, "Wilund, Kenneth R - (kwilund)" <kwilund at arizona.edu<mailto:kwilund at arizona.edu>>, "Merrell, Douglas Scott - (dscottmerrell)" <dscottmerrell at arizona.edu<mailto:dscottmerrell at arizona.edu>>, "Stoner, Kathryn E - (kstoner)" <kstoner at arizona.edu<mailto:kstoner at arizona.edu>>, "Curry, Joan E - (jecurry)" <Curry at ag.arizona.edu<mailto:Curry at ag.arizona.edu>>, "Shevchuk, Darren S - (shevchuk)" <shevchuk at arizona.edu<mailto:shevchuk at arizona.edu>>, "Teres, Kevin K - (kteres)" <kteres at arizona.edu<mailto:kteres at arizona.edu>>, "Krogsgaard, Bethina - (bethinak)" <bethinak at arizona.edu<mailto:bethinak at arizona.edu>>, "Sowerby, Samantha Blair - (sbsowerby)" <sbsowerby at arizona.edu<mailto:sbsowerby at arizona.edu>>, "Doty, Rachel Lauren - (racheldoty)" <racheldoty at arizona.edu<mailto:racheldoty at arizona.edu>>, "Chavez, Leah Mesa - (leahchavez)" <leahchavez at arizona.edu<mailto:leahchavez at arizona.edu>>, "Bonilla, Leslie Anne - (lesliebonilla)" <lesliebonilla at arizona.edu<mailto:lesliebonilla at arizona.edu>>
Cc: ec-alvsce at list.arizona.edu<mailto:ec-alvsce at list.arizona.edu>
Subject: Effective immediately – Reduce spending within CALES


Good morning,



We all play a part to ensure our spending is not extravagant this year. As discussed at both the CALES Business Retreat and the ALVSCE Town Hall, we have been directed by UA Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to preserve cash balances. This is opposite of the “spend cash balances” directive from SLT from even a few months prior. The most straightforward approach is to watch our expenses and do our due diligence to ensure financial integrity over this next year.

The projected $10M deficit we’ve been discussing is a real figure based on what I know today. This is from an all-funds perspective, which includes cash in each of your academic units. Meaning, if spending occurs as units have forecast, there would be zero cash left throughout the college, and collectively be in deficit by negative $10M.



As Shane said at the ALVSCE Town Hall, his highest priority is safeguarding the jobs of our current employees. This personally hits home for me as last week my husband’s company laid off 2,000 employees. He knew many of those who were laid off, including his prior supervisor of two years. Some had as many or more years of experience and performance rankings as my husband. Fortunately, his position was spared. Nonetheless, it has been traumatic for employees who are leaving and those who are retained. I’d hate if we had to do this in CALES.



We’ve worked hard over the years to ensure decisions are made at the unit level. However, over the past few months my team and I have had to intervene and stop spending that had no defensible business purpose or violated division business policies. I do not want to reach through like this, as it undermines your delegated authority to lead and manage your units administratively and financially. Now more than ever, we must stop unnecessary or expensive spending because the cash may be needed to cover our collective costs. Unit heads and business officers, please work together. Together, you have the decision making, professionalism, and business acumen to take appropriate actions for your unit. I am of course available if you’d like a sounding board or second opinion.



$10M is a large deficit. Spread proportionately throughout our academic units using the methodology we have used over the past few years, there will be some that cannot cover their costs:





FY24 projected allocation amount =

$10,000,000



Core allocation methodology FY22 and beyond

Unit

FY23 all-funds expenditures

Percentage of FY23 all-funds expenditures by unit

Core allocation based on unit all-funds expenditures percentage

ACBS

$10,855,194

15.04%

$1,503,986

AETI

$2,133,894

2.96%

$295,651

AREC

$2,467,311

3.42%

$341,846

BE

$3,905,944

5.41%

$541,168

ENTO

$2,949,067

4.09%

$408,593

ENVS

$9,535,256

13.21%

$1,321,109

HECL

$8,226,256

11.40%

$1,139,747

NSW

$12,232,640

16.95%

$1,694,831

SNRE

$9,696,392

13.43%

$1,343,434

SPLS

$10,174,213

14.10%

$1,409,636

Total =

$72,176,167

100%

$10,000,000



Although I believe through our collective efforts that we will be better off than the current projection of a deficit of $10 million, improvement will only come from our intentional effort to reduce spending. My request to you is before you spend, ask if it is truly necessary this year and if you have the money available in light of future mandatory spending on salaries yet to come this year.  If the answer is no, don’t spend it. That decision may have just saved someone’s job.



Thank you for what you are doing to increase revenue, improve efficiency, and decrease spending.



Thanks,

Janis





[cid:image001.png at 01DA0806.95B0AA20]

Janis Rutherford
Assistant Dean, Finance & Administration – College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences
Division of Agriculture, Life and Veterinary Sciences & Cooperative Extension
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

Forbes 320A
1140 E. South Campus Drive
PO Box 210036 | Tucson, AZ 85721-0036
Office: 520-626-8353 | jmathias at email.arizona.edu<mailto:jmathias at email.arizona.edu>
alvsce.arizona.edu<https://alvsce.arizona.edu/>




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