[Plsfaculty] SPLS: Updates

[Arnold, Betsy - (fungi)]

Dear colleagues,

Ramin's question comes at a good time. After attending the budget meeting while overseas, I returned to prepare a provisional plan for our School that would address a proposed 3% cut to all units in the Division while ensuring that my key principle remains steadfast, as highlighted in our faculty meetings throughout the past year:

We aim to protect jobs, to cover our needs,
and to look ahead.

In approaching this challenge, I've reflected on the following essential points: (1) We already are extremely lean in our operations spending. (2) We have a number of additional expenses this year that must be covered relative to last year. (3) We have a vastly better sense of our financial situation as a unit than we did at the start of CY24 or before, and we have weathered expenditure authority responsibly and to a dime — but we still are learning about unit needs. (4) We don't have a central budget model, and this remains confusing and unsettling to all of us. (5) Our people and our mission delivery are our most important investments.

Together, these matters mandate a careful plan. After working on this since my return, I'm increasingly confident we can handle this without any drastic action or loss of current function or support for our key mission areas.

To round out the planning process, I'm ready to ask for a faculty discussion, which also will represent our postponed faculty discussion(s) from May/April as we awaited budget news. This invitation comes with necessary caveats: (1) it's summer, so participation is going to be limited; that is both understandable and understood. (2) I won't have answers to all questions, but I'll do my best. (3) If there were cause for immediate concern, this would be shared directly.

To clarify the ask, I am tasked with proposing a plan on June 20 that will be a prelude to the more important component: a discussion with our Executive Council on June 23. Any proposed plan must be vetted and approved, and will not be enacted immediately. Thus, the task to accomplish is an informed proposal and discussion with Division leadership.

Ramin, thanks for bringing the question to our listserv 45 minutes or so before I was ready to reach out. The other points you raise are important and will be addressed at a later date; they are next on the priority list, and of course will be shared more broadly with our faculty.

To all, you're always welcome to contact me with questions directly: 520.396.0854, arnold at ag.arizona.edu, and Calendly to set a meeting.

Please see my next note for an invitation to our faculty discussion.

Warm regards,
Betsy







[The University of Arizona block 'A' logo.]
A. Elizabeth Arnold, PhD

Interim Director and Professor, School of Plant Sciences

Curator, Gilbertson Mycological Herbarium

Chair and Director of Graduate Studies,

Ecosystem Genomics GIDP

THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

fungi at arizona.edu

www.arnoldlab.net<http://www.arnoldlab.net> | www.gilbertsonherbarium.net<http://www.gilbertsonherbarium.net>


To schedule a meeting, please use https://calendly.com/fungi-arizona


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