FAQs
Employees will learn more about the pay-bands, and we will post information about them online, after final review and approval of our budget by the University System of Georgia.
That includes:
- An expanded enrollment services center for incoming students so they can find most of what they need in one location (approx. $1M)
- Funding to expand counseling and mental health services for students (approx. $500,000)
- Additional funding for military affairs office (approx. $20,000)
- Funding for Wexford operations in Ireland (approx. $200,000)
- Funding for college budgets to offset lost revenue for online tuition differential decline ($567,000)
The budget redirection was necessitated by a drop in enrollment, but the process is focused on how we can work together across Georgia Southern to better serve our students and what we can do to operate more efficiently as a university.
As this PowerPoint explains, fall headcount declined by 1,297 students, or 4.7%, since FY 2012. The reduction in revenue has had a significant impact on our budget.
Enrollment has been flat or declining for the last six years, since well before consolidation. Going forward, the priority is to stabilize our budget for all of Georgia Southern.
Vice presidents took advantage of retirements, voluntary departures and duplication of efforts. This effort was helped by the critical hire process and informed by the Comprehensive Administrative Review.
Georgia Southern is not alone. Enrollment increased at 12 institutions across the University System of Georgia last year, while it decreased at 14 institutions.
This is an effort where every employee plays a significant part. Everyone can make a difference. A new university strategic plan is underway that will ensure that we are meeting the needs of a diverse student population and a growing, changing regional economy. Additionally, a strategic enrollment plan and a major branding effort are being planned in support of the university strategic plan, which will align our efforts across the institution and throughout the region to enhance our ability to attract and retain students throughout every step of their educational journey.
We have managed to this point because we had budgeted conservatively and built up our annual contingency, or reserves, in our operating budget. Over the years, we have continued to eat away at that contingency by investing in new faculty and staff positions and other investments.
Our budget priorities for the next fiscal year are to support enrollment growth and retention, implement results identified by faculty and staff salary studies, fulfill our share of the proposed 2% merit increase for employees, and restore our annual contingency.