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Ohio University may follow the advice of its larger community as it confronts the same stymieing budget deficit facing many of the country’s public universities by cutting administrative costs. Proposed substantive cuts to the administration look like they may set the bar for other public universities, where students’ chants of “Chop from the top!” have often fallen on deaf ears.

Another strategy proposed at OU would be an even bigger twist on the budget plans from other ailing public schools around the country: transparency.

Among the proposals are significant reductions to the administrative budget. The proposal cuts $1.2 million from the Provost’s office, a 10 percent reduction, by not filling office vacancies. Further,  a new incoming Vice President will likely take a lower salary than his predecessor.

University’s President Roderick McDavis said in a statement that he wants the budget process to be transparent, with the help of a Budget Update website, and he encouraged an open dialogue on campus to discuss options.

Before the President makes his recommendations to the Board of Trustees in April, he will use the website and several planned “open budget forums” to hear suggestions and comments from the student body and the rest of the OU community. The first forum is planned for Feb. 23.

Major administrative units at Ohio University proposed $15.7 million in budget cuts for next year. The proposals, submitted Feb. 1, include salary reductions and job eliminations, as well as reductions to the athletics department. Academic units will prepare to put 5 to 10 percent of their budget on the chopping block, and the University’s president is expected to receive preliminary recommendations Monday.

While many Universities are only getting press coverage for their tuition hikes and faculty furloughs, the steps taken to ensure transparency at OU have led to a more diverse discussion of possible budgeting tactics. In fact, the current proposals will keep scholarships and tuition waivers intact, and looks to extracurricular activities like athletics for possible areas of savings.

Campus Recreation offices might have to eliminate sports clubs or reduce operation hours to meet its 10 percent goal, though several administrators said it is highly unlikely that path would be taken.

The Athletics department is looking at a similar proportion of cutbacks amounting to $1.2 million, after overspending its budget by millions the last few years and playing a big part in the school's overall deficit.

Students and faculty have suggested that the Division IA school might be better off dropping down a division to save money.

Even the concerns of surrounding town, Athens, Ohio are factoring into the budgeting process.
Athens' City Auditor Kathy Hecht worries that the school's downsizing could result in a $100,000 to $150,000 loss in income tax revenue for the city, money that goes mostly to the police and fire departments.

Still, these unusually open methods for dealing with the budget crisis will not mean an unburdened student body or a scar-free University. The University laid out a budget plan in December to hike tuition and general fees 3.5 percent. Administrators also expect that cutting money from the Provost’s office would likely result in a total loss of General Fund money for the OU Press, hurting the University’s national reputation, the office said.

Throughout it all, the University is still expected to give faculty raises.

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