April 26, 2020
Members of the IUSB Community,
Thanks to everyone who participated in the first virtual Coffee with the Chancellor last week! I was pleased to see over 100 faculty, staff, and students come together in the only way we can right now (Zoom). It was a good opportunity to share important information regarding our COVID-19 response. The slides with that information are available here. I appreciated all the questions and shout-outs to the offices and people who have gone above and beyond in this challenging time. Titans are persevering! To keep staying informed, remember to frequently check the IU Coronavirus website, our IU South Bend FAQ page and to read the Daily Titan. We will have one more Coffee with the Chancellor on Thursday, April 30 from 3:30 – 4:30 pm to wrap up the academic year, so mark your calendars!
Personnel Updates
I am pleased to announce that Dr. Jorge Muniz has accepted the position of interim dean of the Raclin School of the Arts, beginning July 1! Please join me in congratulating Dr. Muniz on this new leadership role. April 22 is also Administrative Professionals Day. Please take some time to thank the administrative professionals in your life for the important role they play in the management and operations of our campus. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Colleen Hawkins, who recently retired as the Chancellor’s Executive Assistant, for her service to the office and the campus. Colleen served nearly seven years at IU South Bend. Her friendly demeanor and commitment to the campus could always be counted on for getting things done. Please join me in wishing her well in retirement.
Enrollment
Enrollment for the summer and fall semesters remains an important priority for the campus. Summer classes have all been moved online and we are in the process of evaluating various scenarios for the fall. I will keep everyone informed as more details about fall become available. In the meantime, we are focused on outreach, recruitment and re-enrollment efforts. As I have said before, enrollment is everyone’s job at the university and I appreciate everyone’s efforts to touch base with students in classes and with phone calls and email messages about their plans for the summer and fall. We all know that a personal connection is important to foster belonging and that caring outreach is a hallmark of our IU South Bend culture.
Budget
Another priority is our current financial position and budget planning for the coming year. I have issued expenditure guidance for budget managers to use for prudent spending as we close out this fiscal year. We are also in the midst of planning for the implementation of a 5% reduction in the FY21 operating expense budget, and planning for a possible additional 5% reduction scenario. Cabinet members are working with their unit leaders and the Budget Office on scenario planning to map out these possibilities. While we have some difficult decisions ahead of us, we will get through this by working together to make the best decisions for our campus.
We are also reviewing all of our IU Foundation accounts to determine how we can use these “rainy day” funds to help us weather the current storm. We are also looking forward to further guidance on how the Federal CARES Act funding will help us offset expenses related to COVID-19, as well as bridge core functions during the coming year.
One of my goals all along has been to improve budget education and transparency, and I am pleased to announce the formation and launch of a new Campus Budget Advisory Council (CBAC). CBAC is advisory to the Chancellor and will provide input on strategic budget priorities and recommendations throughout each academic year. The 13-member Council will be co-chaired by the Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance. CBAC will be convened soon to provide input on our campus approach and priorities for establishing our budget reduction plans. A CBAC website will be established, linked from the Chancellor’s webpage, with more information.
Commencement
As you all know, our traditional in-person commencement ceremony has been postponed; however, IU is working on options for a virtual celebration that would allow us to acknowledge the accomplishments of our graduating seniors. Stay tuned for details!
Planning for our Post-COVID-19 Restart
President McRobbie has established an IU-wide Restart Committee to help us plan for the restart of our teaching, working and learning as we move into post-COVID-19 phases. President McRobbie discusses this committee and other university updates in his remarks at the recent IU Board of Trustees meeting.
The Cabinet and our campus COVID-19 Incident Management Team are also discussing how we should be planning locally for the restart of our campus facilities, classrooms, work environments, and event plans. While we remain in our current state of remote teaching and operations until further notice, I appreciate everyone’s patience as we continue to monitor the situation and develop plans. IU has been a leader in the higher education COVID-19 response, and I am sure we will continue to do so as we all emerge from this crisis.
As we continue in this remote environment, please continue to be patient with one another, understanding of the personal situations of others, and flexible in helping everyone be as successful as possible. Thank you all for everything you are doing to help the IU South Bend community get through this unprecedented time with safety and strength. I also want to share some helpful personal wellness tips from Healthy IU.
Remember, if you are sick, stay home and call your health care provider or our Health and Wellness Center at (574) 520-5557. Follow their instructions to get well. If you are an employee, please be sure to keep your supervisor informed on your health status. If you are a student or know of a student who is ill, please reach out to Monica Porter at (574) 520-4252 or moport@iusb.edu so we can be sure all of our Titans are getting the information and support they need to stay healthy and well.