Bowling Green State University Wednesday afternoon announced details about budget cuts that have been
forecast for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
In an email to faculty and staff, President Carol Cartwright said the university is now planning to make
cuts closer to the top of the $6 million to $10 million range that has been used as a guideline.
“We’ve made significant progress in bringing expenses in line with anticipated revenues. Unfortunately,
as we continue to watch fall enrollment estimates, we anticipate that more reductions will be needed to
achieve a balanced budget for fiscal year 2010,” she wrote.
She said questions about the state and national economies and enrollment “are still not completely
resolved.”
“Gov. Strickland and both houses of the General Assembly have worked very hard to protect the core
funding for higher education. The proposed increases in the State Share of Instruction are still in the
budget bills of both the House and Senate. In exchange, state colleges and universities will be asked to
freeze tuition in fiscal year 2010 and asked to limit tuition increases in fiscal year 2011 to no more
than 3.5 percent. Each institution will earn a different amount of SSI based on enrollment and other
measures,” she wrote.
She said the administration is preparing two budget scenarios for BGSU Trustees to consider June 26. She
said best estimates suggest an enrollment decrease of more than the 3 percent officials had forecast.

The following steps will be taken:
• Mandatory, unpaid furloughs for 12-month staff and faculty. The amount of unpaid time off would be
based on compensation level. Higher-paid staff and faculty would be required to take longer furloughs,
and employees below a certain compensation level would be exempt.
• Charge senior-level employees a fee for their reserved parking spaces.
• Decrease the number of course sections taught and increase the number of students enrolled per course
section. Undergraduate, full-time equivalent enrollment has fallen from 15,595 in fall 2006 to an
expected 13,355 for fall 2009.
• Restructure and/or elimination of administrative and academic units and programs.
• New, significant investment in enrollment – including recruitment, marketing and retention efforts.
“Some of these items will be determined before we take fiscal 2010 budget proposals to the June 26 board
meeting. Others, such as academic reorganization, will require significant additional evaluation and
participation by members of the university community,” she wrote.
Photo caption:
BGSU students walk in area of Bowen-Thompson Student Union during 2008-09 academic year.
Aaron Carpenter/Sentinel-Tribune