President’s Advisory Team Meeting Summary (3/28/24)

A President’s Advisory Team Meeting was held Thursday, March 28 with the following agenda items:

  • Welcome – Highlights from President Lepre 

  • Giving Day
  • Legislative Session Update
  • Shared Governance Updates

Below, please find summary information regarding each topic item of the agenda. When appropriate, additional supporting information is linked.

Highlights from President Lepre:

University’s Budget –

  • Following the tragic news about the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, we are working to understand more completely how the state’s budget might be impacted as a result.
  • Despite budgeting challenges faced at the state level both before and after the events of the Key Bridge, SU remains in a very strong financial position.
  • That relative strength is evidenced by an expected new round of COLA and merit adjustments coming in Fiscal Year ’25.
    • The state has not provided all the necessary information on this as of yet, but it is expected in the coming weeks.
    • Information will be shared with faculty and staff when it is received.
  • To reiterate from the last meeting: there are no talks of furloughs or layoffs here at SU, though you may hear from colleagues that other USM institutions are going through this process – SU is not considering this option.
  • SU is also not in discussion about outsourcing auxiliary services (dining, bookstore, etc.); a budget saving tactic used by other colleges and universities.
    • SU recognizes the value of our operations being run by our people.
    • This is part of what makes our University special, and we will not change that.
  • SU has one of the highest fund balances in the USM, and these savings give us the cushion to absorb cuts from the state and other potential revenue losses.
  • Thanks to the hard work of many people across campus, enrollment is trending in a positive direction and our retention rates are climbing to pre-pandemic levels. Our sustained focus and investments in recruitment and retention are paying off.

Capital Projects –

  • SU just submitted our Fiscal Year ’25 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to USM.
  • This plan includes a full renovation of Maggs, a CHHS building, and a performing arts center.
  • Moves will need to occur to facilitate the renovation of Maggs and the building of a new CHHS facility.

Other Highlights –

  • Earlier today (March 28) SU signed an agreement with NASA to create pathways for our students to gain experiential learning opportunities and career opportunities with our neighbors at Wallops Island Flight Facility.
  • SU recently received official approval from the USM that allows us to formally launch the graduate school, which has been many years in the making.

Giving Day:

Salisbury University’s Giving Day is Tuesday, April 2. 2024. Giving Day is an annual 24-hour fundraising event when we encourage all Sea Gulls – students, alumni, faculty, staff, parents, and friends – to give back in support of the SU areas they care about most. Challenges, matching gifts, and prizes encourage support and student and alumni gifts are matched up to $50 by a generous alumni family. Over 50 additional program-specific matching gifts are being sponsored, as well as challenges between the schools and colleges, and varsity and club sport teams. Supporters on campus are welcome to join us at the Giving Day “On the Lawn” event from 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. on April 2 on the Perdue Lawn near Sammy’s Angle. Additionally, the Giving Day website can be used to help spread the word, check leaderboards, track the progress of matching gifts, search FAQs, and make a gift on April 2. For more information visit: https://givingday.salisbury.edu

Presented by Michelle Pryor, director of annual giving (mrpryor@salisbury.edu)

Legislative Updates:

  • At this time, it is not known what will be and can be accomplished with the remaining few weeks of the legislative session as the legislature is dealing with the impact of the Key Bridge.
    • This is all going to impact budgeting for the state of Maryland.
    • The Port of Baltimore generates more than 15,000 direct jobs, with nearly 140,000 additional jobs affected to some extent by the port’s activities.
    • Estimate an approximate $15 million per day loss in economic activity due to the port’s closure, including a $1.5 million per day loss in state and local taxes.
  • Maryland House Bill 1244 – Maryland Higher Education Commission – Academic Program Approval – legislation aimed at improving the approval process for higher education programs.
    • There is a provision within the bill that would allow the four HBCU schools and the University of Maryland, College Park to submit new graduate level programs. All other universities in Maryland would be prevented from proposing new graduate programs for two years.
    • This bill is being heavily debated in the House and Senate and may well be amended if it passes.
    • Given the shifting priorities of the legislature with the Key Bridge, it is possible this bill does not pass.

Presented by: Eli Modlin, Chief of Staff (ejmodlin@salisbury.edu)

Shared Governance Update:

  • The Governance Consortium Coordinating Committee is excited to host a Joint Session of Shared Governance on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at 3:30pm in Perdue Hall 156. 
  • This will bring all five shared governance groups together.
  • The purpose of this session will be to receive updates from each group, President’s Office, Consortium Committees, and University Divisions, along with a legislative update.