The Board of Trustees Finance Committee released the budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year, beginning July 1.
According to Interim President Curtis McCray, this plan includes a significant amount of reduction of personnel and operations. Impacted personnel will be notified starting the week of June 12.
"When I came in January to do an assessment of the institution, I discovered an institution in dire need," McCray said in a statement prior to discussing the budget proposal.
"When I came in March, I fully expected I would at some point be chiding the board, raising questions about the board's performance. Because what I found was an institution deeply in need of governance. The three months that I've been here have taught me that, somehow, your board has changed. These people are engaged. My chiding, I think will simply have to wait until the June meeting. I want you to know that I believe this board finally has hold of your finances."
According to the released budget proposal, 71 current positions will be eliminated; this number includes approximately 43 unclassified staff members, 24 classified staff members and four faculty members.
107 currently vacant positions, or positions that will become vacant by the end of June, will be eliminated.
The elimination of these positions will save Wright State $14.1 million in salary and benefits, according to McCray.
Of the positions being eliminated, the Ohio Department of Education considers 65 percent of them to be administrative positions.
According to McCray, the budget proposal includes $8 million in savings from operational changes. These changes included a reduction in travel, professional services, student employment, scholarships and fellowships and repairs and maintenance.
The university expects to save $6 million from the implementation of the voluntary retirement incentive plan last year, and another $2 million in attrition.
Feedback of the proposal is encouraged, according to McCray.
The annual budget workshop will be held on June 8, where the Board of Trustees will vote to approve the budget.
