President announces 2021-22 one-time budget priorities

A message from President 珍妮·戴维森博士.D., on one-time budget priorities for the fiscal year

11月. 1, 2021

亲爱的走鹃,

Since the establishment of Metropolitan State University of 丹佛 as a college over 50 years ago, Roadrunners have time and time again overcome many obstacles and risen to every occasion.

The Covid-19 pandemic has asked so much of our employees, and together we have weathered significant budget challenges and operational changes. While we’ve always been a lean and efficient institution, we have had to do even more with less during the pandemic, and I understand how trying that has been at times.

幸运的是, the economic challenges created by the Covid-19 pandemic have opened the door for some unique budget opportunities, thanks to an infusion of one-time federal funding meant to help institutions of higher education recover from the pandemic and continue to meet students’ needs. In the spirit of transparent and inclusive leadership, I would like to provide a thorough overview of presidential priorities and a synopsis of the one-time spending in the 2021-22 budget, decisions that were made with input from leaders all over campus.

With three federal acts passed in 2020-21 and the one-time funds in 密歇根州立大学丹佛’s General Fund, 大学是 总共分配76美元.5 million in one-time spending to long-overdue projects and initiatives not covered by our base budget. These investments in our most valuable resource – our people – along with various critical infrastructure needs, are the foundation of our multiyear budget strategy of “recover, 稳定, 构建.”

投资于人
Our faculty and staff reflect the Roadrunner spirit of resiliency and determination, and we are using this opportunity to show appreciation for their extraordinary efforts to make education possible for our students. Compensation makes up two-thirds of the University’s base budget, and investing in our people with one-time funds not only recognizes our dedicated and talented faculty and staff but helps us more effectively support students.

• The base investments in salaries 上个月公布的 包含一个1.75% base increase along with another 1% ($760,000) allocated to faculty compression adjustments. 此外,3美元.31 million in stipends will be awarded to faculty and administrative staff members who have helped us weather the Covid storm. Putting our people first by providing competitive compensation and support will continue to be a presidential priority.

分享密歇根州立大学丹佛分校的故事
Thousands of students saw their dreams interrupted during the pandemic, and we have a responsibility to help them realize that their dreams are still within reach. Raising awareness of our innovative, 灵活的, student-centric education and social-mobility opportunities among those who will power our society’s comeback is essential to our mission. This requires strategic enrollment and marketing investments now to ensure a strong student pipeline for the future.

• Enhanced marketing initiatives include:
  • $6 million to expand marketing outside of metro 丹佛 to other areas of the state and neighboring states
  • $1.8 million for strategic branding opportunities
  • Nearly $1 million for new growth initiatives

Investing in the future through fundraising
We are launching 密歇根州立大学丹佛’s first institutional fundraising campaign in the coming year, which will bring in needed funding while also 构建ing critical relationships and bolstering our reputation in the community.

• This first-ever comprehensive campaign will be primed with $4 million over three years for Advancement to recruit staff. This investment is projected to yield a $1.2 million annual increase in fundraising in the initial years of the campaign and grow to a nearly $4.每年回报200万.

支持ing strategic-initiatives planning and online infrastructure
Investing in our built environment and our 学习ing infrastructure, including the 构建ings and grounds of the Auraria Campus as well as our online teaching and 学习ing capabilities, will ensure that all Roadrunners have the modern facilities they need to teach, 学习, 努力工作，茁壮成长.

• $14.6 million to address strategic infrastructure needs
  • $7.26 million to update 150 密歇根州立大学丹佛 classrooms to support flexible 学习ing environments
  • $1.4 million to address space planning for the Health Institute, 从教室到职业中心, flexible work-environment changes and controlled maintenance needs
  • $4.5 million for deferred maintenance needs, such as replacement of turf fields and courts as well as other infrastructure needs of the University
  • $1.4 million to continue the 构建-out of our online infrastructure, including ongoing training and support. Additional investments for our online posture will be announced in coming months.

Strengthening our administrative backbone
Historic underfunding of the University has forced us to prioritize current operations year after year at the expense of foundational support systems such as 信息技术, 人力资源, 金融援助 and other processes. We must invest in our institutional engine room to provide students, faculty and staff with the support they need.

• 信息技术
  • $1.2 million in addition to a $1.5 million state investment for 信息技术服务 to implement critical Wi-Fi network upgrades and updates to the server and Banner environments
• 人力资源
  • $4.72 million allocated to the Workday project to cover implementation costs, 许可费用, 人力资源部门的临时员工, 会计服务, 预算和信息系统
  • $179,000 for professional development of faculty and staff. Additional investments to fuel a Universitywide presidential leadership program will be announced shortly.
• 学生服务
  • $1.3 million to improve organizational processes and structures, including upgrades to our financial-aid and transfer processes and investments in our strategic enrollment-management efforts

Providing additional student resources
While the federal government has provided $37.5 million in direct aid to 密歇根州立大学丹佛 students in the same acts that have provided institutional one-time funding, we’re allocating additional one-time funds to support our students’ emergency, transportation and housing needs.

• $1.1 million to cover the student Regional Transportation District pass for this fall
• $600,000 for student emergency funds
• $600,000 for scholarships over three years
• $570,000 to support students with housing needs
• $1 million invested in the C2 Hub to continue helping students connect to high-quality internships and career opportunities
• $1.从皇冠官网网站的3美元里减去7百万.5 million in CARES Act Hispanic-Serving机构 grants for tutors, 助教, translation and technology to support teaching and 学习ing. The remaining allocation will be announced in the coming months.

Ensuring operational sustainability
As responsible stewards of public funds, we are also setting aside funds and returning money to departments significantly hurt financially by the pandemic.

• $7.07 million saved in reserves for potential needs in 2022-24 to ensure University sustainability and ability to address near-term projects
• $5.1 million for SpringHill Suites by Marriott, including debt payments and required renovation
• $2.75 million set aside for Covid-suppression efforts, required by Higher Education 紧急 Relief Fund III funding guidance
• $1.38 million returned to auxiliary departments that lost student-fee revenue during the pandemic

密歇根州立大学丹佛 is at an exciting strategic turning point. As we emerge from the pandemic and resume implementation of our 2030年策略计划, these one-time investments will provide the foundation for our transformation. I am excited by the changes ahead and am sincerely grateful for your continued dedication to our important mission.

I want to give a big thank-you to our Budget Recommendation Committee, the HEERF subcommittee and all the branches for their recommendations as well as the ongoing implementation of these projects in the coming years. To 学习 more about 密歇根州立大学丹佛’s budget and budgeting process, visit xhguwan.com/president/budget. For specific budget questions, please contact the Office of Budget at (电子邮件保护).

真诚地,

珍妮·戴维森博士.D.
丹佛州立大学校长