Don't cut academics before looking at the other expenses first. Follow the comparative data.

Name: Don't cut academics before looking at the other expenses first. Follow the comparative data.
Uploaded: 2025-09-03T01:36:59+00:00
Duration: 1 min 21 s
Channel: Gary Stocker
Description: Universities reflexively cut academic programs during budget crises, but a smarter approach examines other expenses first. An $8 million food-service…

3 Sept 2025 · 1 min

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Universities reflexively cut academic programs during budget crises, but a smarter approach examines other expenses first. An $8 million food-service contract and bloated advancement budgets often hide real savings. Without transparency and buy-in from faculty and alumni, even good plans fail.

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Like, I see it many times, like schools, oh, we have financial problems. First thing they want to do is start cutting academic programs, and at the same time they have an $8 million food service contract that's just way out of, in left field, right? Like, what I'm advocating for is just being smarter about making these decisions. Don't assume anything. right? Don't assume anything and check it, right? And you save a ton of time. You could save a huge fiasco for university if you find out, oh, we can do all these cuts in advancement, not affect our revenue at all, right? And, and balance our budget, right? Wouldn't that be great? And, and not have to cut half your majors or whatever you're planning on doing, right? So that's what I'm advocating for, just being smarter about this. And in process, be more transparent so you can get difficult things passed through, right? Just because you're the president or board chair doesn't mean that you can do anything you want, right? I've been at a school where that didn't go very well. I can tell you firsthand. You have to sell it to everybody. You have to sell it to the faculty. You have to sell it to the students. You have to sell it to your alumni. You have to sell it to the community. Or you can't get it done. You won't get it done, right?