On Jan. 21, Provost Mary Clark spoke at the Undergraduate Student Government Senate about the current status of the University’s budget. Clark stated that the current operating margin for the University of Denver was 0% due to drops in enrollment and a lack of return on marketing investments. Clark explained that this 0% means that the university has no money to spend on excess projects
When asked about how the administration was cutting within its own ranks, due to the low operating margins and budget deficit, Clark said that they had not implemented any. She said that there were two levels of “optimization” that they took part in in the last two years.
“So there had been two separate vice chancellors, one over student affairs and one over recreation at the Kennedy Mountain campus,” Clark said.“When the individual leaving student affairs moved to another university, those two positions were combined.”
Clark proceeded to mention how, two years ago, the Chancellor was searching for a vice chancellor for the university’s sustainability effort. Clark explained that at the end of the search, the administration decided that they would not be creating the chair.
First, they merged the chair of a failing mountain campus, and second, the University of Denver did not take on a new vice chancellor position. No cuts have been made to the Chancellor’s operations.
In the 2023 IRS 990 form, the most recent available, the University reported the compensation of top earning administrative positions as, Chancellor Jeremy Haefner: $986,439, Provost Mary Clark: $517,925, and Treasurer Leslie Brunelie $455,312. There are over 15 administration positions that receive salaries above $200,000.
Clark’s statement that the leadership cabinets have not received a significant cut in at least the last two years proves that the overall yearly spending budget of the provost and chancellor’s offices remains at $7.8 million.
All the while, CAHSS has been asked to cut $8 million over the next few years. Educational departments are forced to tighten the belt while the administration remains bloated and unphased.
The commanding body at the University of Denver has been given priority maintenance amidst this budget crisis, so let’s look at what they have done for students in the last year.
Last quarter, the DU Food Pantry was shut down. At the beginning of the winter quarter, the leadership celebrated its reopening as a major success. For 10 weeks over 30 students who came to the food pantry weekly no longer had the food services they needed.
Leaving a gap in a crucial student service for a full quarter does not qualify as a success. This is an unchecked misstep.
Last quarter, the university also announced that it would be terminating 15 CAHSS staff positions. They promised to rehire a new centralized staff that would fulfill the administrative roles. These roles have classically been crucial for faculty to provide their daily services.
If you go to the offices now, you will find these positions have not been filled. The governing bodies have yet again left a gaping hole in a service that is not only needed for students but also for faculty. The staff services of any department are crucial for the creation of schedules each year. Who knows what problems will arise with registration for the Spring quarter.
Academic advising services have had a massive degeneration to what it once provided. Students used to be able to drop in at any point to meet with a general academic advisor. However, this quarter the advising department has moved to same-day scheduling appointments during a time when most students have class, making it increasingly difficult for students to manage their academic course load.
The University of Denver has been too comfortable removing or diminishing current student services without having a proper plan to fill the need.
No confidence in Jeremy Haefner means no confidence in an administration that cannot properly administer to the needs of the community. How can the University maintain the motto of academic excellence while constantly diminishing the services that provide students and faculty the proper resources to function? I am not confident that the chancellor and management effectively work toward our academic goals as an institution.
If you are also not confident in our current leadership, please sign the no-confidence petition created by concerned students. If you are a community member and would like to know how you can help or would like to learn more about the situation, reach out to local organizing groups such as the Student Union.
