A year ago, Ohio University administrators told Faculty Senate that OU was fiscally sound G
we hear everything is fine we've taken care of all the problems and now we hear that isn't the case
journalism professor Bernhard Debatin said at tonight's meeting. This is a disaster
an absolute disaster.
There is a real credibility problem here
chemistry professor Ken Brown added.
Officials attributed the shortfall to lower-than-expected state funding, retention rates and number of transfer students, but Debatin questioned why OU didn't see the problems earlier.
Everyone seems to be surprised
but don't we have planning data? he asked. I'm pretty disgusted. There is a level of mixed messages that are being sent that is damaging to the university
damaging to the students and damaging to recruitment efforts.
William Decatur, vice president for finance and administration, said the university's budget was balanced until it fell short of enrollment targets and that OU has some very tough decisions to make.
OU's retention rate, which is at about 80 percent but has been steadily declining since 2000, is a great figure for a large university
but what hurts us is that it used to be so much bigger
said OU Provost Kathy Krendl.
Competition for transfer students is tough among all four-year universities, Krendl added.
Getting transfer students is not 'push a button and it happens
' and we've learned that the hard way
