President presents budget proposal at Town Hall meeting- May 18

Students, faculty and staff filled rooms in both FIU’s University Park and Biscayne Bay Campus Monday for President Modesto A. Maidique’s Town Hall meeting on the budget. Along with interim Provost Douglas Wartzok and interim Senior Vice President of Administration and Chief Financial Officer John Miller, Maidique outlined a three-year proposal to reduce the budget by $53 million.

Some good news: The state Legislature fully funded the nascent College of Medicine, $14 million in stimulus funds were allocated to FIU, and university employees were spared a 2 percent salary cut that will affect state workers.

Some bad news: The budget still must be reduced by 15 percent, there was a $2.5 million reduction in state lottery funds and more than $30 million reduction in construction dollars.

The Faculty Senate will make its recommendations on May 26 and the Board of Trustees will hold a budget workshop on June 1. They will make their final decision on June 12.