PEORIA, Ill.– The same day that Bradley University celebrated a $100 million Business and Engineering Convergence Center, the university sent an email to faculty and staff alerting them of a plan to address an $8 million budget deficit.
Here’s a copy of that email.
The private institution is weighing new program options and cuts to fix the shortfall.
According to the email from the University’s senate president, the college plans to hold two forums this month.
It’ll give faculty and staff a chance to sit down with President Gary Roberts to talk about a plan.
The hope, according to Bradley University’s Senate President Ahmad Fakheri, is to put the college on a quote: “sustainable long-term path.”
The internal email cites “short and long-term challenges.”
We are engaging faculty and staff to spur ideas and conversations about possibilities for new programs, degrees and other revenue streams, as well as cost-savings ideas and how to create more efficiencies in our processes.
Renee Charles, Spokesperson | Bradley University
Some ideas to fill the $8 million dollar gap, is to consider consolidating faculty and support staff size, restructuring college departments, downsizing or eliminating the graduate program or starting new sports programming, like eSports and women’s varsity soccer.
The university may also consider investing in technology upgrades or student retention efforts.
The forums that’ll be held in November are not open to the public or the media, as Bradley is a private institution.
All this comes in the midst of Senator Chuck Weaver announcing just last week that he wants to become Bradley’s next president.
Current president Gary Roberts retires in May.
Bradley leaders say the search for a new president is still in the early ages of screening.
