Loyola University • New Orleans • Volume 96 • Issue 2 • August 25, 2017
THE MAROON FOR A GREATER LOYOLA
Purchasing rules lack faculty buy-in
HAYLEY HYNES / The Maroon
By Sean Brennan shbrenna@my.loyno.edu @sean_themaroon
Unprecedented spending rules for Loyola’s departments and clubs went into effect earlier this month, putting new purchasing restrictions on everything from staff meals to office supplies — changes that faculty and students will have to adjust to this semester. On Aug. 1, Loyola’s Office of Finance and Administration released the school’s new purchasing policies, outlining the constraints that departments now have when spending university money. For the Loyola community, those rules mean no more lunches or holiday parties and limited travel on the university’s dime, all in an effort to save $5.1 million in the coming years. The new restrictions on what can and cannot be bought with university funds are detailed on the university website, such as the decisions not to reimburse any tip over 20 percent on a food purchase by Loyola faculty, and terminating monthly cell phone plans for most faculty, as well. The rules came after months of analysis from what is called the “Optimizing External Expenditures work stream,” headed by Robert Nelson, Director of Purchasing at Loyola. The committee designated with creating the “work stream” was one of 14 the university created under Project Magis, Loyola's latest financial sustainability plan, which Nelson said aims to cut unnecessary
“The issue really is about budspending, increase enrollment and retention rates and introduce new get accountability and financial academic programs to add $20.9 sustainability,” Borofsky said. “We million to Loyola's budget by the want this place to be here for a long time, so when we give people 2018 fiscal year. “We found that there were a lot the budget, they’ve got to manage of ways we could spend our money that budget just like you manage more intelligently without having your budget at home. We don’t have to cut services,” Nelson said. “An any more money sitting in a pot for example of this is by moving from when people run out.” In accounting for department separate administration software systems in the Monroe and Law budgets, Nelson and Borofsky libraries to one system, which will both cited the significant amount save Loyola over $50,000 on an an- of money spent on business travel and food, expenses that departnual basis.” ment heads like Under NelNaomi Yavneh son’s supervi- "If I told you how much Klos, director of sion, the work the University stream’s goal time we've been spending is to save the talking about food, it would Honors Program, worry will affect school $5.1 students’ learnmillion. To do blow your mind," ing experience at this, the comLoyola if cut. mittee spent — David Borofsky “Food is an months ana- Interim Provost important part lyzing expensof honors. I have es with over 40 Loyola faculty, staff and admin- spoken with the Provost and we istrators to find potential savings will be able to continue the tradition of our senior lunch, where we wherever possible. “The main focus of Project Magis recognize each one of our graduis to invest. However, as we wait for ating students,” Yavneh said. “But these exciting initatives to be im- we want to bring students to NCHC plemented, we have an immediate (National Collegiate Honors Counneed to tighten our belts. Speaking cil) and the AJCU (Association of as a two-time alumnus and having Jesuit Colleges and Universities) worked at Loyola for over a decade, Honors conference, which this year I think we are striking the right bal- is in Omaha, an expensive city to fly to but a 17-hour drive from New ance,” Nelson said. David Borofsky, Interim Provost Orleans.” Beyond potentially missing these and Vice President of Academic Affairs, said the immediate result events under the new purchasing of Nelson’s work stream initiatives policy, the University Honors Prowas a budget cut of roughly $1.7 gram is more significantly battling a decreased annual budget in the million.
face of an increase in the number of honors students, resulting in certain faculty teaching seminars as unpaid overloads and every seminar above the usual maximum number of students. “I am trying to figure out ways to be extremely frugal, but that, in and of itself, is time-consuming, especially when my attention could be better directed at advising students,” Yavneh said. Daniela Marx, chairwoman of the Department of Design, worries that her department’s first forum, which is usually a meal to break bread with faculty and new students, will not be possible under the purchasing rules. On top of this, since the department’s office manager was let go in July’s round of faculty cuts, Marx is currently taking on the duties of the office, as well as chairwoman and professor. “I’ve been here for 18 years and never have been told what we can or can’t spend money on. I’m a rule follower, so I’m fine with rules, but I need clarity on how to follow them,” Marx said. “Our first forum is how we bring in the new year together. It’s important to have this meal together.” According to Borofsky, the rules are a small piece of Project Magis, which focuses on growing online programs and recreating Loyola’s continuing education program for adults, but they still need to be implemented to achieve sustainability — especially with food. “If I told you how much time we’ve been spending talking about food, it would blow your mind,” Borofsky said. “There are some
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absolutes that are just not going to happen, like alcohol. We’re definitely not paying for alcohol with university money. But for the most part, we’ll loosen it up a little bit so people can spend their money the way they need to, but within some constraints.” The purchasing rules will not affect the Student Government Association, whose funding comes directly from student fees. According to Student Government Association President Ben Weil, the cuts may be tough for some areas at first, but are necessary in the long run to get the university back on track. For other student organizations, however, such as Loyola’s rugby club, the rules pose new questions on funding, club president Alex Le said. “As clubs, we are already limited to apply for certain allocations. I’m not sure how these cuts will affect our team, but without adequate funding, we can’t afford to compete against other teams as much as we’d like,” Le said. Exceptions to these purchasing policies can be applied for and signed off by the Interim Provost. Time will tell the impact of these rules as the semester gets started, with food and beverages at the front of the plate. “We’re making sure we have the money in the right places to make sure students have the best experience possible, and that doesn’t always mean pizza and soda and water,” Borosfky said.