MC’s Spring 2023 Budget Cuts Explained

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 also means there is a smaller community to provide for.

“Sometimes we have classes that are bigger incoming and sometimes we have classes that are smaller incoming,” Clyde said. “And so when we have a smaller class coming in, then our needs for serving those students are less because there are fewer students.”

Clyde also noted that the struggles Manhattan is facing are not unique. He commented that between the pandemic, the rise of online education and more, colleges that are not Ivy League or large state schools are generally struggling.

“We need to make sure that we’re providing all of the services and the education and everything that the students need,” Clyde said.

Clyde also stated that a new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will be appointed for the next fiscal year, which starts in June. The CFO will work with third party auditors who review the college’s total spending.

After receiving feedback from the auditors for the current fiscal year, Clyde explained that the college does have reserve funds to fall back on. However, this feedback is not what made the college decide to cut budgets; he re-emphasized that the move was influenced by the recent and future incoming class sizes.

Benjamin Boivin, director of undergraduate admissions, wrote in an email to The Quadrangle that the estimated size of the class of 2027 is “between 700-800 students,” which is on par with the sizes of other recent classes.

So what can students do to prepare for any future budget cuts, or to be more informed about how their favorite club can continue their activities?

Bennett recommends all club leaders come to the club training sessions held at the beginning of each school year. This will allow the Office of Student Engagement to understand the needs of each club, and ultimately, allocate money for the activities that keep students satisfied with their college experience.