Minnesota State University Moorhead President Blackhurst, her cabinet, and her administrative council must be more forthcoming with the detailed data, criteria and analysis surrounding the budget, program and personnel cuts announced this month.
As a public institution, detailed budgets, enrollment and graduation statistics, and strategic plans must be made publicly available (and easily accessible) on the university's website. This information is even more critical than usual in a time when access to the university and the administration is limited because of the coronavirus.
The fiscal year 2020 budget planning process began on July 1, 2019. Instead of providing comprehensive information and actively engaging the MSUM community with in-depth updates, the administration appears to have used a process that has limited detailed data and specific criteria to an insular group of decision makers.
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Personnel decisions certainly needed to be handled with a level of sensitivity, but that is no reason for the entire process to play out largely behind closed doors.
The measures that were developed for the needed budget cuts should have, months ago, been crystal clear to students, staff, faculty, alumni, community leaders and the general public. The lack of transparency has caused unnecessary stress and suffering for those affected by the program and personnel decisions.
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As stakeholders in the future of MSUM, we deserve no less.
