Colleges and universities across the nation are facing tough economic headwinds. Fiscal discipline will be especially important for the University of Oregon as it manages a constrained financial model in a competitive market.  

“This requires good decision-making and careful stewardship of our resources, balancing the needs of our many constituents, enhancing the student experience, supporting our research enterprise and continuing to ensure the financial stability of our university,” President Karl Scholz said.

All public universities rely on a combination of tuition and state funding to finance operations and secure financial support from donors for critical investments. However, the UO’s financial model differs from that of many of its peers in the American Association of Universities and the Big Ten Conference. This includes key differences in the level of state appropriations, the cost of state-mandated benefits and the degree to which the UO relies on successfully attracting non-resident students in an increasingly competitive market.

A new website, StrengtheningUO, shares information about the UO’s funding model in comparison to peer institutions and the principles guiding fiscal decision-making at the UO.

To balance the needs of faculty, staff, students and other stakeholders while making the critical investments required to remain a great public university, the university will lean into fundamental principles addressed on the StrengtheningUO website:

• Investing in our people: Faculty and staff represent the university’s biggest investment. The university must also balance these investments with investments in research, student scholarships and other areas that allow the UO to serve its mission as a comprehensive research university. 
• Preserving access: We are committed to preserving access to a UO education so that all Oregon students, particularly first-generation students and those from low-income backgrounds, can pursue higher education. 
• Stewarding resources: We must face our structural funding constraints and allocate our resources carefully to preserve our commitment to our students, staff, faculty and our aspirations for the future.

“Understanding the UO financial model is very important,” said Jamie Moffitt, senior vice president and chief financial officer. “As our financial landscape shifts, we will need to adjust. Access to information and knowledge improves everyone’s understanding and helps us all be good financial stewards.”

Over the next few years, we will need to continue to consider our financial resources carefully. With the university’s new strategic plan, Oregon Rising, underway, it will be important to focus on creating a stronger foundation for our future, while balancing many different needs and constituents. Careful stewardship “is a top priority as higher education faces considerable financial headwinds,” Moffitt says. “Exercising fiscal discipline is key to realizing our aspirations and ensuring the UO’s long-term success.” 

Learn more on the StrengtheningUO website.