Members of the University Faculty Committee on Budgets and Financial Planning now have a place in the decisions for building projects on Marquette’s campus.
UFCBFP is a committee that bridges the gap between University Academic Senate and Marquette’s leadership to discuss budget-related matters. On May 5, Lowell Barrington, chair of UFCBFP, provided updates on what the committee accomplished this year.
In December 2023, Marquette announced they were experiencing a budget shortfall estimated between $9 million and $9.5 million. The university has a 3% operating fund built into the budget that can be used for the university endowment, debt repayment and capital projects.
At the time of the shortfall, Marquette University President Kimo Ah Yun said the 3% was going to things like the new College of Nursing building and Recreation and Wellness Center. However, Marquette faculty said those projects shouldn’t have been funded by the 3% set aside.
In November 2024, UAS voted no-confidence in the Marquette Executive Leadership Team, which includes Ah Yun and Chief Operating Officer Joel Pogodzinski.
One reason for the vote was a lack of budgetary transparency. Barrington said he hopes being included in larger university decisions like capital projects will help with this concern.
Barrington said the committee will be brought into the decision-making process between when the idea is first brought to the Board of Trustees and when the final decision on the project is made.
“I think this is a really important change for two reasons,” Barrington said. “One, these major capital decisions have significant impacts on the financial situation of the university, as we have seen. And two, in the past they’ve also been among the least transparent decisions on campus.”
In addition to budgetary concerns from faculty, another reason for the vote of no-confidence was executive compensation.
Between 2020 and 2023, Ah Yun’s salary increased by around $100,000 as provost, and Pogodzinski’s by $77,000 during a time where Marquette was laying off around 39 staffers.
Barrington said these compensation concerns have been a point of discussion this year with the administration, and the conversation will carry into next year.
As of February, the university is still without funding for a AHPRC II building or a Biodiscovery district. When asked about UFCBFP’s involvement with these buildings, Barrington said the university is in a “holding pattern” for both projects.
UFCBFP consists of 11 faculty members representing different colleges.
“This is a really good example of the way members of the committee representing parts of the university really help shape what the committee does,” Barrington said.
This story was written by Sophia Tiedge. She can be reached at sophia.tiedge@marquette.edu.
