The province brought down its 2017-18 budget yesterday and there were significant implications for Memorial so I want to give you a quick update today.

Based on the three-year forecast of budget reductions from government last year and presented to Senate in the fall, we had been doing our academic and budget planning to deal with a $5.4 million reduction for 2017-18.

Complex budget

Yesterday’s provincial budget added a $6.5 million annual base budget reduction for this year (over and above the $5.4 million announced last year). This brings the total reduction to be addressed in our 2017-18 academic and budget planning to $11.9 million. There are additional impacts for the Faculty of Medicine that are still being analyzed.

Our budget is complex and senior administration will now take time to analyze the budget allocations from the Department of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour and the Department of Health and Community Services (for Faculty of Medicine).

Consultations to begin

Over the next few days consultations will begin with stakeholder groups, including the Senate’s Planning and Budget Committee, students and employee unions, and senior academic and administrative leaders.

On Tuesday, April 11, Senate will be fully briefed and a special meeting of Senate focused solely on budget planning will be held on April 24. A multi-year budget proposal will be developed to bring forward to the Board of Regents on May 11.

We will keep the university community updated throughout this process.