Western Michigan University’s fiscal year is almost over. But the school is waiting to set a new budget because of COVID-19.
At a Board of Trustees meeting today, Vice President for Business and Finance Jan Van Der Klay said Western needs to know more about how the pandemic will affect state funding for universities and what it will do to enrollment before next year's finances can be settled.
“Nationally, many of the universities are predicting a 10 to 15 percent decline,” she said. “But I don’t think anybody really knows what to expect until fall actually arrives.”
The Board decided not to raise room and board rates in the next academic year. In fact, it might lower them to compete with other schools, said Vice President for Student Affairs Diane Anderson.
“It has become apparent, very clear to me that it’s important to be nimble and agile in a market that is constantly changing,” she told the Board.
Trustees say they plan to come back to the budget when they meet Sept. 17.
