The View from T-Hall

Working Together in Tough Times By President Mark W. Huddleston

It seems that every day the economic news gets a little worse. When, we all wonder, will we find the bottom of this downturn? Meanwhile, the effects of the crisis are being felt at every level of society, in every corner of the nation--by businesses large and small, by state and local government, by religious and charitable institutions, by students and families, and, of course, by institutions of higher education. This is certainly true of the University of New Hampshire. Each of our major revenue streams is under very significant pressure:

• State support, never very robust, has been cut again.
• The value of our endowment has declined, reflecting the overall market.
• Competition for research dollars has sharpened considerably.
• Tuition revenues are being squeezed by increased need for student financial aid.

It is true that UNH has faced hard times before. It is also true that past UNH leaders, working in concert with faculty and staff members, had the foresight to identify and confront many of the vexing budget issues that other campuses are only now beginning to tackle--energy costs, health care, maintenance of adequate reserves, and so forth.

But there is no room for complacency on our part. We need to redouble our efforts to persuade the New Hampshire legislature that affordable and accessible higher education is vital to our common future. We must work even harder to control the cost side of our ledger. And we must ask our alumni and friends for even more help in supporting vital programs and underwriting scholarships for needy students.

If you live in New Hampshire and you have found value in your UNH education, please write a letter to your local representatives and senator and let them know how you feel. No matter where you live, if you can find it within your means, please consider making a contribution to help keep UNH strong and our students supported.

Times are tough. But UNH is tougher. With everyone--faculty, students, staff, alumni and friends--working together, we won't just weather this crisis. We'll emerge as an even stronger, more focused, mission-driven institution.