Earlier today, the Budget Advisory Committee reviewed preliminary budget options for FY'10, and I want to share the major outlines of those projections with the entire community. My hope is that this information informs our discussions during the open office hours I will hold next week.

Wheaton can and will weather this economic storm. Your active support and commitment will make an enormous difference, and I will be calling on all faculty, staff and students to contribute their best thinking and energy.

Wheaton’s success depends upon how well we work together toward common goals. Open communication and transparent decision-making are vital to the collaboration that will be required from each of us. To that end, I will write to you again with updates on our progress, as more information becomes available.

Wheaton needs to take steps now to prepare for potential future impacts. Given the depth of the financial problems besetting our economy, we should anticipate the possibility of a substantial increase in demand on the college’s financial aid budget this spring and next year. To help our students and families, the college must prepare to allocate more resources now for scholarship support.