Update on budget decisions and organizational changes

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to inform you of the budget decisions that we have made to address the institutional structural budget deficit.

It is with deep regret that I announce these budget reductions that will result in employee layoffs. These have been very difficult decisions in tough financial times, and I have thought long and hard before announcing these changes. I want to emphasize that the separations and reassignments are not in any way a reflection on the valuable contributions that those employees make to Western. Difficult as it is, balancing the budget is necessary to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability of the university.

The cumulative structural deficit, after accounting for all the positive and negative adjustments from the recently concluded legislative session, is about $23 million. The reductions we’ve already announced prior to today, when fully implemented, amount to approximately $13 million in permanent savings. This leaves us with the difficult task of identifying an additional $10 million in recurring cost reductions.

With over 85 percent of the university budget allocated to personnel, a reduction of nearly 10 percent to our base budget inevitably affects positions. This phase of our budget realignment includes a combination of structural changes, unit consolidations, and cost-saving strategies across all areas of the university. A comprehensive overview of the structural changes and strategies will be available online and in Western Today after employees and supervisors have been informed. Below are key highlights.

I have made the difficult decision to eliminate the administrative division of Student Affairs, including the Office of the Vice President. Several other functions within the current division structure will be consolidated to reduce administrative overhead. I want to emphasize that in this process, we will ensure that core student support functions are preserved as they are critical to the retention and success of students at Western. The new structure will bring most of those functions under the Office of the Provost and the administrative oversight of other functions, such as housing and dining operations, to the division of Business and Financial Affairs.

As part of our continued effort to reduce recurring expenses, we also are eliminating additional positions across various administrative units of the university.

In Academic Affairs, the Provost is working closely with the academic deans and academic departments to identify approximately $5 million in ongoing budget savings to be implemented by the end of next academic year. This effort is focused in part on aligning academic offerings and services with student demand and institutional priorities, as well as reductions and shifts of instructional resources. While this work will include reviewing program structures, course offerings, and support services, our commitment remains centered on maintaining the quality and accessibility of Western’s academic programs.

Our Intercollegiate Athletics administrative structure will also be reshaped in 2025-26, with the current Athletic Director appointment being reduced to half-time. During this past winter, Athletics' external relations staff were reduced and centralized into the Division of University Advancement, with funding for these positions provided by the Foundation for WWU & Alumni for the coming year. These changes are focused on administrative efficiencies, not on reducing athletic opportunities for students. In the months ahead, we will undertake a review of our athletics portfolio to evaluate the long-term financial sustainability and ensure continued success within the GNAC and NCAA Division II.

Finally, we are also making several changes to our academic programs offered beyond Bellingham, including those delivered on the Peninsulas and in Everett. Measures include centralizing support services and implementing other operational efficiencies. These steps reflect the need to focus our limited resources on sustaining our core academic offerings, both on the Bellingham campus and in other locations. We remain firmly committed to serving the Kitsap and Olympic Peninsulas and will continue our work to help meet the region’s educational needs through strong, sustainable degree programs and partnerships.

With these collective actions, including reductions in workforce and divisional restructuring, we will have added nearly $9 million in permanent, structural savings, getting us closer to eliminating the structural deficit. Though difficult, these decisions are essential to protecting the core academic and student support functions that define Western, even as we navigate financial challenges statewide.

Ultimately, we are positioning Western to be more responsive to the needs of students and the state. These changes strengthen our foundation by addressing long-standing structural spending imbalances and reinforce our ability to continue thriving as one of the premier academic institutions in the Pacific Northwest.

We have begun notifying employees whose positions or units are directly affected by the changes announced today. Some impacted employees in positions being eliminated will have bumping rights as part of their employment contract, and it will take some time to work through those transitions.

I understand the stress and uncertainty that comes with this news, and we are committed to treating everyone impacted with transparency, compassion, respect, and to providing the support needed to navigate this transition. We will continue to share updates over the summer. Thank you for your patience, understanding, and for your dedication to Western and its mission.

Sincerely,

Sabah Randhawa