Provost Amy Gutmann said last week that the University would avoid a budget deficit this year because of increases in alumni donations and prudent fiscal management.
Because the operating budget will grow at a faster rate than inflation, the Priorities Committee, the University's budgeting arm, will be able to give support to a wider range of funding proposals.
With planning for the next fiscal year underway, PriCom is considering which requests it will recommend that the Board of Trustees approve at a Jan. 23 meeting.
"Although we are not able to meet all the different proposals, the committee has found some high priority items in almost all areas presented," Gutmann said.
"While this will probably be a rather average year as to the number of things that receive funding, we do have some additional resources to add to an already solid budget," she added.
The committee's top priorities include hiring more staff at McCosh Health Center, more library acquisitions and funding for faculty enrichment, Gutmann said.
Health Services Director Daniel Silverman said the need for more McCosh staff is due to increased patient demands, he said, including care related to eating concerns, disorders and nutritional counseling, athletic medicine and physical therapy for non-varsity athletes and treatment for anxiety-related and depressive disorders.
"The University has traditionally been very supportive of requests for support of University Health Services," he said in an email.
Gutmann said increases in undergraduate financial aid will be the single biggest increase in the budget.
The committee anticipates that the percentage of students on financial aid will remain at an all-time high of 52 percent.
"The Board of Trustees has approved of slowing down the debt repayments in order to accommodate this, so our budget is still balanced and able to support a group of important requests," she said.
Other requests focus on providing improved programs and services to the University community. For example, the athletics department has proposed keeping Dillon Gym open longer and replacing old equipment.
Less pressing requests most likely will be considered for funding next year.
Gutmann said groups who want funding should still make requests because it helps the University begin future planning.
"We want to fund a second trip home for international students during the year," Gutmann said. "Unfortunately, the budget is tight this year so it will probably come back to the table next year."
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