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Hodge reflects on Strategic Priorities Task Force achievements

Catherine Couretas, For The Miami Student

"There is no such thing as normal."

Miami University President David Hodge reflected on the effect of the current economy on the university, noting that "getting back to normal" wasn't going to happen.

"If there is (a normal), it's the new normal," Hodge said. "It's likely to be a very long time in which we're going to face very significant financial austerity."

Hodge reiterated the importance of the 18 individuals selected to serve on the Strategic Priorities Task Force (SPT).

"They were asked not to represent their part of the university, but to draw from their experience," Hodge said. "The charge to the committee was to create a sustainable budget that would lead us to greater national prominence."

Hodge emphasized three modest modifications made to the original report from the SPT that he felt were noteworthy.

The first was increasing the amount of scholarship money the recommendations called for. Originally, the hope was to raise $40 million, but Hodge recommended an increase to $50 million.

Second, the report called for a reduction in the Intercollegiate Athletics budget by 3 percent each year for the next five years. Hodge changed that number to a reduction of 2 percent per year.

The third modest change asked to look at divisional structuring, but Hodge made the decision to dismiss that idea.

"There is no evidence we were going to find new answers that would allow us to move in a new direction," Hodge said.

The recommendation has now been rewritten to focus on the promotion of interdisciplinary activity.

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A 36th recommendation has been officially added to the report, with the intent to increase Miami's graduation rate from the 80 to 81 percent being raised to 85 percent.

The revised report will be posted on the SPT's website Dec. 10.

"We are, above all else, determined that we will find a way to become a better university over the next five years," Hodge said. "This was an exercise in constructing a plan that would take the quality of this university from its high level to an even higher level."