Last Thursday, April 23, Chancellor Mark Wrighton gave an address on the “State of the University” for students and faculty. We commend the chancellor for his efforts to engage the community; especially in tough economic times, it is reductions at the margins that will make a difference and save money. Following the address, Wrighton published a suggestion box on the same Web site as the online link to his speech, saying, “We pledge to consider every suggestion seriously and try to take advantage of the creativity and dedication of those in our community.” Although attendance at Wrighton’s 8:30 a.m. address was greater among faculty than among students, it is evident that Wrighton intends to welcome suggestions from students and faculty alike. Because of Wrighton’s openness, we find it prudent to offer our own suggestions for reducing operating costs and increasing revenues, and we encourage the student body to take these suggestions as a beginning for engaging in Wrighton’s plans.

Although our University is and has been an image-conscious institution, we believe that any changes in the operating budget should prioritize internal well-being above public image. With this in mind, we believe that budget cuts can be made in programs that seek to attract prospective students—for example, programs that fly international prospectives to St. Louis to visit Wash. U., and—as the chancellor has suggested—in mailings to prospective students.

In line with prioritizing internal well-being above external image, we believe that “image” costs—such as landscaping—can be reduced, and we encourage the administration to make cuts in spending on food and drinks at University events.

We believe that reductions in the University’s internal costs should emphasize an environmentally friendly stance, and we commend the chancellor for keeping environmental incentives in mind when presenting his plan of reducing costs. The University should encourage professors to find alternative ways of formatting readings so that students can read them online without printing. Moreover, professors can be encouraged to accept papers by e-mail instead of in print, reducing both paper waste and printing expenses.

Finally, we feel that the current financial situation merits a consideration of the cost-effectiveness of student groups. We believe that the leaders of Student Union (SU), whose funding increases incrementally with tuition each year, should be encouraged to meet with financial experts within the University to help reduce their operating costs and see where their budget can be cut for futures years. There is no current incentive for the operating costs of student activities to be reduced, and we feel that it is imperative that the University encourage frugality as an end in itself.

Although it is tempting to dismiss the chancellor’s remarks as suggestions that will not impact the state of our well-being as university students, Wrighton implied explicitly in his address that, since 62 percent of Wash. U.’s operating costs come from faculty salaries, would not see their normal pay increases for the next few years. In line with an emphasis on internal well-being, we, as students, ought to take it upon ourselves to ensure that the quality of our education does not suffer from the reduction in the University’s endowment. Because the quality of our education depends directly on the quality of our professors, it is imperative that we, as students who have been encouraged to engage in a larger discussion about the University’s operating budget, attempt to avoid faculty discontent. We should, therefore, encourage cuts that do not affect faculty pay. As members of a community that values the quality of its professors, we should speak up and request that cuts in SU funding, in image costs and in wasteful internal spending come before any adjustment to professors’ salaries.