MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer
Posted: Friday, May 22, 2009 3:58 pm

MTSU will develop a voluntary buy-out plan to help reduce the university’s budget, along with eliminating some concentrations.

MTSU Pres. Sidney McPhee released the final report in his Positioning the University for the Future initiative Thursday.

Among the recommendations for plugging the college’s budget deficit is reducing faculty jobs through normal attrition and a voluntary buy-out plan.

“The buy-out plan, along with the anticipated normal attrition, will be important in helping us to avoid the immediate layoffs in personnel or furloughs that had been expected prior to the approval of stimulus dollars,” McPhee said.

Interested faculty can sign up for the buy-out plan starting in fall 2009 to be bought out at the end of the spring 2010 semester.

McPhee recommend eliminating 19 majors and concentrations, including agricultural communication, plant biology, environmental health and safety, medical physics, public finance, art history and outdoor recreation.

Concentrations in geography, geology, as well as bachelor of arts degrees in German, public administration, political science, sociology and anthropology, are still under review.

WMOT is safe for now, but the jazz station and Sidelines must complete a business plan that reduces their dependence on university funding.

“Currently, university officials are reviewing two proposals related to the
future operation of the radio station, one from the MTSU College of Mass Communications and the other from WPLN Public Radio,” McPhee’s report said. “Additional proposal clarifications and updates to existing proposals may be requested and entertained during the summer.”

To view the full report, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/strategic/docs/Complete_Response_Document_052109_2.pdf.