Cabinet highlights: Feb. 2, 2015

Undergraduate and transfer acceptance rates for fall 2015 appear to be increasing, though it is very early in the process, according to the President’s Cabinet report presented by Laura Jones, associate vice president for Planning and Institutional Development. The complete President’s Cabinet report includes data on Advancement, the budget and the senior survey. It can be found online.

President Rita Cheng said NAU as a whole should be “very focused” on increasing enrollment to offset any probable budget decreases. “It’s all hands on deck,” she said.

Bjorn Flugstad, interim vice president for Institutional Effectiveness, is preparing the university’s Operational and Financial Review to present to the regents during their meeting March 11 and 12 in Flagstaff. The report will link the university’s operations to its strategic objectives and the Arizona Board of Regents goals.

Enrollment Management and Student Affairs is teaming up with Athletics to sponsor Lumberjack Spirit Day on Feb. 21. The idea is to introduce middle-school students, mostly from tribal schools, to participate in a panel discussion, take a campus tour, eat lunch in the Skydome and watch a men’s basketball game.

Gov. Doug Ducey has proposed a $75 million funding decrease to the Arizona university system, and NAU is working with the governor’s staff, the Legislature and regents to mitigate the impact on NAU. Christy Farley, vice president for Legislative Affairs and Business Partnerships, said the methodology of determining the cuts to each university could lessen the amount NAU faces, which now stands at $13.1 million.