Dear Colleagues, I have just received the parameters for the 2011-12 budget. It appears that there will be a cut in the College budget but, based on the Contingency Planning that was done late last Fall, the cuts to the Schools will be relatively modest - the balance will be absorbed by the College in other ways, primarily decreased faculty hiring. ChE will have at most (exact amount still uncertain) a 1.25% cut in the general fund allocation. Despite the cuts to all Colleges and programs, the University has announced a salary policy for 2010-11. The average merit raise will be 1.5% - a modest amount but better than zero and far better than the furloughs many universities around the country faced last year (and may again this year). To be sure, we will have to find creative ways to function as, along with the cut, this amounts to a 2.75% (1.25 + 1.5) reduction in our general fund budget for 2011-12, as compared to the current year (2010-11). Roughly, this decrease for our School amounts to ~$115K. This is just fyi... Arvind Arvind Varma R. Games Slayter Distinguished Professor Head, School of Chemical Engineering Purdue University