Budget Meetings Update

Dear EGOS Staff,

As you know, the administrative budget committee has been meeting regularly since January to address the budget deficit facing Emily Griffith Opportunity School and higher education.

The committee has examined all areas of the school and has evaluated every suggestion from staff. Many excellent ideas came from the staff meetings and the suggestion box. While some of the ideas are in the process of being implemented or undergoing further research, others are not feasible at this time. We are currently seeking staff input on the remaining suggestions to identify the 5 best suggestions, as some will require a commitment from the staff. However, please know that all suggestions were considered and will be saved for future consideration.

The goal of the budget committee was to have most decisions involving personnel completed on, or before, April 30, 2010. We are preparing to share the information with the staff and specific individuals next week.

At this time, I will share with you two of the decisions that have been finalized. First, we have reluctantly decided to raise tuition 9%, effective for summer 2010 classes. Tuition will increase from $56 to $61 per credit hour for most programs; high-cost programs will increase from $76 to $83 per credit hour. In addition, some programs will have increased student fees.

Second, the school will be closed for staff and students during three weeks of the school year—Aug. 16–20, Dec. 23–31(winter break), and March 28–April 1 (spring break). This schedule will not impact the high school staff who return on August 10 for registration.

The budget decisions made to date are intermediate solutions for a problem that is predicted to continue for several years. The outlook is not promising and additional budget cuts will likely be necessary. Our challenge now is to continue to provide the education and services that we have provided for over 94 years.

Sincerely,
Lou Ann GilhoolyInterim Principal



Lou Ann Gilhooly
Interim Principal
Emily Griffith Opportunity School
1250 Welton Street
Denver, CO 80204
720-423-4738
Fx: 720-423-4850