Advancing Baruch’s Financial Future: Join the Activity-Based Budget Town Hall on Monday, May 12

Dear Colleagues,

As we move into the latter part of the spring semester, I want to take a moment to thank you for supporting Baruch’s mission by advancing academic excellence, fostering student success, and driving innovation across the institution. Your work is what makes our momentum possible.

One of the central initiatives of Year Two of our Strategic Plan 2023–28 is the development and adoption of a new Activity-Based Budgeting (ABB) model. This model represents a significant enhancement in how we allocate and manage tax-levy resources—those coming from the State via CUNY—and is designed to promote transparency, accountability, and data-informed decision-making across the College.

ABB will empower each of our three schools to manage resources in alignment with their academic priorities, scholarly ambitions, and pedagogical goals—while also enabling adjustments to the level of support allocated to the College’s central Administrative and Support Services units, based on overall demand.

After extensive engagement with the campus community and thoughtful input from many of you, we are now nearing the final phase of this work. I invite you to join us for a campus-wide Town Hall where we will unveil Baruch’s new ABB model:

Monday, May 12
10 am–12 noon 
Newman Vertical Campus (NVC), Room 14-220
Hybrid format: In-person and virtual options available

RSVP here to attend in person
Register here to attend virtually

At the Town Hall, we will reaffirm our transition to ABB and walk through the rationale behind the key design decisions that shaped the final model. Provost Essig and I, along with members of the ABB Committee and Dr. David Vuletich of EAB’s Research Advisory Services, will present the model’s structure, governance plan, and estimated school-level budgets for the upcoming year.

We will also share our vision for continued support and regular review of the ABB model to ensure that it remains responsive, effective, and aligned with Baruch’s evolving needs. In Year One, only 5% of the tax-levy budget will be governed by ABB. This initial implementation offers a valuable opportunity for institutional learning, as we refine the model and its governance structure.

This is a pivotal moment for Baruch. As we build on our strong financial foundation and forward momentum, ABB will help us plan and allocate resources more strategically, invest in our strengths, and ensure a lasting impact for the entire College community.

I look forward to seeing you on May 12.

Sincerely,

S. David Wu
President, Baruch College