Pres. Mortensen: USU Responding to State Leaders' Request to Model Potential 5% Budget Reduction

Editor's note: This message from USU President Brad L. Mortensen was sent to faculty and staff Thursday morning.

Dear faculty and staff,

As part of the 2026 legislative session, state leaders have asked all state agencies, including higher education, to model a potential 5% budget reduction as a planning exercise for fiscal year 2026-27. Given the 1.5% reduction in the 2024 session and last year’s strategic reinvestment plan, we, along with other presidents and the commissioner’s office, are working to convey the detrimental impact that another cut of this magnitude would have on higher education and Utah State University.

At this time, no reduction has been enacted, and we do not have an indication that a cut will ultimately occur. Last year, at this point, our base budget had already been cut as a precursor to HB 265 ultimately passing.

Legislative fiscal analysts and the Utah System of Higher Education have proposed different scenarios to model what they propose this cut could be, and we are reviewing what options could look like if a reduction were required for USU. These are all preliminary proposals. Our planning focus would be to minimize impacts by prioritizing:

• Future reinvestment funds and performance funding.
• Managing open positions and operating costs.
• Limited general operating and strategic reductions, if needed.

We are approaching this as a planning exercise, not a final decision, and are advocating with decision makers. If it becomes more likely that a reduction will move forward, we will share timely updates with our Utah State University community. I will provide additional communication to you later this week as the legislative audit on USU will be released on Friday afternoon.

Thank you for all that you do every day to support our students, each other, and our statewide land-grant mission.

Best,

brad