President Scholz sent the following message to faculty, staff and students on Thursday, April 9, 2026.
Dear University of Oregon community,
Spring term always brings a particular energy to campus: longer days, sunnier skies, research momentum, and students settling into the final term of the year. I want to thank staff, faculty and students for all you are doing to make our university strong. In this message I provide a brief budget update and will send another budget message by the end of May.
Enrollment uncertainty
Enrollment is the area where we have the least clarity. And it’s important because tuition is the single most influential factor in our operating (E&G) budget. Competition for prospective students—especially non-resident students—is fiercer than it has ever been, as universities across the country try to offset losses in international enrollment, uncertain state appropriations, rising costs due to geopolitical tensions, and cuts to research funding. Decision day for prospective students isn’t until early May, so we simply don’t have a full picture of enrollment yet.
What I can tell you is many outstanding professionals are working extraordinarily hard on this. Derek Kindle and his enrollment management team have been effective and creative since the day he arrived. Provost Chris Long and our deans have been actively engaged in recruitment. Our faculty and staff are doing critical work on retention, from the redesigned First-Year Interest Groups launching next fall to new undergraduate research opportunities and expanded advising in the areas where data tell us it matters most. I’m grateful to everyone who is part of this effort.
Budgets
I know many of you are thinking about budgets. Our leadership team and Board of Trustees have been discussing potential downside enrollment and cost scenarios for many years. Unfortunately, some of these more challenging factors became reality last spring. Over the last year, many peer universities across the nation have had to make significant and painful decisions to balance budgets. And here in Oregon, most of our public institutions and many of our K-12 districts are facing more challenging budgetary situations than have been seen in the last decade.
The University of Oregon is in a better position than many, with stable research funding, a strong philanthropic community, and solid in-state applications for admission. The steps we took last year to reduce our expenditures have also helped create a stronger foundation that will help us going forward. While it is too soon to know our enrollment numbers, we will have more information in May. My commitment is to share our financial outlook with you, and Provost Long and I are already in productive conversations with deans, the University Senate and others to ensure we have a clear process moving forward should budget changes be necessary.
The State of Oregon’s short legislative session went well for the university. We successfully avoided budget cuts through diminished state appropriations. The legislature overwhelmingly voted to create a new behavioral health licensure that directly supports the Ballmer Institute’s work to create a new credential to address child behavioral health. On the research front, despite a difficult federal funding environment, our expenditures on research grants are on pace to exceed last fiscal year—a testament to the quality and tenacity of our scholars. The second Knight Campus building also opens this month, expanding the infrastructure for basic and translational research that helps define this institution.
These are not easy times, and I won’t pretend otherwise. I have seen what this university is capable of when people work together with purpose and good faith. Transformative teaching and learning, discovery, innovation, and creative expression occur every day. I remain deeply proud of and grateful for our students, faculty, staff, and alumni, and for the work all of you are doing on behalf of the University of Oregon.
With appreciation,
Karl Scholz
President