Heading into Next Year

I try not to be pessimistic, but the realist in me says that if this year has been difficult budgetwise for most institutions, just wait until next year. Tax revenues for states will continue to decline, donations will continue to wane, and endowment returns will get even worse since many institutions use a three-year rolling average for their disbursements.

I see more budget cuts on the horizon. Anyone who has had to deal with deep cuts knows how frustrating it is when the process works in one direction only: top down. Most folks in the trenches feel that a more team-oriented approach might be more effective.

What advice would you offer to administrators who must make more cuts next year?