administration – Houghton STAR

By Justice Newell (’23)

While 2021 still carries much of the baggage from its predecessor, it is time to look forward to what next year will bring. Fingers crossed, it will be better than last year. With that being said, Houghton’s 2021-2022 budget shows signs that it certainly will be!

In terms of what the budget looks like for the upcoming academic year, Mr. Dale Wright, the Vice President for Finance at Houghton, reports that 29% of the budget goes toward financial aid to students; 35% is allocated to paying Houghton’s personnel; 15% goes toward maintaining the campus and paying utilities; and the remaining 21% is distributed amongst smaller budgets, such as those for the academic departments.

As for where the money comes from to create the budget, together, tuition, fees, and room and board account for approximately 85%, with contributions, grants, and endowments garnering the rest of the budget.

In planning for the upcoming school year, Houghton’s budget reflects the unique situation that COVID-19 has presented, all while holding true to the enduring goal of providing a high-quality Christian education for an affordable price. To that end, Mr. Wright attributes the college’s success during these times to three important factors affecting its financial situation.

Firstly, Houghton has historically been “careful planning and manag[ing] expenses,” creating what Dean Marc Smithers referred to as a “balanced budget.” Essentially, a balanced budget just means that the expenses do not outweigh the revenue, or, the money earned. Secondly, though many colleges run on a tight budget, Mr. Wright explained that through the assistance of generous alumni and friends of Houghton, much of the financial burden placed on the college is offset. Likewise, the third factor for Houghton’s continued success is the relief provided by the federal government. Especially during times in which special precautions need to be taken to slow the spread of a pandemic, any financial support to help pay for personal protective equipment, like masks or disinfectants, helps keep the budget in check.

Though the world now knows how to combat the spread of COVID-19, this often means that institutions can expect a considerable financial burden to help with that mission. For Houghton and other colleges, this means that more funding is required in the upcoming year to help keep with current health and safety standards. In a joint statement from President Mullen and Mr. Wright, they said, “We have allocated increased funding towards technology, cleaning protocols, personnel and testing, to name a few areas. [And while it is a significant feature of the budget,] it is not a large percentage of the overall college budget. Further, a portion of these expenses have been partially offset by federal assistance.”

Aside from being records of Houghton’s financial history, the budget’s purpose is to provide students the best overall experience during their college years. From resetting the tuition to a 20-year low, to creating 90 new scholarships, to funding Division III athletics, and paying for residential life programming and student engagement opportunities, the budget is ultimately student-centered.

According to Dean Smithers, in his experience heading the Residential Life Office, Houghton would allot approximately “$10 per resident for residence life programming.” Moreover, part of the Residential Life funding comes from the clubs and organizations fee that students pay at the beginning of each semester, combined with additional money from the budget. So, it can be assumed that the same can be said for the 2021-2022 school year.

Though the configuration of Houghton’s budget has been relatively similar year after year, on occasion large changes are made, and their effects are felt throughout the campus and community. The most recent example of this is the decision to cut the lacrosse program at Houghton. While this change may dishearten many students and community members, Mr. Wright suggests that the reallocation of these funds toward “track and field, cross country and intramural programs [will] benefit a wider range of students” than before.

Though life has not yet returned to normal, the college’s financial situation indicates that things are looking up. In spite of all of these changes, students can expect a “normal-looking” semester – you know, all things considered.★

Mim Case is the reason that the Paine Center for Science has not yet imploded. By her title, she is the Academic Coordinator for Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

In her day-to-day life, she makes sure that everything in the building is running smoothly so that the professors are able to focus on their teaching. She may find herself orchestrating building maintenance or researching new programs. Sometimes, she proctors exams for students when they fall behind on work.

Mim moved to Houghton with her husband, Jon Case, in 2005. Prior to their residence in Fillmore, they lived in Melbourne, Australia. Jon had met several Houghton professors through the school’s Down Under program while teaching at Kingsley College. During a furloughed trip to the United States, they got a call – “If you’re stateside, come see us at Houghton.”

The move was a huge change for the family. Melbourne is a city of 4 million people. Fillmore is a town of about 600. Mim is used to changing scenery. Although she self-identifies as a Texan from birth, she has held drivers licenses in seven different states.

Even still, Fillmore is a new experience for her. “I’m not really a country kind of person, so this has been a really different experience, but I’m learning all kinds of things,” she said in our interview. Being an avid baker, she is happy that she can get fresh ingredients from local farms through community supported agriculture.

Case_Mim

At home, she has quit cooking, “My husband does all that,” she says, “He’s a great Punjabi chef. This year he’s beginning to try Chinese and Thai.”

One thing that might catch your eye as you walk by Mim’s office is Mim herself, standing upright in front of her computer. When she first came to Houghton, she found that she was in a lot of pain at the end of her workday. Doing some research, she discovered that her desk was too high for good posture. Her solution, however, was to get an even higher one.

Mim began using a standing desk, supplementary to her sitting one. If you ask her, she’ll laud its use,”It’s great! I use it so much that one day, I came in the morning and set my things on my chair and by four o’clock I realized they were still there. I had gone the entire day standing and didn’t even notice it!”

Even if it weren’t for her desk, Mim would spend much of her day on her feet running around just keeping the department working properly. Despite her busy schedule, she still finds time to make Paine a brighter place. She very proudly tells me about an idea she executed alongside Dr. Brubaker – a mosaic of Houghton science majors which together form a single image of the Paine building. Mim collected the photos and found a company to design it. It is hanging by the second floor entrance to Schaller Hall.

Outside of school, Mim is very involved with her church, Houghton Wesleyan. She leads the missions convention work team. The church is looking to work more with Buffalo refugees in the next year. The focus of such missions work, aside from ministry, is to enable refugees with tools or skills that help them become more self-sufficient. She says,”It’s great to see a different side of the city and to see how you can help.”

When I asked Mim what she looks forward to in the upcoming year, her face lights up. Meic Pearse, professor of history, has asked her to be a part of the East Meets West travel team. This May, she’ll get to go to the Balkans with the honors program in order to provide logistical support. When she goes, she will bring her husband and daughter, Carolyn, too.

Mim’s hard work is invaluable to keeping Paine together. If you have ever enjoyed a math or science class, stop by her office this week and thank Mim for making it possible.