G. Peter Lepage, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, responds to The Sun's Aug. 26th editorial on the cuts to the math department.

In presenting its strategic plan outline to the campus community, the University seems to be striking the most realistic tone yet (at least publicly) about the future of Cornell: Fewer resources will necessarily force the University to stop some of its work in a number of areas. The mantra seems to have shifted from a pledge to “do more with less” to the understanding that the University will have to “do less with less.”

When it comes to the University’s immensely complicated budget models, currently on the Reimagination assembly line, one point — and one point only — is crystal clear: a new budget model is a change that will affect everyone and everything on campus. Arguably the most important of the 20 reports, the Budget Model Task Force report was released on Jan. 19 with little fanfare and very few details.