EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY FACULTY SENATE

ACADEMIC, APPELLATE, AND SENATE COMMITTEE

 ANNUAL REPORT

 

2009-2010 Academic Year

 

COMMITTEE:  University Budget Committee

 

1.       Membership (include ex-officio members).

 

Susan DelVecchio (Vice Chair), Todd Fraley, Joe Gaddis, Tim Gavin (Chair), John Given, David Long, Scott MacGilvray (Secretary), Don Palumbo, Travis Poole, Wanda Sandeford, Kevin Seitz, Jefferson Shinpaugh, Gary Vanderpool, Louis Warren

2.       Meeting Dates (include members present*).
* and members who contributed to committee action, but were not at the meeting.

Sept. 17         DelVecchio, Fraley, Gavin, Given, Long, MacGilvray, Palumbo, Seitz, Vanderpool, Warren

Oct. 15            DelVecchio, Fraley, Gaddis, Gavin, Given, MacGilvray, Palumbo, Poole, Sandeford, Shinpaugh, Seitz, Vanderpool, Warren

Nov. 19           DelVecchio, Fraley, Gaddis, Gavin, Anne Jenkins (for Seitz), MacGilvray, Palumbo, Poole, Sandeford, Shinpaugh, Vanderpool, Warren  

Dec. 17          DelVecchio, Fraley, Gaddis, Gavin, Long, MacGilvray, Ron Newton (for Seitz), Palumbo, Poole, Sandeford, Shinpaugh, Vanderpool

Jan. 21           DelVecchio, Fraley, Gaddis, Gavin, Given, Long, MacGilvray, Poole, Sandeford, Seitz, Vanderpool, Warren

Feb. 18           DelVecchio, Gaddis, Gavin, Given, MacGilvray, Palumbo, Nancy Phelps (for Seitz), Poole, Sandeford, Vanderpool, Warren

Mar. 18           DelVecchio, Fraley, Gaddis, Gavin, Anne Jenkins (for Seitz, MacGilvray, Poole, Sandeford, Vanderpool, Warren

April 15           Gavin, Fraley, Macgilvray, Palumbo, Given, Gaddis, Vanderpool, Sandeford, Seitz, Poole

3.      Subcommittees established during the year (include progress and/or completion of work).  NONE  

4.      Accomplishments during the year, especially as addressed through committee goals.  Please include recommendations made to any University agency other than the Faculty Senate that will be noted under #5.

-The committee had three goals for 2008-2009.  The first goal was to establish a means to ensure that going forward there is not excessive growth of administrative functions.  The second goal was to establish an internal means of defining and classifying administrative duties that would allow for the consistent tracking of these functions over time.  The third goal was to examine faculty workloads within the context of budget related issues.  Detailed minutes from each meeting are available on the ECU Faculty Senate website.

·  Reviewed and discussed the overall University budget with VC for Administration and Finance Kevin Seitz.  VC Seitz provided the UBC documents relating to the budget and advised the committee that they could review any document as it related to the budget.  VC Seitz stated that there would be an anticipated 5% reduction in the budget at the end of 2009-2010 and that ECU already had identified the 5% savings as a result of budget cuts in 2009-2010.  These discussions occurred over the course of two monthly meetings.

·  Reviewed and discussed the Health Sciences budget with Assoc VC for Health Sciences Gary Vanderpool, and in a second meeting discussed the budget and its impact on Health Sciences with VC for Health Sciences Phyllis Horns.

·  Reviewed and discussed the budget and approach to budget cuts with Provost Marilyn Sheerer.

·  Reviewed with VC Seitz the economic condition of the State of North Carolina and his vision for the impact of the budget shortfalls on ECU.      

·  Reviewed and discussed the current and future status of University Advancement with VC Mickey Dowdy.  The Committee was pleased to hear of the goal of University Advancement to increase the foundations contribution to the overall ECU budget.

·  Reviewed and discussed the budget forecast with Director of Athletics Terry Holland and Associate Director Nick Floyd.

·  Through question and answer sessions with each administrator, the UBC was able to gain greater insight into the ECU budget and how budget cuts would affect each area.

·  All administrators provided candid answers to the UBC’s questions, which was appreciated by the members. 

·  Members became aware of the dynamic environment surrounding the current budget and realized that it is difficult at any time to know what the final budget conditions will be for 2009-2010and beyond.

·  The Committee organized one open forum with VC Seitz to provide students, staff, and faculty the opportunity to better understand budget matters affecting ECU.

5.       Reports to the Faculty Senate (include dates and resolution numbers).

·  April 15, 2010 – Advice to the Chancellor was reported to Marianna Walker, PhD Chair of the Faculty Senate. 

6.       Business carried over to next year (list in priority order).

·  Continue to investigate alternative sources of funding (advancement, grants, etc.) to support the University mission.

·  Investigate the financial implications of providing needed services to reach GA retention goals in the face of rising enrollment.

·  Investigate long-term budgetary consequences of heavy reliance upon enrollment growth funding.    

7.       Evaluation of the committee (include anything that hindered or assisted the

          committee's work during the year).

          A.      Charge:  Appropriate

          B.      Personnel:  Committee worked well together

          C.      Attendance:  Good.

          D.      Responsibilities:  Committee serves as a communication link between the Chancellor and the Faculty

          E.      Activities:  With the continuously changing economy, the Committee focused on ensuring that decisions involving the budget are transparent to the students, staff, and faculty of the University

8.       Suggestion(s) to the Chair of the Faculty and/or Faculty Senate for improving the effectiveness of the committee.

·    Members believe that the UBC serves an important role interacting with the Chancellor’s administration and the Faculty Senate.

9.       Does the Committee’s organizational meeting next year need to be earlier than the date set this year?  No

         

                                                  Signed:  Chairperson _____________________________

 

                                                                      Secretary  _____________________________

 

 

 

April 15, 2009

 

Steve Ballard, Ph.D.

Chancellor, East Carolina University

 

Dear Chancellor Ballard:

 

Enclosed are the University Budget Committee’s budgetary recommendations for the academic year 2009-2010.  In these difficult economic times, the Committee appreciates the open and candid manner with which you and your administration have embraced the work of the Committee.  The members recognize that the current budget environment precludes any of us from knowing the full extent of budgetary issues confronting the East Carolina University until the close of each fiscal year.  The Committee also recognizes your efforts in minimizing the effects of budgetary cuts on the academic mission of ECU with particular emphasis on student, staff, and faculty employment.  Your administration’s interactions with the Committee have provided the transparency necessary for shared governance.  This environment has made it possible for the Committee to provide you with what we believe to be sound and timely advice. 

 

The charge of the University Budget Committee is to advise you and report to the Faculty Senate.  The enclosed recommendations are our means to provide you with the advice you require and will be reported to the Faculty Senate as per our charge. 

                                                                                               

Sincerely,

                                                                                                           

Timothy P. Gavin, Ph.D.

Chair, University Budget Committee

 

 

Attachment

 

cc:       Marianna Walker, Ph.D., Chair of the Faculty Senate

University Budget Committee members


University Budget Committee Report to the Chancellor

April 15, 2010

 

Recommendations

 

1.      Budget cuts and allocation of new funding should be made in line with the Value Statement of the Board of Governors and the Board of Trustees policy framework for resource allocation that protect to the greatest extent possible the academic core and  our commitment to teaching, research, and service.

 

2.      Budgetary cuts should minimize any adverse effects on student learning or the safety of students and University personnel.

 

3.      Consistent with the views expressed by your administration, budgetary cuts should seek to prevent or if necessary minimize reductions in force. 

 

4.      It is important to continue open lines of communication and transparency among  all constituencies (students, staff, faculty, and administration) of the University.

 

5.      Budget cuts should minimize damage to the University in ways that are not easily reversed upon the return of an improved economy.

 

6.      Budgetary cuts should be avoided that adversely affect areas of revenue generation including but not limited to student credit hours, grants and contracts, and medical services.

 

7.      The University should continue to review efficiencies to realize cost-savings.

 

8.      The Budget Task Force should remain in place until the budget outlook has improved.

 

9.      The University should continue to pursue appropriate state reimbursement for indigent care provided by ECU Physicians.

 

10. The University should continue to pursue appropriate state funding of the dental school.