Faculty Senate Meeting

September 4, 2001

 

University Budget Committee

Report to the Chancellor

June 27, 2001

 

General Statement of Priorities

  1. Academics should be the primary budget priority.  Cuts should not be made which will adversely affect student learning or the safety of students and other personnel.

 

  1. Budget priorities must firmly support the Doctoral II research mission of the University and the continuing and increased requirements for faculty research productivity pertaining thereto.

 

  1. Where necessary, cuts should not damage the University in ways that are not easily reversed in better economic times.

 

  1. Do not make cuts that will adversely affect areas of revenue generation including but not limited to student credit hours, grants and contracts, and medical clinics.

 

 

Specific Recommendations

Consistent with the General Statement of Priorities given above, the committee recommends:

 

Maintain current funding levels in the following areas:

  1. Make no further cuts in the operating budget of the library.  New funds or a reduction in the budgetary shortfall should be used to restore previous cuts and/or to fund inflationary adjustments no longer funded by the General Assembly.

 

  1. Maintain and appropriately staff currently planned courses and sections.

 

  1. Maintain current teaching, research, and service capabilities.

 

  1. Maintain current levels of contract and grant support.

 

  1. Maintain revenue-generating clinical operations on the Medical Campus.  To the extent possible, provide funding for programs or activities that will generate sufficient revenue to realize a quick payback of the investment.

 

Make budget reductions in the following areas, in order of priority:

  1. Increase the administrative charge to ancillary operations and use resources to offset cuts.

 

  1. Reduce the number of faculty/staff PC replacements for one year.

 

  1. Reduce amount spent on travel.  Permit units to determine how reductions should be implemented.

 

  1. Postpone the purchase of machinery, tools, and other assets where feasible.  Adjust the number and cost of vehicles owned or leased by the University.

 

  1. Reduce energy consumption by means of:  reminders to faculty and staff to turn off lights and equipment when not needed; raise the temperature in buildings in the summer when appropriate; reduce the number and intensity of lighting when not inconsistent with safety concerns; repair or replace caulking and weather-stripping where appropriate.

 

6.      Cut vacant non-teaching EPA and SPA positions.  Cutting occupied positions should be a very low priority option.  When implementing this point, consider:

 

a.      Review the number and job responsibilities of administrative positions and consolidate or eliminate positions when appropriate.

 

    1. Adjust maintenance and housekeeping schedules for cost savings. 

 

    1. Reduce landscaping intensity.

 

 

Additional suggestions for reducing budget expenditures.