University Budget
Committee
January 20, 2005
Regular Members in
Attendance: Cal Christian, Henry Ferrell, Nancy House, Carol Lust
(excused), Kathy Misulis (excused), Art Rodriquez, Ralph Scott
Ex-officio Members in
Attendance: Andrea Harrell,Catherine
Rigsby, Bob Thompson, Gary Vanderpool.
Others in Attendance:
Chuck Hawkins, Lori Lee, Susan Chapman, Stephanie Coleman, Garrie Moore,
Amy Waters, James Westmoreland
Person Presiding: Henry
Ferrell
Professor Ferrell called the meeting to order at 4:01 P.M.
Agenda Item #1: Without
objection Professor Ferrell declared the minutes of the December 16th, 2004
meeting of the committee approved as submitted by the secretary.
Agenda Item #2: Without
objection Professor Ferrell approved a revised agenda for today’s meeting.
Agenda Item #3: Report
of Vice Chancellor for Student Life, Garrie Moore.
Vice Chancellor Moore
noted that he had come today to talk about funding for the Division of Student
Life. He noted that funding for these auxiliary services were driven largely by
student fees. Approximately 2% funding comes from state dollars. The use of
these funds is “more flexible” because they are not state dollars. Moore noted that he had
done some work with the Division of Academic Affairs with regard to fund transfers
for a few positions. Funds from Moore’s
Division have been used to supplement some faculty positions. He noted that it
takes a lot of money to run Student Life. The Division keeps a reserve in place
to cover items such as repairs to roofs on the dormitories. Moore next introduced his associates: Susan
Chapman, Stephanie Coleman, and Amy Waters.
Ms. Coleman next reviewed with the committee the budget for
the “Big 5 Auxillaries-Non-State Funds”, an Excel document (see attachement)
that had been sent to members electronically in advance of the meeting. The
spread sheet provided committee members with overall, Housing, Dining, Student
Health, Recreational Services, and University Unions revenues and expenditures
for 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 in terms of actual dollars and as percents of
total budget entries. She noted that the auxiliaries get together to plan out
their budgets for the coming year, then the SGA votes on the allocations, and
the request is submitted to the ECU Board of Trustees.
Professor Ferrell asked what did students pay in terms of
fees? Coleman responded $1233.50 per student.
Professor Scott asked about the portion of fees paid by
distance education students. Coleman responded that they paid some fees, such as
the technology fee, but not others such as athletics and rec. center fees.
Professor House asked about part time students and the fees
they paid. Bob Thompson responded that part time students registered as
distance education students and paid similar fees.
Ms. Coleman continued to elaborate giving examples that fit
the category “other revenue” on the spreadsheets.
Professor Ferrell asked about the funds used for “transfers”
as shown on the spreadsheets. Chuck Hawkins noted that these “transfers” cover
all overheads such as locksmiths, police, etc.
Professor House asked who owns the buildings (i.e. the
dorms)? Moore responded that that “we do” (Housing
Services)
Professor House asked if the university would have to pay
rent for offices for faculty in buildings “owned by Housing Services? Moore responded that the
university would have to pay rent to his Division for these offices.
Bob Thompson noted that Revenues and Expenditures did not
“add up”. He asked if Student Life was “digging into their reserves?” Moore responded yes, that
he had to pull from reserves to complete funding for “all areas.” Thompson
noted then that there was another set of books which the committee was not
shown that had the reserve figures on them.
Professor Christian asked a follow up question on the
reserves: “What is there then?” Moore
responded that Housing had for example $5-6 million in reserve funds, Rec.
center has $1 million and University Unions and Student Health has similar
amounts.
Professor Ferrell asked about the past use of fees for debt
services with regard to dormitories. Were these fees part of rent paid by
students? Hawkins responded that a portion of the rent was earmarked for debt
service. Ferrell next noted that debt service fees for some older buildings had
gone down and asked is rent fees had gone down? Hawkins responded that yes that
had occurred in some cases, but that more debt had been taken on in other
cases. Ferrell next asked about funded for upgrades to dormitories. He noted
that in the past some dormitories on the ECU campus had been referred to as
“high grade prisons.” Hawkins noted that housing debt remains pledged to
specific bond issues. Moore
noted that he is currently constructing the first new dormitory on the old
Men’s South Campus (the hill) in thirty years.
Professor Rodriguez asked if the committee could have some
expansion on the revenue issue and he noted that was an increase in fees and a
decrease in income on the spreadsheet. Coleman responded that Professor
Rodriquez ‘s observation was correct and that revenue shortfalls were made up
out of reserves. Chair Rigsby asked if this meant that the reserves would run
out? Moore
responded that he was required to keep a certain percent of revenues as
reserves.
Professor Ferrell noted that Moore was audited by a number of groups such
as ECU Internal Auditors, Student Life Auditors and State Auditors. Moore responded “Good
Lord, yes!”
Moore
next noted in concluding remarks that he was interested in having faculty
reside in residence halls with the students in the future. He also noted that
he had an “operations manual for everything they do.”
Chair Ferrell thanked Vice Chancellor Moore and his staff
for coming and for their report to the committee. Moore and his staff then
departed the meeting.
Agenda Item #2 Report
of Bob Thompson on Enrollment Growth and Plans for Faculty Offices.
Bob Thompson
presented two documents to the Committee: “2005-07 Request for
Enrollment Growth” and “Near-Term Plan for Faculty Offices-Comparison B”. He
gave a brief introduction into how he models growth in his position. Changes
were projected for 2005-2006 of $1,466,102 and for 2006-07 of $2,399,308 in terms of funding needed to
accommodate this growth in students. It was noted that large number of graduate
students were shifting from the campus funding model to the distance education
model. He noted that ECU received 81% of all new UNC System D.E. funds this
year. Professor Ferrell noted that this shift did not make good financial
sense. Thompson noted that we are receiving less funding on the dollar as a
result of this change. It was noted that many D.E. courses were taught by
currently employed faculty in addition to their regular academic duties of
teaching, research, service and patient care. Chair Rigsby stated that we might
be having faculty teach more courses than is sound. She noted that this has
implications for faculty workload issues.
Professor Ferrell asked if the Committee could have data that
provides the cost per student under the D.E. and On-Campus funding models?
Thompson will try to obtain these figures for the next meeting.
The Committee next discussed the need for additional faculty
offices noted in the document referenced above which gives a running count of
needed faculty office space for the years 2005-2009. It was noted on the
document that “space shortfalls for existing faculty are not addressed” in
these figures. Thompson noted that the document showed current planning for offices
using a combination of renovations, transfers (to West Campus) and rented
space. He noted that there was no funds allocated for new space for the East
Campus after 2008. The formula he uses also does provide any space for
administrative offices to support these new faculty.
Professor Ferrell asked if Bob Thompson could create a web
site that would provide all faculty electronic access to these two documents.
He asked Chair Rigsby if help in this regard?
The Committee \ did not set an agenda for the February 2004
meeting which is scheduled for February
17th, 2005.
Chair Ferrell noting the lateness of the hour adjourned the
Committee meeting at 5:09 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Ralph Scott
Secretary, University Budget Committee
Link to handout from Vice Chancellor Garrie Moore – Non State Funds
