Inside Iowa State

April 22, 2009

Faculty Senate panel talks budget

by Erin Rosacker

The Faculty Senate set aside more than an hour of its April 21 meeting for a discussion of the university budget. Caucus chairs from seven colleges joined executive vice president and provost Elizabeth Hoffman, president-elect Arnold van der Valk and past president Sedahlia Crase on a panel.

Hoffman opened the discussion with an overview of the budget uncertainty and steps administrators are taking to address an anticipated 14 percent cut in ISU's state appropriations. She said differential cuts were recommended by the University Budget Advisory Committee, "based on centrality to the institution."

Hoffman asked the committee to consider a worst-case "draconian" budget scenario, and to identify the colleges that would be saved. She said the general consensus was to protect:

• LAS' sciences and social sciences
• Veterinary Medicine's production animal medicine
• Agriculture and Life Sciences
• Engineering

"It's not to say the rest of the university isn't important," Hoffman said. "It's to say, if we were in really dire circumstances, what would we say was core to the institution."

Using that base of core programs, she said the differential cuts would shave 7.5 to 8.5 percent from the college budgets. ISU's administrative centers will cut 9 percent, with the exception of the research and economic development office (7.5 percent).

Hoffman said ISU has $11.7 million in unavoidable cost increases or committed funds -- such as opening new buildings, utilities, employee benefits, AFSCME step increases and faculty promotion increases. She said decisions about how to address those costs are the next hurdle, including changes to allocated service centers such as the library, business, student and instructional technology services.

On the flip side, Hoffman said an additional $22.6 million in additional tuition revenue is expected.

"That is really the challenge right now," she said. "How do we bring our state budget down permanently to reflect the approximate $40 million in budget reductions at the same time that we appropriately invest those tuition revenues in things that will support students and faculty and the future of the institution?"

She said colleges will see more cut in their share of state funds, but tuition revenues will flow in their direction. An outline of ISU's differential cuts will be presented to the state Board of Regents at its meeting next week.

In brief two-minute presentations, the caucus chairs presented overviews on how their colleges were making budget decisions. Some actions and ideas include:

• Creating or resurrecting budget advisory committees
• Identifying priority programs
• Modifying or eliminating position searches
• Combining positions
• Increasing teaching loads
• Organizing college-wide meetings, forums

Hoffman responded to questions, including her opinion that a tuition increase from the regents is unlikely. Although Hoffman said offering furloughs in the future would be "challenging," associate vice president for budget and planning Ellen Rasmussen said voluntary furloughs still are being talked about for next year.

Other business

Senators approved a proposed export controls policy and a change to the Faculty Handbook. The handbook tweak eliminates the language outlining admissions requirements, replacing it with a link to the online catalog.

The export controls policy outlines procedures to comply with federal laws that prohibit sharing research, technology or information with specified nations and their citizens. A decision on where the policy will be posted -- either in the Faculty Handbook, the online policy library or both -- has not been determined.

In its final meeting of the academic year on May 5, senators will vote on the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication's proposed doctorate in communicating science, technology and risk. A by-laws modification that would allow electronic voting (such as "clickers") at senate meetings also will be considered.

"That is really the challenge right now. How do we bring our state budget down permanently to reflect the approximate $40 million in budget reductions at the same time that we appropriately invest those tuition revenues in things that will support students and faculty and the future of the institution?"

Elizabeth Hoffman, executive vice president and provost