Iowa State University


Inside Iowa State
September 8, 2000

Budget is senate's No. 1 priority in coming year

by Linda Charles
Dave Hopper says the Faculty Senate's No. 1 priority during the coming year is the same as one of interim President Richard Seagrave's top priorities: prevent another budget shortfall.

"The Faculty Senate is going to cooperate fully with the admini-stration and the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, to try to address the budget issues," said Hopper, who became senate president last May.

"The most important thing is to communicate," he said, "to make sure that our legislators, the board of regents and people of Iowa are aware of what Iowa State does for them, the real bargain this institution is, and the continuing need to support it."

He noted that along with a general $8 million budget shortfall, salaries were under-funded this year, which meant that some of the funds had to come from the tuition revenue increase and internal reallocations. "This is something that we just cannot let go on from year to year," he said.

Hopper has set an "aggressive" agenda of 14 "to-do" items for the senate this coming year. "I'm optimistic that we will get a start on all 14, and hopeful that we can get the majority completed this year," he said.

Among issues the senate will address are:

Other items on the agenda include improving the faculty honors and awards system, next spring's faculty conference, the presidential search, a revised faculty conduct policy, the senate's own strategic plan, review of an administrative office and establishing an ombudsman office.

A final goal for Hopper during the coming year is to encourage faculty to participate in the senate.

"The senate has done many important things for the faculty. It is respected and listened to by the administration and regents," he said. "I hope faculty will take the opportunity to participate in shared governance."

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