Joint Strategic Planning Committee

Thursday, October 12, 2006

1:05 - 2:40 p.m.

President's Conference Room, Green Hall

Attendance: Robert Carothers, M. Beverly Swan, Tom Dougan, Robert Weygand, Michael Rice, Barbara Luebke, Marilyn Barbour, Jim Kinnie, Jim Kowalski, Jim Miller, Domingo Morel, Neil Cavanaugh, Abu Bakr, Ann Morrissey. Guests: Emily Anderson, Sharon Bell, Vincent Wilczynski and Vern Wyman.

Budget: Vice President Weygand announced that the materials for the Budget Address to the Faculty Senate on October 26 were in the process of being finalized and would be forwarded to the Faculty Senate Office. (See http://www.uri.edu/facsen/FY07_FS_Bud_Present.pdf)

Vice President Weygand reviewed the budget situation for the coming year and expressed concerns about the amount of funding the University will receive.

Nature and Efficiency of Information Flow: Professor Kowalski reported that as part of the NEASC Self-Study, subcomittees had discovered that the University does not have consistent sets of data. He said that bureaucratic delays in processing paper made the university less efficient than it might be and he suggested that savings would be associated with streamlining procedures.

Vice President Weygand, Ms. Bell and Mr. Wyman reported on efforts within the Division of Administration to streamline processes. Mr. Wyman said that the University would be able to make better use of PeopleSoft Systems as it moves from PeopleSoft version 8.4 to 8.9. He suggested that this would also improve processes within Human Resources. Ms. Bell said that streamlining processes, such as purchasing might produce greater efficiency and convenience but have not reduced costs in other areas of the University.

It was suggested that the University administration might attempt to find a baseline on productivity in order to determine where efficiencies could be achieved.

SAT Optional Study: At the request of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee, the members of the JSPC discussed efforts within the Provost's Office to look at the possibility of making SATs optional for admission.

The Committee discussed the potential benefits of a change in admission policy as outlined in the "Test Optional" proposal prepared by Vice Provost Pasquerella (see http://www.uri.edu/facsen/test-optional_proposal.pdf) Concerns were raised about the impact of a policy change of this nature at a research university as compared to smaller liberal arts colleges and whether a change might lead to greater staffing costs in admissions as well as additional pressure on financial aid. The relationship of test scores to success in programs like Engineering and Pharmacy was noted and it was suggested that rather than making SAT scores optional, the University could look at how SAT scores are related to success in programs and colleges at URI.

President Carothers said that the JSPC would hear from Vice Provost Pasquerella's committee when they were further along in their study.

Space Planning Updates: Professor Kowalski reported on the activities of the Space Enhancement, Design and Allocation Committee (SEDA). He noted that the committee meets monthly and reviews a large number of requests for limited space. He expressed his appreciation to the staff of the committee for their work. He said that the appointment of a new space planner would help provide the additional data that the committee needs to make decisions.

Professor Kowalski and Ms. Morrissey said that with such a limited amount of space and the large demand it was important that all space requests for their divisions be vetted and prioritized by the Provost and the Vice Presidents.

It was suggested that one source of information to prioritize requests might be whether the AIIM Study had indicated that a department might benefit from additional space.

Campus Master Plan Updates: Professor Rice reported on the September 15 meeting of the Master Plan Review Team. He noted that discussion included question 4 on the upcoming bond issue, the wind turbine project, the purchase of the Tibbitts' property and plans to provide more useful and informative maps of the campus. Chairperson Rice also reported that the Center for Biotechnology is in the application process for LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Vice President Weygand noted that the University had recently closed on the Tibbitts' property.

Announcements: Professor Barbour noted that the committee had not acted on the Minutes from the September 14 meeting. She moved approval. Following discussion, the Minutes of the September 14 Meeting of the JSPC were approved.

President Carothers announced that he and Provost Swan would be meeting with the entire Search Committee for the Vice Provost for Research, Graduate Studies and Outreach and Dean of the Graduate School on October 16 and hoped to be able to make an offer to a candidate shortly.

Vice President Dougan noted that Homecoming Weekend was coming up and recognized Student Senate President Neil Cavanaugh for his efforts to start new homecoming traditions.

It was agreed that members of the committee would forward to Ms. Morrissey agenda items for the November meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 2:40 p.m.