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Scenes from Faculty Senate

Joint Strategic Planning Committee

July 23, 2003

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Green Hall Conference Room

Attendance: Robert L. Carothers, M. Beverly Swan, Bob Beagle, Tom Dougan, Ann Morrissey, Abu Bakr, Mary Hollinshead, Steve Grubman-Black, Michael Rice, Bill Rosen, Sheila Black Grubman, Kevin Lopes, Michael Sutherland, Earle Degraphenried, Soledade Surrette, Linda Barrett

Annoucements:

a. President Carothers reported that the Board of Governors was scheduled to meet on August 19 at URI.* He said that the Budget for Fiscal '04 would be considered at that time, as would be the Joint Admissions Agreements between and among the three institutions. He also announced that the Office of Higher Education had asked each institution to submit budget requests for FY '05 by August 19th.

b. Provost Swan noted that a new chair for the Board of Governors Committee on Academic and Student Affairs had not been appointed and the next meeting of the committee has been postponed. She said that this would delay official consideration of the changes to the College Writing Program and the Department of English.

Minutes: The minutes of the July 9, 2003 meeting were approved as corrected.

Budget and Capital Projects Budget Cycle: Linda Barrett reviewed for the committee the budget/capital projects cycle for the next year and included suggested timeframes for where the JSPC could consider reviewing it and giving feedback. The cycle included approval of the Fiscal '04 Budget, the steps toward developing and approving the Fiscal' 05 Budget and initial discussion of the FISCAL'06 Budget.

Discussion ensued with regard to the JSPC's role in providing feedback with regard to the development of the budget and its relationship to the University's three-year Strategic Plan.

Linda Barrett agreed to provide members of the committee with the Fiscal 2004 Allocation and preliminary information regarding the FY 2005 Request prior to the August 19 Board of Governors meeting. She also agreed to answer questions from members of the JSPC.

It was agreed that the annual State of the Budget Address would be scheduled for the October 30 Faculty Senate meeting. Suggestions were made with regard to the content of the report and Linda Barrett was asked to provide information on how the President's Strategic Plan affected the Fiscal '04 Budget and would affect the Fiscal' '05 Budget.

Of specific concern to the committee was the phasing in of additional funds for the Library (approximately $300,000 per year for three years) and the phasing in of 20 additional faculty lines (6-7 positions per year for three years) devoted to general education.

It was noted that this was the first time that the JSPC was involved in budget considerations and that the role of the committee would become clearer as the process continues.

JSPC Communication Document: Ann Morrissey distributed copies of a revised draft of the JSPC communication document and members of the committee suggested additional modifications. It was agreed that Ann would revise the document based on the committee's advice.

Space Enhancement, Design and Allocation Committee: Steve Grubman-Black reported on the SEDA Committee's July 22nd meeting. He said that in addition to reviewing the most recent requests for space, the committee had discussed the critical need for a planning system. This planning system would function to:

  • Manage to identify space needs in more than a reactive mode. This would avoid the "hungry hippo" syndrome in which marbles are placed in the center and various parties proceed to make a mad dash for imagined and real resources.
  • Create a space bank, so people do not have to wait weeks and weeks to be relocated.
  • Address priorities being established in the Strategic Plan.

It was agreed that copies of minutes from both the SEDA Committee and the Master Plan Review Team would be provided to members of the JSPC on regular basis for information.

Future Meetings: It was agreed to meet approximately every two-weeks from 1:00-2:30 on non-Senate Thursdays during the fall semester.

Next Meeting: The next meeting will be held on August 20 at 1:00 p.m. Agenda items will include a brief review the Fiscal '04 and Fiscal' 05 Budgets and introductory discussion of the Fiscal '06 Budget.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:30 p.m.



* The Board subsequently met on July 30th and approved the Budget Allocation for Fiscal '04.