B&FP Committee abbreviated CAT I Proposal Review
1
Faculty Senate Budgets and Fiscal Planning Committee
2007-2008
Review of Abbreviated CATEGORY I PROPOSAL
Elimination of Academic Departments - College of Business (COB)
April 17, 2008 meeting
Committee Members Present:
Frank Bernieri, Chair
Jeff McCubbin
Kate Peterson
Rebecca Warner
Robert Frost
Hillary Egna
Committee Members not Present:
Nancy Heiligman
B&FP Committee Review Criteria for Category I proposals: Generally, approval from the committee
requires a clear, concrete explanation of all ensuing costs as well as explicit documentation regarding all
relevant sources of funding needed for implementation.
Criterion #1. Can the budget impact (both local and institutional-wide) be evaluated in the proposal?
If not, the proposal should be either rejected or approved conditionally.
Criterion #2. Can the budget impact be identified and summarized?
If yes then the anticipated impacts should be summarized clearly by B&FP
If no, then this needs to be stated by B&FP regardless of the approval decision.
Criterion #3. Does the Committee wish to approve the proposal given its budget impact?
B&FP Committee Review of abbreviated CATEGORY I PROPOSAL, Elimination of Academic
Departments - College of Business (COB)
Summary:
This administrative reorganization explicitly states that it will not impact educational programs. The
proposal is to eliminate the two existing Department Chairs and an Associate Dean of Academic &
Student Services and replace these three administrative positions with an Associate Dean for Faculty and
an Associate Dean for Academic Programs. No person is eliminated. One Department Chair will return to
full-time teaching. One Chair becomes the Associate Dean for Faculty, and the existing Associate Dean
changes their title to Associate Dean for Academic Programs. The proposal's budget appears to list
salary differential for the conversion from Chair to Associate Dean. The proposal does not quantify the
increase in teaching productivity that will result from the conversion of an existing Chair, to a normal
faculty member. No other changes (e.g., staff, faculty, services & supplies, etc.) are stated.
Relevant issues concerning long term viability:
• The proposal as written identifies an increase in salary as the only cost. Although not explicitly
stated, we're assuming that the value stated is a minimum value and that it will be recurring (i.e.,
not a one time fixed cost).
• The proposal as written appears to result in a small increase in the number of sections currently
offered by the College of Business
Misc. notes:
• The net impact of this proposal as stated appears neutral in the extent that for a slight increase in
pay to one of the three persons involved, the college will gain more sections.
B&FP Committee abbreviated CAT I Proposal Review
2
•
The main issue is whether the new administrative organization can adequately meet the needs of
the faculty and students within the existing programs. To this issue, the Budget & Fiscal Planning
committee yields to the expertise of the proposal's author (and Curriculum Council).
Review action:
Approve (with comment). The B&FP committee was uncomfortable with the review of this
proposal because we didn't feel we were sufficiently informed and expert enough to evaluate it within the
time provided. Due process would have involved meeting with the Dean, Associate Dean, and the two
Department chairs to gain their perspective and best estimate of what the impact of this change would be.
The proposal reviewed by the B&FP committee did not contain any other analysis of the expected impact
except that anticipated by its author. The B&FP committee acknowledges, however, that the most expert
individual to evaluate the impact of the administrative reorganization is, in fact, the Dean of COB (the
proposal's author).
B&FP Committee abbreviated CAT I Proposal Review
3
Appendix
Standing Rules of the Faculty Senate Budget & Fiscal Planning Committee
The Budgets & Fiscal Planning Committee assists the Faculty Senate in development of
recommendations to the President regarding the University's budget and fiscal priorities. The Committee
reviews the adequacy of resources allocated to existing programs and the fiscal implications of proposed
changes in programs, enrollment, and budgetary priorities and procedures. The Committee participates in
the facility planning process and reviews campus building priorities. The Committee consults with
administrative officers of the University and is empowered to make recommendations to them during the
preparation of the Institution's budget. The Committee consists of six Faculty and three Student members,
one of whom shall be a graduate student, and the Director of the Office of Budgets and Planning, exofficio, non-voting. A member of the Budgets & Fiscal Planning Committee, appointed by its Chair, shall
be a liaison member, non-voting, on the Curriculum Council. Further, a member of the Budgets and Fiscal
Planning Committee, appointed by its Chair, shall be a liaison member, non-voting, on the Space
Committee. The Chair of the Budgets & Fiscal Planning Committee shall serve as an observer on the
University Budget Committee.