Budget Planning Council

February 1, 2007

M I N U T E S

 

 

Present:  Bill Decatur, Kathy Krendl (co-chairs), Darrell Winefordner, John Day, Gail Houlette, Dominic Barbato, Greg Shepherd, Wendy Merb-Brown, Morgan Vis, Joe McLaughlin, Phyllis Bernt, Rich Carpinelli, David Thomas, April Henderson, Morgan Allen, and Aimee Howley

 

Absent:  Richard Irwin and Gary Neiman

 

Outline of Agenda / Discussion Items are:

 

  1. Discussion of Budget Scenarios
    1. Guiding Principles for developing a plan to bring the budget in balance
    2. Everything on the table
  1. Relationship with future budget direction (RCB)
    1. Moving forward as planned – John will have an update on Founders Day with all recommendations from the Implementation Team
  2. Identifying ways of closing the gap
    1. Revenue enhancement
    2. Efficiencies and Cost Reductions
    3. Prioritizing the most promising proposals
  3. Discuss options for moving forward (See Below)
  4. Communication strategy
    1. Bill to meet with Joe Brennan regarding communication strategy for presenting budget outline to the public and University
    2. Bill to take Board Presentation to Senates and University governance organizations and their memberships prior to Board meeting
    3. Press release next week

 

  1. Timelines for State Budget
    1. March 15th Governor Introduces Budget
    2. House will deliberate and have decisions by late April early May.
    3. Senate will deliberate and have decisions by end of May or early June
    4. Conference Committee in June
    5. Do not expect to have budget passed until June 30 or July 1 hopefully (Would like to avoid a continuation budget – that would be sparse and only provide enough funding  to let government do business)

 

 

 

 

White board Items for Guiding Principles

 

Ø     Transparency

Ø     Driven by Vision Ohio – strategic

Ø     Not across the board cuts

Ø     Maintain or balance the student experience

Ø     Long-term best interest of the university

Ø     Maintain and protect the competitive position of the university

Ø     Honest communication

Ø     Preserve and enhance the quality of the institution

Ø     No “sacred cows”

Ø     Data driven decisions

Ø     Incorporate an enrollment plan

Ø     Think and act cross-organizationally

Ø     Continue with priority strategic initiatives

 

Revenue Enhancement Ideas from White Board

 

Ø      Quarters vs. Semesters

Ø      Benchmarking Other Student Fees

Ø      Graduate fees assumed to be 6% across the board.  Do we have comparative data for graduate fees since fee caps do not apply – opportunities available?

Ø      We need to discuss OURC fee assumptions

Ø      Chart company fees (insert link)

Ø      Charge a matriculation fee (instead of housing deposit) that Ohio University has to determine the number of student coming. Benchmarking needed for admission fee, matriculation fee, Miami application rate before and after fee

Ø      Need systematic system to increase fees – activity fee would compete with combination tuition and general fee cap

Ø      Indirect Cost Recoveries

Ø      Investment Income

Ø      Credit card payment stopped – tuition – due to banking charges

Ø      Suggestion to not “allocate” entire funds/maintain reserves

Ø      Allowing Deans/Units to increase fees charged

Ø      Create a facilities fee and link the fee to the projects determined by a sub-committee of Budget Planning Council.

Ø      Parking fees

 

Expense Brainstorming---Cost Saving/Budget Reductions

Ø      Make auxiliary more self-sufficient – reduce subsidization

Ø      Alternative salary increase assumptions

o       Differential among employee categories

o       Total Compensation approach to pay issues

Ø      Third party billing for student health center

o       addition of staff cost vs. benefits

o       University Medical Associates/ O’Blenness / Student Affairs Partnership

Ø      Purchasing power (computers, copiers, software)

Ø      University Bookstore

Ø      Health care/benefits---Benefits Advisory Committee exploring how to save (shift) costs:

§         $500,000

§         $1,000,000

§         $1,500,000

Ø      Eliminate University cell phone allowance

Ø      Telecommunication pricing/sourcing

o       Phone service alternatives

o       Marketing a University cell phone

Ø      University selling off-campus internet service

Ø      Elimination of University College (Cincinnati savings)

Ø      Business Service Center

Ø      Motor pool reduction

Ø      Reduce employee fee wavier benefit to be more in line with others

Ø      Web design

Ø      Position control/Management (need program to supply information)

a.       Hiring freeze

Ø      Faculty early / phased retirement program revisions

Ø      Regional campus relationship with Athens and COM

Ø      Distance learning/Lifelong learning

Ø      Summer programming

Ø      Maximize revenue from University facilities--formation of a one-stop Conference Center

Ø      Bus services to airport

Ø      Outsourcing of services provided by facilities

Ø      Reduce consulting fees

Ø      Reduce/eliminate food and entertainment for university staff only meetings

Ø      Evaluate travel/explore use of central travel service

Ø      Reduce utility consumption