Standing charges

1. Participate in the university’s planning and budget formulation process by

a. Meeting with the Provost to ascertain the elements of university strategic planning that guide budget decisions. Report the results of this investigation to Senex by the end of the fall semester so that they can be presented to University Council during the spring semester for discussion and feedback to the Provost.

b. Holding monthly meetings with the Provost to receive information and provide feedback regarding budgetary decisions in all sectors of the university. Include discussions of tuition enhancement funds and school specific tuition funds and fees. Report important issues such as school specific tuition and fees to SenEx, with recommendations for action.

c. Providing committee representation at hearings where units present their budget plans. Report important issues to SenEx, with recommendations for action.

2. Utilize the technical support of the Office of Institutional Research and Planning (OIRP) and communicate to OIRP any SenEx concerns about issues of measurement, standardization, and analysis of higher education data, including teaching loads, class sizes, and faculty salaries.

3. Submit to SenEx: a) the approved minutes of each meeting; b) a summary of issues discussed at the monthly meeting with the Provost; c) recommendations for action as they are approved by the committee d) final report by April 15, 2006. The final report should make clear what was and was not done about each of the charges as well as make recommendations for SenEx action. The report should also include suggestions for charges to next year's committee.

4. Confer with the Faculty Compensation Committee to determine if there would be benefit from coordination on issues of mutual concern.

Additional Charges

5. Study and evaluate trends in the use of tuition enhancement funds. Include the Student Senate Tuition Advisory Committee in any meeting dealing with the allocation of tuition enhancement funds. Report important issues to SenEx, with recommendations for action.

6. Monitor developments in the fixed tuition model. Include the Student Senate Tuition Advisory Committee in any meeting dealing with the implications of fixed tuition plans for transfer students, tuition differentials and similar issues. Report important issues to SenEx, with recommendations for action.

7. Monitor activities relating to the proposed faculty-staff services office, and report important issues to SenEx, with recommendations for action.