Edited 8/2/06

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 Senate during the spring semester for discussion and feedback to the Provost.

b. Holding regular 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.

3. Study and evaluate planned and implemented tuition increases. Study the Process of allocation of the additional revenues with an eye on sharing the costs of higher education between society and the students in proportion to the share of each in the benefits of the education. Include the Student Senate Tuition Advisory Committee in any meeting dealing with tuition issues . Report important issues to SenEx, with recommendations for action.

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

5. 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 1, 2007. 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.

Additional Charge

6. In light of the guaranteed tuition plan, investigate whether the University needs a rolling contingency, comprehensive long term operational plan, say a 5-year aggregated plan. The plan may intermediate the academic, space, and other personnel needs of the different units of the University and provide a context for the annual budget discussions and of capital projects. Make recommendations to SenEx by 1/19/07.