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Charge to the Committee

The University administration expects that substantial expenditure reductions from the FY04 base budget will be required to balance the FY05 General Education Fund budget, and that a substantial portion of the reductions must be focused and guided strategically. Accordingly, President Skorton has initiated a process for strategic budget reductions that will help solve the immediate budget difficulties, will help protect the more central University curricular functions, and could enable very selective growth to occur for the most critical academic initiatives.

This process will be coordinated by the VP group and the Deans, acting in concert. The VP Group and Deans acting together will develop an initial list of programs to be considered for possible reduction or elimination of General Education Fund financial support. Program funding actions could be accomplished immediately or on a phased basis if, for example, a phased reduction would permit identification of alternative funding (only in exceptional cases can the phasing extend past FY06).

A General Education Fund Task Force will be established to provide for additional, broad-ranging input into this process. The Task Force will evaluate the initial list of programs to be considered, propose other programs as it determines, and make recommendations for spending changes to the VP Group and Deans. The Task Force will comprise elected leadership from Faculty Senate, Staff Council and Student Government, as well as other prominent faculty and staff with relevant experience or expertise. The Provost, V. P. for Finance and Operations, and General Counsel will join the Task Force as ex officio members.

The Task Force will be charged generally to prepare a report by April 15, 2004, recommending not less than $12 million in recurring General Education Fund spending reductions. In particular, the Task Force will be asked to:

  • Use the “Criteria for Reductions and Enhancements” document in this process to the degree it is applicable. If other criteria are used, these should be identified and shared with the VP’s and Deans.

  • Recommend by April 15, 2004, programs for reduction or elimination of General Education Fund support. These can include:

    • Off-campus centers and outreach services which generate revenues less than the cost of providing the service.

    • Non-curricular campus-based programs and activities that principally serve constituencies other than enrolled students.

    • Selected academic and student support programs, which may include unnecessary duplication and programs that serve small numbers of students at a high cost per student.

    • Recommend any other steps it can identify that might be taken to reduce costs or enhance revenues in connection with the operation of university programs supported in whole or in part by the General Education Fund.

    • Offer suggestions to the UI Provost that it deems appropriate as part of an overall review led by the three Regent provosts on the question of achieving cost savings by reducing academic program duplication across Regent institutions.

    • Collaborate with the University Administration in developing a report on the most critical areas for very selective reinvestment over the next five years.

Communications with the Task Force will be through its chair or staff designated by the chair. Communication with the VP’s and Deans will be through the Provost and VP for Finance and Operations, or staff they have designated. The University General Counsel will join the Provost and Vice President in working with the Deans and the Task Force.

 
Published by the General Education Fund Task Force. Copyright The University of Iowa 2004. All right reserved.
The University of Iowa