COE BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
January 26, 2018
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
PCOB 127
Attendees: David Hough, Emmett Sawyer, Janice Duncan, Brittany Wittenberg, James Meyer, Denise Cunningham, Kim Dubree, Steve Jones, Teresa Steele, Macy Hankel, Cathy Pearman, Bill Agnew, Abby Burch, Linda Garrison-Kane
The BC discussed the Governor’s proposed cuts to higher education and the potential impacts it would have to MSU and the COE. Dean Hough anticipates the MSU Executive Budget Committee (Brittany W. is our representative) to discuss this sometime soon. The goal will be not to take the cuts from the colleges, but it is still uncertain where the cuts will be made. Dean Hough also reminded the group that we will lose $80,000 from our operating budget because an arrangement made by the BOG circa 2011 – 2012 ended in December 2017.
The committee then discussed the Faculty Advisory Council suggestions as to where to make cuts. The suggestions were Program Support Funds, Research Funds, Start Up Funds, and Dean’s Travel Funds. A concern was voiced that the cuts suggested by the FAC would hit the new faculty and assistant professors the hardest. It was also pointed out that the Start Up Funds paid for the new faculty’s moving expenses. We need these items to entice good candidates to MSU. There was a concern that there would be a large population of faculty that would be for getting rid of the suggested items because they didn’t get them when they were hired. Most did agree to try to keep these suggested items and look at other items, maybe staff. It was pointed out that the Program Support Funds will be lost anyway when the faculty member from CLSE retires.
The dean informed the committee that unless he is told otherwise, he intends to continue with the searches in progress as well as future searches for faculty positions so long as the funding plans for each position is approved by Financial Services.
Respectfully submitted,
Teresa Steele, Budget Officer