COE BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
March 8 , 2019
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Hill 339
Attendees: Teresa Steele, David Hough, Denise Cunningham, Cathy Pearman, Minor Baker, Janelle Flanders, Emmett Sawyer, Rose Lee, James Satterfield, Kim Dubree, Bill Agnew
The meeting began at 8:00 a.m. with Dean Hough providing the committee an update of the budget cut the COE must make, which is $70,000.
Then dean then gave the committee the good news that COE will receive $83,060 from Office of the Provost for the proposal that was submitted for Enrollment Enhancement Grants titled “Choosing Education As a Career.” The funds will be transferred into the COE Recruitment account.
The committee then went over the priorities exercise that included rank ordering items on a handout the members had received previously via email. The areas were considered high priority for keeping funds was faculty. The dean shared the Faculty Advisory Council’s results and personnel were also high on their list of priorities. BC members also noted their low priorities for funding, one of the lowest of which was low enrollment programs that are not cost effective. During the discussion, other items were discussed to cut the budget, which included cut a position within a low enrollment program. It was noted that this option should be costed out to ensure that it would indeed be a cost savings. It was pointed out that each faculty case is individual. Some are specialized but would be able to teach general courses. Another idea brought up was to use technology more to reach students by increasing class sizes. Other low priorities validated by the FAC and BC were study away and international travel. Dean Hough noted that COE contributes $10,000 a year to Study Away, but he didn’t have immediate figures on costs associated with international travel / programs.
Cathy Pearman, the representative on the Executive Budget Committee, informed the BC that pay raises are definitely planned, but MSU is awaiting for news on equity funding.
The dean asked the BC for ideas for that would increase motivation and morale of faculty and staff. Some suggestions were new computers, and higher travel allowances. It was also suggested that monies be redirected to resources that would help faculty. It was mentioned that faculty no longer stay at MSU for a long time, and the cost of recruiting and hiring new faculty is high. It was suggested to ask the Promotion and Tenure Committee for ideas on ways to encourage new faculty to stay.
The dean suggested that faculty put in proposals to the AERA conference, and if the proposal is accepted, provide extra travel funding, e.g., $1,000 toward the cost of presenting. AERA is seen as an umbrella conference that all faculty can receive benefit from. For Greenwood, it was suggested that perhaps faculty could do research that would be beneficial to the university.
The dean posed a suggestion to the committee for their comment regarding a way to cut the required $70,000. The suggestion was to use one-time salary savings to “float” the salary and benefits in a line that would become vacant in FY21. The BC was in agreement with this suggestion and recommended the dean put this plan forward for consideration by the provost.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:10 a.m.
The next meeting is scheduled for April 12, 2019, at 8:00 a.m. in Hill 339.
Respectfully submitted,
Teresa Steele, Budget Officer