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Tuesday,
March 23, 2004 |
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University
plans new budget panel
The
new committee would increase participation from different
parts of the campus in developing the annual budget.
By
Marco Lopez
Staff Reporter
A new university committee proposed to be effective next
year will allow students, faculty and staff to provide
input in the creation of the annual budget, said Carol
Campbell, vice chancellor for Finance and Administration.
Faculty Senators recently approved the creation of the
budget advisory committee which would make recommendations
to administrators on the budget as it’s being created.
“This committee is to get a broader campus input
into the budgeting process,” Campbell said.
More campus involvement in the budgeting process is important
because the recommendations made in the new committee
would have an effect on everyone associated with TCU,
Campbell said.
The new committee would have 10 members: Three from the
Faculty Senate, three from the Staff Assembly, three appointed
by Chancellor Victor Boschini, and the vice chancellor
for finance.
Edward McNertney, faculty senator and chairman of the
economics department, said he served on a similar committee
for a year that had no representation for staff members.
“There wasn’t any role for staff,” he said.
“I understand the need to have a broader committee
that will have a bigger view, it makes perfect sense.”
David Grebel, Staff Assembly chairman, said the new committee
would educate the Staff Assembly about the budget issues.
Nadia Lahutsky, who chairs Faculty Senate, said she served
for a year on another budget committee and it helped her
to understand the complexity of the university.
“For me to have served on that committee gave me
a perspective of the university that I never had in 20
years of teaching,” said Lahutsky, a religion professor.
“Students would benefit from that.”
Faculty Senators recently discussed the issue of allowing
students to participate in the new committee when it discusses
sensitive or confidential topics like personal salaries
or specific budget items only relevant to administrators.
Lahutsky said students who participate in the new committee
would have commit themselves to participate because it
takes time to understand the budget issues of TCU.
Andrew Fort, a Faculty Senate member, said he supports
allowing students on the committee.
“I participated in committees when I was in college
and that enriched my college experience,” said Fort,
a religion professor.
Campbell said there has been another advisory committee
for the last three years and the new committee would replace
the existing one.
The new committee would become a permanent part of the
structure of the university, she said.
“No matter who holds the position of chancellor or
vice chancellor for finance, the budget advisory committee
is going to be there to help with the creation of the
budget every year,” Campbell said.
The Faculty Senate proposal states that the new committee
would be required to meet at least once a semester and
make two reports a year on its decisions that would be
reviewed by Boschini and the Board of Trustees. |
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