President’s Report
University Senate

January 31, 2005 meeting

1.         Introductory Remarks

This is my one-year anniversary as the presiding officer of the University Senate.  Although the Senate has experienced some moments of contention and confusion, for the most part it is functioning extraordinarily well as the university’s official policy recommending body.  I believe that governance is alive and thriving here, and I thank you and your colleagues on the Executive Committee for this success.

Two of the things that university presidents consistently hear are concerns regarding decision-making and communication.  The management of an institution that resembles a small city demands a myriad of daily actions.  The challenge is to determine which of those actions should be communicated beyond the affected area and which need broader input.   The University Senate bylaws are fairly clear about the sorts of matters that need to be vetted through the governance process.  But there are grey areas, and some matters that lie outside the governance process also warrant broad community input and effective communication.

This past semester, we have sought to enhance communication by posting information about significant institutional initiatives on the INFO Page and by hosting forums open to the campus community.  But from your vantage point, there may be additional ways in which you think communication and collaboration can be improved.  There is no penalty for providing suggestions:  all of us have a vested interest in building and sustaining appropriate deliberative and communicative processes!

2.         Highlights of Governor’s FY ’06 Budget Recommendation

• Full funding of the formulae
• Parks Nursing and Health Sciences renovation and expansion project
• 3% reduction to special initiatives funding
• GC&SU’s special initiatives funding to roll into base
• 2% merit based raise for faculty and staff, effective January 2006
• No minor projects recommended, including phase II of Herty Hall

 3.         Campus Master Plan

• Consultants made their final presentation to the Campus Master Plan Steering Committee last week
• Their final work product incorporated feedback from the campus community as well as a detailed assessment of the condition of historic buildings campus and an estimated cost for needed improvements.  This information will be extraordinarily helpful as we prepare our next capital project request.  The final work product also includes revised recommendations regarding parking, pedestrian safety, and landscaping.
• The Campus Master Plan Steering Committee has approved the plan in concept and, as Dr. Fly will report, the University Senate Budget and Planning Committee have also endorsed the plan in concept.  In March or April, I hope to present an overview of the final plan to the university community.

 4.         Strategic Planning

• This spring, we will kick off a new strategic planning process by conducting focus groups, where we will work to clarify our fundamental contributions to the public good as a public liberal arts institution and our core educational values.  I will also be forming a Strategic Initiatives Advisory Council to help guide the process.   More information about this will be provided during the next faculty meeting.