Mānoa Faculty Senate Committee on Administration and Budget Minutes of September 22, 2009

PRESENT: Members: Robert Cowie, David Ericson, Shirley Daniel (SEC Liaison), Denise Antolini, Robert  Bley-Vroman, Betsy Fisher, Weilin Qu, Torben Nielsen, David Chin (Chair), Doug Vincent, David Duffy, John Casken (sec). Guest:  Kathy Cutshaw, VC for Admin, Finance and Operations.  Absent: Siang Tan. 

Meeting called to order at 1:30 by Chair.

Initial discussion on EHSO reorganization was halted on arrival on VC Cutshaw who was presenting a draft of her presentation for the full Manoa campus community on 9/23/09.  Members commented on the draft and made suggestions to assist clarity.  Noted that this will be the first ‘conversation’ with the UHM community.  The VC’s final draft will be posted on her website after the presentation.

In general discussion, after the review of the presentation,  VC Cutshaw noted that she would try and find the policy on Executive Search as it was reported from the SEC that VC Dasenbrock  had started some searches without being aware that there was a policy in place.

VC Cutshaw also noted that there is indeed incredible amounts of data available to answer almost any question on administration and budget – trouble is in making time available. Torben had suggested that it would be useful to demonstrate what has been happening to administrative salaries and numbers over the last ten years vis-à-vis instructional faculty.

After the VC’s departure discussion on the EHSO resumed. Members recognized that the CAB had been asked only to review the proposed reorganization.  They noted the landmines built into the proposed support of permanent staff with RTRF funding and the lack of any real demonstration as to why the reorganization was proposed and the issue as to whether some of the units belonged under the VC for Research.  The following motion was approved:

The EHSO reorganization should be returned to the SEC with the comment that the justifications for the reorganization were not made and the document appeared to have been hastily put together.  The CAB requested that the SEC should ask for feedback from the Office of the VC for Research in a year’s time to report on how the reorganization was working.

The issue of the Draft UHM International Strategic and Implementation Plan was discussed in light of the search for a permanent Assistant VC for International Affairs that VC Dasenbrock  informed the SEC he had launched – unaware that there was a policy in place on Executive Searches.  The Draft Plan is also being reviewed by CAPP and CSA.

Two issues emerged: the first was whether the Draft Plan made any sense in this economic climate  especially given that the Report had no analysis of costs and in general appeared underdeveloped. The second was whether the search should proceed for a permanent administrator for international programs.  The overall feeling of the committee members was that anything that had new costs should not be pursued unless it had very clear and compelling justification. Shirley was asked to report back to the SEC that CAB felt it was unwise to go ahead with the search and that the Draft Plan should be shelved.

Discussion followed on other approaches that could be considered to soften the budgetary crisis. Members felt that the issue of retirement has not been properly reviewed.  The SEC wants to send out a survey on this issue to faculty and include a variety of options that might make retirements more appealing.  Torben agreed to assist in reviewing the SEC survey and he noted that the UHPA survey could also be used to estimate the impact that retirements might have on the bottom line.  There appears to be disagreement as to whether the 40% option is still available.  Unclear also how the hybrid plan would play out in a variety of scenarios.

Members also raised the question as to whether the Manoa Chancellor’s office brought real value to the UHM campus as opposed to the combined office of President/Chancellor UHM.  It was felt that the issue of reducing the number of schools and colleges should also be on the table

The meeting adjourned at 3:30