Faculty Senate unanimously passed a resolution last night calling on Ohio University to prioritize academic spending over other things as administrators approve budget cuts.
Scott Titsworth, chairman of the Finance and Facilities Committee, said the goal of the resolution was to establish common principles that all faculty and administrators could agree upon as budget discussions go forward.
If we agree upon the principles now
that then starts to serve as the basis and the foundation upon which we can start to analyze [budget proposals] Titsworth told senate.
There was far less discussion on the FFC resolution than senate leadership expected, and several senators who have been outspoken about past administrative budget decisions said the senate should start looking at general principles.
I think this is excellent. I think it's dead on Steve Hays said. I think you're exactly right about principles - you get your feet under you if you're going into a fight.
Ken Brown, a senator who helped lead a movement for faculty unionization partly in response to budget decisions last year, voted for the resolution but was skeptical that administrators would buy in to the principles.
If that idea could be accepted by the administration
it would be a sea change in the method of budgeting because what we've seen in the past 10 years is arbitrary [cuts]
Brown said.
Executive Vice President and Provost Pam Benoit will have to sign the resolution for it to take effect. Titsworth said members of the provost's office seemed comfortable with the language during discussions this week, and he hopes the provost will sign.
Benoit presented on the budget last night, outlining the assumptions the Budget Planning Council will use to make recommendations on next year's budget. Those recommendations include committing funding for 2 percent pay increases for classified employees and graduate assistants, as well as a 2 percent merit raise pool for faculty and administrators.
Senate also heard from OU President Roderick McDavis about recent gifts the university has received and the president's international travel over the past quarter.
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Emily Grannis
