Tennessee Technological University
Staff Advisory Committee to the President
March 5, 2003, 1:30 p.m.

Members Present:  Wanda Carpenter, Kathryn Choate (presiding), Benny Davis, Denise Dillon, Sherild Jackson, Gina Padgett, Sandy Zimmerman

Others Present:  President Robert Bell, Terri Watson

President’s Comments

Ambassadors—The Tech Ambassador for February 2003 was Ms. Holly Mills, head of Circulation/Reservations in the Volpe Library.  The March 2003 Ambassador was Ms. Charlene McClain from the Public Services area in the Volpe Library.

Retirements—President Bell announced the following retirements and congratulated the group for the many successful years of service to the University:

Margaret Chaffin, Nursing, March 2003

Donald Hayes, Food Services, March 2003

Buster McCormick, Facilities and Business Services, February 2003

Carolyn Whitaker, Nursing, February 2003

Budget—President Bell addressed the University’s budget issues.  The TBR requested an impoundment of $2.2 million dollars for the current fiscal year.  This plan was submitted to the TBR on February 18.  After insurance savings of $584,300 and a commitment from Physical Plant of $226,000, the remaining $1.4 million dollars had to come from the units.

The University must submit a plan to TBR within the week to cut $3.8 million dollars from the 2003-04 budget.  Insurance savings of $584,300 and a commitment of $397,760 from Physical Plant allocations will be deducted from this amount, leaving $3.1 million dollars remaining to be cut from the units.  These cuts, while more than doubling what the University had to find for the current year impoundment are permanent reductions of funds.  One-time funds cannot be used.  The basic guideline for the budget cuts is to protect jobs in place and keep position cuts to a minimal.  Details of the final cuts will be publicized following approval by the TBR. 

Many budget issues are yet to be resolved including the question of tuition increases and the implementation of the lottery for higher education funding for Tennessee students.  Universities may have to redefine projections with the decrease in revenues.

President Bell expressed his appreciation for those who took the time to submit suggestions relative to dealing with the current budget crisis the University faces.  Many good ideas were submitted.

Food Services—The out-sourcing of the Food Services operations was briefly discussed.  The Ad-Hoc Food Services Committee is in the process of visiting schools where prospective vendors are currently operating the food services unit.  A food services vendor could be in place at the University as early as mid-to-late summer dependent on a successful bid process.

The meeting adjourned at 2:05 p.m.