Part 1 of this motion will create a new committee, the
University Resources Committee (URC), and simultaneously eliminate the Advisory
Committee on University Planning. Part
2 of the motion authorizes the election of the new committee and allows current
ACUP members to continue as ad hoc members of the new committee until
the new charge becomes effective on January 15, 2004.
RATIONALE:
The
University Resources Committee, a standing committee of the faculty proposed by
the Task Force on Faculty Governance and recommended by the Faculty Executive
Committee, replaces the current Advisory Committee on University Planning. The
University Resources Committee advises the President on all budgetary plans,
proposals and priorities, both current and future, affecting the University. It
is slightly smaller than ACUP, chaired ex officio by the Provost, with members
elected or (in the case of staff) appointed from slates chosen in consultation
with the Provost. It will meet in closed session with open forums and other
methods of communicating with the community about its deliberations. The charge
of the University Resources Council also specifies the Operation of the Committee,
details which are not contained in the charge of ACUP. This Motion is presented
to create the University Resources Committee and insert it in the proper place
in the Faculty Rules & Regulations, replacing the Advisory Committee on
University Planning.
MOTION
Part 1.
Motion to amend the Faculty Rules, effective immediately,
for the purpose of establishing the Universities Resources Committee, a
standing committee of the faculty, by replacing in the Faculty Rules and
Regulations all references and language pertaining to the Advisory Committee on
University Planning, contained in Part I, Section 2, III, C, with the
following:
B. University Resources Committee (URC)
1. Charge
a.
The
Committee shall serve to review, to analyze, and to offer recommendations to
the President on all budgetary plans, proposals, and priorities, both current
and future, affecting the University.
b.
The Committee shall be responsible for maintaining a level of awareness
of budgetary matters throughout the University that will encourage the
development of informed opinions and the articulation and discussion of issues.
c.
The Committee
shall review, analyze and make recommendations regarding the allocation of
University resources for the coming fiscal year and for long-range plans
developed by the administration or by other duly constituted committees.
d.
The Committee
will conduct its business in closed session.
The Committee will, however, host University-wide forums as necessary
and appropriate to allow the Committee to hear the concerns and priorities of
the University community.
e.
The Committee
shall, at appropriate points during the preparation of the University budget,
report in written form to the President its analysis and its policy recommendations
concerning the allocation of resources within the University.
2. Membership
There shall be six faculty members, five administrators as ex-officio members, four students and a staff member appointed by the Staff Advisory Committee in consultation with the Provost. The administrators include the Provost; Executive Vice President for Planning; Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration; the Dean of the Faculty; and the Dean of Biology and Medicine. The student members shall include two from The College and one each from the Graduate School and the Medical School.
The Provost is the Chair ex officio. The Vice Chair shall be a Faculty member in his/her second year of service on the Committee. Normally the Vice Chair shall be elected by the Committee at the start of the term of new members.
3. Term of Office
Faculty member terms shall be three years. Student member terms shall be two years.
Terms of office shall normally begin on January 15 following the election held in the preceding fall.
4. Method of Election
a. Each year a ballot will be prepared with two positions with two faculty members per position for election by mail ballot by the Faculty. Candidates for each slate are to be chosen by the Faculty Executive Committee in consultation with the Provost after seeking nominations from the voting faculty. The candidate on each slate with the majority of the votes will serve on URC; the other candidate will serve as an alternate, as appropriate. Candidates should be representative of the divisions of knowledge in the university and diversity in the Faculty. Upon the expiration of his or her term, a member shall not be eligible for reelection until one year has elapsed, except that those persons elected for terms of one year or less may be candidates to succeed themselves.
b. Chairs of academic divisions and departments, and faculty members holding appointments as administrative officers are not eligible for elected membership on the Committee. Members of the faculty elected to the Committee may not concurrently serve as members of the FEC.
c. Undergraduate Students. On or about November 15, the Undergraduate Council of Students shall hold a ballot election available to all full-time undergraduate students.
i. The ballot shall be prepared by the Undergraduate Council of Students in consultation with the Provost. The number of candidates shall be at least twice the number of open positions.
ii. The positions shall be designated for candidates available to serve a two-year term.
iii. The nominees receiving the greatest number of votes will be elected. In the event of a tie, a run-off election by ballot will be held to determine the winner.
iv. Students elected to the Committee may not concurrently serve as members of the Undergraduate Council of Students.
v. In the event of a vacancy, the remainder of the vacant term shall be filled by means of a ballot, prepared in the manner provided above. A vacancy that occurs within the final semester of the member’s term of office shall not be filled.
d. Graduate Students. On or about November 15 of the year in which a vacancy occurs, the Graduate Student Council shall hold a ballot election available to all full time graduate students.
i. The ballot will be prepared by the Graduate Student Council with the approval of the Provost. It shall contain the names of at least two full time graduate students, each of whom shall have completed not less than two semesters of graduate work at Brown.
ii. The candidate receiving a plurality will be elected. In the event of a tie vote, a run-off election by ballot will be held to determine the winner.
iii. Students elected to the Committee may not concurrently serve as members of the Graduate Student Council.
iv. In the event of a vacancy, a special election shall be held, in the manner prescribed above. The graduate student so elected shall serve until the second meeting following January 15.
e. Medical Students. On or about November 15 of the year in which a vacancy occurs, the Medical Student Council shall hold a ballot election available to all full time students in the School of Medicine.
i. The ballot will be prepared by the Medical Student Council in consultation with the Provost. It shall contain the names of at least two full time students in the School of Medicine each of whom shall have completed not less than two semesters in the School of Medicine at Brown.
ii. The candidate receiving a plurality will be elected. In the event of a tie vote, a run-off election by ballot will be held to determine the winner.
iii. Students elected to the Committee may not concurrently serve as members of the Medical Student Council.
iv. In the event of a vacancy, a special election shall be held, in the manner prescribed above. The Medical student so elected shall serve until the second meeting following January 15.
5. Operation of the Committee
The following outlines
proposed operations and schedule for the committee:
a.
The Committee will meet from September through
May.
b.
The Committee’s
work will begin each academic year with an orientation on the short and
long-term budget picture for the University that will present the most significant
parameters affecting the University’s budget, important changes in the University’s
financial situation since the committee last met, and assumptions regarding
future budget variables (including tuition, indirect cost recovery rates, Development
projections, changes in projects costs, etc.)
c.
The Committee
will hear reports from senior administrative officers about the current
budgetary framework as well as short and long-term issues facing specific major
budgetary units. The Committee will
also hear recommendations from senior administrative officers about proposed
new initiatives in their respective areas of the operation and oversight.
d.
The Committee may form or appoint ad hoc
subcommittees to further investigate specific issues or proposals.
e.
After the presentations from the senior
academic officers and after holding any necessary University-wide forums, the
Committee will engage in a series of deliberative meetings about the
University’s short and long-term budget priorities.
f.
The committee
will make an annual report to the President of its recommendations on the
University priorities, and other reports as the Committee deems necessary.
Part 2
Motion to
constitute the University Resources Committee immediately upon ratification of
this motion, and to direct the Faculty Executive Committee to conduct initial
elections for the University Resources Committee during the fall semester of
academic year 2003-2004; all to assume office on January 15, 2004; current
members of the Advisory Committee on University Planning to serve as ad hoc members
of the committee until the new committee members assume office.