Careful oversight of budget protects academic core

By DAVID BHAERMAN, University Relations

As colleges and universities across the country struggle in an economic downturn to balance budgets by cutting classes, Ohio State has largely been able to fend off the trend -- due to the impact of budget restructuring, revenue from tuition increases and good enrollment management. In fact, fewer undergraduates here are reporting being closed out of the courses they need to graduate.

Elsewhere in the United States, courses are on the chopping block as state support wanes -- much as it has here in Ohio. But at Ohio State, which has been addressing budget and curriculum issues for years, the academic core continues to be protected.

Martha Garland, vice provost and dean for undergraduate studies, is quick to point out that additional cuts in state support to the university could cause a reverse in Ohio State's forward momentum, but so far, the institution's good planning is paying off.

"Over the past several years, Ohio State has made a commitment to undergraduate education and student services," Garland said. "We've had our priorities in the right place -- on our students. That has been one of the primary focuses of our Academic Plan. And because of our good management, our students are being well-served."

Because of its size, Ohio State has always done a good job of collecting information about student recruiting. Lately, however, the university has turned those analytical skills inward to focus more on enrollment management after students have arrived.

"The university has increasingly developed intelligent monitoring of program needs and availability," Garland said. "We have a sophisticated system for collecting data that provides better information for planning. We are now able to look to see what courses are the most popular and where resources need to be directed.

"Departments are attempting to offer only the seats that they know their students need," Garland said. "If only 17 students are taking a course in which there are 22 seats available, the department has five missed opportunities for revenue. We are doing a better job of tight-packing our classes because of better enrollment management. It's a little like managing retail inventory. If a grocery store can sell rhubarb, then it puts rhubarb out."

As tuition and fees have increased from 9 percent to 12.3 percent each of the past three years, a large portion of revenues above the state-mandated maximums have been directed toward high-demand courses that students traditionally had difficulty in scheduling, she said. And previously, the university had already directed some $2 million a year into those areas.

The budget restructuring process also has played a major role in the university's recent successes in curriculum management, as revenues from teaching are now returned to the department that provides the course. "Departments are now provided with an incentive to offer the courses that students need and want," Garland said. "And as they do, the departments benefit and the students benefit as well. That is a direct result of our using our resources effectively."

In the past, department budgets had been based on historical patterns and were often viewed as an "entitlement from the central administration," Garland said. "There was no collective will to be as careful with resources as people are today. Budget restructuring has made everyone into an intentional actor and an informed decision-maker."

Though some have expressed concern that departments might drop low-revenue courses that still need to be taught, might push course enrollments higher just to get funding from the additional seats, or might even teach courses that should be taught elsewhere, the university administration and faculty governance is taking significant steps to ensure that problems of that type do not arise, said Randy Smith, vice provost for curriculum and institutional relations.

An ad hoc committee has been formed by the University Senate's Council on Academic Affairs to serve as a watchdog for potential curriculum issues and problems, Smith said. That committee, to be chaired by Don Dell, associate professor of psychology, will begin its oversight role with the start of the new academic year.

So far, however, Smith has not seen negative impact on curriculum during the first year of budget restructuring. "This institution has a history of careful curricular oversight. I didn't expect to see any different behavior because of the new budget system, and I have not."

Community Charitable Drive begins Oct. 1

By SUSAN WITTSTOCK, onCAMPUS staff

Winston Churchill knew the value of doing a good deed, Michael Hogan, executive dean of the Colleges of the Arts and Sciences and co-chair of the 2003 Community Charitable Drive, told a recent gathering of lead coordinators. "As Winston Churchill once said, ëWe can make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.'"

At Ohio State, "what we give" has been a steadily increasing amount of money for local health and human services agencies through the annual Bucks for Charity drive. Faculty, staff, students and retirees donated nearly $842,000 in 2002, up from $793,000 and $759,000 in 2001 and 2000, respectively.

"These non-profit agencies may be exempted from taxes, but not from inflation, so we'd like to raise our goal again this year," said Nancy Rogers, dean of the Moritz College of Law and co-chair of this year's drive. "Our goal for 2003 is $850,000. That's an amount that will make a real difference in the ability of these agencies to serve the community."

The drive begins on Oct. 1 and will continue through Dec. 5.

Ten federations of charities are the designated recipients of funds: the Black United Fund of Ohio; Community Health Charities of Ohio; Earth Share of Ohio; Community Shares of Mid Ohio; The United Negro College Fund; and United Way of Central Ohio, Delaware, Fairfield, Licking and Pickaway counties. Each group serves as an umbrella organization for several independent member agencies. United Way of Licking and Pickaway counties were added this year to the list of agencies.

A United Way of Central Ohio policy change approved by its board in May states that non-member agencies who apply and become eligible for designations will receive up to 50 percent of the total donor pledge. "The policy change that United Way of Central Ohio made recently does not affect Ohio State's Community Charitable Drive at all or any of the combined public sector campaigns. It is for private sector drives only," said Cindy Turvy, CCD coordinating agency liaison.

Ned Cullom, program manager for the Office of Human Resources, concurred. "Many faculty and staff donate to non-member agencies through the write-in option on the pledge card. United Way of Central Ohio's new policy has nothing to do with the Bucks for Charity campaign, so faculty and staff can feel confident that their full donations will continue to reach their intended recipients."

Faculty and staff are encouraged to give at "Leadership Levels," a recognition program which began two years ago. Membership is determined on a graduated scale. Depending upon their salary level, faculty and staff who donate between half of 1 percent and 2 percent of their annual salaries will be recognized. Leadership Level donors should self-identify their status on their pledge cards.

Pledge cards for the drive will be distributed by lead coordinators for colleges and units throughout the university. This year, for the first time, the cards will be able to be scanned, allowing for easier and more accurate data entry after they are collected.

For more information about the Community Charitable Drive, call 292-0641 or contact your unit's coordinator.

Committee convened for the provost search

President Karen Holbrook has charged an 18-member search committee to find the university's next senior vice president and provost. Former Provost Ed Ray left the university this summer to become president of Oregon State University. Barbara Snyder, a vice provost in the Office of Academic Affairs and a professor of law, is serving in an interim capacity.

Chaired by Glen Hoffsis, dean and professor of veterinary medicine and executive dean of health sciences, the first task of the search committee is to select a firm to assist in the process, and Hoffsis hopes to have this selection made within the next few weeks. In consultation with the president, the committee also will begin immediately to develop a position description as well as a profile of characteristics, skills and qualities that the next provost should possess.

"We will conduct an extensive and vigorous national search and will accept internal as well as external applications and nominations," Hoffsis said. The committee will recruit candidates, screen those considered for the position and verify their qualifications before making a recommendation to the president.

Hoffsis cautioned against setting a time frame for the search. "At this point, we cannot speculate as to how long this will take, but the president is eager to complete the process as soon as possible," Hoffsis said. "It is the intention of the committee to present the best possible candidates to the president as expeditiously as possible, without forgoing due diligence."

As part of the search process, the committee intends to conduct public forums to seek input from the university community, and will communicate regularly with faculty, staff and students as the process progresses.

Joining Hoffsis on the search committee are: Deborah Ballam, professor of business; Paul Beck, chair and professor of political science; Joseph Branin, director of University Libraries; Bernard Erven, professor of agricultural, environmental, and development economics; Evelyn Freeman, dean and director of the Mansfield campus; Bill Hall, vice president for student affairs; Joan Herbers, dean of biological sciences; Kerry Hodak, graduate student and vice president of the Council of Graduate Students; Doug Lance, chair of the University Staff Advisory Committee; L. James Lee, professor of chemical engineering and director of the NSF Center for Advanced Polymer and Composite Engineering; William McDaniel, professor of African-American and African studies and music, and director of jazz studies; Deborah Merritt, director of the John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy and professor of law; Terry Miller, Ohio Eminent Scholar and professor of physical chemistry; Electra Paskett, chair and professor of cancer research in the School of Public Health; Stephen Pinsky, professor of physics and chair of the University Senate Steering Committee; David Schuller, director of the James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute; and Mac Stewart, vice provost for minority affairs.

September paychecks reflect salary increases

By SUSAN WITTSTOCK, onCAMPUS staff

When faculty and staff open their September paychecks, they should keep in mind that this month's paycheck is not typical.

September checks contain a one-time payment for July and August salary increases due to the state budget process. They also will reflect the increased medical plan premium increases for 2003-04, as well as parking permit increases.

For faculty and staff paid biweekly, the Sept. 19 paycheck included the compensation increase from July, August and a portion of September. For faculty and staff paid monthly, the Sept. 30 paycheck will include the compensation increase for July, August and September. This will be seen as a separate line item on the paycheck.

The Oct. 3 biweeky paycheck and the Oct. 31 monthly paycheck will better reflect the new net pay for faculty and staff.

Also affecting salaries this year is the new federal Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, which introduced new withholding tables effective July 1. As a result, most faculty and staff experienced an increase in net pay.

Medical premium increases beginning this month normally would begin in July, but also were delayed due to the state budget process. The university absorbed the cost of half of the premium increase incurred during July and August, while individual faculty and staff will pay the other half, spread out over a 10-month period. For charts showing the revised premium rate increases for each university health plan, visit http://hr.osu.edu/.

Two benefits changes also were delayed until the salary increases occurred. Although not reflected in paychecks, prescription prices and the co-payment for specialist physicians increased on Sept. 1. The retail minimum of pharmacy benefits increased from $10 to $15 and the retail maximum increased from $75 to $80. The annual out-of-pocket maximum increased from $1,500 to $1,750. For home delivery, the co-pays increased from $12 to $15 for generic drugs; $35 to $45 for preferred brand name; and $45 to $65 for non-preferred brand-name drugs. The co-payment for specialist physicians (such as cardiology, endocrinology and neurology) increased from $15 to $25.

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