Jane Campbell
Krys Douglas
Cheryl Johnson
Richard Lovato
Eugene Padilla
Alan Pope
Emil Radosevich
Mark Martinez, Facilitator
Luis Campos
Lenora Hirschfeld
Rita Kavanaugh
Gerry McBroom
Sally Pearson
Linda Pope
Roxanne Sides
A team of faculty, staff, and student membership was formed to identify for the
Executive Team potential areas for (1) short and long-term budget cuts, (2) areas for cost containment, and (3) ideas for financial incentives consistent with TVI’s strategic planning priorities. A fourth area was later added to identify possible revenue sources.
The Budget Advisory Team had spent a great deal of time becoming knowledgeable about the budget process in the previous year. The three new members received an introduction into the budget process, and the entire team participated in an update on what is happening with TVI’s budget for 2002-2003.
The Team used a two-step process to identify and prioritize ideas. The first step involved identifying ideas under each of the four categories. The Electronic
Meeting Room was used to allow members to contribute ideas anonymously.
These ideas were discussed by the Team and a list of ideas was developed.
The next phase was prioritization of the ideas. The Team met in the Electronic
Meeting Room and used a software process to prioritize the lists. Points were electronically assigned using a four-point ranking system based on individual voting. Team members could vote as strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree on whether ideas should be submitted to the Executive Team.
After viewing the scoring, the Team discussed how to establish a cut-off point for all categories on what should be recommended. After some discussion, it was decided that all ideas that scored an average of agree or higher would be included on the recommendation list.
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1.
SHORT AND LONG-TERM CUTS
RECOMMENDED IDEAS IN RANK ORDER:

Cut the contract for employment ads – consider cutting outside advertising, combining ads to reduce costs, and eliminating the additional cost for the employment ads contract

Evaluate staffing levels – consider reorganizations to optimize staffing; consolidate administrative functions; look at instructional technician levels; reduce the number of instructional chairs positions; streamline services where services are provided in multiple areas

Course duplication, location – drop duplication of courses in different departments; move towards designating specific campuses with different concentrations; remove off-campus classes; remove instructional programs which do not make

Multi-campus issues – reduce duplication of services at different campuses

Catalog – cut the number of catalogs
Ideas considered that scored below the agree level:
Evaluate need for new programs
Evaluate the need to have CCLI every year
Eliminate Express on hard copy; publish only on the web
Put a freeze on all new grant proposals
Reduce TVI’s support of PBS shows
Reduce travel or eliminate travel agent
Eliminate unnecessary subscriptions/memberships
Cut the Drop-in Program
Cut the shuttle bus
Implementing quality is too expensive to be done at all levels
2.
COST CONTAINMENT
RECOMMENDED IDEAS IN RANK ORDER :
 Evaluate effectiveness of last year’s across-the-board cuts

Evaluate having weekend/evening classes and alternative schedules – consider additional costs associated with extra times including utilities and administrative support; move classes to occupy fewer buildings on weekends; cut down on evening staff in Student Services

Look at professional fees – evaluate amounts spent on professional fees including legal, advertising, and labor relations; work on internal systems
(training, overview, etc.) to forestall legal issues; have an attorney on staff rather than always contracting all legal issues; limit access to attorneys
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
Use of paper/supplies – look at paper expense; post information letters and flyers only on e-mail or the web; look at moving towards paperless systems; encourage recycling and “reuse”

Evaluate marketing expenses
– consider an institute-wide marketing plan; decide on an image/logo and stick with it; consider centralized marketing

Evaluate use of electronic resources – look at automating processes such as purchase orders, payroll; evaluate cost/benefit of more automation

Review allocated expenses such as postal and duplicating – review postal usage; consider cost when making decisions to do mailings; monitor copier usage by all departments

Focus on employee retention – establish programs and incentives, including salary increases, to keep employees rather than having to recruit, hire, and train new employees

Justification of vacant positions – require justification of vacant positions prior to posting

Focus on employee retention – establish programs and incentives, including salary increases, to keep employees rather than having to recruit, hire, and train new employees

Improve project planning – institute a campus-wide project planning methodology that would create cost effective projects for instructional and administrative areas; get faculty buy-in before implementing new projects such as PLATO and WorkKeys; base projects on quality initiatives

Purchasing processes – review purchasing processes to speed up the process; consider lower quality goods to reduce costs; look at the availability of taking advantage of state-wide purchase processes

Professional development – centralize professional development for all staff; train staff on the use of equipment; pool training dollars to reach more employees

Study the effect of grants – ensure grants are not duplicating services; identify costs associated with grants, both short-term and long-term

Evaluate the effect of new programs – require that all new programs pay for themselves in first year; evaluate effect on current programs if funds are redirected;

Look at effectiveness of computer labs – consolidate computer labs; make better use of existing labs before authorizing any new ones

Review class size – reconsider class sizes for what it takes to “make”; look at different sizes of classrooms for different types of courses

Look at energy costs – conduct some energy efficiency studies to evaluate savings from better HVAC systems; encourage conservation of utilities; have vending machines monitored for energy usage

Payroll paperwork – consider reducing paper usage for payroll, including putting direct deposit slips in envelopes and eliminating the need for paper timesheets
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
Review remodeling projects – review frequency of remodeling projects, especially in administrative areas; recycle furniture when possible

Review the number and types of meetings – reduce the number of meetings; consider distance learning facilities to reduce travel; encourage the use of electronics to schedule meetings

Monitor computer and other purchases – evaluate the level of computer and equipment requested and insure it is at the least needed level; have departments pay for “frills” from their own budget

Centralize maintenance agreements – centralize all maintenance to insure TVI is receiving the best buy, especially on computer agreements

Determine how many catalogs and schedules are really needed – cut down on the number of catalogs and schedules sent to each department and mailed out; refer more students to where the catalog is located on the
TVI web site
Ideas considered that scored below the agree level:
Study staffing levels
Review motor pool
Review cost/benefits of travel
Consider leasing vs. buying large items
Look at cost/benefit of distance learning
Enhance faculty/staff retention
Consider outsourcing some activities/services
Combine all learning centers into ACE
3.
FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
RECOMMENDED IDEAS IN RANK ORDER :

Allow departments/divisions to reallocate budgets – a llow both temporary and permanent adjustments

Give departments a percentage of prior year savings

Recognize savings/overspending in evaluations
Ideas considered that scored below the agree level:
Give awards to departments and/or individuals for budget savings
4.
REVENUE SOURCES
RECOMMENDED IDEAS IN RANK ORDER:

Seek more donations
– market for more outside donations; do more active fund raising for specific programs or departments; have more commitment from the Foundation for donations besides scholarships
 Have Workforce Training Center pay back prior years’ subsidy

Take advantage of the Financial Aid allowance – TVI does not claim the allowance the federal government allows schools to claim for the cost of running their financial aid programs
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
Facility usage fees – develop a program to offer TVI facilities to the public and charge for their use

Allow student fees to go to originating department – encourages more creative ways to have departments and instructional programs generate revenue, much like Culinary Arts

Collect indirect costs – include indirect costs on all grant proposals

Increase vending machine payback - consider making the funds available for the operating budget

Registration refunds – do not refund the registration fee except in cases of TVI error

Business and industry partnerships – partner with business and industry to create specific courses and programs and have them support some of the cost

Bookstore – cut the bookstore contract and try to find a more reliable and customer-centered vendor

Encourage endowed chairs

Grants – identify more grant sources; don’t apply for grants requiring matching funds unless the match is already in place

Pay copiers – provide pay copiers for students in common areas
Ideas considered that scored below the agree level:
Develop a TVI speakers/consultants pools
Develop a system for web-produced revenue
Provide TVI vanity plates
Increase activity at Emeritus College
Increase registration fee
Create a out-of-district tuition fee
Charge for the catalog
Increase tuition
Charge tuition for all classes, not just Arts and Sciences classes
Increase student fees
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