University Budget Advisory Committee (UBAC)
Meeting Notes
March 27, 2009, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Sacramento Hall Annex, Conference Room
Members Present: Fred Baldini, Robert (Bob) Buckley, Paul Edwards, Scott Farrand,
Ming-Tung (Mike) Lee, Lillie Jones, Laureen O’Hanlon, Steve Perez (Chair), Shawn
Smith, James Sobredo, Jimmy Tsang
Members Absent: None
Others Present: Stacy Hayano (BPA), Debra Deakin (BPA), Larry Gilbert (Vice
President for Information Resources Technology), David Wagner (Vice President for
Human Resources), and Lori Varlotta (Vice President for Student Affairs)
Open Forum: none
Agenda Discussion: Larry Gilbert, Vice President for Information Resources
Technology, joined the UBAC committee meeting in progress at 11:00 a.m. and
presented a brief overview on the division’s staffing changes and situation. He cited the
percentage of campus IT spending and activity that is not a part of his division and
recommended that the campus take a more activity-based approach, rather than a
divisional approach, to budgeting for these types of services and expenditures, which he
stated could result in greater coordination, collaboration and subsequently greater
efficiencies and savings. He stated that his most significant concern was that the
burgeoning demand for IT services was occurring at the same time the system was
under increasingly tighter budget constraints. He answered a number of other questions
posed by the UBAC members, including regarding the origin and amount of chargeback
income, the telephone system, and classroom renovations costs that were anticipated.
He left the meeting at approximately 11:30 a.m.
David Wagner, Vice President for Human Resources, joined UBAC at 11:30 a.m. and
addressed the committee regarding his division’s focus on compliance and legal
requirements as well as on providing services to the campus. He observed there is a
sort of deferred maintenance backlog or issue with respect to human capital and
emphasized the need to invest in it, even though that value was not easily assignable in
monetary terms: he felt the campus is in need of an expert in recruitment and staff
career advancement. He described the effects of last year’s reductions on the division
and the importance of having enough of a financial cushion to respond appropriately to
unforeseen requirements like the TSA program changes that were implemented by the
Chancellor’s Office this fall. Vice President Wagner answered questions posed by the
committee members on his budget call documents and expressed concern that
reductions in the service level would be the consequence of continued deterioration in
the funding level. He stressed the division’s willingness to collaborate wherever possible
in meeting the goals of student retention and graduation and asked that the committee
keep in mind that the organizational support role needs to be understood and afforded
its proper due. He left the meeting at approximately 12:05 p.m.
Lori Varlotta, Vice President for Student Affairs, joined the meeting at 12:05 p.m. She
made general remarks regarding the division’s composition—approximately 94% salary
expense and 6% operating expense—and the need to maintain some reserve for
program services based on each program’s structure and responsibilities. She discussed
the staffing of the division last year and in the current year. She indicated that going
forward, additional funding was necessary to ensure that the campus meets its
enrollment target through the various cost-saving strategies she had employed for the
past two years. She stated that her largest concern was the tradeoffs that must be made
in order to meet the enrollment target in a declining budget situation. She also
suggested, for the committee’s consideration, the concept of a redirection of some fees
collected from general support to division support. After answering the questions posed
by the committee, she left the meeting at approximately 1:00 p.m.
UBAC members discussed the content of the three presentations and discussions in an
effort to determine whether further questions should be posed to the vice presidents to
clarify any issues prior to proceeding with the funding recommendation to the president.
The committee felt the implementation of a fee-for-services approach between divisions
would not be productive and should be discouraged. The meeting then came to a
conclusion at 1:08 p.m.
Future Meetings (tentative schedule):
Friday, April 3, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon, Sac Hall Annex Conference Room