Budget & Resource Committee
April 10, 2006
Meeting Minutes
Present: President Ray Di Pasquale, Jack Renza, Robin Smith, Dennis Moore, Lela Morgan,
Robyn Greene, David Rawlinson, Margaret Clifton, Cledia Holland, Joseph Crowley, Jim
Isherwood, Tricia Nunes, Ruth Barrington, Jack White, Ruth Sullivan, Vince DeSanctis, Mike
Archetto, Tammy Anderson, Jean Potvin.
Meeting was opened by President Di Pasquale. He welcomed all committee members
and members of the administrative team. The President introduced Jack Renza who has been
asked to chair the Budget & Resource Committee. Jack brings with him 30 years of experience
working at CCRI, but more importantly he brings honesty and integrity and a strong willingness
to help. Jack commented that his plans and hopes for the committee are to make CCRI better
than it already is.
President Di Pasquale pointed out that his plan is to come occasionally to the meetings
and address issues that he would like the committee to look at. Ruth Barrington will be a
resource person for Jack and the Committee. The books are open!
Charge of the Committee:
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Significant changes within the college community.
Working with a deficit
With a deficit comes a lot of issues and questions.
The Budget & Resource Committee will be asked to look at each department. Possibility
of Divisional Budgets with Division managers. For Example: Lela will come to the committee
and present a budget and she may be asked, "What are you spending money on?" This would
help
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Make us better able to understand how our institution works.
Give us an opportunity to see where we can save money
Help determine ways we can reallocate fund.
The President pointed out that as of Fall, 2006, 3 administrative positions, totaling
approximately $300,000, will be eliminated from the college budget.
We need to look at (in no particular order)
1. Overtime and the use of overtime for all workers
2. Master Schedules
3. Overload
4. Any budget matter that comes to our attention for review and recommendation.
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We need to make every campus stronger. And most importantly, we need a Recruitment
and Retention plan for each campus because our budget is driven by enrollment.
The President told the Committee that they will be receiving a call letter asking them to:
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Examine the budget and deficit spending
Look at the budget process and how it relates to the Strategic Plan and the Mission
Statement.
Recommendations from the Budget & Resource Committee will go to him.
Jack White asked if it would be possible to have a role in the Committee and be kept
abreast of what is going on within the committee. The President assured him that everything that
is brought to the Committee is public information and will be made available. He pointed out
that Jack has the Budget & Audit Report and that Ruth will be a resource for Jack and the
Committee to help with the Budget process. He did point out, however, that the budget for this
year is already done and it is too late to make any changes to it.
What this Committee should be concerned with:
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What are the needs of the institution?
Need a plan (for example…Two programs, Student Success Center and the
Reading Program—great working models, but, there was no long-term business
plan on how to fund them in the future.
Another example: Quonset—this would have been an issue the President would have
brought to the committee—"Is this a good business plan or not—what do you think?"
Main goal will be to prioritize projects that need to be done. Presently:
 It will take $2.5 million to fix the heating and air-conditioning unit in
Flanagan.
 Approximately $100,000 to fix the parking lot in Providence
 To "resign" all of Flanagan--$50,000.
Jack Renza asked the President to explain that as a committee we will be allowed a
budget from which to work, and where, based on the particular project's priority, the committee
will be able to make recommendations whether or not to fund the project.
For example: To resign all of the Flanagan campus, it will take approximately $50,000 –
in the scheme of things—is this a project that should be considered a high priority?
Our question is: How can we finance all we have to do?
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3 top level positions will not be filled.
100 positions are vacant that cannot be filled
Must put our campus back in shape
Everyone must be on the same page
Vice Presidents will come and talk about the budget to the Committee.
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Committee has been officially charged. President Di Pasquale thanked participants for
their willingness to take on the responsibility of making the college stronger in the future.
After a brief lunch Jack addressed the committee members.
He thanked everyone for coming as it was a good opportunity to meet each other.
Over the next few meetings he would like the committee to:
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Look at the Auditor's Report compiled by KPMG.
Examine the current line item budget
Jack feels that the first four meetings or so will be a learning process – the best product of
the college is our students and it is the Committee's goal to do what we have to do to make the
college better.
It is evident that there is a large shortfall on the enrollment side, so it will be important to
make sure that the Public Relations department has the funds they need to get the word out about
the college and what it has to offer.
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85% of budget is contractual salary based
15% is left for other operating expense
As a group, the committee comes from all different areas/departments within the college.
It is important that the committee members think beyond their own departments and look at what
is good for the college community as a whole.
Important that the committee be an open process. A website will be developed so that the
community can see what the committee is doing and the direction that they are going. Important
to rebuild the moral of the college community.
Ways the Committee Might Work:
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Probably work the best for this committee if it breaks into subcommittees
reporting back to the Budget & Resource Committee
Location of meetings will vary, so that meetings will be held on all campuses
making it convenient for everyone and all inclusive.
Possibly have a Budget Initiative Request in a template form whereby
Departments' could request funds. Two important sections of the form might
include:
-- A Justification column
-- An Implication of failure to fund column
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It will be the committee's job to really zero in on what the numbers are and best possible
ways to reallocate funds and make recommendations so that ultimately "at the end of the day",
the students will benefit.
It was mentioned that the budget for this year is a done deal and any recommendations
and numbers we are dealing with are for the Budget for 2008. Of the $80 million budget, 85% is
contractual. It was asked if we know what is the total estimated shortfall. Ruth estimates
somewhere between $2.5 and $5 million—numbers are based on enrollment. It is important to
realize that in order to deal with the low enrollment numbers we have to think about retention –
and the best person to help us with retentions is our current customer—the student. So it all
comes back to how we treat students. Time to reeducate faculty and staff about the importance
of being courteous to our customers—the students. Important to realize the revenue stream is
enrollment driven.
Michael Archetto asked if it would be possible to get a copy of the Little Big Audit,
because many of the items dealt with by that committee might be helpful to this committee, and
would it be possible to establish the Little Big Audit committee into a subcommittee of the
Budge Resource Committee.
Discussed possibility of distributing information to the committee via a Pipeline Group.
Tammy Anderson will explain to Jean Potvin how to set this committee up as a web group.
Jack pointed out that it is very important to share what happens in this committee with
colleagues. Time to turn this community around—pass on some of the enthusiasm members are
bringing to the committee. Ruth Sullivan pointed out, also, that it is very important that the
information discussed at these meeting is brought back to the departments –keeping lines of
communication open.
Trisha Nunes asked if it was permissible to call a department meeting to discuss the
purpose of this new committee and keep members of departments up to date on what the
committee is doing. Jack said that this would be a great idea, and if possible, he would be
willing to attend meetings when his scheduled permitted.
The next meeting of the Budget Resource committee was scheduled for Thursday, May
11th at 12:00 at the Knight campus, in the President's Conference Room.
Meeting was adjourned at 1:15 p.m.