Marieís Updates

• New 2001-02 budget forms for request for New Activities and Reductions are being sent out to department budget authorities this week.   Marie has emphasized to college budget authorities that the college would be starting with a balanced budget and will only look at critical items to add to the budget.  
• The Budget Committee Orientation will be January 10, 4:30.  BAG members are invited to attend.

It is important for the Budget Committee to learn the function of the Budget Advisory Group.

> Marie will send her notes from the December Board work session to BAG.

• The Board has requested that a specific level of contingency be a percentage of the budget.  At the Budget Orientation, Marie will talk about contingency and reserve funds, and making a distinction between the two.  
Contingency = unforeseen or non-specified events, or an opportunity to allow more revenues to come in.
(Examples of contingency are:  salary provision, capital outlay, salary adjustments. Strategic projects  or administrative contingency.)
Reserves = are for specific projects or expenditures. (Ex. Administrative software/hardware system)
• Marie recommends starting a reserve fund with unrestricted non-recurring carryover with a target of 2% for planned, prioritized non-recurring expenditures.  She wants an internal process for developing a list of priorities for such reserve funds.

> Contingency and Reserves can be a topic for discussion with the Budget Leaders on January 22.

BAGís Tasks for the Winter term

• Discuss the positive and negatives about the current budget process.

> (Marie to send BAG a Budget Process Flow Chart developed by the Budget Analyst.)
• BAG reps may wish to communicate with their constituents about how the current process works and gather the many points of view.
• BAG to work on a budget process between now and the end of May, so the Budget Office will know how to proceed next year.
• Talk with Budget Leaders about this group can work with Budget Leaders to figure out budget communication processóa more systematic means of getting information.
• Get information to the Daily regarding BAG and BAGís purpose with invitation to contact  BAG rep with questions and comments
• Have focus groups--enlist Craig Taylorís help to put these together.

• Assumption may be that with three different vice presidents, there will be 3 different interests and perspectives on the budget. Concerns about college staff seeing a more holistic budget picture.
• How ìreallyî concerned are staff about the budget?
• Need a better feedback loop for communications on the budget criteria, process and results.
• (Departments are asked to make recommendations but no apparent feedback as to why.)
• There needs to be more ìbasicî budget information (with groups like BAG to educate staff)
• Is there a means to encapsulate and inform the rest of staff what happens in managers and Budget Leader meetings?
• How do we make clear how a departmentís specific requests fit criteria or not and why (feedback)? And Description of what exact criteria was applied by Budget Leaders is needed and ensure departments know.
• Could Budget Leaders discuss with individual units why their reduction was accepted(or not accepted) and how the college will benefit by their decisions?

Assignments:

Marie:  send notes from the December Board work session to BAG.
Contingency/Reserves:  a topic for discussion with the Budget Leaders on January 22.
Marie/Terry:  Send BAG a Budget Process Flow Chart developed by the Budget Analyst.
Helen:   facilitate meetings in February.
BAG:  Discuss possibility of bringing BAG memberís department/groups perspective on the budget process.
Terry:  Request Agenda items for January 22, meeting with the Budget Leaders.
Terry:  Find  meeting times/room for Winter & Spring terms.

NEXT MEETING:  Monday,  January 22, 4:30-6:30, Board Room (Dinner meeting with Budget Leaders)