Robert Frank, vice president for academic affairs and provost, did not address the preliminary budget for the Kent campus in front of the Faculty Senate yesterday at its meeting.

This campus’ budget for the fiscal year 2010, which was presented at the Faculty Senate Budget Advisory Committee last Wednesday, anticipates $2.6 million less for educational and general expenditures compared to the current year.

Kent Campus plans to generate and spend about $281 million.

Faculty Senate Chairman Tom Janson said he expected the provost to mention the preliminary budget during his remarks. He said faculty might not have asked questions to the provost regarding the preliminary budget because they may be waiting to see the final budget in July.

In an interview following the meeting, Frank said the university has experienced cutbacks of $7.5 million. He said $2 million was taken from the line of appropriations and only affected a few programs. $5.5 million will be cut following an 18-month implementation timeline.

“We’ve given colleges a long time, the best way they can improve their budget picture is using a smart RCM (Responsibility Center Management) approach; other things are (to) improve our retention and our admission numbers,” Frank said.

“The impact of all of this can be deluded substantially by good performance on all of those measures.”

Janson said during yesterday’s President’s Advisory Council no dollar amounts were discussed, “only the philosophy that we have to wait until the legislature decides.”

Other items discussed

During his address at the Faculty Senate meeting, Frank emphasized the importance of the establishment of the College of Public Health. He said the two search committees for faculty members and dean are already in place.

“We are committed to creating a College of Public Health. There is no room for failure,” he said.

Throughout the meeting, the members of the Senate elected the executive committee members for the 2009-2010 academic year. The following are the elected officers:

&bull Chairman Tom Janson (re-elected)

&bull Vice-Chair Paul Farrell (re-elected)

&bull Secretary Erica Lilly

&bull At-Large Linda Williams

Contact academics reporter Regina Garcia Cano at [email protected].