Priorities and Budget Committee

Responsibilities

The PBC will be charged with the following responsibilities:

• reviewing the annual operating budget of the College
• with the Provost, designing, reviewing, and revising the priorities statement for Academic and Educational Programs
• reviewing and making recommendations on the Strategic Plan for Academic and Educational Programs
• making recommendations to the President and the Provost on resource allocation affecting all educational programs, including departmental budgets, library and information technology, Academic and Cultural Enrichment, financial aid, student life, and fundraising
• reviewing all recommendations regarding faculty position requests from APC based upon budget and priority concerns
• annually nominating a slate of faculty for election to Faculty committees and as representatives to the Board of Trustees
• periodically reviewing and revising the Faculty Handbook and forwarding recommendations to the Committee of the Whole
• formulating, in collaboration with appropriate administrative officers, the faculty compensation plan and reporting to the Committee of the Whole
• monitoring student recruitment, retention, attrition, and other related issues
• receiving reports from the Provost regarding workloads and visiting positions
• calling special meetings of their Division to discuss important issues when necessary

The Provost will report salary (excluding overloads, independent studies, etc.) ranges and medians by rank and gender to the Priorities and Budget Committee no later than October 1st of each academic year.

The PBC will consult, as needed with the Faculty Personnel Committee, the Academic Policy Committee, and the Department Chairs Council on issues affecting academic priorities and faculty work and compensation. The PBC shall have the right to request information that it deems necessary to fulfill the preceding responsibilities.
The PBC will report to the Committee of the Whole at least once a semester and may place items for discussion or action on the COW agenda.

Membership Criteria

The Priorities and Budget Committee (PBC) consists of seven members of the full–time faculty: one tenured member from each of the five Divisions and two additional members (without tenure requirement) chosen at–large. The PBC will elect its own chair.

The Committee of the Whole elects members to the Priorities and Budget Committee at the last regularly scheduled meeting of the academic year. The elections are staggered to prevent more than three persons from beginning their committee service in the same year. The term of service of tenured members representing Divisions shall be three years, with the possibility of re–election for a second term. At–large members serve two–year terms with possibility of re–election.

Faculty members elected to the PBC as Divisional Representatives will communicate information and act as liaisons to the faculty in their division and when necessary, serve as conveners/agenda setters for their respective divisional meetings of the five Divisions.