MSU FACULTY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
                          February 28, 2001
                                   
PRESENT:  Young, D. Weaver for Morrill, Sherwood, McDermott, Kommers,
          Peed, Leech, Benham, Howard, Stewart, Larsen, Jost, Harkin,
          Nehrir, Mooney, T. Weaver, McClure, Locke, Lansverk, Levy,
          Bogar, Bond, Jelinski, Francis, McKinsey, Lynch,
          Butterfield, Griffith.

ABSENT:   Hatfield, White, Anderson, Linker, Lefcort, Fisher,
          Prawdzienski, Scott, Carlstrom.

The meeting was called to order by Chair Ron Larsen at 4:10 PM.  A
quorum was present.

Chair's report - Ron Larsen.
     - To save time, the Chair distributed a written Chair's report
     (attached for members absent).

Discussion with President Gamble.
     - In response to the written Chair's report and other questions,
     President Gamble stated that:
          - His principles for MSU include:  building a plan to do
          what we want to do, not spending money we don't have, and
          not expecting miracles where funding is concerned.
          - The plan for the University should include goals, a time
          frame and a budget for meeting them, and assessment.
          - Regarding incentives that might be considered (from
          Chair's report), some of them make sense and some would be
          difficult to reach.
          - The University has important assets which must be
          maintained, including the physical plant and personnel.
          - An immediate goal is to increase the credibility of the
          institution.
     - The President and Assistant Vice President Roloff outlined the
     proposed Annual Planning and Budgeting Cycle
     (http://www.montana.edu/president/ - "Annual Planning and Budget
     Cycle" at bottom right of page).
          - Although many planning documents have been developed for
          MSU, they do not appear to be linked, so there is a
          perception of a failed planning process.
          - The new process will link all areas of university planning
          and link it to budgeting.  Planning will include assessment.
          It will stay active throughout the year.
          - The planning process will be open and will occur from
          "bottom up".
          - Although the change to this kind of planning may be
          somewhat noisy in the beginning, the process will mature
          over time and give everyone a stake in the process and
          outcomes.  Everyone involved in the planning process will be
          responsible for decisions made.
          - The planning process will have four stages: planning,
          developing strategies with budget and assessment issues
          included, budgeting, and assessment.  The cycle will be
          continuous, beginning and ending with assessment.
          - Existing campus-wide committees appear to fit well into
          the proposed process.
          - The Long Range Planning Committee will maintain an
          up-to-date Long Range Plan and consider institutional
          priorities.  There is not time to review the LRP for FY02,
          but the committee will begin the process for FY03.  The LRPC
          is to refine the LRP, make it more focused, holding campus
          forums for input during the process.
          - Priorities from the LRPC will go to the Strategic Planning
          and Budgeting Committee, which will develop very specific
          strategic plans for the priorities, including time lines,
          budget information, and assessment measures.  There may be a
          number of strategic initiative action plan teams working on
          various strategic plans at any given time.
          - A new University Planning, Budget and Analysis Committee
          (UPBAC) will consider all budget proposals based on
          agreed-upon principles.  It will be responsible for creating
          a balanced budget (revenue/expenditures and across the
          university).  Members of the committee will keep the welfare
          of the entire university in mind.
          - The final stage, and beginning stage of the next cycle,
          will be assessment at three levels:
               - Public accountability - how well does MSU fulfill
               it's public role?
               - Internally, with a broad brush - fiscal health,
               balance.
               - Specific budget proposals.
          - This year, there is a 90-day window to create a balanced
          budget, so the work of the committees will be intense.
               - Because of the short time frame, the planning, budget
               and analysis committee will have to jump into the
               middle of the cycle, using the information that is
               currently available.
               - The first step of the planning, budget and analysis
               committee will be to agree upon a set of principles,
               values and priorities to guide the process.  Historical
               data will be considered, and all units will develop
               budgets based on various budget scenarios.
          - The budget process will proceed with integrity and
          accountability.  It will be done openly with input from the
          bottom-up.  Communication will be an important part of the
          process.

As there was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:10 PM.


Joann Amend, Secretary         Ron Larsen, Chair