Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1986 [PAGE 339]

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328

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Quly 18

BUSINESS PRESENTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY President Ikenberry recognized and introduced observers from the campus senates and from the University Senates Conference.1 He introduced Dr. Linda Wilson, associate vice chancellor for research and associate dean in the Graduate College, Urbana-Champaign campus, who was present, and expressed the University's appreciation for her services in recent years. She had accepted the position of vice president for research at the University of Michigan. The president reviewed in detail the recent legislative session, an extraordinary one in the support received from the governor, legislative leaders, and, in particular, such legislators as Senator Stanley Weaver, and Representatives Helen Satterthwaite, Timothy Johnson, Carol Moseley Braun, and other Chicago legislators. His report follows: Highlights of the Fiscal Year 1986 Operating and Capital Budget Appropriations

The University received a total of $42.9 million in incremental operating funds for FY 1986 in legislation which Governor Thompson is expected to sign. That represents an increase of 9.22 percent over the FY 1985 Statefunded operating budget. The $42.9 million represents the second largest annual increment the University has received in nearly two decades, since the end of biennial budgeting in 1969. The FY 1986 increment is topped only by the $44.4 million received in FY 1984, following the tax increase action of the General Assembly in response to the "doomsday" budget. The increment of $42.9 million is 82 percent of the amount sought by the University's Board of Trustees in September 1984 and represents the largest share of the board's original request which the University has received in two decades. With the FY 1986 increment, the University received funds to provide salary increases for faculty and staff which should average 8 percent for each employee group (computed on 95 percent of the Personal Services base). Increases of this magnitude should enable the University to continue to close the gap between average faculty salaries and the third-place benchmark within the Big Ten, and should also help to make academic and nonacademic staff salaries more competitive. Cost-increase funds of 4 percent are available for most goods and services, nearly matching inflation projections for the first time in many years. Increases of 5.7 percent for utilities and 7 percent for library acquisitions were also provided. The University's FY 1986 increment provides a better balance among new or expanded programs than at any time in the recent past. During much of the 1970's the majority of new program funds were devoted to the health professions. More recently, scientific and technological advances, and economic development initiatives have received heaviest attention. While those two themes were again prominent for FY 1986, a much broader attack on some of the University's most pressing program needs will be possible, with in1 University Senates Conference: Kenneth E. Andersen, professor of speech communication and associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Urbana-Champaign campus; Urbana-Champaign Senate Council: Paul M. Weichsel, professor of mathematics; Chicago campus Senate: Stanley K. Shapiro, professor and head of the Department of Biological Sciences, University Center.