Justin Muszynski
Even though they are supposed to be advising the Faculty Senate on budget matters the merits of the University Planning and Budget Committee’s suggestions have recently been been questioned by some.
Guy Crundwell, professor of chemistry, has gone on record to say the issue of transparency in the athletics department was an unpopular subject in the UPBC. But when the Senate heard of the matter they were interested enough to invite Crundwell, Paul Schlickmann, the Athletics Director and another member of the UPBC to a future meeting to give a more in depth presentation.
However, Margaret Leake of the Learning Center and also a member of the UPBC, says the Senate’s interest is due to the lack of information they had. She explains that the UPBC had already had several meetings in which they heard all the facts and after being educated on the subject only passed one of the motions that had been proposed by Crundwell.
“We had heard Guy’s point of view and also from Paul Schlickmann,” said Leake. “So we had more knowledge perhaps than the Faculty Senate. I don’t think it’s fair to say that the Faculty Senate was more interested than the UPBC was.”
Candace Barrington, President of the Faculty Senate, offers an additional explanation. While she insists she can’t speak for the UPBC, she says the proposals may have been singling out the athletics department.
“I kind of got the sense that they felt he was targeting them,” said Barrington. “Unless there’s a sense that there have been misused funds then why target one program. I would have preferred something coming out of the UPBC that was looking at information university wide and not targeting one department.”
Another issue that some have had with the UPBC is the right of all members to vote. In the Senate administrators are present for information purposes, but they are not allowed to vote. Yet Kristine Larsen, of the UPBC and professor of physics and astronomy, likes the idea that all members have voting privileges.
“Budget is something that affects everyone and everyone should have a voice,” said Larsen. “As long as we keep thinking it’s us versus them we’re not going to succeed. I think the UPBC as much as possible works by consensus.”
Although Barrington says the Senate is in the process of making all committees “uniformed,” which would essentially deny non-faculty members of any committee the right to vote.
Leake says too much has been made of the concern that members are swayed by the presence of administrators. Despite previous claims, she says State University Organization of Administrative Faculty members do have “academic freedom” written into their contract.
“I’ve disagreed with the Provost in meetings before,” said Leake who is a SUOAF member. “I can only speak for myself but I tend to speak my mind when it needs to be spoken. It’s not because management is there that I would ever hold my tongue.”