Minutes of Graduate Council

March 23, 2005
3:30 p.m.
Cashion, Room 303

Larry Lyon, Presiding

Members present at Waco campus:
Stacy Atchley; Bill Bellinger; Tom Bratcher; Susan Bratton (for Van Walsum); Gary Brooks; Gary Carini; Betty Conaway; Derek Davis; Lianne Fridriksson; David Garrett; Baudelio Garza; Mike Greenwood; Susan Johnsen (for Watts); Chris Kearney; Carlos Manzanares; Peter Maurer (for Speegle); Carson Mencken; David Music; Mary Nichols (for Allman); Robert Ray; Stuart Rosenbaum; David Schlueter; Ron Stanke; Ken Wilkins

Council members not present or represented:
Jane Baldwin; Marion Castleberry; Robert Cloud; Jaime Diaz-Granados; Baudelio Garza; Steve Green; Ken Hafertepe; Deborah Johnston; Robert Marks; Dennis Myers; Ken Park; Jonathan Trower; Patricia Wallace

Others present at Waco campus:
Diane Brittain; Conner Krey; Reagan Ramsower; Laine Scales; Sherry Sims; Chip Tate

Dallas Location:
Pauline Johnson

Dr. Larry Lyon gave the invocation.

Dr. Lyon explained that the stipend enhancement awards would be handled differently this year. Instead of the Graduate School processing a budget change request to transfer the funds to the academic department, Mrs. Diane Brittain will do a stipend authorization for each student who is eligible to receive the funds. This stipend will be a non-service/fellowship award and will come from account code 9982.

Dr. Reagan Ramsower, Acting Vice President for Finance and Administration, made a presentation to the Council regarding the financial state of affairs of the University. He said that Baylor is still operating on a very tight budget and has been since spring 2003. The University asked the departments to cut back and because they were very efficient in doing this, the University does have a small surplus. So departments can now spend from the capital budget and will not have to defer this spending. The 2005/2006 year is predicted to be the tightest year so far. Ramsower stated that he would present a balance budget this year and the next year. Currently our number of deposits from new students is ahead of this time last year. The University definitely worked on recruiting in Texas for the coming year. The hope is that, of course, we will exceed our net tuition revenue projection for next year.

In response to a question from Dr. Bill Bellinger, Ramsower indicated that when faculty searches are reviewed, he hopes to authorize hiring new faculty. We will have a better idea of what the status of faculty searches will be when we see what the fall 2005 enrollment is. The hope is that revenue will increase and the searches will be re-instated.

Dr. Dave Schlueter asked how the hourly rate for tuition for graduate students is calculated. Ramsower said that it is calculated from the flat-rate and that graduate education is expensive. The long-term answer is for grants, external funds, and endowments to increase. Baylor is 80% tuition driven.

Dr. Susan Bratton asked if more help would be available for those departments who are increasing their grant and external funding. Ramsower said that the University will try to reward those departments who do produce additional funds.

Dr. Lyon showed a PowerPoint presentation regarding "Hard Questions about Graduate Education at Baylor" which he will be presenting to the Regents at their next meeting. He asked the Graduate Council members to send him comments on the presentation via e-mail.

Dr. Ken Wilkins gave a brief report about the travel awards that are given to graduate students and reported that this year the total of the awards will be at an all time high. Dr. Wilkins will send the graduate program directors information via email that shows the figures about the travel awards.

Mr. Chip Tate reported that currently the number of applications is up from this time last year. Mr. Tate indicated that he is ready to help the directors and their department in any way that he can in their recruiting efforts.

The meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.