Discussion at a heavily attended meeting to gain input on the new ISU budget model focused on ISU department heads’ concerns that they should be able to hold on to funds not spent at year’s end.

The Budget Model Development Committee, charged by ISU President Gregory Geoffroy to come up with a new budget model for Iowa State, held an open forum Tuesday for faculty input.

Mark Chidister, assistant to the president for budget planning and analysis, led the forum.

“We have been charged by President Geoffroy to find a new budget model to address problems with the current model, we have been given a mandate to change the way we budget because of the dissatisfaction with the current model,” he said.

Chidister explained the new model must meet a few underlying criteria to be successful: flexibility, responsiveness and predictability.

One of the concerns voiced by attendees of the forum was the necessity to attain the ability to carry over funds from year to year.

“No new model is really going to help us unless we are given the authority to carry over funds,” said Olivia Madison, dean of Parks Library.

“We have been charged by the Legislature to make the best possible use of scarce funds. With the current system, we are forced to spend nearly everything we get every year. This system does not allow us to make the best decisions about budgeting.”

A concern addressed was the possibility of grade inflation to retain students when funding is performance-based.

“The University of Southern California had the problem of grade inflation to keep students in their programs to secure funding,” Chidister said.

“We face these issues to some extent now. … We need involved faculty that are aware of these temptations and work to stem them.”

Other concerns revolved around the funding for student services departments such as the library and the Student Services Center.

“How is the amount of money we get for services that serve all students going to be determined?” asked Sharon McGuire, dean of students.

The estimation of the cost of student services, the establishment of a central fund for these services or assigning specific fees to students may be ways to solve the problem, Chidister said.

“There are no targets for intention reduction of funding or expansion with this new budget,” he said.

The new budget model is planned to be created and tested by July 1, 2006, with the implementation process designed by July 1, 2007.