Three task forces have been assigned by Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Ben Allen to determine options to use Iowa State’s money more efficiently.

The task forces are charged with developing criteria for the university to make recommendations to the university on budget issues.

Because the task force will not deal with specific dollar amounts, the recently-announced $5.8 million state budget cut to universities will not directly affect the force’s work.

“We need to work to advance excellence on all fronts, but the budget situation requires focusing, and it’s important for all members — faculty, staff, deans and department leaders — to decide where to focus our resources and our energies, particularly in times of budget constraints,” said ISU President Gregory Geoffroy in his Sept. 29 convocation address.

One of the task forces has been assigned to study alternative tuition structures such as differential tuition and per-credit tuition.

Examples of alternative tuition structures would include charging less tuition to students who use fewer resources or who will make less money after graduation, such as charging an English student less than a chemical engineering student. Another idea is to charge upperclassmen more tuition than underclassmen, with the idea older students have smaller classes and more individualized attention.

Charles Glatz, professor and chair of chemical engineering, has been named as the facilitator for the alternative tuition structure task force. The report for this task force is due Dec. 15.

Howard Shapiro, vice provost for undergraduate programs and professor of mechanical engineering, has been named facilitator for the task force reviewing interdisciplinary programs and low-enrollment courses.

Information from the Registrar’s Office about the number of people enrolled in programs will be used in aiding the task force in increasing course efficiency with limited resources, he said.

The report for the interdisciplinary programs and low-enrollment courses task force is due Feb. 1, 2004.

Diane Birt, professor and chair of food science and human nutrition, was named as facilitator of the task force addressing institutes and centers.

Some of the strengths of this university lie with the research environment of institutes and centers, Birt said.

Institutes are to be formed when they are needed and dissolved when the needs have been met, not long-standing, but the institute has found it easier to form an institute rather than close it, Birt said.

The task force will work on defining criteria for forming institutes.

Birt said she wants to make sure the university offers an “environment that continues to be hospitable to center and institutes.”

The institutes and centers task force report is due March 1, 2004.