Every year, ISU President Gregory Geoffroy develops the budget for the next academic year, with the input of the three vice presidents and other administrators.

This year, Geoffroy has formed a new President’s Advisory Committee on Budget Priorities and Planning. This group, previously consisting of administration and deans, now consists of ten faculty and student representatives to help guide budget decisions for the 2004-05 academic year.

Geoffroy wanted to be able to broaden the input for the budgeting process, said Mark Chidister, assistant to the president for budget planning and analysis.

“Faculty have a deep vested interest in the institution,” Chidister said. “They always need to have a strong voice in any kind of planning activity which goes on within the university.”

The committee will primarily discuss broader aspects of the 2004-05 academic year budget to mentor development and shape the budget, Chidister said. Some issues they will face relating to next year’s budget include how to fund mandatory cost increases and work through the ramifications of the state’s funding to the university.

“The committee will be guiding and serving as a sounding board for the president,” Chidister said.

During the election process for the committee, nominees were selected by ISU deans and the ISU Faculty Senate.

Two aspects that played a major role in electing the right faculty for the job included the faculty member’s territory and experience and their possible contributions to the committee, Chidister said.

Patricia Thiel, distinguished professor of chemistry, was one of the faculty elected. She said the opportunity for faculty input is both an important and gracious development.

“It’s really a wonderful gesture on President Geoffroy’s part to include representatives of various groups on campus at such a high level of discussion,” Thiel said.

One of those groups includes the Government of Student Body, with the election of GSB President Mike Banasiak to the committee.

Banasiak said it is very important for all aspects of the university to have input in the budgeting process of the university.

“Students should and need to have a say in where their money goes,” Banasiak said.

Along with Banasiak, Thiel and Chidister, the committee includes Faculty Senate President Jack Girton, Faculty Senate President Elect Sanjeev Agarwal, the Professional and Scientific Council President Kevin Kane and additional student representation from the Graduate and Professional Student Senate President Dee Egdorf.

The remaining four positions on the committee are filled with two other distinguished professors, a university professor and an associate professor.

The committee will meet on a monthly basis to discuss new developments regarding the situation of the 2004-05 academic year and issues on which Geoffroy is looking for feedback.