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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON THE UNIVERSITY BUDGET 

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REPORT TO SENATE 

NOVEMBER, 1986 

(I)

The Committee 

The Senate Committee on the University Budget (SCUB) is 

a Standing Committee of the Senate of Simon Fraser 

University. 

The membership, as laid down by Senate in its meeting 

of December 1st, 1980, consists of those members of Senate 

elected by and from the Senate to the Senate Committee on 

• Academic Planning and the Director of Analytical Studies as 

(non-voting Secretary. The Chair of is elected by and from 

the voting members of the Committee. The present chair is 

Simon Verdun-Jones (Faculty member of Senate). The other 

members are (as of November, 1986)): Faculty Senators W. 

Cleveland, J.M. D'Auria, D. Goodman, and K. Rieckhoff; Lay 

Members of Senate B. Holweg and V. Nielsen; Student Senators 

P. Hancock, S. Custodhino, C. Seran; and Secretary W. 

• Wattarnaniuk. The Vice-President, Finance, E. Scott, attends 

the meetings as a resource person on a regular basis. Other 

Vice-Presidents and the President attend at the discretion 

of the latter. 

The proceedings of the Committee, information received 

by it from the administration, and the specifics of the 

advice given by the Committee are confidential. Only the 

activity reports that the Committee makes to Senate are not 

subject to this rule of confidentiality. 

(II) Activity Report 

This report covers the period from November 1st, 1985 

to October 31st, 1986. Within this period, SCUB met in 

committee seven times. Dr. Saywell was present on two 

occasions. 

A major accomplishment of SCUB, during the reporting 

period, was the achievement of agreement upon revised terms 

of reference for the Committee. The Committee believes that 

these revised terms have furnished it with a more clearly 

defined role in the University's budgetary processes. The 

Committee will continue to respond to the President's 

request for specific studies, analyses or advice. However, 

the Committee may also, on its own initiative, "inform and 

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advise the President on the financial implications of Senate 

Approved academic program additions or those involving 

substantial change". Furthermore,the Committee will bear the 

responsibility of considering, once a year, the "financial 

implications of approved new programs or those involving 

substantial change" prior to the assignment of 

implementation priorities by the Senate Committee on 

Academic Planning". The intention is that SCAP will be fully 

informed of the budgetary implications of introducing 

specific, new programs at the precise time when it is 

setting priorities for the implementation of such programs. 

In an era of scarce resources, the provision of such 

information by SCtJB should prove to be of inestimable value 

to SCAP and should greatly assist in the rationalization of 

the academic planning process. 

At each meeting, SCUB has been briefed by Dr. Scott on 

the budget situation at SFU and on expectations regarding 

provincial funding and overall allocations, once funding 

figures were ascertained. On two occasions, SCUB met with 

Dr. Saywell and offered advice on budgetary matters 

regarding the University's operating budget and the request 

for funds of excellence. 

The members of SCUB wish to express their deep concern 

in relation to the increasing tendency of the Provincial 

Government to "earmark" funding for specific University 

programs. The Committee is well aware that the allocation of 

the "funds for excellence" has the potential to inflict 

deleterious and diversionary effects upon the funding for 

so-called "core" programs. Many of the new programs, that 

will be supported initiall 

y

by specially earmarked funds, 

will involve the appointment of new faculty members and the 

commitment of a variety of scarce resources (such as space). 

Once the relatively brief period of special funding has been 

concluded, these programs will require funding from the base 

budget of the University and will, therefore, compete 

directly with "core" programs. This problem is further 

compounded by the fact that, in recent years, the real value 

of the base budget has been in a state of continuous 

decline. The major concern of the Committee centers on the 

extent to which these developments have removed the 

University's ability to plan its future according to its own 

set of priorities and the extent to which funding for "core" 

disciplines may be diverted to programs that have been 

identified as priorities by external agencies. SCUB 

understands that the University cannot realistically decline 

to "play according to the rules", established by the 

Government. Nevertheless, the Committee believes that the 

increasing use of "earmarked" funding will, over time. 

constitute a major threat to the integrity of the 

University's planning processes and to the University's 

ability to maintain its "core" programs. 

Apart from new proposals that SCUB will review, as part 

of its mandate as provided for in the new terms of 

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reference, Dr. saywell explored with SCUB the possibility of 

the Committee carrying out a study on Financial Aid at SFU 

when the recent policy changes had passed Senate. The 

fundamental questions SCUB will be called on to address are 

the following: 

(1)

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Is the mix of financial aid programs and monies 

appropriate? 

(ii) Is the total amount of Student Aid money, as 

allocated from the operating budget, appropriate for. SFU? 

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S.N. Verdun-Jcthes 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON UNIVERSITY BUDGET 

Designated as 

a

confidential Committee advisory to the President. The 

membership of the Senate Committee On University Budget is comprised of 

faculty, lay, and student Members of Senate elected to the Senate Committee on 

Academic Planning. 

Terms of. Reference 

1.

To maintain an overview and familiarity with the operating and capital 

funds of the University, with the current financial environment, and with 

financial opportunities and constraints impacting the University. 

2.

To propose to the President, for consideration, studies or analyses of 

particular activities or budgetary issues related to revenues and/or 

expenditures where the committee believes its particular expertise may be 

advar.tageous!y applied. 

3.

To receive for consideration,- from the President, requests for study, 

analysis, and advice on designated issues related to the operating and 

capital budgets of the University. 

4.

To inform and advise the President 

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on the financial 

implications of Senate approved academic program additions or those 

involving substantial change. 

5.

To consider, on an annual basis, the financial implications of approved new 

prograus or 

those 

involving substantial change prior to the assignment of 

imptomentation priorities by the Senate Committee on Academic Planning. 

The Committee will have provided to it confidential and non-confidential? 

budgetary and related documentation as required to assist in the conduct of the 

Committee's work. 

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December 2, 1985 

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Revised March 21, 1986 

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