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February 17, 2000

Trustees expected to outline 5-year institutional goals

Pitt trustees soon will unveil institutional goals for the next five years.

At its Feb. 24 meeting, the Board of Trustees plans to publicly release and discuss a report, "The University of Pittsburgh, 2000-2005," which spells out areas for emphasis and improvement here.

It's a follow-up to a set of goals that trustees announced in February 1996. Those goals included improving undergraduate education, better defining the role of the chancellor, improving administrative efficiency, securing an adequate financial base, maintaining excellence in research and increasing Pitt's economic role in the region.

Pitt trustees and administrators won't release the report prior to next week's meeting, said board secretary Robert E. Dunkelman.

Nonetheless, the new goals — and the lack of faculty, staff and student input in setting them — were discussed at the Feb. 11 meeting of the University Senate budget policies committee (BPC).

BPC chairperson Phil Wion, an English department professor who serves as a non-voting faculty representative on the trustees' budget committee, said he learned of the goals when he received an advance copy of the board meeting agenda.

Wion complained that trustees bypassed the elaborate University Planning and Budgeting System, through which administrators work with employee and student representatives in drafting Pitt's annual operating and capital budgets, as well as long-range plans.

Arthur G. Ramicone, vice chancellor for Budget and Controller, said he was pledged not to discuss the new goals but told BPC, "I don't think you'll find any surprises." Ramicone said the goals are consistent with the University's mission, and reflect priorities set by the University Planning and Budgeting Committee, which includes administrators, faculty, staff and students.

Ramicone said trustees consulted with him and other administrators, and had "considerable interactions" with deans in setting the goals.

"But there was no direct participation by the faculty," noted physics professor Richard Pratt.

"Why should there be?" asked education professor Sean Hughes, sarcastically.

"Well," Pratt said, "these are goals of the University."

"Do the workers at Heinz contribute to Heinz's goals?" Hughes asked — apparently referring to Pitt Board of Trustees chairperson J. Wray Connolly, retired Heinz senior vice president.

— Bruce Steele


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