University Times

The University Senate’s budget policies committee plans to review at its May 29 meeting an expanded report on planning and budgeting committees in responsibility centers throughout the University.

The annual report, prepared by Pitt’s budget office at BPC’s request, included new questions seeking information on whether each area is in compliance with Pitt’s salary policy and whether faculty and staff are informed about the process for appealing pay raise decisions. (See Sept. 11 University Times.)

The University’s planning and budgeting document (www.pitt.edu/~jdl1/PBSdoc.htm) requires each senior vice chancellor area and each academic responsibility center to have a planning and budgeting committee or equivalent to ensure faculty, staff and students are included in developing the unit’s proposed plans, budgets and contingency plans.

Business and administrative units may choose to have planning and budgeting committees, but are not required to do so.

Among BPC’s responsibilities is reviewing whether Pitt’s planning and budgeting system processes are followed. BPC also is required (in conjunction with the University administration and Staff Association Council) to monitor implementation of the salary policy and report on it each year to the University Senate and SAC.

In other business:

• Vice Chancellor for Budget and Controller Arthur Ramicone, in a closed portion of the May 8 meeting, outlined the University planning and budgeting committee’s fiscal year 2010 operating budget recommendation to the chancellor. According to BPC chair Richard Pratt, BPC has agreed to send a letter to the chancellor regarding the budget.

Pratt declined to comment on the contents of the letter. Traditionally, BPC recommends a salary pool increase and how it should be broken down in its letter to the chancellor. However, the University already has announced there will be no salary pool increase this year.

• As part of BPC’s plan to invite a University administrator to address the committee at each of its meetings, Executive Vice Chancellor and general counsel Jerome Cochran outlined his responsibilities, which include overseeing the areas under Pitt’s associate vice chancellors for Human Resources, Business and Facilities as well as areas including the University police, Environmental Health and Safety and research integrity.

Cochran said he, along with the provost, is responsible for approving business deals for licensing, patenting and spinoff companies based on University intellectual property.

• In response to medical school salary concerns reported by University Senate President John Baker (see related story, this issue), the committee is considering possible courses of action, which may include meeting with the School of Medicine’s planning and budgeting committee or requesting that additional information be provided by the administration in future reports on continuing faculty salaries.

• University Treasurer Amy Marsh, originally on the agenda to address BPC at its May 29 meeting, now is scheduled for the committee’s June 19 meeting.

• Voting concludes May 15 for seats on the 15 University Senate standing committees. Pratt asked BPC’s co-secretaries to compile a proposed slate of BPC officers for the coming year to present at the committee’s next meeting.

• BPC’s next meeting is set for noon-2 p.m. May 29 in 501 CL.

—Kimberly K. Barlow