UpDate - Vol. 13, No. 20, Page 1
February 17, 1994
President tells legislators U.D. a 'solid investment'
University of Delaware President David P. Roselle Feb. 15 urged
members of the General Assembly's Joint Finance Committee to endorse what
he called the governor's "reasoned and enlightened budget recommendation in
the University's behalf," and he outlined some additional opportunities for
support should funding become available.
While the governor's recommendation did not propose support for all
the University had requested, Roselle said, it signals that the executive
staff takes seriously the University's position that funds for higher
education be distributed equitably among the state's three publicly
assisted institutions.
The University is "an extraordinarily solid investment," Roselle said,
the result of an "exemplary planning and management process designed to
establish a strategic direction that would position the University of
Delaware well into the 21st century as a regional and national leader.
"We can truthfully represent to the citizens of Delaware," Roselle
told the legislators, "that the University of Delaware is an exceptionally
well-managed institution" with a clear sense of mission and an effective
planning process to realize its goals.
"We believe that the University possesses all of the traits and
characteristics of an investment-worthy enterprise," Roselle said.
Four strategic objectives were set in late 1990 to serve as the
cornerstone of the University's planning initiatives, Roselle said, and
"substantial progress" has been made in each area. The objectives and
progress include:
* Provide competitive compensation for all employees
Faculty, professional and staff total compensation levels are above
the median at the 23 doctoral universities in the mid-Atlantic
region, meaning the University has moved from "catch up" to "keep
up" with respect to compensation.
* Establish additional scholarship support
Total University and private dollars for undergraduate financial
aid have increased by 95 percent from F.Y. 1990 to F.Y. 1994.
* Improve the campus living and learning environment
The University has refurbished 95 percent of the central classrooms
over the last five years, as well as making much-needed
improvements to Mitchell Hall, Robinson Hall, Delaware Stadium, t
he Student Health Service, Rodney Dining Hall, Elliott Hall and
the Visitors Center, to name a few. As a result of the
University's aggressive pursuit of external funds, a portion of
Brown Laboratory will be renovated, assisted by a highly
competitive $2 million grant from the National Science
Foundation.
* Make the University more student-centered
The Student Services Building, opened in 1992, provides students
with a one-stop, friendly environment to register for classes,
pay bills, obtain transcripts and take advantage of other
services. Modern facilities for student advising have been
created; the new Harrington Commons provides for both the
instructional and recreational needs of the student body; and
construction of a new student center will commence in 1994.
All this was accomplished in a time of national and regional
recession, Roselle said, when the University was forced to seek new revenue
sources while maximizing the economy and efficiency of its operations. The
University's budgetary strategies involved:
* Increase the amount of private support
Annual gift income is up by 60 percent since F.Y. 1990, with an
additional record year projected for F.Y. 1994.
* Increase contract and grant activity to support research and
service
Current estimates for externally sponsored contract and grant
activity forecast a 60 percent growth in that revenue stream over
F.Y. 1990.
* Reduce the number of personnel
Over the past three years, the number of full-time personnel
supported by University funds has been reduced by nearly 17
percent, but faculty positions have been held constant and the
number of course sections has increased.
* Reduce support for selected programs not deemed essential to the
academic mission
"Across-the-board" reductions were avoided, with cuts made in
programs and services not critical to the instruction of
students. Great care was exercised to ensure that the academic
core of the University was protected. Only 20 percent of the
budget reductions came from academic budgets.
* Privatize appropriate services
Functions were identified that can be done more effectively and
efficiently by outside vendors, including food and vending
services, personal computer maintenance and energy conservation.
These arrangements have resulted in stable income and expenditure
patterns, while relieving the University of the necessity for
carrying personnel and overhead to accomplish these tasks.
"The University of Delaware has made substantial gains in the past
four years," Roselle said, "despite a less-than-hospitable economic
environment, by managing its resources carefully and efficiently. We are
able to attract and retain gifted faculty and staff to a campus that
reflects institutional commitment to state-of-the-art instruction and
research facilities, and where students are valued members of the
University community."
Should additional funding become available to the state, Roselle asked
for $441,200 to support a number of areas not covered by the governor's
recommendation. These include funds to meet inflationary increases in
several areas of the budget, with the majority of support earmarked for the
library collection-a primary resource for the University community and for
scholars and citizens throughout the state.
Additional support was also requested:
- for the Crop Extension Program, which works to strengthen and
diversify the state's vegetable-growing industry;
- for a faculty position in the Georgetown Higher Education
Building, to teach in both the undergraduate and graduate
programs in liberal studies, increasing the University's
full-time presence in Southern Delaware and enabling Sussex
County residents to complete degree requirements entirely at that
site;
- for reinstatement of a research position in the area of poultry
diseases lost in federal budget cutbacks, ensuring the
University's capacity to fully respond to the needs of the
state's half-billion-dollar poultry industry;
- for enhancement of the College of Nursing's Family Nurse
Practitioner Program-an investment in Delaware's health-care
system;
- for graduate students working in programs in the Wilmington
Community Development Partnership, through the Urban Agent
Program in the College of Urban Affairs and Public Policy; and
- for the Science, Engineering and Technology Services Program,
which funds research on issues identified in consultation with
Delaware policy makers as having significant scientific and
technological applications.
In addition, Roselle outlined five items for which one-time funding,
totaling $350,000, is requested from the state, including:
* $50,000 over and above the governor's recommendation for library
automation, to accelerate and enhance computer access to the
University library from sites throughout the state;
* $50,000 for the acquisition of library materials to meet the
needs of University academic programs;
* $100,000 to upgrade computing equipment and software for the
Parallel Program, providing students with a computing environment
comparable to that of students on the Newark campus;
* $50,000 for equipment upgrades in the Physical Therapy
Program-one of the finest in the nation; and
* $100,000 to equip a video classroom in the Georgetown Higher
Education Building, enabling Sussex County residents to access
courses from the Newark campus.