Content
Members Present: Bradshaw, Button, Clarke, Combs, Cressler, Davis, Eklund, Gay, Hanrahan, Heng-Moss, Henson, Jemkur, Mueller, Nelson, Sharif, Tschetter, Van Den Wymelenberg, Wilkins, Brophy, Harner
Members Absent:
Guests: Becky Zavala, AVC Office of Research and Innovation
Note: These are not verbatim minutes. This is a summary of the discussions at the Academic Planning Committee meeting as corrected by those participating.
1.0 Call
Cressler called the meeting to order at 3:01 p.m.
2.0 Approval of August 27, 2025 Minutes
Cressler asked if there were any revisions to the minutes. Hearing none he asked for unanimous approval of the minutes. The minutes were then approved.
3.0 Announcement of Vice Chair Election
Cressler announced that Hanrahan won the election for Vice Chair.
4.0 Budget Reduction Process
The APC focused on reviewing budget reduction proposals and providing feedback to the Chancellor. Button acknowledged the difficulty of making vertical budget cuts, noting that such decisions have been avoided for over 20 years due to challenges and pressure from various constituencies. The APC then discussed the need for more detailed information about administrative cuts, particularly regarding administrator/faculty ratios, and Button agreed to provide additional analysis on this topic. There were concerns raised about potential double-counting in the budget reductions, which Button clarified was not the case.
Heng-Moss discussed the challenges of retaining faculty and programs in the face of budget constraints, emphasizing the need for resources to support high-achieving faculty and maintain the university's mission as a land-grant institution. The APC discussed the importance of providing more detailed context to the faculty about the proposed changes, as the current memo provided to the committee lacks specific information about potential job impacts and retention opportunities. Concerns were raised about the potential loss of identity and vocal opposition from donor communities, as well as questions about accreditation and program overlap because of the proposed budget reductions. The need to weigh administrative savings against the value of preserving program identities was emphasized and the Committee acknowledged the importance of gathering diverse input as well as making confident and defensible recommendations to the Chancellor.
The APC discussed communication strategies for upcoming program changes, including possible video message from the Chancellor, website updates, and the need for transparency in communicating with affected units. They also addressed the need for additional funding sources to protect programs and retain faculty, and diversifying revenue streams and exploring opportunities for collaboration with other campuses.
The APC talked about plans for upcoming public hearings regarding the budget reductions and restructuring. A suggestion was made for each unit to be given 45 minutes to present their case, followed by 15 minutes for the APC to ask questions. Cressler emphasized the need for structured presentations focused on practical impacts rather than emotional appeals and suggested providing written responses to pre-determined questions. The APC agreed to develop detailed plans and questions for the hearings at the next meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 5:03 p.m. The next meeting of the APC will be on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. The minutes are respectfully submitted by Karen Griffin, Coordinator.