June 4 2003
University of the Pacific
Institutional Priorities Committee
Minutes, June 4, 2003
Taylor Conference Room
Call to Order: 2:04pm
Members and Guests Present: Gilbertson (chair), Brodnick, Cavanaugh, King, Meer, Miller, Olson, Oppenheimer, Perro, Sina, Spreer, Stark
Minutes: Mintues of the May 28 meeting were approved as distributed.
REPORTS
Provost. IPC will welcome new members (Chi, Ensign, Hanyak, Richmond) and toast/roast outgoing mem-bers (Hewitt, Lundergan, Stark) at the year-end event Wednesday evening, June 18, at the Gilbertsons'.
Advancement. Meer distributed a chart showing end-of-month total gifts (annual fund) over the past ten years and noted that May 2003 was one of the most successful Mays on record.
BUDGET ASSUMPTIONS & PLANNING GUIDELINES
Discussion centered on whether a reduction in the endowment spending rate from 5.5% to 4.5% by FY07 is an appropriate goal. Cavanaugh stated strongly that the University should commit to a significant reduction (though not necessarily in half-percent increments) and observed that now is a good time to do so.
Gilbertson noted that revisions to the Budget Assumptions and Planning Guidelines must be finalized next week if the FY05/FY06 mailing is to go out to the campus on schedule. Sina suggested the possibility of rescheduling some of the Deans' presentations to allow sufficient time to reach consensus on budget-related matters. It appears that a July 2 meeting will be needed.
ACADEMIC RESOURCE PLANNING: ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN
Eberhardt School of Business. Dean Plovnick presented a SWOT analysis, outlining the school's strengths and weaknesses and identifying opportunities and threats. ESB's MBA program is distinctive in that it targets relatively young students (recent graduates); this is also a plus in that the 21-24 year old market is increasing. Negatives include the fact that ESB is too small to offer in-depth specialty training.
College of the Pacific. Dean Miller touched on national themes in higher education and reviewed COP's competitive environment with regard to other institutions, enrollment trends, and employment opportunities for graduates. Miller noted the College's dual role (as both a college of liberal arts and sciences and pro-vider of the academic foundation for other University programs) and stressed that because of the strong linkage between COP programs and those of the professional schools, decisions about resource allocation, enrollment, and curriculum in the professional schools inevitably affect COP, and vice versa.
McGeorge School of Law. After brief technical difficulties, Dean Rindskopf Parker joined the Committee via teleconferencing. She indicated that this year's entering class is expected to have an improved average LSAT score and that the class size should be closer to target than last year's. The question of an ideal incoming class size is still being evaluated; currently, McGeorge must balance resource needs with the goal of reducing class size and increasing selectivity. In the long term, competition for achieving students is expected to increase. Efforts are now focused on increasing alumni participation and improving placement and a ten-year campus master plan is under development.
Next meeting: June 11
The meeting was adjourned shortly after 4:00 p.m.