WASHBURN UNIVERSITY BOARD OF REGENTS

Budget/Finance Committee Meeting

January 6, 2005

Regent Present: Maggie Warren, chair

Regents Present by Teleconference: Karen Lee, Ben Blair

Staff Present: Jerry Farley, Wanda Hill, Ron Wasserstein, David Monical, Tom Ellis, Al Dickes, Denise Ottinger, Chris Leach

Minutes of the December 9, 2005 meeting were approved as distributed.

Fiscal Year 2006 Budget Process -

At the December 9, 2004 Budget and Finance Committee meeting the administration proposed an early approval of budget guidelines for salaries to get back to a more normal budget schedule. The budget planning calendar and salary pool alternatives were reviewed at that time. This will be the fourth year using the performance pay proposal. A pool of money is available to distribute among employees based on performance.

President Farley said the administration is proposing a 4% salary pool. He indicated he is confident with the increases in state funds and sales tax there will be adequate funds to pay for the increase. He feels there will be salary increases across the country this year, and although we probably won't make strides in catching up to the national average, we should be able to maintain our current status with the 4% salary increase.

It was moved and seconded to recommend board approval of the proposed 4% salary pool and performance pay proposal for FY 06. The motion carried.

The rest of the budget guidelines will be presented to the regents after legislative appropriations are made.

Supreme Court Ruling -

Regent Warren asked Mr. Monical to comment about the recent court decision that the State of Kansas is required to fund education differently. Mr. Monical indicated the ruling states K-12 is not being funded adequately. He said there may be pressure put on urban areas to consolidate and it will probably be as big an issue as consolidation was twenty years ago. Regent Lee asked for a bulletin on the ruling which Mr. Monical said he would send to the regents following the Governor's State of the State Address next Monday.

Meeting was adjourned.