Coordinating Board for Higher Education Meeting Conference Call

COORDINATING BOARD FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
MINUTES OF CONFERENCE CALL
October 26, 2007

Approved December 6, 2007

The Coordinating Board for Higher Education met via conference call at 5:00 pm on Friday, October 26, 2007. Chair Kathryn Swan called the meeting to order. The presence of a quorum was established with the following roll call vote:

Commissioner Robert Stein reminded the Board that the Governor had committed to a three-year plan to increase funding for public higher education institutions by a total of 12.6% over the FY 2007 core appropriation. At the October 11, 2007 CBHE meeting, the MDHE recommended the Board request increases for FY 2009 that would provide an overall increase of 4.3 percent over the FY 2007 core. The Office of Budget & Planning had originally approached the funding increase from an absolute dollar figure; discussions between the MDHE and the administration to resolve the differences in interpretation were ongoing. A compromise was reached that involved differences between set dollar amounts and successive percent increases.

The department was advised of concerns from some legislators about the differential treatment between institutions when using absolute dollar amounts in contrast to percent increases. It was recommended that the Board revisit the budget request.

Commissioner Stein advised he sent a memo to Presidents and Chancellors requesting their feedback on recommending funding increases based on the same percentage appropriated for FY 2008, which would result in an additional $515,461 in the budget request and an overall increase of 4.4 percent for the second third of the plan. The institutions unanimously supported this path. However, the Governor has net yet weighed in on his interpretation of the division of funds during the three-year plan.

Mr. Lowell Kruse moved to recommend the Board make the correction to the budget recommendations. Mr. Duane Schreimann seconded the motion. After discussion, the motion passed as follows: Lowell Kruse – aye; Jeanne Patterson – abstain; Duane Schreimann – aye; Kathy Swan – aye; and Greg Upchurch – aye.

Commissioner Stein advised the Board has been asked to consider changing the timing of the fall meeting. As other agencies typically submit budget requests prior to October 1st, higher education is often at a disadvantage. The Board should consider holding fall meetings in September in order to meet an October 1st deadline for submission of budget recommendations. The Board agreed to consider this suggestion and take formal action at the December 2007 meeting.

Mr. Upchurch moved to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Kruse seconded the motion, and the motion passed as follows: Lowell Kruse – aye; Jeanne Patterson – aye; Duane Schreimann – aye; Kathy Swan – aye; and Greg Upchurch – aye.

The meeting adjourned at 5:20 pm.