As the Budget Status Report (BSR) has evolved over recent years, it’s been brought to our attention that many departments have struggled to understand what L&S has approved as allowable uses of one-time 101 balances. The list below was constructed as a preliminary framework to provide guidance regarding options many departments can consider in coordination with their Academic Associate Deans (AAD), but is by no means an exhaustive list. We understand additional allowable options are likely to surface as these discussions occur.

Possible Acceptable Uses of BSR One-Time Funds:

Options should be discussed with AAD for their approval.

TAs/ Reader/Graders/ Teaching Specialists/ Undergrad Assistants:

Overspend of up to 5% of the TA budget can be covered by one-time resources on the tally sheet rather than pulling the total prior year overspend from the ongoing tally sheet base to right-size the TA budgets. This approach will let departments use one-time balances for smaller percentage changes. Underspend will also credit to one-time resources. Continued underspending of TA budget can be credited to ongoing tally sheet with approval of AAD and Associate Dean for Innovation and Strategic Budgeting (ADISB).

Short Term Instructional Staffing (STS):

L&S seeks to better ensure quality instruction and delivery of the curriculum by encouraging departments to move toward ongoing relationships with non-full time instructional staff and hiring of full-time teaching faculty/professors. This could include use of renewable instructional appointments at partial percentages. L&S understands that STS will still be needed; but the goal of STS use should be for (a) departments to use STS positions in order to recruit talented part-time instructors for future renewable relationships, (b) recruit experts who do not wish to make long-term teaching commitments (c) alleviate emergency instructional situations, or (d) provide teaching experience for graduate students’ professional development. As a general principle, we strongly recommend departments monitor the appointment of their STS instructors in non-renewable positions with an eye for creating renewable positions when they have reason to believe that instructor would benefit from a longer-term work relationship.

To reflect this philosophy, we anticipated the ongoing budget on the STS tab will largely diminish for many departments over time. Any overspend of the STS budget will be covered by one-time resources and there will no longer be a process of right sizing the STS ongoing base based on overspending. Departments will be encouraged to reach out to their AAD and the ADISB to discuss the option of converting STS budget to the ongoing instructional staff budget to hire renewable instructional staff when possible.

Please note that the use of visiting professors is still encouraged for finite appointments. Those can also count against one-time balances, even when the agreements span several years in duration.

Student Help:

Student hourlies can be paid with one-time 101 funding if supporting instructional, student services, outreach, or administrative needs of the department. Funds cannot be paid on 101 for students supporting research. Charges can go to 48xx06 where there is no budget for student hourlies and will then be charged against the one-time tally sheet column as we measure against actuals at year end. The redbook student hourly budget will remain on 131-48XX06 and may also be used for these expenses. Approval will be needed each year to ensure the one-time balance can support the planned student help expense.

Remodeling Projects to Enhance Student Instructional Experience:

The need to renovate and revitalize student instructional spaces has far exceeded our financial capacityin the past. Recognizing this significant need, the Dean has nearly doubled the amount of ILM funding available for projects. Even with this significant increase, we know it will not be enough to meet all instructional lab modernization needs. Beginning with the next project submission cycle, departments will be asked to specify whether they are requesting full, partial or self-funding of ILM projects. If Chris Bruhn and the relevant AAD determine an ILM project is warranted, departments can choose to use one-time funding to match or fully fund approved projects after central funding has been depleted. L&S leadership still controls the project priority ranking, regardless of funding source for project.

Payments to Support Curricular Improvement Projects:

Summer payments for faculty and staff, TBAs, overloads, or hiring of PAs can be supported with onetime funds when dedicated to the evaluation and improvement of curricular design. Use of 101 funds for these types of payments would need pre-approval from the AAD. HR restrictions/policies may apply. Note that summer chair payments will continue to be paid on 131.

Hiring of Graduate Assistant PAs to Support Pilot Programs for Outreach or to Enhance Student
Experience, or Improve Departmental Administrative Functioning:

Hiring of 101 funded PAs would require prior AAD approval. Tuition remission will be part of the expense. This role cannot be research focused.

Memo to L&S Chairs, Directors and Administrators