Highlights of the Mar 06, 2003, meeting of the College Park Senate

• Special Order of the Day:Provost William W. Destler presented a "UMCP Budget Primer". Some take-home messages: (1) Ehrlich's recent budget proposal results in a lower base budget (funds from state) for UMCP than for peer institutions; (2) Funding for UMCP corresponds 9% of the total general state fund appropriation, yet we've now taken a 30% cut; (3) If Ehrlich's proposal translates to a permanently lower base budget, we will need to make adjustments accordingly, e.g., move to a new model that is less reliant on state funds (raising funds from private sources); (4) MOST IMPORTANTLY: We need to convey to the General Assembly that we cannot take any further cuts.

  We will retain certain priorities: (i) Protect instructional program; (ii) Maintain institutional momentum; Retain best faculty and staff; (iii) Maintain and increase scholarship and fellowship aid; (iv) Enable colleges to continue to make senior faculty hires.

  Q/A period. Question: Will Tuition remission for UMCP employees go away? Destler's Answer: We will protect tuition remission at all costs---but the real question is: Will that be used as an excuse for further cuts? The point is that we need to deliver the message that we cannot take any further cuts---tuition remission is covered by this more general message.

• Proposal to add "Gender Identity or Gender Expression" to Non-Discrimination Language in Human Relations Code PASSED UNANIMOUSLY without any discussion in the fastest voted-upon proposal in the history of the senate (approximately 37 seconds, by my watch).

• Policy on Intellectual Property (finally!): This new policy will apply to all intellectual property disclosed to the University. A huge committee (including Ashok Agrawala) was involved in the creation of this very elaborate and carefully written legal document. For details, contact Anne Bowden, or read the OTL web page. APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY by the Senate.

• Resolution on Tuition Remission: The University Senate opposes the denial of tuition remission to employees and that the legislature make no further reduction in present state support. PASSED UNANIMOUSLY and with tremendous vigor!

Bonnie Dorr & Don Perlis
Senators, Department of Computer Science