Education commission discusses revised budget

The next step in IU's funding process takes place today at an Indiana Commission for Higher Education meeting in Indianapolis.\nThe commission is expected to approve a revised version of the University's budget proposal for the 2001--2003 fiscal years, associate commissioner for facilities and financial affairs Mike Baumgartner said. \n"I'm assuming they will adopt it," Baumgartner said. "I don't foresee any trouble with that."\nPresident Myles Brand presented IU's budget proposal to the Commission in September. Since then, the commission has been drafting the revised proposal it will vote on today. \nCommission members are able to amend or change the University's original proposal where they see fit, but the changes are not final.\n"The commission is free to do what it wants to do, and afterwards the legislature is free to do what it wants to do," Susan Dillman, director of University media relations, said. "It acts as an advisory body to the legislature."\nAlthough there were some revisions made to the University's original plan, Brand had nothing but positive remarks about the possibility for the proposed funding. \n"The recommendations ... support the University's efforts ... and focus on the main theme of helping the state's new economy," Brand said. "I am also very pleased about the process that was used, and I want to compliment Commissioner Stan Jones for his leadership."\nBaumgartner said the commission bases its revisions on many different factors, including inflation, individual area requests, enrollment growth and strength of different campuses.\nSeveral changes were made to the University's proposal, including a slight drop in the new School of Informatics funding numbers. IU requested $13 million for FY 2000-01 and $4.5 million for FY 2001-02 in the operating appropriations proposal.\nBaumgartner said the commission's informatics request for IU is "not quite at the level that was requested."\nDillman was quick to point out that, "the staff of the Commission for Higher Education is recommending a vast majority of what the University has requested for informatics. That's a good sign."\nAt Tuesday's University Faculty Council meeting, Brand reiterated how confident he felt about the upcoming budget negotiating sessions.\n"Early indications are that the budget proposal will be a strong starting point for Indiana University," Brand said. \nThe Commission will hold a hearing in December with the State Budget Committee, comprised of Indiana state senators and representatives, fiscal analysts and budget directors. At the meeting, the Commission will present their recommendation to the Committee, Baumgartner said.\nNext February, all Indiana public universities will present their budget proposals to the General Assembly.\nOverall, Indiana public universities have asked for about $480 million in capital requests. During the last budgetary period, the Assembly approved about $264 million in requests, the most money the state had ever satisfied.