The budgeting process for the 2016-17 academic year will begin this month when DePaul's Strategic Resource Allocation Committee, known as SRAC, convenes.The nine-member committee, with membership from DePaul's faculty, staff and students, discusses and builds a university-wide budget, which is recommended to the president for approval.
"The committee doesn't decide budgets for specific departments," says Bob Kozoman, executive vice president and chair of SRAC. "Rather, SRAC considers broad financial decisions to balance DePaul's key costs-namely total compensation, facilities management and student financial aid-with the university's expected financial position in 2016-17."
When SRAC meets several times in November, it will consider some groundwork that already has been completed. Budget planning for individual departments and units occurred in September. At the same time, Enrollment Management and Marketing and Academic Affairs reviewed fall enrollment results and projected enrollment and financial aid for the coming year.
SRAC will consider this information as it hears budget presentations from the Offices of Academic Affairs, the President and the Executive Vice President about proposed expenses in each of their respective areas. Members also will contemplate recommendations on tuition pricing, compensation and benefits, and strategic initiatives.
Before the end of November, SRAC's nine members will vote on a budget proposal to recommend to the Office of the President. The university president may approve or modify the recommendations before making a budget proposal to the board of trustees' finance committee.
The board finance committee considers the president's recommendations for approval in mid-December and may send the budget as proposed or a modified set of recommendations to the general board of trustees. At its spring meeting, the board votes on a final budget that will take effect July 1, 2016.
SRAC members are appointed by the president, including representatives who are recommended by Staff Council and Faculty Council and two dean appointments recommended by the provost. This year's voting members of SRAC include:
- Bob Kozoman, executive vice president and SRAC chair
- Marten denBoer, provost
- Sherri Sidler, controller
- Paul Zionts, dean, College of Education
- David Miller, dean, College of Computing and Digital Media
- Michaela Winchatz, Faculty Council president
- Thomas Mondschean, Faculty Council representative
- Robert Ryan, Staff Council president
- Vanessa Cadavillo, Student Government Association president