Stanford Report, June 3, 2009

Faculty Senate minutes for May 28, 2009

The complete minutes of the May 28, 2009 Faculty Senate meeting are available below as a PDF.

The Faculty Senate convened Thursday, May 28, for the third meeting of the spring quarter.

In a talk that lasted about an hour, including questions and answers, Provost John Etchemendy presented the highlights of the 2010 budget plan, focusing on the three budgets that constitute the plan: the consolidated budget for operations, the general funds budget and the capital budget. Using colored charts and graphs, he presented a financial forecast for fiscal 2010, which begins Sept. 1, and reviewed major budget decisions of fiscal 2009, which ends Aug. 31.

He said the endowment, which has plunged an unprecedented 30 percent, was the "big story" of the year, and discussed the affect of the decline on the university’s budget.

During an administrative session following the meeting, the Steering Committee, acting on behalf of the senate, approved recommendations to grant, extend or renew degree-granting authority in several programs and majors. The committee approved degrees—Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Arts with Honors and a Minor in East Asian studies to be in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures. The committee also authorized the newly created Individually Designed Honors Program in the Humanities.

View PDF of May 28 Faculty Senate minutes