Transcript CALS Faculty Senate: State of the College
CALS Faculty Senate: State of the College
May 1, 2013
Welcome!
Kathryn J. Boor, Ph.D.
The Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
State Budget Under the Microscope
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SUNY operating funds to Cornell continue at last year’s level No SUNY 5-year capital plan or critical maintenance funds in FY14 CALS programs held steady or slightly increased; Community IPM & FarmNet each received $100K increases $19M increase to Environmental Protection Fund may help several CALS programs $40K hops appropriation to Geneva; Contracts signed for $4.7M Geneva greenhouse renovation Partner ag industry groups receive increases CCE & Harvest NY funding is flat for FY14
CALS in the Rankings
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Bloomberg Businessweek ranked the Undergraduate Business Program in the Dyson School 3 rd in the nation for the second year in a row Program also named 4 th Entrepreneurship and 5 th in in Finance
U.S. News and World Report
ranked Cornell 3 rd in the nation for graduate Agricultural/Biological Engineering & 11 th for Environmental Engineering, a move upwards of one position over last year
Environmental Science & Sustainability Major
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ESS Major derived from merger of three former environmental majors – Natural Resources, the Science of Natural & Environmental Systems (SNES) & Environmental Explorations Curriculum emphasizes social dimensions of sustainability by integrating social sciences with physical, chemical, & biological sciences 35 faculty from across 15 departments to teach courses in ESS major 100+ additional applications to new major over combined total of previous three
Goals of the Special Committee for Plant Sciences
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Coordination of strategic planning & faculty hiring Sustaining & enhancing research excellence in the plant sciences Development of curriculum & student support services to increase number of undergraduate students in the Plant Science major Better coordination of graduate student support across plant science fields Enhanced alignment of extension activities with research strengths Coordination of administrative support services among plant science units
Good News: Admissions
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19% rise in freshman applications this year over last 24% increase in out-of-state & 23% rise in international applications Class of ’17 the most diverse in CALS history, with a 22% rise in applications from students self identified from an under represented minority group The popularity of our new majors suggests strategic changes to our curriculum are resonating with students & their growing interest in agriculture, food security, sustainability, & the environment
Question #1a: How Are F&A Revenues Used?
Faculty Senate Question:
How are F&A revenues used, and how are rates determined? What is the broad context in this arena?
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Response:
Facilities & Administrative (F&A) revenues pay for the fundamental infrastructure needed to support research in CALS & at the University F&A revenues fund mission-critical needs such as building & equipment depreciation, debt financing, operations & maintenance, library support, general & sponsored project admin., office supplies, & student services In FY 13, CALS F&A expenses total approx. $86 million, on F&A revenues of $15 million, leaving $71 million to be paid from other college resources F&A expenses include legacy debt-financing on Corson-Mudd, and more recent debt for faculty & animal care facilities in Weill & ECRF
Question #1b: How Are F&A Rates Determined?
Faculty Senate Question:
How are F&A revenues used, and how are rates determined? What is the broad context in this arena?
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Response:
F&A rates are set by the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) based on data from Cornell on the costs of doing research at the University HHS-determined rate of 54% applies to most federal contracts USDA contracts capped at 42% due to specific federal legislation Third tier of rates, such as w/ state contracts, are subsidized by CALS & can be as low as 18% for mission-critical projects Cornell charges CALS a minimum of 20% on all research expenditures, therefore CALS subsidizes from tuition and other college resources the 2% difference as well as the remaining F&A costs to the college
Question #1c: Fringe/F&A on Product Testing?
Faculty Senate Question:
Is CALS concerned about the future demise of product testing in support of NY farmers, due to high F&A and fringe charges on the testing income?
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Response:
CALS cannot subsidize product testing at the expense of other pressing needs; private industry needs to pay for services that enhance their profits on products marketed in NY In FY 13, the University changed fringe policy to allow temporary employees to be hired on endowed lines at reduced fringe rates: 10% for hires of less than six months; 36% for hires of more than six months CALS & Cornell exploring allowing regular technical staff to switch to endowed lines. However, any such switch would be permanent for the employee
Question #2: Audit/Compliance Requirements
Faculty Senate Question:
The burden for faculty to comply with audit-threat-driven financial management has become impossible. What changes at BSC can be made to address this? • • •
Response:
BSC instituting a Lean Process Improvement initiative to review policies & procedures with the aim of enhancing efficiency & customer service The University is under increased federal scrutiny on its handling of sponsored research funds; many research institutions, including Cornell, cited & fined for discrepancies in grant management & record keeping DFA & the University auditors have adopted a conservative approach to risk. Increased regulation & greater enforcement of the rules has led to frustration & confusion for both faculty and staff
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Question #2a: Faculty Approval on All Purchases?
Faculty Senate Question:
Why do faculty have to approve every purchase made with grant money, even when it is used to support the research program funded by the grant? • • •
Response:
We are not aware of any such CALS or University requirement If faculty are being told this, it is either the result of a departmental requirement or a misunderstanding of the rules If you have any further questions on this issue, please speak with your department business officer, Marge Ferguson or Jeanine Masse in the BSC
Question #2b: Faculty Signatures on all Invoices?
Faculty Senate Question:
Why do faculty have to sign every invoice that comes from each of the often many subcontractors that we have on large projects?
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Response:
This a new requirement instituted within the last year that resulted from an internal Cornell audit The policy has not been consistently enforced across Cornell; however, it has been in some units The University is considering a change to the policy to apply only to high risk transactions, such as foreign subcontractors or subcontractors previously identified as high-risk for credit or other reasons CALS will continue to press for this change
Question #2c: Concerns w/ Listing Business Purposes
Faculty Senate Question:
What can be done to make the process surrounding the listing & justifying of a business purpose for purchases less onerous?
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Response:
Due to increased federal scrutiny, DFA & the University auditors are enforcing a strict & narrow interpretation of the rules surrounding the listing & justification of a valid business purpose on purchases To ensure speedier processing, be sure to include both the project name and the account number on every submitted receipt or purchase order For reagents, provide multiple account numbers and projects on the receipt if the materials will be used for more than one project However, items generally considered office supplies (lab notebooks, labels, paper towels, etc.) will not be approved unless explicitly justified in the grant
Question #2d: Product Testing Agreements
Faculty Senate Question:
Why has the process for product testing agreements become more difficult, requiring the signatures of three different people in three different locations?
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Response:
Current policy dates to 2006, when it was determined that product testing revenues were often being placed in private faculty gift accounts to avoid paying F&A and fringe, a serious violation of Cornell & state benefit rules A recent audit showed that in some instances, such monies were still being managed incorrectly Departments are responsible for the proper record keeping & financial management of their faculty’s product testing agreements & revenues These agreements are sponsored research; the current policy is less burdensome than the alternative, which is full OSP review
Question #3: CIT Changes to Web Hosting
Faculty Senate Question:
What are the changes CIT is making to web hosting services, and how does CALS plan to assist with the transition?
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Response:
CIT has informed faculty and staff who administer departmental, lab or programmatic websites of a University-wide server transition that may result in new monthly charges for web hosting CIT is attempting to commoditize web hosting, as part of their new cost recovery model. Many new hosting options are free; others may be billable Contact your local IT support staff or Dan Hazlitt, CALS Assistant Director of IT, to discuss potential options for the websites you manage At this time the college has no plans to provide funding to support the transition of unit, faculty or programmatic sites to paid monthly hosting
Question #4: University Budget Model
Faculty Senate Question:
What are the current views on the Provost’s new budget model? How will these changes impact CALS?
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Response:
Costs apportioned to the unit where they originate & revenue distributed via a metric-derived model, consistently & equitably across Cornell University General Purpose budget eliminated; Provost initiatives to be funded by “taxing” unit revenue Ultimate goal: “One Cornell,” where no college is disadvantaged by the budget model Provost has promised to “hold harmless” units in deficit this year. However, rising financial aid & SIP costs will compel CALS to explore new ways to free additional college resources to invest in faculty hiring
Question #5: CALS Programmatic Priorities
Faculty Senate Question:
How does the CALS leadership go about identifying new programmatic priorities across the college?
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Response:
We have executed against priorities laid out in college strategic plan, developed in 2009:
http://cals.cornell.edu/about/priorities/
We developed the Knowledge with a Public Purpose mission statement with iterative input from the CALS community that articulates our four core priority areas as a college. These inform investments & strategic decisions We evaluate departmental annual reports for emerging needs & trends, especially as they intersect with the four core priorities areas We evaluate & address opportunities as the arise, emphasizing those that align with one or more of the four core priorities