1. Planning in the Context of Budget Reduction
Academic Affairs
Planning in the Context of Budget Reduction

2. Division Mission
To provide an academically engaging environment grounded in the principles of a learning college and supportive of the college’s overall mission: adding value to the lives of our students and enriching our community.

3. Academic Affairs Mission/Goals
Access
Engagement
Innovation
Alternative Learning Environments
Strengths
and Opportunities
Practical Liberal Education
Curriculum
Learning Communities
Undergraduate Research
Technology
Support Services
New Programs
International Programs
Grant Projects
Economic Development
Creative Commons
New Markets
Distance
Hybrid
Flexterms
Centers
BAS
Professional Development
Reflective & Formative Assessment

4. Required Reduction
Academic Affairs is the largest division in terms of personnel and budget. Its reduction is also the largest: slightly more than $1.5 million. This reduction will significantly impact how Academic Affairs moves forward with its central priorities.

5. Sources of Funds
Chairs and Directors were surveyed regarding areas of the budget to tap in addressing the reduction. Their responses guided decisions:
Eliminate majority of vacant lines across all classifications (accounts for ~ $1.2 million)
10% Reduction in current expenses
50% Reduction in non-instructional loading not externally funded

6. Concerns Moving Forward
External funding of some programs is too low: need funding for lines, salaries, etc.
Increasing tuition and fees could be a barrier to students.
Access to university transfer is limited compared to local need—both of students and employers.

7. Concerns Moving Forward
The division needs to leverage administrative lines whenever possible to manage multiple activities.
Adjunct pool may be limited in certain areas due to program reductions and increased lecturer hirings at UF and general workforce shortages in health careers.
Most critical concern among chairs and directors is SFC employee salaries.

8. Focus on Salaries What drives salaries?
Many factors, but most importantly, it’s the number of full-time employees.
Other factors: distribution of resources, scope/experience/degrees of employees, longevity of employees.

9. Example: Faculty Salaries
2008 Fact Book Average: $53,059
Among Florida CCs
Lowest: $41,426 / North Florida
Highest: $62,948 / Indian River
Santa Fe Average: $46,878
There is a relationship between FT Faculty per FTE enrollment and Average Faculty Salary. With few exceptions: the lower this ratio, the higher the average faculty salary.

10. Faculty/FTE Ratio

11. Recommendations Look at
Benchmark SFC staffing—across all divisions—to similar FTE colleges:
Santa Fe
Seminole
Brevard
Tallahassee
Indian River
Look at
Number of staff
Responsibilities
Education/Experience requirements

12. Considerations
$16K faculty salary spread across this small group, suggesting factors beyond just FTE drive resource allocation.
What are they? How are they related to college mission, vision, and values?
Can we agree on these? How do we move forward to increase salaries or set other priorities within our mission?
For example, evidence suggests students benefit from increased FT faculty (see Chronicle, 11/14/08). How does this balance against lower salaries for valued personnel?

13. Recommendations
Adopt an enrollment dashboard to guide and increase efficiency in scheduling and faculty staffing/loading. Models: Miami-Dade, Foothills-DeAnza, Sinclair, Anne Arundel.
Institute timelines for sustainable enrollments as part of program proposal and review. Create a formalized process to follow when determining whether to begin, close, or continue a program.

14. Recommendations
Develop more robust course curriculum frameworks (onsite and online) to assist new and part-time faculty, including a focus on course redesign. Models: Maricopa, Indian River, FCCJ, C2R Project.
Continue to recognize and provide incentives through non-instructional loading and professional development for innovations in teaching and learning.

15. Recommendations
Centralize and target professional development dollars to college-wide initiatives such as
Research in Undergraduate Education
Learning Outcomes Assessment
Sustainability
International Education
Open Source/Learning Technologies
Student Success within Diverse Populations
Learning Communities
SACS Quality Enhancement Plan

16. Moving Forward: Division
Work closely with other divisions
Finance & ITS on maximizing funding formula and technology
Development & Facilities on identifying and securing external funds in support of faculty and innovation; linking academic and facilities planning
Student Affairs on enrollment management
Administration & College Relations on key legislation and marketing

17. Moving Forward: College
Academic Affairs planning discussions resulted in the following recommendations for college-wide action:
Increase communication regarding planning and budgeting through college-wide forum
Set specific strategic objectives (e.g., increasing salaries, creating structured course frameworks) with milestones and timelines
Increase data-driven decision making in resource allocation
Increase collaborative budgeting and budget review to leverage purchasing power and achieve efficiencies