Task Groups

 






Academic Year Model Task Group Charge

Creating a Shared Vision

Background

The AYM was begun in 1996-97 following an extensive period of development by the Provost and the then sitting college deans. While it was initially developed as an internal (academic affairs) budget tool, the model now serves as the funding mechanism for staffing the academic program of the institution through expected student credit hour targets based on weighted ratios for each unit. Units that exceed the credit hour expectations set by the AYM receive additional funds; units that don't meet the expectations must compensate from other sources of funds. Given the length of time since its implementation, its multiple revisions, the Middle States Reaccreditation Self Study currently underway, and the arrival of Dr. Weisenstein, it is time to review how well the AYM is serving the faculty and the institution.

Purpose

Critically review of the current Academic Year Model and propose a mechanism for funding the academic program that a) relates student enrollment to the allocation of faculty lines and b) addresses the allocation/re-allocation of faculty lines as student enrollment grows or contracts over time.

Charge

  • Review the history of the AYM, including its basic component parts: faculty complement; target SCH/FTE faculty member (sometimes translated into class size); AWA--contractual AWA and dean's discretionary AWA; college credit hour targets; temporary faculty and operating budget dollars from central budget for exceeding college credit hour target, as well as its auxiliary components-Provost's AWA and Educational Service targets.
  • Compare WCU SCH/FTE faculty ratio with comparable institutions (e.g. within PaSSHE, benchmarked institutions)
  • Identify the advantages/disadvantages of the current AYM and review other methods of resource allocation which link student enrollment and faculty instructional time.
  • Make recommendations that include but are not limited to:
    • Whether or not the current budgetary methodology (AYM) for funding instructional costs should be continued, modified (how) simplified (how), and/or replaced (how)
    • A mechanism for funding contractual and non-contractual AWA.
    • Expected faculty credit hour generation at the college and university levels.
    • A mechanism for funding (e.g. incentive, replacement) faculty lines to address enrollment growth and reallocation of faculty lines to address contraction.
  • Analyze the fiscal impact of the proposed budget model