AY 2022-23 Membership
Chairs: Jones Estes, Vicki Reitenauer
| Members Designated by: |
First |
Last |
Department (Division) |
| Steering Committee |
Vicki |
Reitenauer |
CLAS-SS (WGSS) |
| Budget Committee |
Mitchell |
Cruzan |
CLAS-SCI (BI) |
| Educational Policy Committee |
Joan |
Petit |
LIB |
| Undergraduate Curriculum Committee |
Peter |
Chaille |
CUPA (PA) |
| Graduate Council |
Natalie |
Vasey |
CLAS-SS (ANTH) |
| Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Advocate (selected by CoC) |
Michelle |
Swinehart |
OI (UNST) |
| Committee on Committees |
Jones |
Estes |
OI (UNST) |
| Committee on Committees |
Kellie |
Gallagher |
OI (IELP) |
| Committee on Committees |
Theresa |
McCormick |
CLAS-SCI (CH) |
| Committee on Committees |
Derek |
Tretheway |
MCECS |
| |
|
|
|
| Consultants Designated by: |
First |
Last |
Department (Division) |
| Provost |
Sy |
Adler |
CUPA |
| Provost |
Vanelda |
Hopes |
OAA |
| Provost |
Amy |
Mulkerin |
OAA |
| Provost |
Jeff |
Robinson |
COMM |
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Charge
Faculty Senate created this ad-hoc committee in October 2020 with the following charge:
- Focus holistically on PSU’s collective future
- Ensure faculty participation in meaningful, inclusive, and formative discussions of curricular adjustments related to budget reduction
- Recommend principles and priorities based on PSU's values and mission, with an emphasis on applying a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens, and share these with OAA to guide decision-making
- Plan and implement transparent communications, including but not limited to periodic town hall forums on budget information, regular campus-wide emails, and a website or Google Drive for material, including data on which decisions about reorganizing or eliminating programs are based
- Solicit input and feedback from faculty, including but not limited to implementing surveys and arranging other forums for gathering input and suggestions. Ensure input and involvement from Deans and Chairs/department heads. Facilitate communication with and incorporate input from students, staff, and other stakeholders
- Plan and implement meetings and interactions (preferably with professionally mediation), including but not limited to meetings of Colleges/Schools
- Assist, if requested by OAA or AAUP, in contractually mandated retrenchment hearings arising from elimination of positions as per Article 22 of the PSU-AAUP Collective Bargaining Agreement
In April 2021, Faculty Senate extended the charge of the committee to June 2022. In May 2022, Faculty Senate extended the charge of the committee to June 2023.
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History
1991 Cuts
Portland State went through budget cuts during the winter and spring of 1991 that resulted in layoffs and the elimination of programs. The need for cuts arose from Ballot Measure 5, a tax measure passed in November, 1990, which gutted local tax funding for public schools. The measure shifted support for K-12 education to the state budget, thus spreading the state’s support for education more thinly than before and resulting in severe cuts to higher education. Information on how PSU, under the leadership of then-President Judith Ramaley, handled these cuts is available in the Faculty Senate minutes for January and February 1991, which are archived on PDXScholar.
Academic Program Prioritization (APP) 2013-2016
PSU engaged in an Academic Program Prioritization effort in 2013-2016. This effort, initiated by then-Provost Sona Andrews in fall 2013, attempted an ambitious evaluation of all of the programs at the University. An ad hoc committee of the Faculty Senate explored the possibility, and another ad hoc committee formed in June 2014 worked through the winter of 2016 on implementation. The Faculty Senate meeting packet from April 2014 contains a great deal of information about this process, as does a report in 2018 to the PSU Board of Trustees. Distrust between the administration and the faculty, coupled with no pressing need at the time for program elimination, derailed the process. The committee created an “Atlas of Academic Programs” containing qualitative and quantitative data but dropped the evaluative/ scoring component of the work.
Academic Program Examination/ Elimination/ Reduction (APRCA) 2020 - Present
In the spring of 2020, Provost Susan Jeffords asked the Faculty Senate to make plans for how to provide faculty input into potential program reductions and eliminations due to a persistent decline in enrollment.
In June of 2020, the Faculty Senate charged the Ad Hoc Summer Research Committee on Academic Program Examination / Reorganization to envision models, explore options, and gather data. The summer committee submitted a report to Senate that recommended, among other things, the formation of another ad hoc committee. In October 2020, the Senate charged the Ad Hoc Committee on Academic Program Reduction and Curricular Adjustments (APRCA). In addition to designees from the Provost’s Office and the Committee on Committees, the APRCA committee includes representatives from five main Faculty Senate committees: the Steering Committee, the Budget Committee, the Education Policy Committee, the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, and the Graduate Council. The APRCA committee has filed and will continue to file monthly reports from February 2021 forward; these reports are available in the reports section of this webpage.
AY 2020/2021 Article 22: Retrenchment of the Intensive English Language Program (IELP)
In addition to the above, during AY 2020/2021, the APRCA committee also actively engaged in the Article 22: Retrenchment process outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement of the Intensive English Language Program. Detailed information and documentation about the process and outcome can be found in the Article 22 section of this webpage below.
Program Reduction Working Group (PRWG) 2021
In January 2021, following news of a worse-than-expected downturn in enrollments, Provost Jeffords created the Program Reduction Working Group and gave it “the task of identifying units to consider for possible reduction, reorganization, or elimination.” The PRWG will establish “driver” metrics to judge “unit-level performance” and “value” metrics that reflect “institutional values and priorities.” Metrics were due on February 15, 2021 and an analysis of units was due by April 1, 2021. Thereafter, “Proposed reductions will follow all required processes outlined by the Faculty Senate and/or in Articles 22 & 23 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.” The group completed their tasks and disbanded at the end of AY 2020/2021. Please click the following links to access the Value and Driver Metrics and PRRC Undergraduate Dashboards and PRRC Graduate Dashboards.
ReImagine PSU School and College Meetings
The Faculty Senate committee on Academic Program Prioritization and Curricular Adjustments (APRCA) and the Program Reduction Working Group (PRWG) discussed and sought faculty feedback on the principles, priorities, and metrics to guide intentional, strategic thinking around sustainable budgeting and curricular redesign. Provost Jeffords outlined the process and timeline and the application process for ReImagine PSU funding. The Reimagine PSU website has links to all of the various materials related to the Reimagine PSU initiatives, along with an FAQ page.
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Structure
Several areas of the university are involved in issues related to budget and program reduction.
Division of Finance and Administration (FADM)
According to their website, the Division of Finance and Administration (FADM) “comprises of a diverse group of departments that manage critical campus functions including emergency management, transportation and parking, budgeting, payroll and campus facilities" and "provides guidance and assistance to the university community around the efficient planning for and use of institutional financial resources."
The Office of Academic Affairs
According to the OAA website, “Academic Affairs is the central administrative office, with responsibility for the institutional academic mission, programming and policy implementation, support programs for academic personnel and students, academic fiscal management, and collective bargaining” with three academic unions. The Provost heads the Office of Academic Affairs, and her leadership team includes Vice Provosts and the Deans of the University’s Schools and Colleges.
The Provost leads the Position Review Committee, which considers exceptions to the university’s hiring freeze. She also appointed a Program Reduction Working Group whose charge was to “identify metrics and conduct analyses that will inform recommendations to her of units to consider in the Program Reduction process.” This group completed their tasks and disbanded at the end of AY 2020/2021.
Faculty Senate
The Faculty Senate has a number of permanent and ad hoc committees involved with discussions around budget-related academic program reductions.
The Faculty Senate Budget Committee is charged to “analyze budgetary implications of the establishment, abolition, or major alteration of the structure or educational function of departments, schools, colleges, or other significant academic entities through the review of a business plan that anticipates and provides for the long-term financial viability of the unit, and report this to the Senate.” It is also charged to “recommend to the President and to the Senate policies to be followed in implementing any declaration of financial exigency.” A designee from the Budget Committee sits on the APRCA committee.
The Faculty Senate Steering Committee is charged with “referring problems to appropriate committees and coordinating the work of the different committees.” In September 2020, the Steering committee and the Senate received the report of the Ad Hoc Summer Research Committee on Academic Program Examination / Reorganization. In October, the Steering Committee put forward a resolution to form the APRCA committee, which is charged with handling academic and curricular issues affected by budget reductions. When the administration reaches out to the Faculty Senate, communication usually flows through the Presiding Officer and the Steering Committee. Steering has delegated some planning related to budget cuts to APRCA, and a representative of the Steering Committee sits on APRCA.
PSU-AAUP
The Portland State University chapter of the American Association of University Professors (PSU-AAUP) is the union that represents faculty and Academic Professionals who have appointments of .5 FTE and above. The PSU-AAUP Collective Bargaining Agreement (contract) governs many aspects of faculty and Academic Professional employee relationships with PSU, including issues related to salary, benefits, and layoffs.
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Economics
Information on the University budget is available through the Division of Finance and Administration (FADM). Information about the budget for the upcoming year is available on the Budget Office webpage. In addition, on Monday, February 22nd, 2021, FADM held a University Budget Town Hall.
On March 9 and March 11, 2021 the Office of Academic Affairs hosted budget forums related to the new OAA budget model and provided information about the financial situation for the Colleges and Schools.
The Office of Institutional Research and Planning offers a detailed explanation of the enrollment forecasting process on their Statistical Look webpage.
Additional discussions will take place over AY 2021/2022. Links will be updated here as they become available.
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Article 22 Retrenchment
How does the Article 22 process relate to APRCA and the PPRWG?
Budget reduction conversations are moving forward through multiple avenues. During the winter and spring of 2021, one unit on campus, the Intensive English Language Program (IELP), was engaged with an Article 22 process as described below.
In parallel, the APRCA committee and the PPRWG have crafted principles and metrics to scaffold conversations about reductions elsewhere on campus that may take place in future academic years (AY22 and beyond).
Article 22 of the PSU-AAUP Collective Bargaining Agreement outlines a process for how the University will move forward if financial issues require program reductions in academic units. A simplified Article 22 checklist is available for view.
The Faculty Senate is committed to making sure that these important processes do not take place after faculty on 9-month contracts have gone off contract. We will endeavor to ensure that any such processes have wrapped up for the year by or before June 15th.
AY 2020/2021 Article 22: Retrenchment of the Intensive English Language Program
As outlined in Article 22.3(a), on February 4, 2021, President Percy declared that a condition requiring departmental reduction in the Intensive English Language Program existed.
As outlined in Article 22.3(c), “The President or designee shall present a full description and analysis of the financial condition of the University at a regular or special meeting of the Faculty Senate.” The President’s Office, OAA, and Faculty Senate scheduled a special Faculty Senate meeting for March 15th, 2021.
Following the Faculty Senate meeting, Article 22.3(d) provides for a 30-day comment period during which comments and recommendations will be provided to the President’s Office and to the Faculty Senate. The Senate received 102 comments and 19 documents on the feedback form. Members of the APRCA Committee and the Faculty Senate Steering Committee read and synthesized the material in a public report to the Senate Update, 4/26/21 . The supporting raw data is also available to review.
After the first round of feedback, President Stephen Percy announced a provisional plan on May 11, 2021 to reduce the size of the Intensive English Language Program (IELP). Under the plan, IELP would merge with the Office of International Affairs to create the Office of Global Engagement and Innovation, and staffing reductions would take effect Sept. 1, 2021. The President’s Office took public comments during the second round of an open comment period on the plan through June 10, 2021. The Faculty Senate also sought feedback through May 25 and submitted this report on June 6, 2021 to the President in conjunction with the APRCA committee. The President’s Final Plan was announced on June 14, 2021.
Special Meeting of Faculty Senate, 15 Mar. 2021, 3:00-5:00:
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Reports
Guiding Principles
The APRCA committee is charged with recommending "principles and priorities based on PSU's values and mission, with an emphasis on applying a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens, and sharing these with OAA to guide decision-making." The committee drafted a preliminary set of principles and priorities and revised the document based on feedback received from the campus community. The APRCA Guiding Principles and Priorities will shape discussion about upcoming budget reductions and curricular adjustments.
Reports
Monthly Report, November 2021 [2021.11.01 G.5]
Monthly Report, October 2021 [2021.10.04 G.3]
Report on comments on President's Art. 22 Provisional Plan for IELP [2021.06.14 G.3]
Annual Report, 2020-21 [2021.06.07 G.13]
Monthly Report, May 2021 [2021.05.03 G.4]
Steering & APRCA Report on IELP, April 2021 and the supporting raw data [feedback on March 15th Special Meeting, 2021.05.03 G.3]
Supplement: Steering & APRCA Data for Report on IELP, April 2021
Monthly Report, April 2021 [2021.04.05 G.3]
Article 22 Process Report, Special Meeting [2021.03.15 G.3]
Monthly Report, March 2021 [2021.03.01 G.5]
Monthly Report, February 2021 [2021.02.01 G.4]
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