Fee Transparency Project

Zoom: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/95622314123?pwd=5VWcllvoBuwmAnafdwInowPaBQ1LWB.1

Present: Marshall, Mel, Trey, Katie, Wuhaj, Lauren, Manel, Lisa, Lucy

Welcome and Introductions
1. Members introductions: Name, Pronouns, Year, Major, and Space.
  1. Marshall defers the introductions until our guest arrives
2. Order: Cowell, Stevenson, Crown, Merrill, Kresge, Porter, Oakes, RCC, C9, JRL, GSA, GSC, SAB, Provost, SUA, Lisa, Lucy
Approval of Agenda & 10/7/24 Minutes
1. Mel motions to approve the minutes and today’s agenda. Katie seconds the motion. No objections.
Announcements & Updates
1. CSF campaign goals 24-25
  1. Marshall explains that at the CSF meeting, they discussed the campaigns for the year. CSF is developing a new position to serve as a liaison with campuses in support of the campaign goal - which is to build the transparency of goals.
    1. This is a student position, lead position in SFAC that works with Marshall who is the Campaign Chair
    2. No precedent for a position like this. Marshall, Mel, and Lucy will discuss the possibility of offering some compensation.
    3. Marshall will send out a form to all SFAC members asking about interest in the position.
2. Final Charge Letter
  1. Lucy explains that this is the final charge letter for the year. Manel was added and the Acting VCs signature was added.
3. Recruitment of New Members
  1. Please help with outreach by sharing this flier
  2. Marshall explains that it doesn’t look like SCOC may meet this quarter so we should move forward with our appointments. Mel mentions that SUA is having its first meeting this week so perhaps the IVP will get things going.
    1. We will follow up with Nareh at SUA to let SCOC know that we may make appointments this quarter and see if SCOC has any concerns.
    2. There are no objections to Marshall, Mel, and Lucy reviewing the applications that came in via Handshake.
Community Agreements (Group Activity)
1. Katie would like to see better time management; we seem to run out of time talking about certain topics. It would be important to stay on track with time.
2. Lisa would like to see more engagement with the team members. Also, Lisa would like us to be able to
3. Lucy agrees with Lisa that she would like to see engagement and appreciates how folks show up for whatever time they can.
4. Mel says that if you are not able to attend a meeting, please send an email to Lucy, Marshall, and Mel. Please communicate about your needs and situation.
5. Trey says that communication is a must.
6. Lauren likes what was said about time management.
7. Manel would like to see more strategy - what are our goals? How do our funding decisions impact the goals we have established? Take a step back and take a higher level look.
8. Wahaj says that considering the budget situation with the university, we should be thinking long term and make decisions that will have a long term impact.
9. Marshall would like to see folks reviewing the agenda, offering opinions, participating remotely even when you are not able to attend meetings.
Guest Presenter (1:00 - 1:45 pm)
1. Amber Blakeslee, Associate Vice Chancellor for Budget, Analysis and Planning
  1. Questions sent to Amber in advance
  2. Amber introduces herself. She is new to campus. She worked in the CSU system for the last 16 years and is familiar with SFAC structures.
  3. Amber says that she appreciates this group and the time that folks give to participating in a space like this.
  4. Amber is here to provide a high level overview of the budget and some of the fees that SFAC has purview for.
  5. There are multiple reasons that are causing the current budget deficit but the bottom line is that our costs have been outpacing our revenues. The primary cause is salary and benefits that new positions that were added in support of strategic initiatives, 100 new faculty positions, positions to respond to pandemic, etc.
    1. There were also non-personnel related cost escalations such as resources that were required to respond to fires, utility shutdowns, etc.
  6. We have a structural gap in that our expenses outpace our revenues and our “savings account” is getting smaller.
  7. In FY 24 the shortfall was $100 million. In FY 25, it will be $111 million.
  8. The State has funded the compact but has deferred issuing funds this year to next year. That’s a total of $16.6 million in funding.
  9. There is also a cut being applied to departments for carry forward funds, about $17 million were cut as of July 1st 2024.
  10. What does the future look like? Over the next 4 years, there will be other cuts totalling about $150 million in core funds. Each division has been given another target.
  11. SSF and M7 reflect about 2.7% of the campus budget. The cohort based tuition model will help bring in new revenues in the coming years.
  12. The FY 25 gap (deficit) in SSF and Measure 7 is $1.24 million
  13. Regarding the $300K that SFAC receives each year for the funding call (SSF funds), Amber recommends that we continue to bring this up with BAP as we approach the expiration of the current allocation (FY 26).
  14. This fiscal year, there is a gap of about $400K between Measure 7 expenses ($3.64 million) and revenue ($3.25 million).
  15. The group discusses Measure 7, and that there is no CPI escalator, so the fund revenues never change/increase.
  16. Amber explains that the path to fiscal responsibility will include several strategies involving expenditure control such as travel restrictions, and restrictions on entertainment expenses and consultants. A budget advisory committee has been convened. Spending authority for carryforward funds will be “dialed back”. There will be process changes including a budget development process, auxiliary assessment and carryforward management. There is also a revenue augmentation initiative and a business process evaluation.
  17. Questions and Answers
    1. Amber is asked about the revenue generating ideas that have been identified. She says that the campus is looking at strategic partnerships, increase in non-resident tuition, and a capital campaign.
    2. Will carryforward be swept from SFAC if we decide to hold some of our funds for next year’s funding call? Amber says that carry forward guidance is forthcoming and SFAC should work closely with DSAS because the carryforward decisions are made at the divisional level.
    3. Which department and units are most impacted by the cuts? Amber responds that the administrative units such as FOA, ITS, University Advancement, and Chancellor’s Office have been most impacted by the cuts. It’s a tiered approach with administrative units at tier 1, tier 2 is student support services, tier 3 are academic/teaching units.
New Business
Adjournment
1. Meeting adjourns without a motion. Due to technical issues, Zoom ended and we did not have a quorum to officially adjourn with a motion.

Upcoming Guests/Topics:.

Guests
1. Acting Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Success John Bollard
Funding Call 2024-2025
1. 2024-2025 Funding Call Debrief and suggestions for next year
2. Funding Call 24-25 Suggestion
3. 2024-2025 SFAC Proposal Template.docx
By-Laws
1. [From 6/6/24 meeting minutes]: Marshall, Mel, and Lucy will draft some language and edits for the bylaws responsive to today’s conversation for review next year early in fall quarter.
Auditing:
1. Student Media Voice Fee
2. Student Life Facilities Fee

Ongoing Resources:

Envisioning SFAC 24-25

https://www.tldraw.com/r/GAi1ewNRw5Hwq_S7Q62Va?d=v0.-5.1451.775.page