Minutes of January 29, 1996 Meeting

     The meeting convened at 2:07 p.m. in room 817 Cathedral of Learning.

     UPBC members present were: Toni Carbo Bearman, Jacob Birnberg, John
Brice, James Cassing, Richard Colwell, Ronald Gardner, Brian Hart, Randy Juhl,
Peter Koehler, James Maher, Franklin McCarthy, Glenn Nelson, Bruce Williams,
Philip Wion, Julius Youngner, and Judith Zimmerman.  Also present were: Jerome
Cochran, William Laird, Jeffrey Liebmann, William Madden, Jeffrey Masnick,
Robert Pack, and Arthur Ramicone.
     UPBC members not present were: Thomas Anderson, Marjorie Carlson, H.K.
Chang, Thomas Detre, Keith McDuffie, Jeffrey Romoff, Michael Stuckart, and Ben
Tuchi.

Approval of Minutes

     The minutes of the January 11, 1996 meeting were approved.

Report of the Chair

     Maher briefly discussed the recommendations of the institutional review
commissioned by the Board of Trustees and explained that the Board has been
actively reviewing the report.

Discussion of FY 1997 TA/TF/GSA Salaries

     Maher presented a proposal to increase compensation for teaching
assistants, teaching fellows, and graduate student assistants by 5% for FY
1997, which would result in an overall increase to the Educational and General
budget of $750,000.  He stressed the need to commit to an increase soon since
departments are already recruiting students.  Such an increase would
facilitate recruitment of high quality students.  Birnberg expressed concern
that a flat percentage increase would further widen the gap between salaries
of graduate student assistants and teaching assistants.  Koehler noted that
some units are shifting graduate student assistants to teaching assistant
positions in order to attract better students with higher stipends.  Maher
responded that the Provost's Office would examine this issue further.
     Koehler suggested that a 4% increase might be more consistent with
salary increases being considered for other University employees for FY 1997. 
Zimmerman agreed, citing the relatively lower cost of living in Pittsburgh. 
Birnberg moved to approve a 5% salary increase for TA/TF/GSA's in FY 1997. 
Brice seconded.  Koehler moved to amend the motion to increase salaries by 4%
instead of 5%.  Bearman seconded.  The amendment was adopted by a vote of 9 to
4.  The motion to increase TA/TF/GSA salaries by 4% in FY 1997 was adopted by
a vote of 10 to 2.

Discussion of Athletics Planning and Budgeting

     Members noted comments in the Fisher Report and from a previous UPBC
meeting regarding the budget and planning of the Department of Athletics.  The
relative importance of having successful teams to the department budget was
discussed.  Birnberg stated that such success is not sustainable and that in
only a few institutions is athletics not a financial drain.  Brice noted that
the public relations value of athletic programs might be more effectively
purchased with the money currently being invested in athletics.  Cochran
stated that all institutions of higher education are in the process of
complying with federal regulations requiring the reporting of athletics
budgets, but that many will not be as inclusive of all indirect costs as the
University.  He added that the Department of Athletics will soon complete a
long-range plan with goals for significant increases in marketing and
promotions, which will improve their budgetary situation.
     Maher cited concerns that, in the long-term, dropping to Division II or
III would damage perceptions of the University across the country.  Zimmerman
stated that remaining in Division IA is not a uniformly positive thing for the
University.  Bearman stated that both staying in Division IA and the
department losing money in athletics may be realities, but that the extent of
the losses should be controlled.
     McCarthy suggested looking at peer institution information on athletics
operations.  Wion suggested composing recommendations dealing with setting
budgetary targets for the department and with examining ways to reduce costs
in non-revenue generating sports.  Birnberg agreed, but suggested that the
UPBC await the Athletics plan and then provide constructive advice.  Maher and
Birnberg summarized the thread of consensus that the UPBC is pleased that the
Athletics Department is continuing to investigate and analyze its budget with
an eye toward becoming more cost effective and efficient and that the UPBC
expects the submission of a plan in the next several months.

     The meeting adjourned at 4:02 p.m.