To: All Faculty & All Academic Professionals & All Civil Service Staff
           <everybody@illinois.edu> 
    From: "President B. Joseph White" <presidentwhite@uillinois.edu>

Reply-To: InfoSource@uillinois.edu
 Subject: MASSMAIL - Resources Initiative

February 7, 2008

To:  		University of Illinois Community
From: 		President B. Joseph White
Subject:  	Resources Initiative

In December 2007, following discussions with the chancellors, I 
convened a university-wide resources summit attended by 125 
leaders representing the three campuses, university administration 
and the foundation and alumni association.  The summit was designed 
to open dialogue on how we can deliver maximum resources to the 
academic front lines: faculty positions and salaries and financial 
support of our core academic missions of teaching, research, service 
and economic development. 

This is an important initiative because while the university's rate 
of total revenue growth has been quite strong over the past three 
years, the demands on these revenues to fund utilities, deferred 
maintenance, staff growth and other areas have been substantial. 

Looking ahead, we do not expect the university's rate of revenue 
growth to increase significantly in the near future.

Therefore I decided, in consultation with the chancellors, to 
launch an important new resources initiative for the university at 
the summit.  The purpose of the initiative is to focus our 
resources to the fullest extent possible on our core academic 
missions and the faculty, staff and students who are integral to 
their success.  The chancellors and I have encountered widespread 
concerns about resource adequacy among some of our academic 
colleagues, despite our relatively strong financial situation.  
The resources initiative will help us address those concerns.  

Stated differently, I believe that for the amount of incremental 
revenue we are earning each year as a university, not enough of it 
is reaching the academic front lines.    

The resources summit began a collective and open dialogue on these 
important and difficult matters.  In this letter, I want to 
provide the university community with an overview of the summit 
and describe the next steps of the resources initiative.  

REVIEW OF THE RESOURCES SUMMIT
The chancellors and provosts of the three campuses and the vice 
presidents of finance and academic affairs assisted me in 
developing the list of attendees which included deans, 
representatives of the faculty, the campus senates, the senates 
conference, a student leader from each campus and senior 
administrators.  Prior to the meeting the participants were 
provided with a case study of the university's current resources 
picture, including questions like these:

* How can we reduce the growth of central costs at all levels-- 
  university administration, campuses, colleges/schools and departments?  

* Are we trying to support "too much university" with the dollars we 
  have?  How can we collectively examine the scope of academic 
  offerings and units at each campus to improve quality and free up 
  resources for faculty, academic programs and student support? 

* How can the president and vice presidents, chancellors, provosts, 
  deans and faculty best collaborate to undertake this initiative in 
  a way that will yield meaningful and constructive results?


Chief Financial Officer Walter Knorr provided the summit participants 
with an overview of university revenues and expenditures.  The provosts 
provided examples of how they handle resource challenges on their 
campuses.  

The deliberations of discussion groups and a summary of the summit 
were posted on an interactive website where the participants 
provided feedback.  That feedback included many good ideas.  All 
this information is now available at: 

http://www.uillinois.edu/president/ResourcesSummitDocuments.cfm

At the end of the summit, I told the participants that as we 
strive to manage our resources more effectively, I am passionately 
committed to:  

* Strengthening the quality, academic environment and reputation of 
  the University of Illinois.

* Making and encouraging fundamental change to achieve these goals. 

NEXT STEPS
The summit initiated constructive dialogue necessary for change. 
Participants stressed transparency and collaboration at all levels 
as we move forward with resource planning.  This communication is 
part of the collaborative effort.

We will pursue a two-pronged approach, long-term and short-term, 
so as not to lose momentum.  

Long-Term Plans: We will develop a five-year view of our resource 
future so we can capitalize on resource opportunities that require 
more than a single year to plan and execute.  

* We will develop a five-year projection of annual operating budgets 
  and a five-year capital plan (our long-range plans).

* We will streamline our central organizations through careful 
  planning and attrition.

* We will be good stewards of the environment and achieve cost 
  containment through leadership in energy production efficiency and 
  energy conservation.   

* We will maintain high quality academic programs and avoid sprawl and 
  mediocrity by regularly and rigorously reviewing all academic programs.  

* We will seek change in externally imposed regulatory requirements 
  and procedures that are incompatible with cost effectiveness and 
  the university's mission and culture.

Short-Term Actions: A number of ideas suggested at the summit can 
be implemented in a relatively short period of time. 

* We will ensure that every faculty member has access to proper 
  financial support in pursuing her/his teaching, research and 
  professional development. 

* We will take immediate steps to accelerate energy conservation such 
  as changing to more energy-efficient lighting and inviting members 
  of our community to identify and innovate ways to conserve energy. 

* We will develop service centers to support aggregations of small 
  departments where this makes sense.  

* We will join together to reduce bureaucratic waste and resulting 
  frustration.  

Resources Steering Group: With the chancellors' concurrence, I am 
forming a university-wide resources steering group comprised of 
the three provosts and the three vice presidents to help guide the 
resources initiative.  This group will charge campus-level working 
groups, convened by the provosts, to address issues at each campus.  
A fourth working group will be in university administration.  The 
working groups will meet and report regularly to the steering group.  
The steering group, chancellors and I will work together to ensure 
that the changes will focus our resources and strengthen the quality 
and reputation of the university.   

In summary, the goal of the resources initiative is to operate the 
university in a way that delivers the most resources possible to 
the academic front lines.  Dialogue is central to the success of 
this initiative.  I welcome your insights and involvement.  The 
chancellors and I will keep you updated on progress.
This mailing approved by:
The Office of the President

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