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Materials Budget Formula FY05
Draft Revisions of the University Libraries’ Academic Department
Materials Budget Formula
For FY05
The University Library Committee in conjunction with the Libraries’ Administration began a year long study of formula allocations to determine if the changing patterns of enrollment in undergraduate and graduate academic programs, colleges and schools required a readjustment in the Libraries’ Academic Department Materials Budget Allocations.
A Subcommittee was appointed to recommend possible funding formulas. Subcommittee members included:
Jeanne Tunks, Teacher Ed. & Adm, Group VI; Mary Curtis, Accounting, Group V; Richard Wells, Journalism, Group II; Richard Reidy, Matrials Science, Group III, and Bradley Chilton, Criminal Justice, Group VII.
Factors considered were:
- the interdisciplinary nature of many programs;
- the annual support provided to many disciplines from the Libraries’ centrally funded electronic resources budget of $2.3 million dollars;
- the variations in materials costs and the publishing universe (print vs. electronic) by discipline, and
- the current allocations of funds by departments for print serials, individually selected monographs (firm orders) and the funds allocated to the Blackwell’s subject profiles for pre-selection of monographs.
The Subcommittee and the Library Committee recognized that with a flat budget year, the redistribution of existing funds would affect programs. The Subcommittee assumed that funds assigned by departments to their Blackwell’s selection profiles were less critical than those assigned to “firm orders” or print serials. The Subcommittee then decided that no department should lose more than their current funds assigned to the Blackwell’s selection profile or 15% per year until they reach the absolute floor of their current year Blackwell's allocation or whichever is least. This would set a new floor. The Library Committee voted to accept the recommendation of the Subcommittee with some amendments.
IT IS CRITICAL FOR EVERYONE TO REALIZE THAT THE NEW FORMULA WOULD ONLY BE APPLIED FOR FY05.
THE MATERIALS ALLOCATION FORMULAS FOR FUTURE YEARS WILL BE DRIVEN BY THE PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS'S ACADEMIC PLAN AND THE IDENTIFICATION OF CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE BY THE DEANS IN THEIR FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLANS.
Link to Excel Spreadsheet that applies the Proposed Formula to the current FY03 allocations.
Link to Email from Lou Pelton, Chair of the Faculty Senate, regarding the procedures for Faculty Senate consideration of the Library Committee formula recommendations.
EXPLANATION OF EXISTING FORMULA
The formula adopted by previous University Library Committees in 1988 and 1996 was applied and incremental increases made each year by the Libraries’ Administration through the infusion of additional funds. Thus the allocations for FY03 were based upon the 1996 floor and the incremental increases made by the Libraries' Administration.
The Existing Formula data comes from a three year average of figures taken from the UNT Fact Book – historically using fall enrollment numbers and semester credit hours; the current number of faculty lines from the latest University Budget; and current costs of materials.
- Number of Undergraduate Majors
- Number of Graduate Majors
- Number of Undergraduate Credit Hours Generated
- Number of Maters Credit Hours Generated X 2.018 (weight VPAA used for HEAF allocations for 1996)
- Number of Doctoral Credit Hours X 8.642 (weight from VPAA used for HEAF allocations for 1996)
- Number of FTE Faculty X 100
- Average Cost of Print Monographs in the Discipline
- Average Cost of a Print Journal in the Discipline
Subtotal of A through F = #
Divide Subtotal by 100 to get a simplified factor
Total of Average Costs (G & H) Multiplied by the Simplified Factor = Raw Formula Number
These factors produce the raw formula data number for the department (school or college). The raw formula data numbers for all departments (school or college) are totaled and then the single raw formula number is divided into this total to get the area percentage of the total. This percentage is then applied against the amount of funds available to arrive at the allocation amount. Under this formula no department received more than 7.5% of the total no matter if its percentage was higher.
PROPOSED NEW FORMULA
Data comes from the UNT Fact Book using latest three semesters (Fall, Spring, Fall) of enrollment numbers and semester credit hours; assigning 9 Semester Credit hours per Major as “Major Hours” and any additional hours above this figure as “non-Major Service Hours;” the current number of faculty lines from the latest University Budget; and current costs of materials.
- Number of Undergraduate Majors (2003 UNT Fact Book)
- Number of Graduate Majors (2003 UNT Fact Book)
- Number of Undergraduate Credit Hours Generated by Semester with weights of Fall (20%), Spring (20%) and Latest Fall (60%) (2004 UNT Fact Book)
- Undergraduate Major Hours X 1.00 (weight assigned by the Library Committee
- Undergraduate Service Hours X 0.10 (weight assigned by the Library Committee)
- Number of Masters Credit Hours Generated (2004 UNT Fact Book) X 4.50 (weight from the VPAA for HEAF allocations )
- Number of Doctoral Credit Hours Generated (2004 UNT Fact Book) X 10.00 (weight from the VPAA for HEAF allocations)
- Number of FTE faculty (2003-2004 UNT Budget) X 200
- Average Cost of Print Monographs in the Discipline (Blackwell's)
- Average Cost of a Print Journal in the Discipline (ALA American Libraries)
Subtotal of A through F = #
Divide by 100 to get simplified factor = #
Total of Average Costs plus the Simplified Factor = the Raw Formula Number
These factors produce the raw formula data number for the department (school or college). The raw formula data numbers for all departments (school or college) are totaled and then the single raw formula number is divided into this total to get the area percentage of the total. This percentage is then applied against the amount of funds available to arrive at the allocation amount.