[Vision2020] Getting Laid by the University of Idaho

[Shawn Clabough]

Very good Mark - I also explain it to people as different "pots" of
money, where each pot is earmarked for different destinations and money
from one pot cannot be transferred to any other pot.

The cuts on Monday reduced the size of the "salaries" pot, but did not
affect the "projects" pot.  If there's money in the "projects" pot, then
it should be spent wisely on projects, even though it cannot be
transferred to "salaries".

Most often when the university receives a donation, the giver does not
state "spend this money however you see fit.", they state that it can
only be spent for <insert area here>.

Shawn

-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
[mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com] On Behalf Of Mark Seman
Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 1:32 PM
To: Saundra Lund
Cc: Vision2020
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Getting Laid by the University of Idaho

Saundra,
A very simplified view is that UI funds have different colors of money.
With the different colors come stipulations on how that money is to be
spent.  There are areas of latitude for some spending, but there are
also
areas of commitment.  I would assume this particular project is funded
by a
capital projects fund and not from a source destined for salaries,
maintenance, utilities or other need.

Mark

Mark Seman, Architect
Heather Seman, Landscape Architect
1404 East 'F' Street  Moscow, Idaho 83843
v 208-883-3276 / f 208-883-0112



-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
[mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]On Behalf Of Saundra Lund
Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 12:05 PM
To: DonaldH675 at aol.com; vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Getting Laid by the University of Idaho


Visionaries:

There are some things I know about, but there are a heck of a lot of
things
I don't know about.

And, this decision by the UI is one of the latter.

What I'm hoping is that someone can share the UI's rationale for this
expenditure during a financial crisis?

My initial reaction is incredulity and even disgust for the reasons
others
have already mentioned.

But, what I'd like to know is the other side of the story, so to speak.
Does anyone know what factors went into the decision to spend this money
*now*, particularly without the support/endorsement of the students?

If times were flush, a decision like this might have gone unnoticed, but
when student fees are continuing to increase, when families are losing
jobs,
when health care benefits are being further eroded, when retirees are
getting the shaft, when work load for many current faculty & staff is
already over the top, when academic programs are suffering, when
administrative bloat continues, etc., I cannot fathom the rationale at
work.

Please -- can anyone present another side of this picture?

As a quasi-related aside, although I hope I'm wrong, I guess I'm not too
optimistic about getting the other side of the story.  With respect to
the
pending employee health care benefits changes, the UI distributed the
following last Friday:
"Please do not ask for further information regarding plan changes at
this
time. <snip> They do not have all of the plan details at this point and
are
not staffed to handle communication about the new plans and implement
them
at the same time."

It seems to me like the UI isn't big on communication these days . . .
weeks
. . . months.  <sigh>

But, of course, that's part of the cause of the financial difficulties.
It's too bad they've apparently failed to learn some important lessons.


Saundra Lund
Moscow, ID