Minutes of February 8, 2001 Meeting

	The meeting convened at 10:06 a.m. in room 817 Cathedral of 
Learning.

	UPBC members present were: Carolyn Ban, Tammeka Beattie, Clifford 
Brubaker, Frank Cassell, James Cassing, Richard Colwell,  N. John Cooper, 
James Maher, Thomas Metzger,  Barbara Mowery, Arthur Ramicone, Marilyn 
Ross, Debora Rougeux, Michael Stuckart, Michael Unangst, Bruce Williams, 
and Philip Wion.  Also present were: Ann Dykstra, Jeffrey Liebmann, 
William Madden, Charles McLaughlin, and Robert Pack.
	UPBC members not present were: Mary Ann Barber, Jerome Cochran, 
Nathan Hershey, Arthur Levine, Richard Pratt, Jaime Ann Rakow, Valerie 
Watzlaf, and Thomas Wolf..

Approval of Minutes

	The minutes of the December 11, 2000 meeting were approved.

Discussion of the Governor's Proposed FY 2002 Commonwealth Budget

	Dykstra reported that the Governor's proposed FY 2002 budget for 
the Commonwealth includes a 3% increase in the University's appropriation 
and no additional funding for special initiatives.  The University had 
requested a 5.25% increase and three special initiatives including the 
Information Technology Investment Fund ($3.5 million), the Laboratory 
Investment Fund ($3.0 million), and the Biotechnology Investment Fund 
($4.0 million).  She added that the budget includes similar increases for 
the other state-related institutions and a 4.0% increase for the 
state-owned system.
	Dykstra added that the proposed budget includes a number of 
education block grants, a portion of which the University is eligible to 
pursue, including Higher Education Technology Grants ($5.5 million), 
Higher Education Equipment Grants ($6.0 million), Graduation Incentive 
Program funds ($8.0 million), and funding to support the installation of 
residence hall sprinkler systems ($3.0 million).  She discussed the need 
to clarify cuts in the proposed budget for the regional cancer institutes 
and for biotechnology research.
	Dykstra discussed the possible uses for which the Commonwealth may 
put funds derived from the recent tobacco settlement, which totals $11.2 
billion over the next 25 years.  She indicated that the Governor seems 
inclined to direct these funds toward health-related expenditures.  She 
also discussed the Governor's support of the Pittsburgh Digital Greenhouse 
project, including a proposed one-time expenditure of $90 million to three 
centers statewide.  The Governor also has proposed a $10 million 
allocation to Community and Economic Development to combat "brain drain" 
in the state by promoting marketing and more productive partnerships 
between businesses and universities.
	The Committee discussed the need for state leaders to better 
understand the distinction between research and economic development 
activities.  Maher expressed optimism that lawmakers are buying into the 
knowledge that growing states have excellent research universities, which 
supports the University's arguments for support of basic budget 
components, such as salaries.

	The meeting adjourned at 11:22 a.m.