Faculty Senate

Campus Planning and Finance Council

Role statement

The Campus Planning and Finance Council functions as a body to:

  1. Develop and recommend guidelines or review existing policies that provide a framework which campus agencies may use as a benchmark in making decisions related to campus planning and finance matters;
  2. Review major plans for the University’s physical facilities, including on- and off-campus facilities, transportation and infrastructure, and how they impact safety, security, aesthetics, finances and the surrounding environment. The goal of such reviews is to advise the administration with the views of the faculty and determine how well those plans fit into the framework referred to in the first item above;
  3. Review budget and financial issues of the University and make recommendations to the administration as appropriate; and
  4. Conduct such special studies as the executive board of the Faculty Senate may request, including ongoing charges.

Council Standing Committees

  1. Agenda Committee—Prepare the agenda for meetings of the Campus Planning and Finance Council.
  2. Sustainability Committee—enhances the council's capacity to address sustainability issues in campus planning and decision-making.

2026-27 Charges

In addition to its specific responsibilities listed in the Campus Planning and Finance Council’s role statement and the work of its standing committees including but not limited to the Transportation Committee, the Faculty Senate Executive Board charges the CPFC to consider, as a committee of the whole or through the appropriate committees or task forces, the following:

  1. Establish an ongoing working relationship with the incoming Senior Vice President for Budget and Finance and Chief Financial Officer through regular meetings, budget briefings, and campus planning updates.
  2. Provide the incoming Senior Vice President for Budget and Finance and Chief Financial Officer with an orientation to Faculty Senate priorities, the council's advisory role, current capital planning initiatives, deferred maintenance needs, and shared governance expectations.
  3. Serve as a consultative body to the administration regarding the WMU Administrative Redesign Financial and Administrative Operations Assessment, Strategic Space Utilization, and Strategic Sourcing and Non-Personnel Spending. Identify the process through which faculty can provide input to the initiatives. Evaluate faculty participation in representing impacts on academic units, administrative services, and the University’s academic mission. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.
  4. Develop recommendations for a long-range financial and capital planning framework that strengthens transparency, shared governance, and alignment with the University's Strategic Plan, Experience-Driven Learning initiative, and institutional priorities. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.
  5. Review university budget assumptions, financial projections, enrollment trends, resource allocation, and the post-Strategic Resource Management budget model, producing recommendations to improve transparency and communication. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.
  6. Investigate emerging federal and state higher education accountability and funding policies that may affect Western Michigan University's financial sustainability, academic portfolio, student outcomes, and eligibility for federal financial aid. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.
  7. In collaboration with the Graduate Studies Council, examine the impact and develop best practices, of nonresidential tuition on graduate student recruitment and assistantships, and departmental budgets. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.
  8. In collaboration with the Research and Creative Scholarship Council, determine resources and/or methods to recycle/refurbish/sell expired research equipment. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.
  9. Review, provide input, and report on the Campus Master Plan, major capital projects, deferred maintenance, campus space utilization, and implementation of the revised role statement emphasizing sustainability, wellbeing, and accessibility. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.
  10. Review recruitment, retention, enrollment, and financial aid strategies as they relate to institutional financial sustainability. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.
  11. Review the scope and description of the council’s role statement and assess the effectiveness of the council’s practices.
  12. At the annual April CPFC meeting, the council members must review the draft year-end report, to be submitted to the Faculty Senate office, by the council chair no later than May 30.
  13. Address any continuing or outstanding issues or initiatives as directed by the Faculty Senate Executive Board, members of the council, faculty, and/or academic administrators. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.

Approved by the Faculty Senate Executive Board on Aug. 28, 2026

Printable version of the CPFC 2025-26 Charges.

NOTE: The CPFC will seek information from the offices of the Vice President for Business and Finance, Facilities Management, University Budgets and Financial Planning, and related administrative offices to maintain communications with those offices on issues directly related to them. Council recommendations are to be submitted to the Executive Board in the form of a memorandum of action (MOA) on which the recommendation(s) is/are stated. Draft MOA should be submitted using the MOA template.

REPORTING: The CPFC chairperson shall provide a written report of the council's accomplishments and progress for the year, list the above charges noting each item's progress and current status; any other activities undertaken; and draft charges for the 2027-28 academic year, no later than May 30, 2027. Reports should be submitted using the Year-End Report template.