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. Transportation Committee—Monitor on- and off-campus transportation and parking systems at the University and develop recommendations for modifications as needed.

Charges 2024-25

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. Review composition of the council in order to meet the 51% faculty membership as defined in the Faculty Senate Bylaws.
2. Explore the establishment of a standing committee focused on sustainability, and develop its charges if warranted.
3. Review Strategic Resource Management budget model implementation. Rules, and regulations. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board and Faculty Senate membership.
4. Review, provide input, and report on the campus master plan and construction projects that are in the various stages of planning or implementation. Review and assess the need for and amount of deferred maintenance across all WMU buildings and campuses. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.
5. Investigate, evaluate, and report on the current processes for WMU enrollment forecasting to understand its impact on recruitment and retention. Explore the impact of any significant disparities between forecasted and actual enrollment numbers and the effect on University, College, and/or Department budgets. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.
6. Review and report on University efforts to positively impact recruitment and retention. A focus area should include a review of Financial Aid budget packaging and guidelines. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.
7. Review and report on the University’s Information Security and Information Technology Interruption policies, practices, and recovery plans. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.
8. Review the scope and description of the council’s role statement and assess the effectiveness of the council’s practices. 
9. 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 June 30.
10. 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. 23, 2024

Click here for a printable version of the CPFC 2024-25 Charges.

NOTE: The CPFC will seek information from the offices of the Vice President for Business and Finance, Facilities Management, and University Budgets and Financial Planning 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. Any draft MOA requested by the Executive Board should be submitted using the MOA template.

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 2025-26 academic year, no later than June 30, 2025.