College of Natural Sciences CTBAC

The College of Natural Sciences CTBAC aims to enhance and make more transparent student and faculty participation in the University’s tuition and budget-setting process at the college level.

The CTBAC serves the interests of students, faculty, the dean and department chairs and University administrators. Students benefit from being involved in helping shape the future of their college. In addition to speaking on behalf of their peers, CTBAC members also help college administrators communicate with the student body about the tuition and budget-setting process and thereby help to generate student “buy-in” and support for the college’s fiscal decisions.

The benefits of increased student and faculty involvement—transparency of process, informed students and faculty, and a stake for the participants in the outcomes—further UT’s commitment to including their voices at all levels.

Purpose

The CTBAC serves various purposes within the College of Natural Sciences. The primary functions of the CTBAC include:

a.       Discuss college-level budget priorities
b.      Recommend tuition increases as are necessary to meet those priorities
c.       Consider allocating budget resources within the college as necessary to achieve college-level priorities
d.      Solicit feedback from students, faculty, and staff
e.       Work with other budget advisory committees to collect input from members of the university community about university-wide budgetary recommendations and changes

Media Coverage

Arts, Natural Sciences tighten their belts (The Daily Texan – August 10, 2011)

UT Senate’s advisory committees to be fully formed by September (The Daily Texan – July 11, 2011)

 

College of Natural Sciences Student CTBAC Members

Membership

The CTBAC has 12 members – six students, six faculty members and the associate or assistant dean in the College who is charged with managing the budget and the academic operations of the College. Each member of the CTBAC, except for the dean who serves as an ex officio member, has one vote.

Two of the student members on the CTBAC must be graduate students who have served as teaching assistants (TAs) or assistant instructors (AIs) within their college and are pursuing a degree in a program within the College. The president of the Graduate Student Assembly appoints the graduate student members.

The other four student members are appointed by the president of the Natural Sciences Council with one spot reserved for the College’s Student Government representative and another spot reserved for the Council president himself/herself. The College’s Faculty Council representatives serve as the faculty members of the CTBAC, but if more Faculty Council representatives desire to serve than are needed, the members will be selected by a lottery. If too few faculty members exist, an election by voting faculty in the College is held to determine the other members of the CTBAC.

Members are chosen at least one month before their term begins. Terms begin on the first day of the fall semester and run for one or two years. Graduate members serve two-year terms and undergraduate members serve one-year terms.  The Student Government representative and the Natural Sciences Council president serve one-year terms beginning the fall semester after their election. Terms of those serving two years are staggered so that each year the terms of only half the CTBAC members expire, thereby providing continuity of knowledge and experience. Faculty members serve one-year terms.