UCLA Faculty Center Report to Academic Senate Council on Planning and Budget February 25, 2011
Financial Issues These are challenging time for the Faculty Center. The current Faculty Center building was constructed in the 1950s with funds from various founding groups (e.g. Faculty Women’s Club, etc.), the Chancellor, and the Regents. The Faculty Center is run by an independent Board of Governors who oversee the management performed by a Faculty Center Manager, currently Ali Tabrizi. The major goal of the Center is to facilitate interaction between faculty and staff and to provide facilities and programs for this purpose and to host various functions of its members and affiliated Departments. A number of changes have affected the finances of the Faculty Center under its initial business plan. (1) A decision was made by the Board of Governors to make its make its staff university employees so that they would enjoy health and retirement benefits. Recent and projected increases in the costs associated with these benefits have substantially increased the Faculty Center expenses. (2) The Administration, which in the past had provided subsidies to the Center, has ceased doing so. Charges are now made for routine campus services — e.g. police, utilities, advisory services, etc. (3) Construction by the University of competing facilities (e.g. Covell and the Anderson School with meeting rooms) has severely affected the use of the Faculty Center. (4) The recent recession and University budgetary problems has reduced use of the Faculty Center by members, Departments and Staff Organizations. This led to an operating loss (including investment losses in the Faculty Center’s reserve fund) of approximately $400,000 in the past two years. The Faculty Center’s current reserve fund amounts to approximately $900,000. (5) A Building Assessment Report with regard to required maintenance and component renewal by the University’s Facilities Management in 2009 recommended actions estimated to cost $1,364,230 during a ten year period. Given the current reserve fund, indications of significant support by its membership, and steps initiated to improve its financial health, the Board of Governors is confident of the future viability of a Faculty Center in its current building. (6) The Faculty Center has initiated a number of steps to bring its expenditures more in line with its income. The Board of Governors has increased membership dues, increased meal costs, and reduced staff. Additional steps are planned to increase and diversify membership, increase income, and reduce expenses. (7) The Faculty Center projects a balanced budget or a modest loss for 2010-11.
Alternative Plans
Regardless of the final decision on the construction of the proposed Convention Center/Hotel and Faculty Club on the site of the current Faculty Center, the Faculty Center Board of Governors has discussed a number plans to improve the financial status of the Faculty Center Association: Increase and Diversify Membership (1) Promote activities using the Faculty Center facilities that would attract participation by younger faculty and staff (2) Consider expanding membership to additional members of the UCLA community (and possibly nearby residents (3) Continue to provide free and reduced cost membership to new members of the UCLA community