Dear Colleague,

>With much attention in the University Budget Committee focused on the 9
>percent budget cuts facing our state, it is great to note the
>tanssformational impact of current year investments from the Lupton
>Renaissance Fund.  Nearly 70 proposals have spent nearly  $7,000,000 to
>make UTC a better institution.

>Even as we talk of cuts for the next fiscal year, we are approaching
>closure on consideration of proposals for Round II funding from the Lupton
>Renaissance Fund.  The call for Round II proposals brought forth more than
>130 creative and enterprising recommendations to transform our campus and
>our service to students and the region.  Like the previous year, we will
>not be able to fund all 130.  Perhaps even more regrettable, I have not
>had the opportunity to send a courteous "thank you" and "regrets" to those
>whose ideas were not funded.  For that omission to nearly one hundred
>faculty and staff who took the time to submit a proposal - and now find
>int not funded - I apologize.

   As we move forward, I would like to ask authors of nine large-scale
proposals to refine and present short updates to a panel of four.  The
large proposal    that I would like to hear more about on April 1, 2003,
are alphabetized below.

>Center for Entrepreneurship and Organizational Innovation

>Urban Environmental Institute

>Facilities Transformation Moves and Space Enhancements

>Information Technology Degree Program

>Institute for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Biological Field Station

>International Student House

>Orthopedic and Sports Rehabilitation Clinic

>Urban Planning and/or Transportation Institute

>Visiting Scholars Program
>
>Recommended for likely funding among the small budget items are the following.


>Alumni Commons Matching Grant
>Communication Department Accreditation Enhancements
>Virtual Reality Information Enhancement Lab
>High School Journalism Education Outreach Program
>Theatre Department Equipment
>Art Department Student Portfolio Enhancement Program
>Foreign Languages Rolling "Smart Enough" Classrooms
>Chemistry Department Equipment
>Computer Sciences Network Security Lab
>Special Collections Enhancements
>Tax Resource Room
>User License for JSTOR Scholarly Journal Archive
>
>
>There were numerous other excellent proposals, and I encourage you to
>continue to seek other outside funding for these ideas -  or continue to
>refine or update them for re-submission.

   In addition to this early alert as Round II nears conclusion and
allocation, a Forum will be scheduled in April to seek further input on the
use of the Lupton Renaissance Fund and to establish a working parameter for
submissions next Fall.

Thanks again for your creativity and stewardship of this opportunity - and
resources - to move us in significant ways from a good institution to
excellence.

Bill


>Thank you for all you do to make UTC a great university.
>