[labnetwork] Nano Lab Managers: off-campus budget line support?

[Gregory Cibuzar]

Hi Ian,
The short answer for the University of MN Nano Center is no, we don't have
a line item in the UM state budget.

But we did, way back in the early 90's when I started here.  These were
referred to as "state special" funding lines in the UM funding bill, and
there were a handful of labs that got this special treatment.  We all felt
pretty good about it as we felt pretty good about this as direct state
support meant the university couldn't move the money to another
department.  Then one year (1991), when the democratically-controlled state
legislature passed the university funding bill, and the republican governor
didn't like it, the governor decided to line-item veto all the state
special funding lines.  Suddenly we  became a pawn in the political
shenanigans of state government.  Not fun.  Several years after that, all
the "state special" funding lines were folded into the main university
budget bill.  That was probably a good thing.  Direct state support sounds
good, but IMO convincing your university administration to continue
supporting you is likely easier than convincing those involved in state
funding decisions.

Regards,
Greg

Greg Cibuzar
Manager, Minnesota Nano Center
www.mnc.umn.edu
University of Minnesota
612-625-8079

On Tue, Jun 13, 2017 at 11:38 AM, Ian Harvey <IRHarvey at eng.utah.edu> wrote:

> Dear Micro/Nano Lab Colleagues,
>
> I just had a very positive discussion with our AVP-R acknowledging that
> she never expects our lab to break even.
>
> (!!)
>
> But for sustainability she wants to go after a legislative line item to
> fund our O&M and the lab and asset management/automation software that will
> link to other areas of campus and to off-campus resources.
>
> Her question is:  *What other research labs receive non-campus budgetary
> support *(other than user fees, Dean, VP, etc.), such as an endowment, or
> a state or other government line item support of ongoing costs to keep
> prices low to the researchers?
>
> If she can point to peers who are recognized for the importance of the
> facilities by stakeholders who strategically provide for ongoing costs,
> then she feels like she can make the case.
>
> Your assistance is greatly appreciated!
>
> —Ian
>
> Ian R. Harvey, Ph.D.
>
> Associate Director
> Utah Nanofab at the University of Utah
> Cleanroom Fabrication and nanoImaging & Surface Analysis
> 801/585-6162 <(801)%20585-6162> (voicemail)
> www.nanofab.utah.edu
> http://sal.nanofab.utah.edu
>
> Micron Technology Foundation Inc., Microscopy Suite
> Sorenson Molecular Biotechnology Building — A USTAR Innovation Center
>
> 36 South Wasatch Drive
> Suite 2500
> Salt Lake City, Utah   84112-9011
>
>
>
>
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