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An interview with the Dean of IT
by Kari Siegle
When Francis Kulacki stepped down as dean of the Institute of Technology last summer, he made way for a man who really cooks. Literally.
When he's not spending time at his new job or conducting research, H. Ted Davis prepares gourmet meals and makes a hobby out of finding the best baguettes in town. Besides trying a new recipe here and there, his latest challenge is leading IT.
After serving as head of the University's top-ranked chemical engineering and materials science program for 15 years, Davis was elected dean of IT winter quarter.
He decided to become a professor his sophomore year at Furman University in South Carolina. He pursued a Ph.D. in chemical physics at the University of Chicago and then came to the University in 1963. In 1969 he became a full professor of chemical engineering.
State contributions to IT have remained fairly flat in the past two years, so in order to maintain quality programs, alternative sources of funding must be found. Much of this responsibility falls on Davis' shoulders.
"The traditional partnership that we had was that tuition and state tax paid the salary for teaching the undergraduate programs," Davis said. Now IT must bear this burden and raise one-third of the money needed to construct new buildings or renovate old ones.
The cuts will affect students in several ways. When supply budgets and possibly the number of teaching assistants are reduced, Davis said undergraduates may find that they have fewer homework problems graded and fewer laboratory exercises. Also, more course materials might be placed at copying services so that their prices fall more squarely on the undergraduates.
And then there are the inevitable tuition increases. When state contributions diminish there is always a chance more of the fiscal pressure will be passed on to students, Davis said. But in spite of this dim picture, there are still some spots of color in IT.
Davis said Residential College has taken an active role in creating a community of learners within the University. "There are possibilities we can increase that concept to provide programs and special courses within IT that improve the quality of the undergraduate experience and increase revenues," Davis said.
But, he added, "We can't do new things if we don't find new sources of revenue because we are losing funds we already needed for carrying out all of our old things."
In an effort to increase the funding IT desperately needs, Davis plans to establish better relationships with companies and IT alumni. He hopes to explain the serious financial crunch confronting the college. He wants them to know what to expect from IT, and Davis is emphasizing that the school does its best with the resources available.
One strength is IT's faculty and their research. The tuition and state contribution to IT's operating budget is $55 million dollars and the faculty raised $77 million this year.
While budget worries and departmental concerns might seem like a handful for a new dean to handle, Davis said he hasn't had any surprises in his job so far. There was some troubling news, however. Last year IT suffered a large budget cut and was led to believe that this year would be cut-free.
"I suppose you could call that a surprise but, on the other hand, it's not really a surprise in the sense that anyone can read the budget and see that if we're going to have any cost of living relief in terms of raises at all the money has to come from somewhere," Davis said, adding that this translates into internal cuts.
While this might be a tough time for IT to get through, the college will make it, Davis said. He pointed out that every program in IT is essential to the University. Math, physics, chemistry and geology all contribute to the general University education, and the engineering graduates drive the state and national economy.
"We'll get through. We won't get through easily, but this is a strong college," Davis said.
