Department of Biomedical Engineering
                  Proposed Fiscal Strategies
                      January 30, 2009


As part of the College of Engineering’s goals to reduce expenditures
for Travel and Meals within the College, BME proposes the following 
departmental strategy in an effort to reduce Travel and Meal expenditures 
by at least 15%:

MEALS

- Reduce use of high-end restaurants during faculty recruitment and all 
  other related business meals.

- Reduce the cost spent on Alcohol during faculty recruitment dinners and 
  all other related business meals.

- Encourage use of campus restaurants instead of off-campus restaurants

- Reduce the number of attendees at faculty recruitment dinners and all 
  other related business related meal events.

- Instruct faculty to reduce the number of business meals by scheduling 
  business meetings outside of meal times.

- The Department Chair will sign off on business meals.  By informing 
  faculty of this new practice we believe that this will also help to 
  reduce business meal expenditures.

TRAVEL

- Purchase airline tickets at least 30 days in advance whenever possible.

- Faculty, staff, and students are to seek the lowest airfare possible, 
  and should be flexible in scheduling their airfare arrival and 
  departure times.

- Travelers to should try and limit the number of Non-US conferences as 
  overseas airfare is more costly.

- Limit the number of personnel attending conference if not presenting.

- Encourage faculty, staff, and students to share hotel rooms and 
  transportation to and from the conference.

- Limit the use of rental cars while traveling.  Travelers should seek 
  the lowest means of transportation to and from the airport, conference 
  location, and hotel.

- Submit conference registration 30 days in advance whenever possible.

- For travel request submitted less than 30 days in advance, the 
  Department Chair will approve.  We believe that this will help to 
  reduce the number of faculty and students who wait until the last 
  minute which in turn will help to reduce our travel costs.


Respectfully Submitted By:  Kirsten Gibbons, Department Fiscal Officer
                   January 30, 2009