CHAPTER 6:

Planning for the 21^st Century

The Total Learning Environment Initiative

In 1996-97, CU President John C. Buechner initiated a new vision for the university system to develop a total learning environment. As discussed earlier, the Total Learning Environment (TLE) initiative revolves around four objectives for all four campuses of the University of Colorado:

• Innovations in learning
• Responsiveness to students and other constituents
• Using technology to improve teaching, learning, research, and management
• Enhancing the university’s infrastructure

By 1998, Boulder campus planners in the Office of Planning, Budget, and Analysis and the Office of Academic Affairs were implementing TLE and its budgetary implementation arm, the Integrated Resource Management Strategy (IRMS). The initial step of this process was to design a broad set of campus goals aligned with the objectives of the campus's own strategic planning process as well as the objectives of the systemwide TLE.

In addition, by implementing TLE through IRMS, the campus has established a new set of budget initiatives to:

• Align resource investments with TLE priorities
• Develop seven-year budget plans
• Incorporate an "all-funds" approach in budgetary planning

At this time, a clear conclusion from the process is that TLE and IRMS have been successful in lengthening the horizon of budgetary planning. However, the campus still is attempting to implement the concept of "all-funds" budgeting, i.e., undertaking general fund budgetary decisions from the perspective of what is happening with all sources of funds. As the campus turns to increasing use of entrepreneurial activities to supplement allocations from state tax support and tuition revenues, careful consideration of all sources of funds must be given in the budget process.