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AAFA BUDGET AND FINANCE ADMINISTRATION AAFA FINANCE
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Academic Support Model (ASM)

What is the Academic Support Model (ASM)?

The ASM is the way that Academic Affairs distributes money to schools. Schools have long requested more control and flexibility in how the money is distributed. With resource constraints, schools need this flexibility now more than ever. 

Transparency is a fundamental aspect of the ASM’s success. While deans will have greater discretion, the Academic Affairs Budget and Finance Administration team will provide guidelines and best practices to ensure a clear, predictable, and equitable allocation process within each school. Additionally, Academic Affairs will work with deans to establish a standardized communication framework so that departments receive timely and consistent updates on funding decisions. To further support transparency, a dashboard is being developed that will provide visibility into allocation metrics and decision-making processes. 

Why was the ASM developed? 

The ASM was developed to provide greater flexibility for schools in making financial decisions that best align with their academic priorities. While enrollment plays a key role in determining resources, it is recognized that other factors — such as research growth, experiential learning, and new program development — are also critical components to consider when looking at resource allocation. The ASM allows for these considerations by giving deans the discretion to balance multiple priorities while maintaining overall institutional financial stability. To address concerns about how these elements are incorporated, Academic Affairs is now engaged in sharing a comprehensive explanation of the rationale and key benefits of the model.

What are the key benefits of the ASM? 

The new ASM focuses on transparency, simplicity to align with each school's goals and data from the the academic units. It will:

  • better support academic excellence
  • help us navigate financial pressures
  • strengthen the university’s financial future in a rapidly-evolving landscape. 

What mechanisms will be put in place to evaluate and refine the ASM as needed?   

Continuous evaluation and refinement of the ASM are essential to its success. An ASM Assessment and Advisory Committee, created in consultation with the Academic Senate, will help ensure that faculty and chair perspectives inform the ongoing assessment of the model and allow nimble and fast actions as needed. 

Additionally, review metrics will be established to monitor the ASM’s impact, particularly on departments and programs that may not experience growth through enrollment. This will allow Academic Affairs to make recommendations to deans for methodological adjustments to ensure that all academic units are adequately supported

For more specific questions and information about the ASM, please consult the FAQ below.

Correspondence related to the ASM

Below are links to correspondence on the ASM that has been distributed to academic and Senate leadership. 

December 18, 2024: Letter from the Chair of the San Diego Divisional Academic Senate regarding Implementation of the Academic Support  Model (ASM)

February 13, 2025: Response from the Executive Vice Chancellor to Senate Feedback - Implementation of the Academic Support Model (ASM)

February 13, 2025: Transition Updates - Academic Support Model Phased Approach 

FAQ

How have UC San Diego's funding sources changed?

Over the last decade, public funding for the University of California has declined and now represents a smaller portion of our overall budget. This decrease in state support has required UC San Diego to make significant adjustments, including fundamental changes to how it generates revenue. As a result, other sources of income, such as tuition, have increased to help offset the shortfall.

Although UC San Diego’s leadership continues to advocate for enhanced state funding and modest, consistent tuition increases, these revenue streams are uncertain and largely beyond the campus’s direct control. To maintain financial stability, UC San Diego will focus on diversifying its revenue streams and expanding its capacity to generate independent sources of income in the years ahead.

What are the challenges to the current budget model?

The levers that enabled budget growth in the past decade are no longer available. Instability and unreliability of state funding, projected enrollment plateaus, low/modest tuition increases and a cap on non-resident enrollment are all contributing factors to this new unpredictable environment.

Why should we change to the proposed ASM now?

Schools have long requested more control and flexibility in how the money is distributed. With the resource constraints now in play, schools need more flexibility in how they allocate their resources. The new ASM will help schools navigate financial pressures and strengthen their financial futures by providing flexibility in the this rapidly-evolving landscape.

Will baseline budget increases include salary increases for TAs and temporary lecturers?

Yes. Mandatory salary increases that are prescribed within the collective bargaining agreement will be covered in baseline increases.

What was the process to develop the proposed ASM model?

  • Prior to 2015 – Incremental Budgeting
  • 2015 – Implementation of Divisional Support Model (Academic Support Model) Assessment expected every 3 to 5 years
  • 2020 – Task Force on Budget Planning and Guidance. This task force provided guidance related to pandemic budget issues and included 12 faculty and four Assistant Deans and Department Business Officers.
  • 2022 & 2023 - Preliminary conversations around updating model.
  • Winter 2024 - ASM Taskforce. This task force was co-chaired by Senior Associate Vice Chancellor, Bob Continetti and AVC Marie Carter-Dubois, with membership representation from 15 faculty, including members of the Academic Senate, and six Assistant Deans and Department Business Officers
  • Summer 2024 - ASM Implementation workgroup. This operational implementation workgroup had membership that included the eight Assistant Deans from each of the schools.
  • Fall 2024 - ASM Implementation Advisory Committee. This committee membership included 10 faculty, including members of the Academic Senate and seven Assistant Deans and Department Business Officers.

When you have a baseline budget, when resources go down, would you see a decrease in the baseline?

Yes. If over time you have negative growth, or enrollments decline, you would need less resources to support the unit and therefore, your baseline would decrease.

How was Senate involved in the ASM process? How are faculty, chairs and deans being involved in the process?

Faculty, deans, and chairs, including members of Academic Senate, provided guidance in the 2020 Task Force on Budget, Planning and Guidance, the fall 2024 ASM Task Force and the winter 2024 ASM Task Force.

What changes or adaptations were made to the ASM as a result of the consultations and guidance received from faculty?

In 2020, the EVC requested that the 2020 Summer General Campus Task Force on Budget Planning Guidance come together to draft some high-level principles to guide the budgeting process and ensure the preservation of the University's ability to carry out the core missions of teaching and research amidst budget reductions. The EVC used those principles to guide resourcing adjustments at the time and relied on these same principles as the foundation for the ASM. In particular, the same overarching principles from 2020 that gave decision-making capabilities back to the schools have guided each of the ASM committees and provided a foundation from which to build on and make adjustments to the plan.

What are the next steps in the process?

In the winter 2025 quarter:
  • The EVC and AVC-FA will present to the Academic Senate about the ASM
  • The EVC and AVC-FA will respond to any comments from Senate about the ASM
  • The EVC will receive and respond to feedback from the Chancellor
  • The ASM Assessment and Advisory Committee will be established to help the EVC Office set metrics and monitor progress 
  • Continuation refining processes for faculty hiring, lab renovations, teaching facility creation and maintenance
  • Schools will host town halls for discussion of the ASM

As a department chair, I don't have clarity into my school's budget. How do I find out more?

For more clarity on your school's budget, chairs should approach their school dean and assistant dean.