CSTA funding task force

1. CSTA funding task force Alain Chesnais

2. Task Force • Address request that SIGs fund CSTA at $100K per year over the next five years • Mission: to put together a recommendation on CSTA funding, specifically including opinions from the leaders of SIGITE and SIGCSE

3. Task Force Composition • Alain Chesnais – task force chair • SGB EC • Barbara Boucher Owens, SIGCSE vice chair • Eydie Lawson, SIGITE chair

4. Issues • CSTA can appear to be overly focused on US • Wording (K-12) specifically US centric • Wording could lead people to think that mission is to focus on training new computer scientists • Can SIGs afford it?

5. SIGCSE Position on CSTA Funding     SIGCSE welcomes CSTA to the educational-computing community, and we  look forward to working with both SIGITE and CSTA in the future.As a SIG with an educational focus, SIGCSE notes the longstanding   under-funding of education in the US and beyond.  Thus, SIGCSE is delighted that ACM Council has decided to provide direct support for an area of education.   At the same time, SIGCSE knows that many SIGs and ACM face financial difficulties.  In particular, SIG support of ACM has faced a shortfall relative to the cost of ACM services, and ACM Council has graciously absorbed some of that cost.  At the same time, the ACM allocation to SIGs increased 2% for the current fiscal year, and we anticipate another 2% increase for the next fiscal year. This creates significant strains on already tight budgets for many SIGs.   In recent years, the SIG Governing Board has heard a regular pattern of statements by various SIGs regarding financial difficulties. For many SIGs, the last 2-3 years have been a time of considerable belt tightening.   With these financial constraints on many SIGs, SIGCSE does not believe that the SIGs as a whole or the SIG Governing Board should make any financial commitment to CSTA at this time.  At the level of the SIG Governing Board, the priority must be to keep costs down, and any found surplus should go to reducing the ACM allocation or addressing deficits.   Of course, for SIGs with strong financial positions, SIGCSE has no objection if those SIGs choose to contribute their funds to noble projects.  CSTA certainly might be one of these projects.  While SIGCSE is unwilling to make a blanket donation to CSTA, we are willing to consider supporting specific cooperative projects.   Overall, SIGCSE welcomes CSTA to the educational computing community, we look forward to working with them, and we wish them well on their ambitious goals.  From the standpoint of the SIG Governing Board, however, SIGCSE believes that the first priority must be to stabilize and reduce rates for the ACM allocation; too many SIGs are in difficult financial positions, and the SIG Governing Board should not undertake new, extensive commitments at this time.

6. The DL revenue is growing • $900K in FY’04 • $1.2M in FY’05 • Projecting $1.4M in FY’06 • Expecting continued growth

7. Allocations • Allocations are staying constant at $2.4M • We are all being prudent and spending less, so allocation percentage basis has to grow to meet same level

8. Good works • Original DL revenue distribution reserved ½ for “good works” • Did not receive any so decided to distribute total DL revenue to the SIGs • This proposal seems to fit the category of good works

9. Use the DL revenue? • Growth of DL revenue projected at $200K for FY’06 • If we took half of the growth and earmarked $100K to fund CSTA, the net increase of DL revenue for the SIGs would still be on the order of $100K

10. Proposal • Commit $100K per year from DL revenue to CSTA before distribution to the SIGs for the next five years • Recommend that CSTA address issues raised with respect to international aspects and perceived focus on only training computer scientists