Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Present:
Paul S. LaFollette (Pres.), Joan Shapiro (V. Pres.), Roberta Sloan (Secy), Adam Davey (CHPSW), Joan Delalic (Engr.), Margaret Devinney (CLA), Deborah Howe (SED), Michael Jackson (STHM), Tricia S. Jones (Educ.), Charles Jungreis (Med.), Stephanie Knopp (Tyler), Jim Korsh (CST), Laurie MacPhail (Dent.), Charles Ruchalski (Pharm.), Cheryl Mack (Coord.)
Absent:
Nora Alter (SCT) on leave, Don Harris (Law), Luke Kahlich (BCMD), Mark C. Rahdert (Law) on leave,
Jay Sinha (FSBM), Karen Turner (Past President) on leave, Douglas Wager (SCT), David Waldstreicher (Fac. Herald)
Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order to 1:09 pm.
Approval of Minutes:
The minutes from the last Faculty Senate Steering Committee meeting of February 22, 2011 were approved. Senator Davey pointed out that he had been present at the February 8th meeting, so the minutes of that meeting will be changed to reflect his presence.
President’s Report – Paul LaFollette:
President LaFollette met with the Vice President and Provost, Richard Englert. Senior Vice Provost of Undergraduate Affairs, Peter Jones and Englert will be coming to an upcoming FSSC meeting to discuss the summer school formula and the matrix. Englert has said that each dean is free to implement whatever summer schedule they devise as long as they don’t lose money at the end of the summer. Many deans have said to their faculty that this is not the case, and that they are under constraints from the university. There seems to be a real divergence of perception and communication at work on this issue.
A senator suggested that when Englert and Jones come to the meeting, that the budget should also be discussed at that time.
Englert will also be meeting with President LaFollette, Cheryl Mack and Associate VP Bill Wilkinson to discuss the Faculty Senate budget for next year.
Senator Trish Jones is continuing her work on the FSSC/Deans retreat.
There will be another meeting about the university bylaws at which the dean of the Fox School of Business along with President LaFollette, Senator Jim Korsh, and Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Development, Diane Maleson, will be present.
A Parliamentarian is still needed. If you have someone in mind, please let President LaFollette know who that may be.
Associate Vice President Bill Wilkinson has asked CATA to forward four or five names of faculty who can be part of the search committee for the new Provost. The search will commence in July. President LaFollette will contact the chair of CATA about this issue.
President LaFollette said that he would like to discuss the senate bylaws and the FSSC/Dean’s retreat after the Vice-President’s report.
Vice President’s Report – Joan Shapiro:
Vice President Shapiro said that she would like to thank Senator Korsh for recommending a professor to serve on the UTPAC. VP Shapiro also thanked Senator Jones for putting out a call on the Education Listserv. Joseph Ducette has volunteered for the UTPAC. VP Shapiro asked Senator Devinney to find someone from CLA to serve. Senators are needed to fill out the year on this committee and they must be from CST and CLA. They would be eligible to be elected for next year. We still need people for the Sabbatical Committee, the EPPC and the Personnel Committee, as well as CATA.
Senator Jin Jun Luo would like to continue to serve on the Research Programs and Policies Committee, and this met with FSSC approval. Senator Ruchalski has agreed to convene the Faculty Quality of Life Committee, so that they can elect a chair person and continue on the work they were doing regarding developing a questionnaire.
The Budget Review Committee will need four members, and everyone knows how important that committee is at this time. Members are needed on this committee ASAP.
Guest - Professor Frank Friedman (CST):
As chair of the Faculty Herald Editorial Board, Professor Friedman wished to speak about the upcoming symposium on April 7, 2011. He also pointed out many of the issues that the editorial board has discussed this year. It was suggested that someone from the administration participate in the symposium. It was suggested that the administrator chosen hold a faculty appointment. Senator Jackson recommended that an undergraduate and graduate student also be included. The symposium will be from 1:30 – 4:00 pm in Kiva Auditorium.
The dean of the Law School was suggested as a possible administrator to be on the panel. Former Dean Robert Reinstein was also suggested. Professor Friedman is also looking for a moderator. Professor Robert Aiken was suggested as the moderator. Professor Bill Woodward’s name was also mentioned.
One senator commented that the Faculty Herald this year has been just excellent.
Professor Friedman’s board is now called the Faculty Senate Editorial Board and it has been suggested that it be called the Faculty Herald Editorial Board. It was moved and seconded that the Faculty Senate Editorial Board now be called the Faculty Herald Editorial Board.
President LaFollette thanked Professor Friedman for coming to the FSSC.
President LaFollette continued:
Senator Trish Jones gave a report on the upcoming FSSC/Deans retreat. The thought is that is would be helpful to have a few topics that are deeply discussed and examined and that the outcome be actual recommendations. It was thought that others might be invited so that there will be more robust conversation. Senator Jones said that under consideration is requesting input from others beforehand. President LaFollette, Senator Jones and Dean Soufas are on a subcommittee for retreat planning. Various possible topics for the retreat were mentioned for the subcommittee’s review. Many excellent issues were suggested by members of the FSSC that could be topics for the retreat.
One senator expressed concern about the incoming salaries that are being offered to NTT’s and TT faculty. This is particularly crucial because NTT’s are not eligible, in some schools, for merit. The senator reported that some NTTs are being hired for as low as $40,000 and told that it is a “take it or leave it” situation. Since NTTs are so vital to the university, this is of great concern.
Another concern mentioned was that there has been a proliferation of hiring of administrators at the university at a time when new faculty members are not being hired. Also, there is concern that many of these administrators do not have faculty appointments, nor have they ever been faculty members, so their view of the university is narrower than might be desired.
A discussion ensued regarding who should be considered a faculty senator, who should be eligible to be elected to the Faculty Senate and who should be eligible to vote on Faculty Senate issues.
President LaFollette said that these issues and the issue of the bylaws need to be set before the University Senate members for vote. He will send around a draft of his ideas to the FSSC.
It was moved and seconded that the April meeting of the Faculty Senate should be a University Faculty Senate Meeting. President LaFollette would like to have a vote on a number of these issues at the May Faculty Senate Meeting.
Old Business:
A discussion ensued regarding the election of new officers for the Senate.
A discussion ensued regarding President Hart’s new contract.
The brunch to recognize people who have done outstanding service will be on October 20, 2011. Senator Michael Jackson would like for the FSSC to take a look at the criteria for honoring these individuals. VP and Provost Englert has authorized $8,000 to pay for the food for either a breakfast, lunch or dinner.
A lively discussion ensued regarding the amount of money that the university spends on food and entertainment, as reflected in Professor Phillip Yanella’s remarks at the last Faculty Senate meeting. Some senators found it unconscionable to spend $8,000 on food for an event when the university is facing budget constraints that impact the academic mission of the university. It was suggested that rather than having a breakfast, lunch or dinner, what would be preferable is a gathering with hors d’oeuvres offered on trays, where faculty members could come and go, and Englert could make a speech honoring the faculty chosen for awards. It was commented that probably more faculty would attend, and the cost of the event would be far less. The dates being considered for this semester are April 20, April 27
and May 6.
Adjournment:
The meeting was adjourned at 3:02 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Roberta Sloan, Ph.D.
Faculty Senate Secretary
