WSU FACULTY SENATE MEETING
October 15, 2001

Senators Present: Danning Bloom, Matt Bosworth, David Bratt, Marianna Byman, Narayan Debnath, Darrell Downs, Mark Engen, Pat Ferden, Matthew Hyle, Colette Hyman, Joe Jackson, Mary Kesler, Cindy Killion, Daniel Lintin, Peter Miene, Bill Ng, Christine Pilon-Kacir (in Rochester), Susanne Smith, Jo Stejskal, Cathy Summa, Bruce Svingen, Paul Vance.

Senators Absent: Sara Barbor, Frances Ragsdale, Kerry Williams, and Alex Yard.

Others Present: Joe Mount, Charla Miertschin, and Carrie Fried.

I. Call to Order

David Bratt called the meeting to order at 3:02 p.m.

II. Approval of minutes of October 1, 2001 Senate Meeting

B. Svingen/J. Stejskal moved to approve minutes of Oct. 1st as written.
Motion Carried

 

III. Agenda Additions/Revisions and Approval:

Add:

1. Com-G: Social
2. Com-H: Election
3. NB-D: TC Curriculum Review Project

Revise:

1. OB-B: Set time of 3:30 p.m.

M. Kesler/D. Downs moved to approve these agenda additions/revisions.
Motion Carried.

IV. President's Report

1. Ruth Charles in hospital, IFO will be sending flowers.

2. Jackie Hatlevig also in hospital, IFO will be sending flowers.

3. Sara Barbor - thanks for IFO flowers - condolences (for death of her father)

4. Board meet Th/Fri, Bruce/Mary - items for report?

M. Hyle/P. Vance moved that the WSU-FA forward to the state IFO our concerns for Frank Conroy's situation (benefits lost during unit transitions), which has NOT been resolved for several years.

Motion Carried.

5. Attended Chancellor's Citizens commission meeting in cities, Tues. 10/9 - was surprised that MnSCU, to many influentials, is only about workforce-training institutions.

 

V. Review of Meet and Confer Notes (October 8, 2001)

D. Downs/J. Jackson moved that Meet and Confer Notes be received by Senate.
Motion Carried.

VI. Committee Reports

A. A2C2

I. Course Proposals
II. Program Proposals
III. University Studies Courses
IV. Flag Courses

A. Writing Flag


SOC 378 Laboratory in Social Research (3 SH)

ART 435 Italian Renaissance Art (3 SH)

ART 437 Nineteenth Century Art (3 SH)

ART 438 Early Twentieth Century Art (3 SH)

ART 439 Later Twentieth Century Art (3 SH)

B. Oral Flag

                              BUSA 495 Strategic Management (3 SH)

C. Mathematics/Statistics or Critical Analysis Flag

BUSA 220 Introduction to Business Statistics (3 SH)
 

                               OC 376 Introduction to Social Research (3 SH)

V. Notifications

A. Art - BA Minor-Studio Art: ART 221 Art History I (3 SH) is dropped and ART 109 Introduction to Art (3 SH) is added. ART 222 Art History II (3 SH) is dropped and an additional Art or Art History elective above the 100 level is added. Required courses are then 12 SH. Elective courses are 9 SH, for a total of 21 SH (no change in total number of credits.) There is no effect on General Education or University Studies

B. Marketing - Unbank course: MKTG 429 Small Business Consulting with a change in prerequisites: MKTG 320 or consent of instructor for non-marketing majors and minors.

C. Nursing - BS Major - Nursing-BIOL 211 and 212 should appear as Additional Requirements (with an asterisk) in the catalog.

A2C2 moved that Senate approval of Flag Courses requested by A2C2

Motion Carried.

Questions re Marketing 429?

Senate received notifications.

 

B. Graduate Council

No Report.

C. Government Relations (statewide and local)

Darrell Downs briefly reported the following:

1. Governor's office is sticking to the $400 million bonding bill limit and no supplemental appropriations (the "priming the pump" Keynesian approach to spend capital funds to stimulate the economy is going nowhere with Ventura aides).

2. House & Senate are likely to bond more (some say as high as $1 billion) but November 20th economic forecast is expected to continue a dismal downward trend.

3. Local GR will meet to plan lobbying strategy for proposed science bldg.

4. Statewide GR will meet Nov. 15-16 to complete IFO legislative goals.

D. Personnel Policies and Grievance

                No report yet. Working on several important issues.

E. Committee on Committees

The Committee on Committees recommends that the following members be appointed to the committees listed:

ALL-UNIVERSITY COMMITTEES

1. Residential College Steering Committee - Rob Brault

2. Affirmative Action and Title IX - Maggie McDermott

3. Athletic and Hall of Fame - Don Wistrcill

4. Commencement and Honorary Degrees - Mary Jo Welhaven (represent Nursing/HHP)

5. Community Service Planning Committee - Chris Buttram and Dan Bloom

6. Sesquicentennial - Gene Lundak

IFO COMMITTEES

1. Elections and Procedures - Jo Stejskal

2. Instructional Technology - Mary Proksch (representing Nursing/HHP)

Motion Carried. (Appointments confirmed by Senate)

F. Action

1. Question on previously committed IFO contribution to MAPE/ASFSME strike-fund. State IFO has not given money yet.

D. Downs/C. Killion moved to contribute $200 from WSU-FA toward ASFSME/MAPE unions; i.e. honor our prior commitment.

Motion Carried.

2. Encourage state IFO and other local IFO's to honor their commitments to MAPE/ASFSME strike-fund.
C. Killion/D. Downs moved that WSU-FA Board members remind other IFO's and state IFO to honor their commitments.
Action Committee moved that C. Killion be appointed as WSU's Action Coordinator representative to the State IFO Action Committee.

Motion Carried.

3. Thanked everyone for their support on picket lines, strike funds, etc.

4. Insurance obtained by ASFSME will be same for IFO.

G. Social

Oct. 26 (Fri), IFO will be sponsoring an all-university social honoring MAPE/ASFSME at the Alumni House, 4-6 p.m.

H1. Negotiator

A series of meetings have been arranged this and subsequent months.

H2. Election

Details/Schedule of a special election was forwarded to Senate from the Election Committee.

Motion Carried.

VII. Old Business

A. Special Ed Dept Student Teacher Supervisor Loads (OB-A)

OB-A memo (Oct. 8, 2001) from Dean Carol Anderson contained two attachments:

1. Process for determining supervision loads for student teacher supervisors for SPED.

2. Differences between ED and SPED impacting the assignment of student teachers.

Note that PP&G has previously received student teacher supervisor assignments for the Ed Dept. and that PP&G has been authorized to invite Dean Anderson and reps from Ed (Mary Joyce) and Special Ed (Barbara Boseker) to their meeting to help committee members understand the documents.

C. Summa/D. Bloom moved to refer these OB-A documents to PP&G for review and comments back to Senate.

Motion Carried.

 

B. IRB (Human Subjects) committee (request to increase membership) (OB-B's) (3:30 p.m.)

Carrie Fried addressed Senate.

Two documents, one from Grants Director Nancy Peterson and one from Carrie Fried, Co-chair IRB, explaining that there has been a misunderstanding of the intent of the request. The IRB is only requesting to add a rep. from the Math/Stats Dept. to the IRB due the level of human subjects' research being conducted by the department. (The IRB never had the intent or the charge to pass judgement on the quality or statistical value of a research proposal, a mis-representation by the VPAA.)

M. Kesler/C. Killion moved to instruct Committee on Committees to approve the IRB request to add a rep. from the Math/Stats Dept. (and removing the previous request for an at-large member).

Motion Carried.

 

C. E-Learning Center (Administration proposal Re. make-up of Advisory Committee)
    (OB-C)

The administration forwarded a counter-proposal regarding the makeup of the Advisory Committee, which would give direction to the Center's activities. The proposed composition is:

AUTC identifies 5 reps, ensuring that the 5 individuals represent faculty and technical personnel.

Administration identifies 2 reps with one being an Academic Dean, and one being Continuing Education/outreach.

Student Senate identifies one student.

Ex-Officio - E-Learning director & Faculty Laptop liaison.

Faculty Exec's moved that the group be consisted by the following:

1. 2 technical personnel

2. 3 faculty from AUTC

3. 1 Academic Dean

4. Director of ACEED

5. 1 Student

6. E-Learning Director & Faculty Laptop Liaison, both (non-voting) ex-officio

7. All IFO members will be recommended by the IFO.

Motion Carried.

VIII. New Business

A. Phased retirements (administrative position)

From October 8 Meet and Confer, the administration re-iterated that commonly phase retirement period is 3 years (max). Though upon faculty insistence, two cases have been signed for over 3 years. But the administration does not wish this to be common practice. Both the two rare cases had departments' forward inputs regarding department vision/future in supporting these two cases. Basically the administration does not feel comfortable granting a phased retirement period beyond the standard 3 years deal.

Senate Comments:

1. Over-3-year-phases were treated the same as non-mandatory sabbaticals, which is our understanding since last year. Why is the administration changing their stance?

2. Some depts. don't feel comfortable in having to make a recommendation regarding the person's effect of phase-retirements on the department. This is usually in conflict with dept. wish to support the phase-retiree's phase retirement.

3. Does dept's response make a difference?

4. Perhaps money (to carry the person's load) is the only issue.

5. Need to look for last year's notes on the administration's stance on this issue.

6. Why doesn't the administration provide in writing their phase-retirement-department-response policy? I.e. A written policy just like the non-mandatory policy would give consistency between department responses.

M. Hyle/B. Svingen moved to ask the administration to re-state (in writing) their policy/position on this issue (since it appeared to have changed from what they have stated before, i.e. same as non-mandatory sabbaticals).

Motion Carried.

B. Professional Issues (Foster) (carried over from previous meeting)

The State IFO would like local campuses to start a committee to analyze IFO commitment and support for accreditation criteria and performance standards set by national professional organizations. The aim is for the IFO to be proactive in protecting and promoting university education and its values within MnSCU and allow the IFO be funded in a better position in comparison to our national peers.

The WSUFA Senate is being asked to consider this request (from the St Cloud Fac. Assn) that local FA's take a position on the degree to which the Master Contract is "congruent . . . with national professional standards. Is our negotiations agenda supportive of faculty who wish to maintain/develop/enhance their programs in accordance with such standards?

To what extent does the grievance process take into consideration such standards? To what extent do we take into account such standards when we interpret the contract?"

Senate Comments:

1. Could this issue lead to different bargaining between different groups in the IFO?

2. Could this be related to enrollment driven formula since CC/TC are now combined?

3. Further request (even more strongly) to IFO lobbyist to promote IFO faculty being different from CC/TC faculty.

4. Micro-management of departmental functions!

5. The IFO contract is not hamp-stringing dept. standards; the MnSCU/Government budgeting process is really the hampering media.

6. This issue should go to the state-IFO Academic Affairs.

C. Residence Hall financing (carried over from previous meeting)

Need faculty to get involved in discussion of Residence halls. Of the $135M MnSCU bonding, $44M is needed alone for WSU's maintenance of Residence halls (deferred maintenance). But should WSU go into debt again since we just finished paying off all our debts on buildings such as Lourdes Hall? WSU needs to plan more carefully on using bonding debt vs. room/board/housing fees.

WSU Foundation is building a $13M res. hall off campus to help alleviate over-crowded dorms. When the new dorm opens, having more bonding debt would not give WSU flexibility. Should we get rid of deferred maintenance debts in Res. halls in ten years using housing fee increases? Perhaps WSU shouldn't borrow using bonding money (and incur interest). This seems to be a question of going with the rest of the system on bonding debts or going it alone. If we go with the rest of the system, we wind up paying down debt for years (essentially paying interest). If we go it alone, it looks like we can be in the same place in essentially the same time period, but wind up with no interest payments - all the money coming in then can be allocated elsewhere at WSU. Potential savings can perhaps be in the $5M/yr areas. The question is whether the system can be convinced to let us do it ourselves.

Cal Winbush is doing analysis of Debt Service. The administration might need some support from IFO to deflect some of the pressures from students who are lobbying for maintenance bonding debt service in Res. halls.

Having enough Residence halls help with retention rate.

This will be discussed with the administration during the Oct. 29 Senate meeting.

 

Residence Hall funding issue

1. WSU has $44 million of deferred maintenance in res. halls and Kryzsko.

MnSCU has paid off $22 million in bonds, and legislature has authorized $100 million in new bonds for dorms/student unions.

2. MnSCU asked campuses for plans to take care of the problem over 10 years (a figure that seems to have been arbitrarily selected)

3. Two choices for funding:

 

External funding

Internal funding

borrow (i.e., bonding)

increase room/board fees

would require borrowing $6-$13 million in alternate years; by year 10, payments would be $4.5 million per year for bonds with 20-year life; would require room/board increase almost as great as the internal funding option

would require a 60% increase in fees in year 1; thereafter, 7-15% increases in years 2-10; final total would be 2.5 X the present $4000

MnSCU prefers this option (students may come down in favor of this one as well

local administration prefers this option

4. Consultants hired by WSU recommend a 15-20 year time frame, not 10-year.

5. WSU administration plan:

available now for debt service $ 800,000

current local R&B for dorms and Kryzsko $ 600,000

3 % Room and Board increase $ x

Senate Comments:

1. Would this issue force our students to become commuters?

2. ~2/7 of our students live on campus.

3. More students would like to be housed on campus.

4. Funding for dorms should not come at the expense of present WSU resources, such as funds designated for book purchases for the Library.

5. Not sure that having more students would help, since classes are becoming larger!

6. Individual campuses making individual decisions...where is the new Chancellor stance on this issue?

7. Ask Scott Ellinghuysen, John Ferden, Admission Director, Pres., VPAA to come to a structured discussion with the Senate on Oct. 29. [Enrollment first, then housing]

8. Increasing number of students cannot be tolerated!

D. TC Curriculum Review Report

Need to have reps selected and recommended from campuses for the Technical College Minnesota Transfer Curriculum Review Project. MnSCU started filling names without IFO making its appointments. November 16 meeting date (not sure about format yet):

C. Hyman/B. Svingen moved to authorize D. Bratt to send an e-mail to solicit volunteers in these areas:

Art

Biology

Chemistry

Economics

English

Geography

Mathematics

Philosophy

Physics

Political Science

Psychology

Sociology

Speech

Motion Carried.

 

IX. Adjournment

P. Ferden/M. Engen moved to adjourn at 4:59 p.m.

Motion Carried.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Bill Ng.