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WSU FACULTY SENATE MEETING
February 4, 2002
Senators Present: Matt Bosworth, David Bratt, Marianna Byman, Narayan
Debnath, Darrell Downs, Mark Engen, Matthew Hyle, Colette Hyman, Joe Jackson,
Mary Kesler, Cindy Killion, Daniel Lintin, Christa Matter, Bill Ng, Christine Pilon-Kacir (Rochester),
Susanne
Smith, Jo Stejskal, Bruce Svingen, Paul Vance, Kerry Williams.
Senators Absent: Sara Barbor, Danning Bloom, Pat Ferden (spring
sabbatical), Peter Miene, Frances Ragsdale,
Cathy Summa, Alex Yard.
Others Present: Charla Miertschin, Tony Romaine.
I. Call to Order
David Bratt called the meeting to order at 3:03 p.m.
II. Approval of minutes of January 14, 2002 Senate Meeting
B. Svingen/M. Kesler moved to approve minutes of Jan. 14th as
written.
Motion Carried.
III. Agenda Additions/Revisions and Approval:
Additions:
Com-H: Sexual Violence Advisory
Com-I: Social
P. Vance/S. Smith moved to approve agenda items.
Motion Carried.
IV. President's Report
D. Bratt reported:
The Association has sent two memorials to faculty on the occasion of a
death in the family and one fruit basket to a faculty member recovering from
an operation.
I attended a reception for officials from Akita, Japan, who are seeking to
make arrangements of mutual benefit between WSU, Metro SU, and a
prefecture-sponsored university at Akita that would take the place of the
present university, due to close at the end of next year.
Since our last Senate meeting I have attended two meetings of the IFO Exec
Committee, one IFO Board meeting, and a fund-raiser for the Senate Democratic
caucus. Four WSU faculty were among a dozen IFO reps at the last of these. To
attend it, I skipped a meeting of the Budget Task Force that Cathy Summa and I
participate in.
Senate Democrats will push for a bonding bill of approximately $1 billion,
substantially more than the Governor's. They do not expect to have the
legislature's bonding bill on the Governor's desk in time to override any
line-item vetoes he might make.
The Senate will push for a smaller reduction in higher Ed spending than the
Governor has proposed. The IFO believes that MnSCU Central has about $30
million in unacknowledged reserves tucked away in various nooks and crannies
in the World Trade Center.
At the Delegate Assembly, the IFO Board of Directors will recommend dues
increase of approximately $50 per year next year and no increase beyond that
in the second year of the biennium. In addition, a budget will be proposed
that (a) increases each campus's local budget from $45 per faculty member to
$50 and (b) gives St. Cloud and Mankato a significant boost in their
supplemental budget (~59% of state campus budget) for clerical help.
MnSCU plans to hold another arena-style examination of TC courses for
inclusion in the MN. Transfer Curriculum on 4/12.
MnSCU plans to hold discipline-based meetings (AKA 'Articulation Councils')
at Cragan's on 4/19 to deal with transfer issues in the fields of Accounting,
Biology, Chemistry, English, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology.
[1 rep from each campus might or might not be solicited, a heads-up for
chairpersons of the listed departments.]
In addition, an e-mail from Rep. Gene Pelowski showing U. of M. Chancellor
Yudof's response to the possibility of a U. of M. research university in
Rochester. The basic answer from Yudof is that "they simply don't have it
($)."
V. Review of Meet and Confer Notes of January 28, 2002
Meet and Confer Notes received by Senate.
VI. Committee Reports
A. A2C2
A2C2 recommends approval of the following:
I. Course/Program Proposals
A. New Courses
PHYS 205 - Aviation Airspace, Communications & Regulations (1 SH)
B. Revised Programs
BA Major - English
BA Major - English: Writing Option
BA Major - English: First Combining Major
BA Major - English: Second Combining Major -Writing Option
BA Minor - English
BA Minor - English: Writing
BA Minor - English: Creative Writing
BS Major - English: Communication Arts and Literature (Teaching)
Faculty Senate approved I-A, B.
II. University Studies Courses
A. Unity & Diversity: Critical Analysis
HHP 326 Educational Topics/Issues (2 SH)
B. Unity & Diversity: Science & Social Policy
BIOL 490 Issues in Biology (3 SH)
C. Unity & Diversity: Multicultural Perspectives
PER 265 Leisure in Different Cultures (3 SH)
Faculty Senate approved II-A, B, and C.
III. Flag Courses
A2C2 recommends approval of the following:
A. Writing Flag
SOCW 390 Social Work Research Process & Skills (3 SH)
THAD 310 Survey of Theatre History & Dramatic Lit II (3 SH)
A2C2 recommends disapproval of the following two Writing Flag course
proposals:
MATH 330 Advanced Calculus I (4)
STAT 210 Statistics (3)
B. Oral Flag
THAD 307 Design II Scenery & Costume (3 SH)
THAD 309 Design II Lighting & Sound (3 SH)
C. Mathematics/Statistics or Critical Analysis Flag
THAD 321 Play Directing (3 SH)
Faculty Senate approved III.
[Faculty Senate affirmed A2C2's disapproval of MATH 330 and STAT 210 as
Writing Flag courses.]
Senate Discussion:
1. Final decision rests with the administration.
2. Departments can choose to appeal decisions with the administration.
B. Graduate Council
No report
C. Government Relations (Com-C document included in Senate Packet)
Darrell Downs briefly reported:
1. As mentioned in Com-C document, the IFO GRC met for a special meeting
on January 17-18, 2002, to develop recommendations for legislative action
regarding the budget shortfall, to develop a recommendation on the Pell
Grant issue, to discuss governor's boding recommendations, lobbying
strategy, and Lobby Day plans.
2. Good turnout for meetings
3. Very positive on Bonding, but still uncertain on General Budget.
4. Feb. 20/21 - IFO Lobby Day
5. Changes to committee recommendations on GR Report (Com-C):
Item 1. Delete "to extend the sales tax to schools"
Item 2. Delete "Extend the sales tax to clothing."
7. Item 6. Add, "replenished when the economy improves" after
"$500 million from the tobacco endowment."
Senate Comments:
1. Several Senators spoke strongly against IFO's support of "Reduce
Local Government Aid" to address the budget shortfall.
C. Hyman/M. Byman moved to direct D. Downs to take to GRC the position
that IFO should not suggest balancing the budget by "Reducing Local
Government Aid" since this could pit unions against each other. Also we
(IFO) should not be saving ourselves on the backs of other unions and
smaller cities/communities.
Motion Carried.
D. Personnel Policies and Grievance
No report
E. Committee on Committees
No report
F. Negotiator (Com-F documents in Senate Packet)
Document 1: Letter from Jim Pehler (IFO President) to W.G. Bradshaw
(President of Metro) explaining IFO's bargaining proposal relating to a
reduced load for all faculty in the bargaining unit. Some features of the
letter are:
(A) IFO will pay from the negotiated settlement dollars the cost of
hiring additional faculty members to implement the 21 credit, teaching
limit.
(B) Currently, nearly 45% of IFO have reassigned credit hours for such
duties as chairing departments, directors, research, advising and other
non-teaching activities. Only remaining faculty not already having
reassigned time would be affected by this proposal. Therefore actual cost to
each campus to achieve a 21 credit, teaching load for all faculty is not as
high as was stated.
(C) Current IFO teaching load is significantly higher than our peer
institutions through the country.
Document 2: Listing of "Critical" IFO issues not yet settled.
Document 3: Summary list of Tentative Agreements between the IFO and
MnSCU.
Comments:
1. IFO and MnSCU negotiation teams agreed this past weekend to go to
mediation.
2. MnSCU won't move on some key languages and reduced teaching load.
3. Contractual reassigned times (such as chairperson) would still be a
fraction of the maximum under the Reduced Teaching Load Proposal.
4. Career Steps proposal: 2 steps upon completion of 10 years,
independent of personnel steps. Retroactive
5. Our salaries are not competitive, esp. with the high teaching load.
D. Downs/M. Bosworth moved to send the Jim Pehler letter on "Reduced
Teaching Load Proposal" to the administration and to ask at Meet and
Confer the administrations interpretation of IFO's Reduced Teaching Load
Proposal.
Motion Carried.
7. Reduced load could be viewed negatively by the public.
8. $3.2M cost for Career Steps. 14% faculty increase would be needed for
Reduced Teaching Load Proposal (~$7M). PQI (Professional Quality
Improvement) is now the buzzword for the Career Steps and Reduced Teaching
Load proposals.
9. Salary Equity will not be costly.
G. Feminist Issues (Com-G documents in Senate Packet)
Document 1: Bratt memo/HR-AA-SU-data to FIC on the question of WSU's
"assignment of a single person to serve in the dual roles of
Director of HR and AA Officer."
Document 2: FIC memo to Bratt regarding issue in Document 1.
While a review of the duties on other MnSCU campuses indicated that at
least 2 other state universities are currently employing a single person to
perform both HR and AA duties, the FIC has judged this practice to be an
inequitable distribution of duties. They are also concerned that there may
be an inherent conflict of interest in this arrangement. It also may be
worth noting that a greater number of women than men are serving in these
dual roles and that at WSU the only administrator to serve in such a way are
a woman.
The FIC recommends that the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate
review the combining of duties for these two offices and act upon this
matter as an all-university issue. D. Bratt deemed [this recommendation out
of order since this needs to be recommended to Senate first.]
The committee wished (intended) that this motion go to Senate for
consideration.
Comments:
1. Multiple activities are being carried out by single people across the
state campuses.
C. Hyman/B. Svingen moved that the Feminist Issues Committee report be
sent to the Statewide Feminist Issues Committee. [Perhaps this issue can be
brought to the Delegate Assembly via a Resolution.]
Motion Carried.
H. Sexual Violence Advisory Committee
The committee is soliciting a better name for this committee.
SVAC obtained money last year to do training for the WSU campus. Wish to
encourage male faculty/staff to act as mentors for the student trainers.
Feb. 11 is the date for the male faculty/staff half-day workshop (1-5 p.m.);
however, the date conflicts with Meet and Confer. The committee is
requesting that Faculty Senate endorse the allowance of two male faculty (D.
Bratt and B. Ng) attendees on Feb.11, therefore:
S. Smith/C. Matter moved that Faculty Senate endorse/support the
educational concept of the workshop and encourage male faculty to attend
this half day workshop on Feb. 11.
Motion Carried.
[D. Bratt and B. Ng will be replaced at the Feb. 11 Meet and Confer.]
I. Social
Cindy Killion reported:
The Feb.2 (Sat) IFO Dinner and Dance was well-attended (50). Attendees
had a great time. Tasty meal, many door prizes, and great music!
C. Hyman/M. Kesler moved to thank C. Killion for her work on this
momentous event!
Motion Carried.
VII. Old Business
A. None
VIII. New Business
A. Elections: WSU-Faculty Assn. and IFO President
The Election Committee recommends the following Time Frame for spring
2002 Election:
Feb. 27 Call for candidates sent to Faculty
Mar. 20 Deadline for call for candidates
Mar. 21 Post candidate info on web-page send ballots to print shop
Mar. 28 Send Ballots to IFO members
Apr. 9 Deadline for return ballots
Apr. 10 Disseminate results to Senate President and all Candidates
appearing on the ballot
Apr. 15 Announce results of spring election at Senate Meeting
Apr. 22 Announce results of spring election at Meet and Confer
[Positions up for Election are: 1 Board, 1 Negotiator, 10 Senators,
and 2 Committee on Committees]
M. Kesler/C. Killion moved for Senate approval of the Time Frame for
spring 2002 Election.
Motion Carried.
B. Nellie Stone Johnson dinner (3/21) invitation to 2 faculty
Faculty Senators will be given first priority.
If not enough response, then D. Bratt will send e-mail to solicit faculty
for attendance at the March 21 Nellie Stone Johnson dinner.
If faculty are also attending Delegate Assembly (March 22 & 23), then
money could be sought for their lodging.
[Post meeting note: M. Engen and B. Ng volunteered for the Nellie Stone
Johnson dinner.]
C. Student Lobby Day support requested (Student President Jason Fossum
3:15, Tony Romaine presented instead)
On behalf of Student Senate and Jason Fossum, Tony Romaine requested
Faculty Senate's support/cooperation for Student Lobby Day (Feb. 15-Wed);
i.e. faculty excuse students from classes for their participation at Student
Lobby Day. A proposed e-mail was given to Faculty Senate for perusal and
editing.
S. Smith/C. Hyman moved for support of Student Lobby Day and the sending
of proposed E-mail (with edits) to faculty.
Motion Carried.
General information was related to Faculty Senate regarding recent
student tragedy.
D. Child Care at Delegate Assembly
A variety of childcare options could be given by the IFO to further
promote faculty participation, esp. junior faculty.
A delegate resolution could be a proactive approach to this issue.
C. Hyman/C. Killion moved to request that the state IFO office provide
information to delegates regarding childcare sites around the meeting area.
Motion Carried.
E. Faculty e-mail addresses
There are possibly many different versions/formats of e-mail addresses
for any one faculty/staff at WSU. For example, different search engines at
the WSU home page would yield different e-mail addresses, which are also
different from the listing in the (hard-copy) Employee Directory.
The issue: "Will the real e-mail address please stand up?!"
M. Kesler/K. Williams moved to refer the e-mail address issue to Meet and
Confer regarding which one to use, eliminate unnecessary ones, and query the
e-mail migration time-line.
Motion Carried.
D. Lintin/C. Killion moved to refer to Meet and Confer that a hardcover
(with spiral binding) be made with the Employee Directory and that the
Directory be delivered earlier in the year.
Motion Carried.
F. IFO Delegate Assembly; approval of delegates; advice about resolutions
28 delegates allowed for WSU so far received 27 names.
D. Bratt, D. Pack, D. Downs, M. Engen, B. Ng, B. Svingen, M. Hyle, A.
Yard, B. Abdel-Magid, M. Kesler, M. Welhaven, C. Pilon-Kacir, L. Seppanen,
S. Hein, J. Karjala, S. Eiken, M. McDermott, T. Berg, H. Shi, C. Summa, C.
Hyman, J. Campbell, S. Smith, J. Stejskal, E. Falc,
R. Reuter, and Linda D'Amico [addition IFO member]
B. Ng/M. Kesler moved to approve list of 27 delegates to the March 22-23
IFO Delegate Assembly, with the understanding that D. Bratt may appoint
other (IFO) members, up to the 28 total allowed for WSU.
Motion Carried.
Advice about resolutions:
D. Bratt should arrange several open informational meetings on the art of
writing resolutions.
G. Tech College course approval process; MnSCU interference in curriculum
Document in Senate Packet: Letter from IFO President Jim Pehler to
Chancellor James McCormick requesting (on behalf of the IFO Exec. Committee)
MnSCU explanations to student transfer issues within the MN Transfer
Curriculum. The essence of the letter provides IFO's interpretation of
transfer language, which are quite different from MnSCU's
Comments:
1. Mis-interpretations of transfer language could be a violation of
academic freedom.
2. Anxious to see MnSCU's response to Jim Pehler's letter
IX. Adjournment
Faculty Senate adjourned at 4:55 p.m.
Motion Carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Bill Ng.
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