Sara Barbor, Danning Bloom, Matt Bosworth, David Bratt, Darrell Downs, Mark
Engen, Pat Ferden, Matthew Hyle, Colette Hyman, Joe Jackson, Cindy Killion,
Daniel Lintin, Peter Miene, Bill Ng, Christine Pilon-Kacir (in Rochester), Frances
Ragsdale Susanne Smith, Jo Stejskal, Cathy Summa, Bruce Svingen Paul
Vance, Kerry Williams, Alex Yard

Senators Absent:
Marianna Byman, Narayan Debnath, and Mary Kesler

Others Present:
Joe Mount, Jim Reineke, Kim Synder, Marc Hauge. Dean Feller, VP Whetstone

II. Approval of minutes of the April ₂₃rd Senate Meeting and the May ₂nd Special Senate Meeting.

Correction April ₂₃rd Minutes:

A. Missing page 8 (provided at meeting).
B. Svingen/S. Barbor moved to approve minutes of April ₂₃rd as corrected.
Motion Carried.

D. Downs/a. Svingen moved to approve minutes of May 2nd as written.
Motion Carried.

NB-F Meet & Confer - 9/10 - No President Krueger
NB-G T-shirts
NB-H Strike Response

P. Vance/A. Yard moved to approve agenda additions.
Motion Carried.

David Bratt August27, 200i

1. A list of legislative accomplishments, many of them related to pensions, is in August's IFO Update, courtesy of Russ Stanton. Particularly noteworthy is the addition of a provision allowing creation of a VEBA account allowing for completely tax-free use of money to pay for medical expenses after retirement. (The catch is that all members of the bargaining unit must participate, so Russ Stanton and Jim Pehler will soon begin visiting campuses to explain the program and survey faculty about the most popular--or least onerous--kind of funding, with particular emphasis on what younger faculty find attractive.)

2. Russ Stanton predicts:

--we can expect a fight in both houses of the legislature when the time comes to ratify our contract if that contract includes provisions related to domestic partners

--the legislature will pass some sort offending bill but will not pass a supplemental spending bill for higher Ed--the chances of a rosy economic forecast are slim (and the legislators will not raise taxes); redistricting will have poisoned relations between the parties, and everyone is up for re-election, many of them in redrawn districts.

3. James McCormick, the new chancellor, is shaking things up. He published his "Work Plan" ahead of schedule; it contains deadlines for actions (which has thrown his staff into a panic. they actually have to do things by a certain date); it has become clear that his first name is "Chancellor": he has publicly let it be known that he came from a system with 90-some people in the central office not 320+; he is visiting every legislator in their home districts, asking about their expectations for and disappointments with MnSCU; he has "suggested" that MnSCU as a whole will do better if the three systems stop quarreling with one another and treat their differences as strengths. At the same time he seems to prefer to centralize decision-making: he has already assumed administrative responsibility for 4 employees originally hired to work for the Board of Trustees. Also, the pressure he is putting on his staff to get things done may result in their (even greater) attempts to run roughshod over Faculty Associations' rights (e.g., the right to appoint faculty to statewide committees and workgroups).

4. Faculty in the tech and Community Colleges have formed a single union (MSCF, or "MiSChieF"). and the latter are feeling overwhelmed. The IFO is thus even smaller than before in comparison to other unions in the system. And beginning around 1/03, there may be an end to the arrangement whereby 1/3 of Russ Stanton's time was "sold" to the Comm. College faculty. He predicts that IFO could easily use that portion of his time (at an increase in cost, of course) because, since merger, the fighting for funding has not ended at the governor's desk but has continued to rage in the halls of MnSCU Central.

5. There will be a selection of new vendors for TSA retirement funds.

6. Russ Stanton will be on campus August 30-31 to run workshops for soon-to-retire (and "God-how many-years-before-I-can-retire?") faculty and for new faculty. The former must announce intent to retire by October 1 for May '02 retirement in order to be eligible for 'geezer bumps.' The latter have 90 days to decide where their defined contribution retirement funds will go.

7. With data yet to come from Mankato, the "failure" rate on probationary searches throughout the system this year is 32.5% This compares to 27% last year, and does not count positions that were "still searching" as of mid-August.

8. Tech colleges are feeling strong and are pushing hard to have their courses accepted for transfer by CCs and State Universities. In an effort to resolve this issue quickly, MnSCU staff may be unaware that they need FA approval of the University faculty who would serve on committees to address the
issue. Also, the poorly publicized MnSCU/IFO conference on liberal arts may be an effort to reach consensus on this; issue from another direction--if so, it is important that WSU faculty attend and be heard.

9. Akita will no longer employ MnSCU faculty as of 4/02.

10. The IFO last year ended up $25,000 in the black.

I. AFSCME and MAPE votes to authorize a strike are approaching: votes will be announced soon after Labor Day.

12 The new Chair and Vice Chair of the MnSCU Board of Trustees are from different 'factions of the Board Jim Pehler thinks he detects a new spirit of cooperation in the group and a determination not to micro-manage.

13 During Orientation week, spoke to new faculty regarding Faculty Association membership, Jim Pehler also helped in the conversation.

14 Retirement Workshops by Russ Stanton this week. Announcement has been sent via e-mail. Reminder will be coming this week.

IS Chancellor McCormick Visit of WSU on Thursday Sept. 6. Opening Faculty/Staff meeting 3:45-4:30 in Maxwell

16. IFO donated $35.00 to the Center In Memory of Zach Wilson.

17. Rock Solid Rentals, A bouncing adventure for all ages picnic/parties/fundraisers company in \Winona was announced..

Both notes were included in the packet.
Comments: None. Notes received.
Inter-session: Senate introduced themselves around the room and in Rochester.

            G. Negotiator
             Matt Hyle reported on the following:

A. Student Teacher Supervision Load 5/2/01 from Dean of Education (OB-A's)

Dean Carol Anderson presented at the May ₃rd Meet and Confer a memo on "Student Teacher Supervision
loads".

                Three memos were included in the packet:

1. "Workload for Student Teacher Supervisors," dated Dec.11, 2000.
2. "Student Teaching Load in SPED," dated Dec. 14' 2000.
3. "Student Teacher Supervision loads," dated May 2,2001.

A. Yard/S. Barbor moved to forward #3 to PP&G for comments. Senate further stated that Dean
Anderson's memo says, "The load for supervisors to be assigned next fall [i.e., this semester will be provided by the beginning of the school year as placements are finalized and supervisors are hired."  FA Senate requests that this information be provided to its Meet and Confer reps.

            
            Senate requests that this information be provided to its Meet and Confer reps.
           Motion Carried.

No new report received yet from our last request at the last Meet and Confer. There was an informal request made in June.

C. Hyman queried status of the AA/HR position accounting/assessment process. Where is it? A web assessment was done last year. The assessment did not address FA Senate concerns mentioned last year.

C. Hyman/S. Smith moved to request at Meet and Confer the assessment results of the AA/HR office.
Motion Carried.

C. Change in It-mail services to iPlant (for students) and Microsoft Exchange (for faculty. staff, and administrators); other tech concerns (Jim Reineke, Kim Snyder VP whetstone, others) 3:30 P.M.

(Jim Reineke, Kim Snyder, Dean Feller, Marc Hauge, and VP Whetstone were present at 3:30 p.m.)

At the end of last year, the Faculty Senate approved an amended version of the Faculty Tech Committee recommendation concerning changes in the email systems. The recommendation read:

"The Faculty Association Technology Committee recommends that we support the ITS initiative to replace the existing Email services with iplanet for students and Microsoft Exchange for faculty, staff, and administration following the attached timeline. ITS has agreed to work closely with the FATC to ensure as smooth a transition as possible."

Also the Faculty Senate adopted a motion directing the in-coming president to invite both Jim Reineke and VP Whetstone to one of the first Senate meetings of next year to discuss faculty concerns related to changes in email software. (The administration gave their bles5ine for inviting VP Whetstone.)

Questions/Statements by FA Senate and Responses by ITS at 3:30p.m.

I. What is happening with Lotus notes?

Ans: Migrating from Lotus to Exchange in the spring semester. Work dept. by dept. including VAX users. Hope all faculty will join with Microsoft Exchange.

2. What is the effect of this change?

Ans: Use "username@winona.edu" as addresses now, esp. for business cards. Right now, many different e-mail names/versions. The goal is to have everyone on the sane e-mail name/address/service. People can start using the new name/address. This can be found on the WS~ e-address search engine.

3 Lotus notes was available for MAC-users.

3 Lotus notes was available for MAC-users.

4. Lotus notes. was most effective for outside users, yes? and will it continue?

Ans: Exchange can handle this.

5. Username@webmail.winona.edu" for student e-mails, 'username@winona.edu" for faculty.

6. In the spring, during the migration, IT staff will be helping each and everyone in the migration.

7. For next July, laptops will be migrated before laptops are exchanged.

8. Start using your new e-mail addresses now and start informing your colleagues.

9. Outlook is the Client, Exchange is the Service.
10. Status of Faculty Mac laptops⁷ They arrived last Friday. Work has begun. Faculty can schedule an exchange time. E-mail to those faculty has been sent.

II. A plea was made to ensure a smooth and consistent process for any future electronic..<Technology process. VP Whetstone agreed and promised to do these changes in the background us much as. Possible with as little side/negative-effects to faculty work as possible. The FATC should work with IT as much as possible.

12. Virus definitions should be updated often to prevent viruses. IT is looking at different Virus software to run within the front-end of their servers and programs.

13. Kim Synder is our new Laptop Liaison. She spoke about the IT Newsletter. Her class will be putting together a handbook on "Technology for Students". This could help students (and faculty).

14. Network storage space should be available for Mac-users soon. IT is planning to purchase a program for NT domain for Macs. All printers should be available to all platform users. IT is trying to make the Network access transparent to different platform users.

15. WINGS program is being evaluated by it. WINGS has a long learning curve.

16. IT is looking at three different Web-authoring software: Homepage, Frontpage. Dreamweaver.

'[III. New Business

A. Election VA Senate Secretary (done earlier)

B. Election of: FA Senate Treasurer

B. Svingen/M. Hyle moved to nominate Darrell Downs as WS~JFA Senate Treasurer.
Motion Carried.

C. Rules of the Game: Robert's Rules (with modifications?)

WSU Faculty Senate Rules of Order
August 2001

1. We follow Robert's Rules of Order, except that some of the items listed below are adaptations or variations thereof.

2. Discussion of a motion is limited to a maximum of 20 minutes unless a motion to extend discussion is made, seconded, and approved.

3. Calling "Question" does not cut off debate--it is simply a statement that the speaker is ready to vote. In order to cut off debate on an issue, a motion to "move the previous question" or "cease debate" must be made, seconded, and passed by a 2/3 vote.

4. The PA Constitution states, "Decision of committees responsible to the Senate may be altered by the
Senate by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of those Senate members present and voting."
We take "decision" to mean "recommendations." We take "committees responsible to the Senate" to mean
both standing committees and ad hoc committees of the Senate, but not All-University committees or task forces. And we take 'decision . . . may be altered by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds'¹ to mean that a 2/3 majority off Senators voting is required either to amend or to reject into a recommendation of the committee. That Is, it is just as difficult to change or delete a part of a Senate committee's recommendation as it is to reject an entire recommendation.

5. The phrase "2/3 majority" means "2/3 majority of those voting." "Majority" means "majority of those voting." An abstention is not a vote.
Thus, for influence, if 25 Senators are present and 4 abstain, then a simple majority is II (that is, more than half of the: 21 who voted) and a 2/3 majority is 14 (that is, the vote is considered to have been14-7).

6. We do not allow voting by proxy.

7. A motion fails on a tie vote.

8.The President or other presiding officer may (but is not required to) vote in order to create a tie vote on
a motion (thereby defeating the motion) or in order to break a tie vote.

9. Some sorts of motions are supposed to be undebatable, but we sometimes debate them anyway. When our error is pointed out, sometimes we correct ourselves and sometimes we don't.

10. Any procedural ruling of the President or other presiding officer can be overruled by a simple majority of the Senate.

A. Yard/D.Downs moved to approve the "WSU Faculty Senate Rules of Order."
Motion Carried.

D. Special El4ction to fill Vacant FA Senate Seat (David Bratt)

B. Ng/A. Yard moved to ask the PA Election Committee to hold a Special Election to fill the Senate Seat vacated by President David Bratt.

Motion Carried

E. Report of Promotion and Tenure Recommendations/Decisions, 02

B. Svingen/S. Harbor moved to acknowledge receipt of this info.

Motion Carried.

F. Meet and Confer - 9/1O

President Krueger will not be present at the Sept. 10 Meet and Confer. Will Senate accept a Meet and Confer meeting with his absence? An official designee can hold the meeting, such as VPAA.

A. Yard/D, Bloom moved to approve to hold this meeting without President Krueger (but that should not be a constant happening).
Motion Carried.

G. T-shirts (and H. Strike Response)

Council-6 and MAPE Strike vote will be announced after Labor Day. IFO members cannot perform sympathy strikes, i.e. can't just stay home, not hold classes.

Comments:

I. T-shirts were being worn on Thursday this summer. These were distributed to faculty during the summer T-shirts cost $500.
2. Buttons are being considered.
3 Past Strike was 1981. During that strike, faculty wheeled out cookies and coffee to workers on the Strike line.
4. IFO should check out what other unions at other campuses are planning to do when other unions strike on their campuses.
5. IFO can ask these unions what IFO can do to support their cause.
6. IFO is investigating other things lFO can do to support other unions.
7. Sept. 17 is the earliest strike date.
8 The MAPE website has details about negotiating status.
9. IFO union is the only union that carries family coverage in Health Insurance. This part is therefore lower for IFO than other unions.
10. Need internal education of Strike implications and support of other unions.
II. The State IFO office (i.e. Jim Pehler) should publish some sort of general support statements.
12. It's important that we show local support.
13. Gunderson Lutheran could be removed from the Health Plan. IFO could get (same Health Plan).
14. The effect of this strike could be widespread at WSU and statewide.

Action (for President Bratt)

Call other unions on what they would like IFO to do to support them.
Ask state IFO for possible actions and plans for IFO support.
Executive committee could be asked to help with any actions.
S. Smith/C. Hyman move to refer to the IFO Action committee for proposed actions (For strike
support) and bring to Senate. If actions are needed before the next Senate meeting. Executive
Committee is authorized to do so. The first meeting of Action Committee should be called by D.
Bratt.
Motion Carried.

H. Strike Response (see item G.)

A. Yard/P. Miene moved to adjourn at 4:37 p.m.

Motion Carried.

 

Respectfully submitted, Bill Ng.

S