UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-EAU CLAIRE

UNIVERSITY SENATE MEETING

VOL. 39, NO. 3

October 8, 2002

Members Present:

Ned Beach, Joey Bohl, Marcia Bollinger, Dick Boyum, Don Bredle, Jack Bushnell, Linda Carpenter, Ken De Meuse, Jesse Dixon, Joel Duncan, Meg Dwyer, Rodd Freitag, Mitchell Freymiller, Warren Gallagher, Andrea Gapko, Marc Goulet, Susan Hafen, Betty Hanson, Jeannie Harms, Susan Harrison, Tim Ho, Ann Hoffman, Larry Honl, Mary Iribarren, Rose Jadack, Richard Kark, Fred Kolb, Tim Lane, Barbara Lozar, Barbara Mac Briar, Maureen Mack, Donald Mash, Jane Pederson, Andrew Phillips, Bobby Pitts, Cleo Powers, Vicki Reed, Connie Russell, Richard Ryberg, Ronald Satz, Nola Schmitt, Roger Selin, Alex Smith, Linda Spaeth, George Stecher, Paula Stuettgen, Kent Syverson, Dale Taylor, Roger Tlusty, Karen Welch, Cecilia Wendler, Sharon Westphal, Michael Wick, Jean Wilcox

Members Absent:

Gary Bartlett, Randy Beger, Bruce Dybvik, Sean Hartnett, Robert Hooper, Debra King, Lisa La Salle, Kate Lang, Gene Leisz, John Melrose, Rick Mickelson, Kathie Schneider, Nick Smiar, Todd Stephens, Jodi Thesing-Ritter, Thomas Wagener, Rebecca Wurzer, Steve Zantow

Guests:

Bernard Duyfhuizen, Dale Johnson, Joseph Kosman, Jan Morse, Andrew Soll, Nathan Titus, Ted Wendt

The regular meeting of University Senate was called to order by Chair Harrison at 3:02 p.m. Tuesday, October 8, 2002 in the Tamarack Room of Davies Center

1. Without objection, minutes of September 24, 2002 meeting of University Senate approved as distributed

2. Chancellor’s Remarks – Chancellor Mash

· Building our resource base

• Update on Comprehensive Campaign

· Quarterly meeting of Foundation Trustees to be held Friday in conjunction with Homecoming

· Report they will hear

· In April, $18.3 million committed of $35 million goal

· As of today, just about to $22 million

· Going slowly given state of economy; remain confident will reach goal

· Faculty and staff in many ways best fundraisers

· Continuing to be very good at what you do

· Staying in contact with alumni; sponsoring and participating in alumni events

· Contributing to departmental newsletters; all departments doing nice job of that

· Contacting News Bureau with items for use in the View

· At luncheon Friday, for first time will be inducting folks into Colleges’ Hall of Fame

· Another opportunity to recognize and celebrate graduates

• At Board of Regents meeting Friday in Whitewater, differential tuition increase will be approved

· Complements campaign

· Increase to kick in spring semester and grade upward thereafter

• Recently announced three significant external grants

· Mathematics and Computer Science programs received National Science Foundation funding

· $400,000 grant written by Michael Howe, Alex Smith and Andrew Phillips to develop scholarship program

· Foreign Languages

· $1 million grant written by Kate Reynolds to provide training in teaching English as a second language to assist K-12 teachers in region; K-12 connection very important

· History Department

· Large grant written by Jane Pederson and Patricia Turner to enhance teaching of history by training K-12 teachers with hands-on approach to researching and compiling local public history

· In partnership with CESA 10, Chippewa Valley Museum, and others

· Retained consultant to assist university in strategic planning for administrative computing systems

• Consultant to make presentation of draft recommendations October 10, 2002
• Campus community invited to attend

· Open Enrollment for Health Insurance Plans

• Don’t miss window this year
• Will be information fair October 15
• Eighty percent of campus on Valley Health Plan; cost to change significantly
• Other HMO plans available at no cost to employee
• Increase not from budget reduction process

· Results from premium increases by health insurance providers

· Comments and responses to questions from floor

• Share health plan reminder with constituents

· Keep in mind classified staff have not had raise in two years; contracts still not settled

· Chancellor noted classified staff also making smaller salaries

• According to Vice Chancellor Soll, individual providers establish premiums through negotiations with state

· State, as a matter of policy, pays up to 105% of lowest cost plan available in each county

· Plans with premiums within that 105% threshold do not require employee contributions

· Valley Health Plan premium went up significantly compared to other plans; employees must pay difference

· Must compare coverage between plans for changes

· Probably actual cost experience drove premium; what it cost them to provide benefits committed to

· Companies put together package balancing cost saving measures against higher premiums

· Why various copays and deductibles rising

· Neither UW-Eau Claire nor UW-System directly involved in discussions; details worked out through Department of Employment Relations

· HMO plan with zero employee cost providing access to similar physicians remains option

3. Chair and Faculty Representative Report – Chair Harrison

· Welcome Nathan Titus, new liaison from Student Senate, here to add student input and perspective

· Majority of report overviews last faculty reps meeting

· Notice System trying to gather what faculty think about various issues

· If have opinion on some of these items, please let me know

· Comments and responses to questions

· Item that Board of Regents wanting to know about policies and procedures regarding tenure

· On yearly basis, approve submitted list of tenure candidates; would like to know how came up with list

· System trying to figure out appropriate way to educate regents without opening door to how tenure process could be changed

4. Academic Staff Representative Report – Senator Wilcox

· Next Academic Staff Reps meeting will be teleconference October 17, 2002; academic staff invited to attend

5. Unfinished Business

Academic Staff Personnel and Faculty Personnel Committees – Second Reading – Faculty Status

· Chair Harrison informed assembly that motion changes eligibility, therefore, any comments not related directly to topic of eligibility will be ruled out of order

Continued Debate on Previously Amended Motion

Amendment 39-AS-01-a2

Moved by Senator Bushnell and seconded that the word continuous in the last line of the motion be changed to consecutive

Vote on Amendment 39-AS-01-a2: Amendment PASSED without dissention

Continued Debate on Amended Motion

· Seems like good idea; understand trying to get around problem of people teaching here for many, many years not eligible for faculty status because no-intent-to-renew clause in contract

• Wondering whether three semesters enough for people who might not be committed to institution
• Comparison to faculty not quite valid

· Faculty presumably on tenure track so is assumption of long-term commitment to university whereas instructional academic staff (IAS) might be here two to three years on way to something else

• Thinking maybe three years more sound

· Academic Staff Personnel Committee came up with idea of limit

• Three consecutive semesters came out of Faculty Personnel Committee – had to do with governance
• Creating eligibility here; department decides about granting faculty status based upon things that could include commitment

· Three semesters came from service required for eligibility to sit on Senate which applies to all faculty and academic staff

• Departments could set own requirements above that minimum

· Oppose motion because concerned first paragraph contains clause who possess the qualifications normally required of ranked members of the faculty; second paragraph doesn’t contain same qualifications

• Appears if you have no-intent-to-renew clause, you do not have to possess those qualifications
• Minimum qualifications vary department by department according to DPC plan

· Think intent was it would be qualifications of faculty of department person is part of, but doesn’t say that

· In no way is motion forcing anyone to get faculty status – is eligibility issue

• Each department can establish own ground rules for deciding whether or not to confer faculty status on an individual instructional academic staff

· Not as if there is no consequence here – every extra vote takes away some portion of my vote

• Suspicious of best intentions of UW-System; our responsibility to debate issue very carefully

· Memory is that DPC in my department not involved in granting faculty status

• Provost Satz indicated designation of faculty status usually done at point of hiring or rehiring

· Request comes from department chair, but assume done with consultation of DPC

• Administrative Office Morse noted when recommendation comes through on hiring form through deans’ office, decision never questioned if meets intent of handbook

· How handled at department level up to department

· Expectation would be that comes from DPC to chair who reports it on hiring form

· DPC in my department also does not handle document granting faculty status; is department chair decision, granting and implications never discussed with DPC

· Seems if that consultation not occurring, should be subject of conversation within department

Amendment 39-AS-01-a3

Moved by Senator Gapko and seconded that in the second paragraph after the phrase “no intent to renew” we insert but who otherwise meet all of the above requirements

Debate

· Would clarify that all qualifications from first paragraph apply to academic staff covered in second paragraph

Vote on Amendment 39-AS-01-a3: Amendment PASSED without dissention

Continued Debate on Amended Motion

· Colleague commented proposal might put undue pressure on academic staff who don’t have protection of tenure when voting on committees where chair leaning on one side or other of issue

· Possible influence because IAS need to be rehired for next year

· Comment duly noted, but not speaking to question of eligibility

· With all due respect, it seems concern entirely on topic

· Don’t see how we can discuss eligibility without talking about implications and ramifications

Chair Harrison RULED since university policy currently allows faculty status granted at department level, and this motion does not change that policy, discussion here limited to eligibility

· If further discussion desired, topic of faculty status could be put on agenda for discussion at later time

· If any senator wishes to expand debate, is your privilege to make motion to overrule chair

· Question raised whether academic staff with faculty status that leaves would be automatically grandfathered in if returned to university

• Administrative Officer Morse indicated each contract specifies whether faculty status granted, so upon issuance of new contract could remove faculty status from people if department no longer desired to grant it

· Faculty status not a property right; tenure is

Motion by Senator Pitts to table this motion until have had ample time to discuss related issue seconded and FAILED by vote of 21 for, 26 against

Continued Debate

· Still don’t see difference between eligibility and greater issue that we are not able to discuss

· Chair Harrison responded motion not about merits of faculty status and whether or not to have it on campus

• Faculty status is granted all the time by decision of departments
• Only looking here at ground rules for eligibility

Chair Harrison RULED that motion to be voted on by full University Senate

• Not contained in faculty constitution, nor in academic staff constitution

· Passing motion does not tie department hands in any way; retain complete prerogative to decide a particular individual be granted faculty status while another individual also fulfilling criteria not be granted faculty status

· Provost Satz assured body that granting faculty status required positive action by department; System could not oversee process to apply implicit pressure to grant this to academic staff

· Call the question

• Chair Harrison noted calling the question is a request to vote; moving the question is a demand to vote

· All this motion designed to do is to give instructional academic staff, here for at least three consecutive semesters with no intent to renew in contract, ability to have some input on curricular matters before department which might impact teaching

• Not an automatic petition for faculty status; no demand, no expectations
• Just eligibility so department can decide
• Requesting Senate allow process be opened up to give those individuals who want to participate more fully at institution opportunity to do so

· Oppose motion; advantage of original motion wording was loophole allowing granting of faculty status on first day on contract was closed regardless of what contained in contract

· Handbook says if faculty status granted at time of appointment, letter of appointment will so state; original wording conflicted with that

· Solution is not to drop three semester requirement but to modify conflicting statements as well

· One department right now already advertising for position that could not be faculty

• Wish to grant faculty status from day one to have input in department
• This gives departments that flexibility

· Under current policy, if faculty status granted from first day, person cannot be given no-intent-to-renew contract

· Second paragraph provides opportunity for individuals with no-intent-to-renew contracts to eventually get faculty status as well

· Speak in favor of motion – have some very good adjunct people in our department that have been here for a long time who know what we do and what we need to do; think we should have their input

Motion by Senator Syverson to move the previous question seconded and PASSED by two-thirds vote

Vote on Motion 39-AS-01: Motion PASSED in opinion of chair

TEXT OF MOTION

1. Eligibility

Members of the instructional academic staff who hold appointments of 50 percent or more in an academic department or functional equivalent, whose principal assignment is teaching (and/or coaching in athletics), who possess the qualifications normally required of ranked members of the faculty, and whose letter of appointment does not contain the statement that there is "no intent to renew," may be granted are eligible for "faculty status."

Members of the instructional academic staff whose letter of appointment contains the statement that there is "no intent to renew," but who otherwise meet all of the above requirements and who have served in that appointment for at least three consecutive semesters, are also eligible for "faculty status."

Academic Policies Committee – Second Reading – International Business Minor

· Actual motion not changed from last meeting; wording detailing minor has changed and is shown on sheet distributed

• Informally went before APC for discussion, APC did not have problems with change in wording

Continued Debate

· Glad to see change with nine credits in electives – allows students enough credit to navigate among all those courses and actually do something with minor

Vote on Motion 39-AP-02: Motion PASSED by University Faculty Senators without dissention

6. Reports of Committees

¨ Executive Committee – Chair Harrison

• At last meeting

· Continued discussion of nepotism policy

· Started discussion on proposed change in method of election of Senate Officers

· Went into closed session to consult on appointments to Service-Learning Advisory Council and various student hearing committees

• Next meeting October 15, 2002

¨ Faculty Personnel Committee – Senator Wick

• Next meeting October 15, 2002 to

· Discuss possible post-tenure/indefinite appointment salary adjustment policies

· Propose language for functional equivalent to DPCs for handbook

· Discuss proposed changes in policy regarding University Senate Officers

¨ Academic Staff Personnel Committee – Senator Wilcox

• Next meeting October 10, 2002

¨ Academic Policies Committee – Senator Syverson

• Met on October 1, 2002; discussed additional things we may be bringing before committee

· Attendance policy

· Possible academic sanctions in response to student behavior off-campus

· Update on service-learning requirement from Service-Learning Office

· Concerns about length of add period at start of semester

· Progress report on electronic portfolio initiative

• Next meeting October 15, 2002 for agenda items

· Moving Communication Disorders teaching major to School of Human Science and Services

· New academic minor teaching English as a foreign language; also new certificate program in that area

· New prefix for criminal justice

• On October 22, 2002, will be discussing Latvia study-abroad program

¨ Physical Plant Planning Committee – Senator Duncan

· At meeting September 27, 2002

· Reviewed progress of riverbank stabilization project

· Numerous open discussions for engineers on project to get input from campus, community, and other interested parties

· Preliminary design to be developed based upon these ideas and suggestions

· Davies expansion committee began review of their project and budget projections

· Next meeting in early November

· Putnam Park Commission to meet on October 28, 2002

¨ Budget Committee – Senator Carpenter

· At meeting October 1, 2002, addressed strategies for dealing with budget shortfalls

· Next meeting October 29, 2002 to continue those discussions

· Committee members gleaning informal input from colleagues about challenges in dealing with budget

· Want sense of what people concerned about

· Send comments to committee members

· Hopefully develop guidelines for ways of dealing with budget reductions that will likely come

· Vice Chancellor Soll to share assumptions under which to pursue budget plan for new biennium

· Making decisions about planning reserve

· Talking about System budget proposal for 2003-2005

¨ Nominating Committee – Senator Reed

· Met September 24, 2002 to elect a chair and seek nominations for Faculty Personnel Committee vacancy

¨ Compensation Committee – Senator Gapko

• Committee may alternate meetings because difficult to find common meeting time
• Four subcommittees set up

1) Policies for Winterim, summer, and continuing education courses

2) Department Chair stipend policies

3) Salary savings and post-tenure review and post-indefinite status review

4) Analysis of last two years salary distributions

• 2003-2004 comprehensive pay plan that passed Senate has provisional approval; won’t be final until Joint Committee on Employee Relations meets and approves

¨ Technology Committee – Senator Bollinger

· Next meeting October 15, 2002

7. Special Reports – None

8. Special Orders

Election for University Senate Faculty Personnel Committee vacancy

Report of the University Senate Nominating Committee – Senator Reed

· Nominations for one-year term

Meg Dwyer, Accounting & Finance

Warren Gallagher, Chemistry

Mary Iribarren, Foreign Languages

Andrew Phillips, Computer Science

· No additional nominations from floor

· Nominations closed without objection

Elected to University Senate Faculty Personnel Committee: Meg Dwyer

9. Miscellaneous Business – None

10. Announcements

· Heavy campus visit days next couple of Thursdays and Fridays due to teacher conventions

• Approximately 400 prospective students and parents on campus each of those days

Concept of Faculty Status Briefly Discussed while votes counted

· Somehow think this will help instigate effort to hire faculty cheaper and eventually reduce quality

• Somehow seems insidious motion from UW-System

· UW-System Instructional Academic Staff Report recommended integration of IAS into university community

• Contained 11 recommendations, one had to do with seeing career IAS had opportunities to participate in governance

· Starting to feel like way to bypass tenure system; especially considering regents looking at that issue

• Career IAS not getting protection as tenure-track faculty; thought was movement on this campus to provide people who meet all requirements of being able to hold rank security of tenure-track positions

· All have responsibility to keep informed on eligibility criteria and to ensure input from DPCs

• Are cases where unintentional errors can be made
• Possible for people who are not faculty to influence curricular and personnel decisions because of disproportionate numbers
• Very problematic in departments to grant some people faculty status and not others without clear operating conditions

· IAS can be converted to faculty if department so chooses

• Only faculty rank under which career academic staff would fit (without PhDs) would be instructor status

· If not hiring at faculty rank of instructor, only option is career IAS

· Trend with majority of departments is to require PhDs and hire at rank or assistant professor or above

· Faculty Personnel Committee now looking at issue of large number of departments unable to put together a DPC, which makes department chairs the functional equivalent of DPCs

• Back to one person making decisions for department

· Some departments require PhDs to be hired; if that’s the rule, then IAS without PhDs could not get faculty status in that department anyway

· Handbook makes quite clear there are limits on what individual, whether have faculty status or not, may or may not do under what conditions in regard to personnel decisions

· Don Reynolds was UW-Eau Claire representative to System Instructional/Research Academic Staff (IRAS) Working Group that wrote Report on Integration – questions could be addressed to him

• Report worded very strongly – when at all possible should hire faculty

· Report just dealing with IAS already here

· Little more skeptical about political climate now as compared to when report originally written

• Academic staff with faculty status are eligible to sit on University Senate Faculty Personnel Committee without responsibility or experience with issues that committee deals with
• Once get report from summer work group on handbook, may be lot of things to rewrite and clarify to make at least internally consistent
• If want to protect integrity of academic community, we are ones that have to do that
• If you have IAS voting on curriculum, it does dilute faculty vote

· Need very clear procedures if faculty status to become more common

· Bothered by direction of discussion – fear of us-versus-them coup

• Nothing could be further from truth
• IAS want to teach because love to teach
• Simply want to be more a part of community to which we belong

· Concerned there may not be clear policies even though DPCs may have right to make this decision; seems there are just problems when chair may make decision to rehire without DPC

· In handbook now, for fixed term IRAS, recommendations for reappointment must include affirmative recommendation from departmental personnel committees and on to chair, etc.; it doesn’t say decision needs to be included about faculty status, needs to be cleared up by Faculty Personnel Committee

· If procedures in handbook for granting faculty status saying recommendation for granting faculty status to eligible members of the instructional academic staff will normally proceed from the academic department or functional equivalent to the administration and to the chancellor not enough; behooves academic departments to establish further procedures so they have guidelines

· Think issue is bigger than this campus; lot of external pressures and other things that impact us so one decision one place could have effects in lots of other places

· Likely to be coming into some tough times because economic climate, not just in state, but in country

• Might be to advantage of this body to dispense with adversarial rhetoric and mindset and adopt perspective that we are all on same side with common interests
• Need to give our colleagues at all levels benefit of doubt of wanting to be contributors to enterprise all engaged in

Meeting adjourned at 4:33 p.m. without objection

Wanda Schulner

Secretary to the University Senate