Chair’s Report for February 24, 2004

 

Senate update

1.        Important links to agendas, minutes, Chair's Reports and other sites of interest are available
on the Senate web site: http://www.uwec.edu/Usenate. Senate Chair’s Report will be available on this site by noon on the day of the Senate meeting.

2.        During debates, Senators may speak only twice to any motion or amendment. Each speaking term is limited to 10 minutes. The Chair will add names of those wishing to speak to a speaker's list upon recognition.

 

Senate Actions signed off by the Chancellor

1.     Modified 2004-2005 Pay Plan (original recommendation of Compensation Committee)

 

Items from Senate Executive Committee Meeting minutes

1.     Discussion of University Senate composition relative to current university demographics

In 1998, Senate membership set at approximately 10% of university faculty and academic staff members eligible to vote. Each department or unit with four or more members represented. Remaining faculty or academic staff members necessary to attain 10% in each category elected at-large. October frozen files are to be examined every year to monitor percentage changes. Executive Committee may recommend minor adjustments to University Senate Membership bylaw if more than 5% difference between Senate representation percentages and faculty and academic staff percentages.

 

According to frozen files, percentages of voting faculty and academic staff on campus have changed just over 5%. However, several more units with four or more members now exist resulting in additional academic staff senators.

Committee reached consensus to maintain Senate structure as written in bylaws and to continue monitoring annually.

 

Concern expressed about numbers from October 1998 to October 2003 showing a serious decline in number of faculty on campus. Chart duplicated and distributed showing number of persons in each voting code from 1998 to 2003. For faculty, voting code 1, those numbers went from 436 in 1998 to 380 in 2003. Numbers show net loss of over 50 faculty and net gain of 25 to 30 academic staff.

University Staff from Frozen Files – 1997 to 2003   (chart is being distributed upon request)

 

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

Code 1 (Faculty)

436

424

417

405

400

380

Code 4 (Instr A S  with Fac Status)

19

22

25

23

32

30

University

Faculty

451

455

446

442

428

432

410

Code 5 (Ad/Prof Acad Staff unit ≥4)

108

103

128

133

140

144

Code 6 (Instr A S  w/o Fac Status)

74

72

71

92

76

82

Code 7 (Ad/Prof Acad Staff unit <4)

61

64

43

42

43

44

University

Academic Staff

234

243

239

242

267

259

270

Blank boxes – Information not available

 

Can be many reasons for changes in numbers. Finding at annual meetings with departments that many having difficulty filling vacant faculty positions. Are failed searches, offers not being accepted, and retirements too late to conduct proper searches. Some departments, where market very tight, starting to grow own faculty. Some departments have commitment to academic staff doing good job. Frozen file numbers include persons from all funding sources. Additional positions funded by auxiliary grants increase number of academic staff; do not occur at expense of faculty positions. Numbers are head count, not FTE – all over 50% to be eligible to vote. Lost 12 to 16 positions through all employment categories last year due to budget reductions. Quality readjustments over years resulted in loss of FTE.

 

Occurring nationwide; nevertheless is ominous trend. Student population not decreasing at same rate. Some of those reasons also occurring in other years, so could be wash. Would like to see teachers in front of students in classroom. Nothing in current budget plan mandates reduction in faculty. Important for students and accreditation to keep faculty numbers up. Maybe should be using this as springboard for discussion.

 

Faculty Reps Meeting – Friday, February 27th via teleconference

Faculty rep forwarding names of Jim Oberly and Cecelia Zorn for System President Search and Screen Committee.

Board of Regents Meeting – March 4th & 5th in Madison

Legislative Update - http://www.uwsa.edu/univ_rel/govrel/lupdate/index.htm