EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES

Present: Bender, Bryant, Humes, Latta, Mayo, Miller, Prochaska Cue, Scheideler, Siekman, Whitt, Zorn

Absent: Aguilar

Date: Wednesday, April 19, 2000

Location: 420 University Terrace, Ste. 203

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1.0 Call to Order (Latta)

Latta called the meeting to order at 3:04 PM.

2.0 Announcements

2.1 Diversity Summit Document on Initiatives

Latta reported that the Diversity Summit Document on Initiatives has been revised based upon feedback provided by the Executive Committee and is now out on the web. She stated that there will be a forum on April 20^th on diversity concerns on campus. She reported that the Chancellor's Commission on the Status of People of Color now has their own website (http://www.unl.edu/ccspc/main.html).

2.2 Senate Elections

Latta reported that Mike Kocher, Biological Systems Engineering, has withdrawn his name from the ballot for an Executive Committee member. He stated that he will not have the time to fulfill his commitment to the committee should he be elected.

2.3 Search for Vice Chancellor of IANR

Latta reported that the search for the VC of IANR is moving forward and that it is likely that names will be recommended to the Chancellor sometime in May to bring in candidates for campus interviews.

3.0 Senior Vice Chancellor Edwards

3.1 Chair of Arts & Sciences Search Committee (Bryant)

Bryant asked if Nancy Rapoport will remain as chair of the search committee for the Dean of Arts and Sciences given that she will be leaving the university. SVCAA Edwards stated that this has been discussed and that any changes to the search committee will be announced.

3.2 Appointment of Interim Chancellor

Latta noted that President Smith will make the decision to appoint an Interim Chancellor but that the Regents Bylaws calls for him to consult with the elected President of the Academic Senate. SVCAA Edwards stated that he expects President Smith to make an announcement in the next two weeks as to who the Interim Chancellor will be. He noted that President Smith has been consulting with members of the campus.

3.3 Chancellor's Search Advisory Committee

Latta noted that she will be meeting with President Smith later in the week to discuss the search committee for the position of Chancellor. She pointed out that the Regents Bylaws states that the search committee will have representatives from all constituencies, including external constituents. She asked if this will be discussed with the Deans? SVCAA Edwards stated that it probably will. He stated that there has been discussion with the Nebraska Future Task Force and others on how they can set a context which would attract a new Chancellor who is interested in the campus priorities.

Miller asked if the other searches will be put on hold until a new Chancellor is found? SVCAA Edwards stated that the Vice Chancellor of Cooperative Extension search has been put on hold until a new Vice Chancellor for IANR has been hired but that the other searches are continuing. Bryant asked if a search firm will be hired to look for a new Chancellor? SVCAA Edwards stated that he did not know whether that decision has been made yet. Latta noted that the faculty names that have been suggested to serve on a search committee have been actively involved in campus planning. She pointed out that having these kinds of people on the search committee should influence the type of candidates. She asked if it is realistic to expect that we can have an impact on how the position is advertised? SVCAA Edwards stated that this will probably be determined by Central Administration.

Latta asked if we will still be moving ahead with the campus priorities? SVCAA Edwards noted that a great deal of faculty time has gone into establishing the campus priorities and that he hopes that we will be able to go forward with them.

3.4 Class.com

Latta asked if Class.com must renew their incorporation documents and that we are in the process of negotiating them? SVCAA Edwards stated that this is correct. Latta asked if the nature of the incorporation entails a relationship with the university and intellectual property? SVCAA Edwards stated that the agreement between Class.com and the University is a licensing agreement and this is what needs to be renewed. It states under what conditions Class.com can market courses provided by the University. He stated that he does not think there is an issue with intellectual property because the University owns the material. He noted that the high school courses being offered on Class.com are courses produced under grants.

Scheideler suggested that the administration needs to be more public with information regarding Class.com. She stated that people are suspicious of it because little information has been provided. Latta noted that while the University's investment has been made public, the nature of the contract has not been discussed. Scheideler suggested that an article in the Scarlet would be helpful to quell rumors. Bryant asked if Class.com is a separate company? SVCAA stated that Class.com has separate employees from the University. He noted that it is a private company that is marketing courses developed by the University. Latta asked if the license would allow the marketing of University courses in the future? SVCAA Edwards stated that a separate license agreement would be needed. He pointed out that it is difficult to market the university courses given the issues of intellectual property and the land grant mission.

3.5 Faculty Offices - Size Guidelines for Renovation/Construction (Bryant)

Bryant pointed out that the standard size for new faculty offices is incompatible with the work that faculty must do. He noted that faculty are very concerned with the standard size that is being allowed for new offices. SVCAA Edwards stated that this is a good topic to discuss with Facilities. He noted that they need to consider how much research space is needed, especially when the faculty do not have access to a lab. Bryant noted that they need to plan the building around the work that is being done. SVCAA Edwards pointed out that we need to design offices that the present and future faculty want to be in to work. Zorn stated that it is important to have faculty input in the planning process of a college building that is being built or renovated.

3.6 Issues on the Horizon

SVCAA Edwards reported that they are working on naming an Interim Dean for the Law College. He noted that advertisement for this position will occur over the summer but that the search process will not begin until the fall. He noted that the other searches are going forward.

4.0 Approval of 4/5/00 and 4/12/00 Minutes

Mayo moved and Prochaska Cue seconded approval of the 4/5/00 and 4/12/00 minutes. Motion approved.

5.0 Unfinished Business

5.1 Scheduling Joint Meeting with APC RE: Kellogg Commission Reports & Recommendations

Latta reported that she spoke with Jim Carr, Chair of the Academic Planning Committee, concerning the scheduling of a joint meeting of the Executive Committee and APC to discuss the Kellogg Commission Reports and Recommendations. She stated that the best time for the committees to meet will be in the fall since APC does not meeting during the summer except on an emergency basis. The committee agreed to wait until the fall semester. Latta pointed out that with Chancellor Moeser's departure, it would be difficult to predict what level of commitment a new Chancellor will have to the Kellogg recommendations so faculty input will be particularly important.

5.2 Guidelines for Computing Resources

Item postponed.

6.0 New Business

6.1 Law College Dean Search

Latta reported that the Law College is eager to move ahead with the search for a new dean and that she has been working with them to identify a representative pool of faculty from which members of a search advisory committee could be selected according to UNL Bylaws. Scheideler stated that the UNL Bylaws should govern how we conduct searches on campus. She noted that the Senate has to review and approve all faculty finalists to a search committee. She stated that the Ad Hoc UNL Bylaw Review Committee interpreted it to mean that the Senate approves the assignment of faculty to any search committee from a Dean's position on up. She noted that, according to the UNL Bylaws, any new administrative position needs to be approved by the Senate. Latta pointed out that the Bylaw indicates that search advisory committees shall be formed by the appropriate level administrator, who in the case of the Law College Dean is the SVCAA. She noted that the size, composition, and representation on each advisory committee shall be determined by the selecting officer in consultation with the elected heads of ASUN and the Academic Senate. The selecting officer shall choose faculty to serve on the search advisory committee from a list approved by the Academic Senate representatives to the advisory committee provided that the list is prepared in consultation with the selecting officer and that it contains a number of names which is at least twice the number of representatives to be chosen there from. She noted that the Regents Bylaws say that search committees can not be larger than 12 and that the Dean search committees typically include one or more outside members.

Latta stated that the Law College is meeting on Friday to determine a list of faculty to be considered for the search committee. She asked if the Executive Committee should bring the list forward to the Senate for approval? Bryant moved that the list be brought to the Senate at its next meeting. Prochaska Cue seconded the motion. Motion approved.

Scheideler pointed out that another important issue that needs to be addressed is that new administrative positions should be going to the Senate for approval. Prochaska Cue asked if a search must be conducted for all administrative positions? Scheideler noted that a department chair can be appointed without a search if all faculty in the department are in agreement. She pointed out that a search must be conducted for any administrative position higher than a department chair.

Meeting adjourned at 4:48 pm. The next meeting of the Executive Committee will be on Wednesday, May 3^rd at 3:00 pm, 201 Canfield Administration Building. Respectfully submitted, Miles Bryant, Secretary.