EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES

Present: Aguilar, Bender, Bryant, Latta, Miller, Scheideler, Siekman, Whitt

Absent: Humes, Mayo, Prochaska Cue, Zorn

Date: Wednesday, February 23, 2000

Location: 420 University Terrace, Ste. 203

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1.0 Call to Order (Latta)

Latta called the meeting to order at 3:11 PM.

2.0 Announcements

2.1 Archbishop Desmond Tutu's Rescheduled Visit

Latta announced that Archbishop Desmond Tutu has rescheduled his visit for April 26^th.

2.2 Character Counts Presentation

Latta reminded the committee that they are invited to attend the "Creating a Community of Character" presentation by Michael Josephson on February 28^th at 2:30 pm.

2.3 Parking Advisory Committee

Latta announced that the Parking Advisory Committee will be holding an open meeting on March 3^rd at 3:00 pm (location to be determined). She stated that they may be presenting several different scenarios on the parking fees.

2.4 Historical Planning Policy Update

Latta reported that Professor Bleed, Anthropology, is working with Richard McDermott, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Facilities Management & Planning, to develop a plan that will enable Facilities to know where archaeological sites are on campus well before any construction begins on that location.

2.5 Marketing Team Presentation

Latta announced that the marketing team will be presenting their findings to the Executive Committee on March 8^th at 3:00 pm. She noted that the entire Academic Senate will be invited to the presentation.

2.6 Upcoming Board of Regents' Meeting

Latta reported that the Board of Regents will be meeting on February 25 and 26^th. She noted that the item regarding the ball park has been pulled from the agenda. She stated that the combined campus priorities for the upcoming biennium will be presented. She noted that there is an 11% increase for the first year of the biennium and an 8.9% increase for 2002-2003. She pointed out that the figures do include a carryover of items that were in the four year plan. The combined list of priorities represents campus needs that will be considered in preparing the 2001-02 biennial budget request.

3.0 Approval of 2/16/00 Minutes

Bender moved and Miller seconded approval of the minutes as amended. Motion approved.

4.0 Bylaw 4.3

Latta reported that she met with President Smith on Monday and he stated that they have not heard anything back from the other campuses regarding the proposed revisions to Bylaw 4.3. She stated that the Bylaw is on the agenda for the Chief Academic Officers to discuss at their next meeting. She reported that the Academic Rights and Responsibilities Committee advises presenting the most recent draft to the Academic Senate in March. She pointed out that she communicated to Senior Vice Chancellor Edwards that the language in the revised Bylaw does not prohibit chairs from serving on the committee. She noted that the colleges will determine the composition of the committee. Bender moved that the Executive Committee present the 10/29/99 version of Bylaw 4.3 to the Academic Senate at the March meeting. Motion seconded by Bryant. Motion approved.

5.0 Domestic Partner Benefits - Update and Do We Recommend Senate Action?

Latta reported that the Human Rights Committee has asked that the Academic Senate again ask the U-Wide Bene4fits Committee to consider the issue of domestic partner benefits. She noted that the Academic Senate endorsed providing this benefit in 1996 and 1999. Latta stated that the Human Rights Committee is requesting that the Senate specifically endorse the policy for same sex partners. She pointed out that the option for same sex partners is different from heterosexual couples because same sex partners do not have the option of getting married. She noted that the Human Rights Committee feels this is a human rights issue since the University has policies in place that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Bender asked if there is substantial opposition from the other campuses on this issue? Latta stated that there does seem to be some opposition from some of the campuses. Bryant pointed out that if we want to compete with the major institutions that we need to have similar benefits available to the faculty. Latta suggested that a resolution should be written and presented to the Senate which addresses the concerns raised by the Human Rights Committee. Bryant and Aguilar agreed to draft a proposal.

6.0 Unfinished Business

6.1 Bookstore Committee Proposal

Latta reported that she met with the ASUN to discuss the proposed bookstore committee. She stated that they are in support of the committee. She distributed a draft syllabus for creating such a committee, incorporating the concepts the committee discussed previously with Bob Carlson, Bookstore Director. Miller moved that the Executive Committee support and present to the Senate the creation of the University Bookstore Committee. Whitt seconded the motion. Motion approved. A copy of the syllabus for the Bookstore Committee will be distributed to the Senate.

6.2 Student Absence Policy (Christensen)

Professor Christensen, Chair of the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee (IAC), reported that he met with Bryant and Humes from the Executive Committee to redraft the student absence policy. Christensen stated that the IAC had concerns on how the form would be distributed and who would keep track of it. He reported that the IAC agreed that it should be between the faculty member and the student and that no other cataloguing will be necessary. Aguilar pointed out that there was no place on the form to indicate if the faculty member did not agree with the arrangements. She noted that this should be on the form in order to protect both parties. Christensen suggested that it could simply be written in the space provided for comments. The committee agreed that it should be incorporated into the form. Bryant moved that the policy be presented, as amended, to the Senate at the March meeting. Bender seconded the motion. Motion approved.

6.3 Prioritization Criteria

Latta reported that she has spoken with President Smith and others regarding the prioritization criteria. She noted that while the Prioritization Commission wants the criteria to be folded into the campus level planning process, President Smith still expects to have a list of the top 30% of our programs. She pointed out that the criteria has been written to allow each program to identify its strengths. She stated that any outcomes from this process need to take place at the campus level. She noted that we need to start working with the Academic Planning Committee on how we will fold the criteria into our campus planning process. She asked for any additional input on the criteria.

Bryant stated that there is ambiguous criteria in the document that are not very helpful. Latta asked if these areas in the document should be eliminated? Latta noted that they want to allow a place to provide descriptive and narrative support for a program. Bryant asked how this will get used? Are there any guidelines for those making a subjective judgement? She stated that it is her sense that it is not the commission's role to make those guidelines. She pointed out that we need to work with campus leadership to determine how this will be done.

Latta pointed out that there is nothing about distance education in the document. She asked if we want to prod at certain points for distance education to be included in it? Bryant stated that it will creep into the process since its such an agenda item for the administrators and it should be their responsibility to include distance education.

6.5 Distance Education Council

Latta reported that the Distance Education Council has been formed by Central Administration and that Jim O'Hanlon, Larry Walklin, and Beth Birnstihl have been appointed to represent UNL. Rod Bates will be serving as an ex-officio member. Latta stated that the committee has been charged to develop a vision for distance education for the university system. She reported that she asked President Smith about missions that were specific to the campuses and whether campuses could have different visions as part of the overall strategic agenda. She reported that President Smith stated that they could. She stated that she asked if there will be opportunity for campus-wide input to this Council in terms of its developing a strategic plan for distance education. Aguilar pointed out that distance education courses need to be linked to departments or programs. Latta noted that at this point it appears that anything may be possible, and that one possibility that was mentioned is that this Council will be similar in operation to the Graduate Council. It is not clear whether that means that faculty would have to be "admitted" to membership in order to have an influence.

7.0 New Business

7.1 Teaching Academy Collaboration

Latta reported that she and Scheideler have been working with the Teaching Academy to develop a strategy for getting faculty input on a document that has been written by the academy on how excellence in teaching can be documented. She noted that Professor Dan Bernstein will be speaking to the Senate at the March meeting regarding this project. She suggested that the strategy will involve inviting Senators to identify faculty who are willing to attend a meeting to discuss this issue on April 7^th.

7.2 Summary of Diversity Summit

Latta distributed copies of the Summary of the Diversity Summit. She noted that this will be placed on an upcoming agenda for discussion.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:54 pm. The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 1, 201 Canfield Administration Building. Respectfully submitted, Miles Bryant, Secretary.