EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES

Present: Aguilar, Bender, Humes, Latta, Mayo, Prochaska Cue, Siekman, Whitt, Zorn

Absent: Bryant, Miller, Scheideler

Date: Wednesday, March 29, 2000

Location: 201 Canfield Administration Building

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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 Focus Groups

Latta reported that the Downtown Association would like to hold focus groups on campus to help determine what kind of businesses should be located close to the campus. She stated that anyone interested should contact her.

3.0 Chancellor Moeser

Chancellor Moeser was unable to attend the meeting due to emergency business. Senior Vice Chancellor Edwards responded to the following issues.

3.1 Biennial Budget Priorities

Senior Vice Chancellor Edwards stated that the campus priorities have been forward by Central Administration. He noted that increasing the University's retirement contribution is included in the priorities. Latta asked whether the $500,00 the legislature just approved for diversity recruitment and retention corresponded to the amount requested in UNL's statement of budget priorities for the next biennium. SVCAA Edwards stated that $500,000 for the entire University system has been appropriated for diversity recruiting although it has not yet been determined how much of that would be made available to UNL.

SVCAA Edwards noted that the discussion at the legislature regarding diversity on campus focused mainly on recruitment efforts rather than long term funding of positions. He pointed out that we are doing well on diversity hires for this year and that there are still on-going searches.

Siekman asked whether the health insurance request made it through the legislature? SVCAA Edwards stated that the legislature is in support of it but there is concern as to whether Governor Johanns may eliminate it from the budget.

3.2 Michael Josephson's Visit

Item postponed.

3.3 Kellogg Commission Recommendations

Item postponed.

3.4 Student Absence Policy

Latta stated that the Academic Senate has a resolution before it to approve a student absence policy. She noted that this policy came initially from the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee in an effort to deal with situations where a student will miss classes due to participation in sanctioned University events. She pointed out that the form will not be a required policy but will be available to assist both faculty and students. She asked who would be responsible for printing and disseminating the form? Aguilar suggested that it should be provided at the department level. SVCAA Edwards suggested that the form could be placed on several university websites.

3.5 Research Celebration

Latta reported that Jennifer Washburn, co-author of the article "The Kept University" will be giving a presentation on April 13^th as part of the Research Celebration. SVCAA Edwards reported that the recent Research Fair held on campus was a successful event with a great deal of participation from faculty, graduate students, and the public as well. He noted that faculty have commented that they really enjoyed seeing the kinds of research that is being conducted by other faculty members on campus. Aguilar pointed out that the public were very impressed with the work of the faculty that was presented. SVCAA Edwards noted that it has been suggested that they hold a similar fair prior to a home football game.

4.0 Senior Vice Chancellor Edwards

4.1 Class Notes on the Web

Latta reported that a faculty member discovered that a student in their class had been seeling class notes from her course to a company for posting on a copywrited public website without the instructor's permission. She stated that she located several web sites where this kind of information is available. She noted that most faculty are unaware that their lecture materials were being made available in this manner. She stated that one of the companies involved would like to work with the university to develop policies for obtaining these notes. She stated that one of the main questions is who legally owns the notes a student takes in class? SVCAA Edwards stated that he contacted the approximately 30 faculty members who have class notes on these sites. He pointed out that the majority of them want these notes removed. Latta stated that she and SVCAA Edwards had looked into whether there are any university policies regarding this issue. She provided a handout from Carmen Maurer, Associate General Counsel, which stated that unless the notes are verbatim, they are considered the property of the student. However, she pointed out that the University could develop a policy that would prohibit students from selling their notes to a company for public access. SVCAA Edwards suggested that a proposal should be sent forward calling for the creation of a policy to address these concerns. Zorn pointed out that one way to circumvent this is for faculty to put their class notes out on their own web page. The committee agreed to present a proposal to the Academic Senate to determine whether to proceed with developing such a policy.

4.2 Life Sciences Task Force Report

(Available at: http://www.unl.edu/svcaa/priorities/plan/lifesciencesreport.html)

SVCAA Edwards reported that the Life Sciences Task Force Report is out and is available on the web. He stated that while the report does call for some major restructuring, it also includes other proposals which need to be considered. He stated that there will be two forums that will be open to the UNL community for discussion on the report and the suggested proposals. He noted that both of the co-chairs of the committee will be present. He pointed out that no other forums are scheduled yet, but that any structural changes will need to be carefully reviewed. Latta asked if there will be any smaller meetings with faculty that would be effected by the proposed changes? SVCAA Edwards stated that the co-chairs of the committee should have discussions with these groups.

SVCAA Edwards noted that the proposed structural changes will have significant impacts on both the College of Arts and Sciences and IANR. He stated that some people in IANR see the changes as de-emphasizing agriculture. He noted that some constituents feel that the proposed changes will take away the agricultural mission of the University.

Mayo pointed out that while the charge of the committee was to look at the life sciences, other areas would also be effected by the suggested changes. He pointed out that it is important to know what our priorities are before moving ahead with some of these changes.

SVCAA Edwards noted that the charge to the committee was to avoid any major structural changes. He stated that the suggested changes will allow for better coordination of courses. He pointed out that we need to have serious discussion on any structural changes and he stated that we may need to do without the proposed structural change.

Siekman asked what is the status of Class.com? SVCAA Edwards stated that it is moving forward. Siekman asked how DCS employees can go from working for a public institution to working for a private company? SVCAA Edwards pointed out that the employees are still working on grants given to the University to develop the program and they are therefore, still University employees. He pointed out that they retain all of the rights of a University employee.

5.0 Unfinished Business

5.1 Student Absence Form Revisions

Latta stated that Bryant and Humes are working with Allen Christensen from the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee, to revise the form with the changes suggested at the Senate meeting. She stated that a revised version will be available at the Senate meeting on April 4^th.

5.2 Bylaw 4.3 Revisions

Latta stated that she met with the Academic Rights and Responsibilities Committee who felt that language did not need to be included in Bylaw 4.3 limiting the frequency with which the procedure could be evoked. The ARRC noted that language exists in the Bylaw which allows a faculty member to file a grievance should this become a problem.

6.0 New Business

6.1 Class Notes Resolution

Latta agreed to draft a resolution to bring to the Senate and asked for several volunteers to provide comments on the draft.

6.2 Guidelines for the Use of Computing Resources at UNL

Latta stated that the Computational Services and Facilities Committee included a document on Guidelines for the Use of Computing Resources at UNL in last year's report which they wanted to have endorsed by the Senate. The committee felt that, since the document is not a faculty policy proposal, but rather a compilation of administrative policies already in effect, the Senate did not need to vote on it.

6.3 Senate Officer Nominations

The committee reviewed the slate for the Senate elections.

6.4 Trash/Recycling Pilot Project

Latta stated that part of the budget adjustment will effect custodial services possibly resulting in reduced service. She stated that she has been asked by Dale Ekart, Coordinator of Recycling, whether any building housing an academic unit would be willing to participate in a pilot project where faculty and staff would be responsible for taking either their personal office trash or their recycling to a central location on their floor. The committee did not know of any college that would be willing to participate in this project.

Meeting adjourned at 4:53 pm. The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 5^th at 3:00 pm in the Academic Senate Office, 420 University Terrace. Respectfully submitted, Miles Bryant, Secretary.