EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES
Present: Bender, Bryant, Fuller, Humes, Latta,
Miller, Prochaska Cue, Scheideler,
Swoboda, Whitt, Zorn
1.0 Call
to Order
Scheideler called the meeting to order at 3:05 PM.
2.0 Announcements
2.1 Interview with the Candidate for Dean of Fine Arts
Scheideler reminded the committee that they would be meeting with the
final candidate for the Dean of Fine Arts position on Thursday, November 9th,
from 2:00 – 3:15.
2.2 Letters
to Newly Elected State Senators and Members of the Board of Regents
Scheideler stated that she should write a letter on behalf of the
Academic Senate to Mike Foley, who spoke to the Executive Committee, and to the
newly elected members of the Board of Regents congratulating them on their
election. The letter would also
indicate that the Executive Committee would be willing to help provide them
with information on important faculty issues.
The committee agreed that the letters should be sent.
Scheideler reported that she met with Michelle Waite, Assistant to the
Chancellor for Community Relations, and Ron Withem, Associate Vice President
for External Affairs & Direct Governmental Relations, to discuss
University-state legislature relations.
She stated that they are considering an ad hoc advocacy committee to
establish faculty/staff links with State senators and their staffs. Latta pointed out that it is more effective
when the constituents speak directly to their representative. Bryant stated that it has been suggested by
faculty members that the faculty should have their own lobbyist. Prochaska Cue suggested that they find
faculty/staff to be on the ad hoc committee who are constituents of key
legislators. She noted that it is more
effective to have a small number of people contact their legislator rather and
have a meaningful discussion with her/him rather than a large number of people
just calling. Scheideler asked the
Executive committee to think of people who would be interested in serving on
the committee.
2.3 Sheldon
Art Gallery
Scheideler reported that the Sheldon Art Gallery has been moved to the
top of the list for building renovations.
2.4 Faculty
Compensation Advisory Committee
Bryant stated that he is working on getting the Faculty Compensation
Advisory Committee (FCAC) together and asked the committee for feedback on the
memo he drafted to the FCAC. He pointed
out that we need to be aggressive on the issue of faculty salaries if we are to
make the mid-point of our peer institutions.
Latta noted that administration recognized that the original percentage
of increase was set too low to bring us to the level of our peer institutions
and that they have adjusted it. Bryant
stated that the other issue that the FCAC wants to work on is the retirement
cap.
2.5 Chancellor’s Committee for Award for Exemplary Service
Scheideler stated that the Chancellor’s office is asking for someone to
serve on the Chancellor’s Committee Award for Exemplary Service to
Students. The committee discussed
possible candidates.
3.0 Approval of 11/1/00 Minutes
Miller moved and Bender seconded approval of the minutes as amended.
4.0 Faculty Roles Initiative Update (Latta)
Latta reported that the project was developed by an ad hoc group of
faculty who attended a conference in January 2000. They subsequently sought and received funding as part of a
constellation of projects brought under the umbrella of the Kellogg Leadership
Group (a faculty/staff learning community formed two years ago to study
collaborative leadership within higher education institutions). The Academic Senate was also invited to
sign-on as a co-sponsor, by Latta, the project director. She stated that the funding they
received this summer would support the
full three years of the project. The
first year is focused on an assessment of the status of faculty life/quality of
their working environment at the University.
She stated that they have contracted with the Bureau of Sociological
Research to assist with data collection and assessment. Latta stated that 12 focus groups are being
conducted on campus during the month of November. She noted that the feedback gathered from the focus groups would
be used to facilitate strategic discussion.
She stated that the goal is not to gather information to write a report,
but rather to provide the information to the academic community to promote
discussions about how faculty work at UNL is supported and rewarded. Latta noted that the second and third year
of the projects would focus on engaging the campus community in meaningful
discussions on the changing role of faculty.
She reported that the Initiative recently brought in a speaker with whom
they discussed how to develop a conceptual framework that will allow the
development of a meaningful survey, understand change processes in higher
education institutions and, in particular, develop collaborative
leadership. She stated that the project
aims to strengthen the faculty voice in decision-making within the institution,
particularly at the unit level, and to foster collaboration between faculty and
administration, as an alternative to top-down leadership within the
university. Latta noted that they are
inviting people from the focus groups to volunteer to participate in subsequent
phases of the project such as helping to pilot the survey instrument, telling
other faculty about the project goals, and leading discussions of the
assessment findings within their academic units. Zorn pointed out that an increasing amount of teaching is now
being done by non tenure leading employees at Universities across the country
and that this could, in the future, change the nature and role of faculty. Latta stated that this is an issue that they
hope to address. She pointed out that
this varies from college to college and that sometimes having outside people
speak in the classroom is integral to a program. She stated that an evaluation of the resource implications of the
changing roles of faculty might be one of the project’s outcomes. Zorn noted that other issues need to be
addressed, including how much voice these non-tenure leading faculty would
have. Latta stated that this is an
issue of governance that needs to be dealt with at the local level. Whitt asked if non-tenured faculty would be
included in the focus groups. Latta
reported that if they have a .50 FTE or greater, they will be included. She stated that she had requested to be
placed on the Executive agenda in order to get feedback from the Executive
Committee on focus group questions, but that she understood other business had
prevented that from happening, so the project team had to get input by other
means, in order to keep the project on schedule. Someone suggested email could be used to provide information to
the committee regarding progress on the project.
5.0 Unfinished Business
5.1 UNL Bylaws Update
Scheideler distributed the revised UNL Bylaws for the committee to
review. She noted that a subcommittee
consisting of herself, Herb Howe, Associate to the Chancellor, Jim McShane,
Associate Professor of English, and Julie Albrecht, Associate Professor of Nutritional
Science & Dietetics worked together on reviewing the revised Bylaws. She pointed out that the Senate would
eventually have to approve the revisions.
Swoboda asked if once they are approved by the Board of Regents whether
they would be distributed to the faculty.
Scheideler stated that they would more than likely be placed on the
web. She noted that the Executive
committee would also be reviewing the Guidelines for Faculty Evaluation in the
near future. The committee agreed to
review the Bylaws at an upcoming meeting.
5.2 Pepsi
Funds - Ledger
Scheideler distributed information pertaining to the distribution of
Pepsi funds. She pointed out that
$1,135,220 has not been spent. The
committee discussed possible use of these funds. Zorn suggested that some of the funds could be used to support
academic scholarships. Bender asked for
information on who keeps the income from the sale of the Pepsi products on
campus. Scheideler suggested that Vice
Chancellor Jackson be invited to an Executive Committee meeting to discuss
these issues further.
5.3
Evaluation of Administrator Dean Swoboda
Scheideler distributed additional information regarding the evaluation
of Dean Swoboda. Bryant stated that he
did not feel there was enough information from people who work directly with
Swoboda for the committee to make an effective evaluation. Zorn stated that he felt the committee was
incumbent to ask for faculty input from those that have direct contact with Swoboda. Latta pointed out that the Executive
Committee was not the only group reviewing this administrator. The committee agreed to review and discuss
the evaluation at the next meeting.
5.4 Email
Policy
Item postponed.
6.0 New Business
No new business was discussed.
The
meeting was adjourned at 5:10 PM. The
next meeting of the Executive Committee will be at 3:00 PM on Wednesday,
November 15, 2000 at 420 University Terrace, Academic Senate Office. Respectfully submitted, David S. Jackson,
Secretary.