EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES
Present: Bryant, Fuller, Humes, Jackson, Miller,
Scheideler, Seikman, Whitt
1.0 Call
to Order
Scheideler called the meeting to order at 3:07 PM.
2.0 Announcements
2.1 Campus
Email Policy
Scheideler distributed a copy of the present and proposed “All-Faculty” and “All-Staff” list server
email policy. She asked the
committee to examine the policy prior to discussion at the next meeting.
2.2
Discussion with Interim Chancellor Perlman
Scheideler stated that she met with Interim Chancellor Perlman and
discussed attendance of the Academic Senate President at the Chancellor’s
Cabinet meetings. She noted that
Interim Chancellor Perlman is sensitive to the Executive Committee’s concerns
and that he would consider inviting the Senate President to attend the Vice Chancellors’
meetings. She pointed out that he wants
to meet with her individually on a regular basis. She stated that she would report back to the Executive Committee
on these meetings.
2.3 Faculty
Committee on the Antelope Valley Project
Scheideler reported that there is no formal administrative committee to
work on the Antelope Valley Project, but that John Benson (Director,
Institutional Research and Planning) and Michelle Waite (Assistant to the
Chancellor for Community Relations) are acting as the liaisons for the
campus. She stated that Interim
Chancellor Perlman is supportive of an academic coordinating committee. She noted that Interim Chancellor Perlman
believes that there is the potential for funding academic interests with
regards to the Antelope Valley Project.
The committee discussed the possible structure of the committee or
interest group.
3.0 Vice Chancellor James Griesen, Student
Absence Policy
Scheideler noted that the Executive Committee has been working on a
supplemental student absence policy that would add to the
Senate’s policy motion passed in 1983.
Vice Chancellor Griesen stated that he presented the supplemental policy
to the meeting of the Academic Services Group.
He stated that Dr. Earl Hawkey (Director, Records & Registration)
suggested some revisions. The committee
reviewed the revisions and made several additional changes. Scheideler stated that the language, if
approved by the Senate, should be incorporated into the Schedule of
Classes and the Undergraduate Bulletin.
Vice Chancellor Griesen stated that they would try to insert the wording
into these publications as soon as possible.
The committee agreed to bring the supplemental policy to the Senate for
approval.
4.0 Approval of 10/10/00 Minutes
Humes moved and Whitt seconded approval of the minutes as amended.
5.0 Professor Terry Riordan, Chair,
Employee Benefits Committee
Professor Riordan stated that he wanted to meet with the Executive
Committee to determine what issues the Academic Senate wants the
Employee Benefits committee to address. Scheideler stated that she believed that it was important for the
committee to determine what the priorities of the faculty and staff are in
terms of benefits and to assess their needs.
This information should then be passed on to the University-wide
Benefits Committee. Jackson noted that
not only should the committee assess the needs of the employees of the campus,
they should compare the benefits we are receiving to our peer
institutions. Riordan stated that the
Employee Benefits committee met and considered health care costs, fringe
benefits, tuition remission, and conducting an email survey as its primary
priorities for the coming year.
Riordan noted that he has been meeting with Keith Dietz (NU Director of
Risk Management & Benefits), and Greg Clayton (UNL Director of Risk
Management & Benefits to discuss health care issues. Riordan stated that it appears that the
state employees are receiving greater benefits than University employees. He noted that for an employee with family
coverage, the state contributes significantly more than the University
does. He pointed out that the
stop-loss, co-pays and other fees paid by University employees are not being
included in total employee cost calculations.
He stated that he was told that the state contribution to benefits
increased as of July 1, however, he has been unable to determine where these
funds were put.
Riordan stated that there appears to be significant interest in a tuition
credit transfer benefit. Scheideler
pointed out that it would make good economic sense to provide this
benefit. Riordan noted that it has the
potential for recruiting more students and to help in retaining faculty
and staff.
Riordan stated that the Employee Benefits committee would like to
conduct an email survey to see what employees feel are the most important
benefits for the committee to consider.
The Executive committee felt this was an excellent idea and suggested that
the survey form could be placed on the Senate web page.
Bryant asked if the domestic partner issue has been discussed at the
University-wide Benefits Committee meeting.
Riordan stated that it was not discussed while he was there. Bryant asked if on-campus childcare has been
discussed as a potential benefit.
Riordan stated that this has not been discussed. Humes mentioned that the committee should
examine the manner in which mental health benefits are treated as compared to
other health benefits. The Executive
committee discussed various strategies to raise awareness about the
problems with University benefits.
6.0 Unfinished Business
6.1 Letter of Support
Bryant asked the committee if it wanted to write a letter encouraging
Interim Chancellor Perlman to submit his application for the position of
Chancellor. The committee agreed that
individuals could write letters of support, but that the Executive Committee or
the Academic Senate should not for fear of discouraging prospective candidates.
6.2 Draft
Letter to Raise Funds for the Academic Senate
The committee made further revisions to the letter.
7.0 New Business
No new business was discussed.
The
meeting was adjourned at 5:00 PM. The
next meeting of the Executive Committee will be at 3:00 PM on Wednesday,
November 1, 2000 at 201 Canfield Administration Building. Respectfully submitted, David S. Jackson,
Secretary.