EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
Present: Bryant,
DiMagno, Logan-Peters, Sawyer, Siekman,
Spann, Whitt, Wolf
Absent: Fuller,
King, Prochaska-Cue, Scheideler,
Wolf
Date:
Location: Academic Senate Office, 420 University
Terrace
1.0 Call to
Order
Bryant called the meeting to order at
2.0 Announcements
2.1 Downtown
Bryant announced that C. Edward McVaney, creator of the J.D. Edwards Honors Program in
Computer Science and Management, will be speaking at the Downtown Lincoln
Technology Fair luncheon scheduled for Thursday, April 25th at
2.2 Honors Convocation Ceremony
Bryant reported that the Honors Convocation
Ceremony will be held on Friday, April 12th for freshmen with a gpa of 3.6 – 4.0 and sophomores
with 4.0 gpa at the Coliseum at
3.0 Nancy
Myers, Director of the Employee Assistance Program
The Executive Committee felt that faculty members had to deal with a
number of issues which might cause them to seek help from the Employee
Assistance Program. Some of these issues
are the increasing workload on faculty members, interpersonal problems within
departments, downsizing of units, the tenure crunch and trying to maintain a
home and family life, mixed messages from administration as to what is expected
of faculty, lack of faculty governance in some departments, personal problems,
and different criteria for internal versus external grants. Myers reported that faculty demographics from
her office show an ebb and flow of all of the issues mentioned. She stated that while there is no consistent
trend, a number of issues do surface with specific age groups. She stated that the budget cuts are having a
definite impact on people. She noted
that since January there has been an increase in the number of faculty seeking
help from the EAP.
Myers reported that the EAP has a staff of 3 and that they are there to
provide clinical help for all of the 4,000 UNL employees. She reported that the clinical services include
brief counseling, assessments, and providing referrals to professional consultants
for extended treatment. She stated
that the EAP has an employee emergency loan program to assist employees in
a financial crisis. It also conducts
mediation/conflict resolution and does trauma debriefing for people or units
who have been exposed to a traumatic event.
She noted that clinical problems treated include addiction, disabilities,
workplace harassment, and peer conflicts. Health
problems include anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, relationship issues,
domestic abuse, and grief.
Myers reported that trends can be seen within different strata of
faculty. She stated that senior faculty
members often deal with physical and mental health issues, grief loss, career
relevance issues, transition to retirement, and a lack of continuing roles for
faculty after retirement. Myers reported
that mid-career faculty often come in with issues relating to life after tenure
and the balance between teaching and research, career relevance and mid-life
issues, whether to pursue full promotion, and living in a conservative
culture. She stated that junior or
tenure track faculty members deal with dual career issues, trying to achieve
tenure, lack of collegial support in specialized research areas, cultural
issues, balancing work and family life, and for single faculty a lack of
community connection and opportunity.
She stated that non-tenure faculty deal with issues relating to
balancing work and family life, being highly educated faculty members without
tenure who cannot leave
The committee discussed the issue of retirement transition for
faculty. Miller noted that the
university does not make the retirement transition easy. Myers pointed out that how faculty retire can be a very contentious issue. Bryant asked if the retirement issue is
discussed when Myers meets with administrators.
Myers reported that it is not often discussed. Bryant pointed out that the university’s
system for retiring does not appear to be well organized.
DiMagno asked if dual career issues were a frequent problem. Myers reported that this is a very hot
issue. She noted that the budget cuts
have really hurt the dual career program, creating long distance
relationships. She stated that money for
the dual career program is limited although it is still functioning. She pointed out that it is easier to place
non-faculty spouses than faculty spouses.
Logan-Peters noted that some departments get forced into hiring the
trailing spouse. Whitt pointed out that
this can lead to a great deal of internal controversy within the
department. DiMagno
stated that it would be better for the university to provide an honest
assessment to trailing spouse by letting him or her know that a permanent position on
campus either is or is not available.
Myers reported that the EAP is conducting workshops for supervisors and
administrators to help them deal sensitively with laying off employees. Myers stated that they are working with
people who are facing lay offs and with those whose workload will increase
because of the lay offs. Bryant stated
that he would contact SVCAA Edwards and VC Owens asking them to encourage
chairs and directors to attend these workshops.
Logan-Peters asked if it is better to let someone know ahead of time
they may be laid off. Myers stated that
it is better to give advance notice if it is clear that someone is going to be
laid off. She stated that it is very
traumatic for people to learn from the news that their unit is going to be
cut. Bryant stated that the committee
would discuss with the Chancellor giving early notice to units of impending cuts.
4.0 Approval of
DiMagno moved and Spann seconded approval of the minutes as amended. Motion approved.
5.0 Discussion of
Campus-Wide Calendar
Bryant stated that he wants to discuss with VC Griesen the possibility of creating a campus-wide calendar. He stated that the calendar would inform people of religious or ethnic holidays which could help departments avoid conflicts when scheduling campus events.
6.0 Budget Cutting Process
Bryant stated that the committee would discuss this issue with the Chancellor at the next meeting. He noted that the Chancellor has three options in dealing with the next round of budget cuts: the Chancellor could handle the cuts with the help of the Vice Chancellors, he could galvanize the Academic Planning Committee to do its work quickly, or he could postpone the process until the fall. Bryant noted that it would be difficult to start the fall semester off with budget cuts.
7.0 Unfinished Business
7.1 Normalizing Grades
DiMagno reported that Dr. Hawkey, Director of Registration and Records, will be conducting a pilot study of normalizing grades. He stated that he would report to the committee when the results of the study are completed. Bryant noted that VC Griesen is supportive of normalizing grades.
7.2 Evaluation of Administrators
Item postponed.
7.3 Update on City Campus Tuesday-Thursday
Class Scheduling
Spann reported that the changes to the starting
times for Tuesday-Thursday classes on city campus that were to take effect in
the spring 2003 semester were brought to the attention of SVCAA Edwards who was
unaware of the changes. He stated that
SVCAA Edwards then discussed the changes with VC Griesen
and Registration and Records and it was decided that the new schedule would not
be used. Spann recommended that the
Executive Committee
send a letter to VC Griesen and to
Registration and Records suggesting that future recommended changes to the scheduling
of classes should be brought to the attention of the Senate.
8.0 New Business
8.1 Motion on Distribution of Funds for
Faculty Salary Increases
Bryant presented a motion to request that the Faculty Compensation Advisory Committee endorse the recommendations made by the Executive Committee to distribute the salary pool as follows: 3.56 to departments and units, .75 to the colleges, and .25 to the Vice Chancellors. He stated that the belief of the committee is that sufficient progress was made last year relative to addressing large compression inequities and market conditions to justify moving more dollars to the departments. The motion also requests that Regents Bylaw 4.6 be followed in arriving at the merit judgments made by faculty departments. Bryant noted that the motion also calls for a minimum 3.0% increase for faculty members who receive a satisfactory performance evaluation. Sawyer seconded the motion.
Miller noted that the FCAC recommended almost the same distribution as last year. He noted that the FCAC discussed the 3.0% increase for satisfactory performance but that it was not considered seriously. He stated that the FCAC thought that the merit increases rest at the Vice Chancellor’s level instead of at the department level. DiMagno pointed out that control of the faculty budget has changed drastically in recent years. He noted that in the past, departments kept open faculty positions, then they moved to the Deans, and now they are going to the Vice Chancellors. He stated that, through retirements and vacancies, administrators now control 5% of the total faculty pool. He asked why administrators need to redirect a substantial portion of annual faculty salary increases in addition to this 5%.
The committee approved the motion with one
abstention. A copy of the motion will be
sent to the FCAC.
The meeting was adjourned at