EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES
Present: Alexander, Beck, Buck, Fech, Fuller,
Logan-Peters, Shea, Spann, Whitt, Wunder
Absent: Miller, Peterson, Wolf
Date:
Location: 201 Canfield Administration Building
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1.0 Call to Order
Wunder called the meeting to order at
2.0 Announcements
2.1 Nominations for Executive Committee
Wunder reported that one Senator has agreed to run for
election to the Senate Executive Committee. Several other faculty are considering running
for the seat vacant due to Wolf’s
retirement. The Senate election will be
held this fall.
2.2 Meeting
with Vice Chancellor
Wunder reported that VC Jackson will attend the August
13th, Executive Committee meeting to discuss the UNL travel policy.
2.3 Early Departure
Wunder reported that he had to leave the meeting early, and
the meeting would be turned over to Whitt to conduct upon his departure.
3.0 Chancellor Perlman
and VC Owens
3.1 Joint Initiative Between Administration and Faculty Members
Chancellor Perlman reported that he is considering a joint initiative
between administration and faculty that would focus on the increasing pressures
on faculty. Factors contributing to the
pressure include the decrease in number of faculty, decrease in number of
tenured faculty positions, restrained resources, and increased pressures
nationwide for accountability. He suggested that we should think about a shift
in emphasis from teaching to learning which might be more efficient. He noted
that looking at changing teaching structures by using different models, for
example the use of technology, Keller- type plans, and increased class sizes
where appropriate, may work better to free faculty time for higher valued
activities and more intensive
teaching. Perlman
asked the Committee to discuss the issue and indicate if this is an initiative
that they would support and be interested in working on. The consensus of the Executive Committee
members in attendance was that faculty would be interested in this initiative
and that the Committee should discuss the issue
3.2 Enrollment Projections for Fall
2003
Chancellor Perlman reported that New Student Enrollment went very well.
Enrollment numbers are not definite yet,
but indications are the incoming freshman class may be one of the more diverse
classes that UNL has had.
3.3 SVCAA Search
Chancellor Perlman stated that the search process will get underway soon. He stated that he has looked at the process
used for the last search and will use that as a model. Wunder reported
that procedures require the committee to be a majority of faculty members. He noted that the Chancellor sets the number
of committee members and the Senate President forwards a list of twice that
number of faculty nominees for the Chancellor to select from.
3.4 Role of Tenure Home
3.4.1 Tenure Home and Budget Cutting Process
Wunder asked how tenure home
works in the budget cutting process.
Chancellor Perlman said the term tenure home
is not used anywhere in any documents and he is agnostic about what the best
ultimate policy might be. He stated it
is a fair assumption that the system at UNL is that tenure homes are in departments,
not university wide. He has operated on
the assumption that if a program is eliminated it affects tenured faculty in
that program. Wunder
asked about dual tenure homes and the effect on tenure when one home is
eliminated. Chancellor Perlman responded that the administration has tried not to
press those limits but faculty members who have virtually no relationship with
one of the tenure homes really should not be able to claim it as a tenure home. VC Owens said that in the Institute the assumption
is that faculty members have one tenure home.
Wunder asked if UNL has a policy on dual
tenure homes. Chancellor Perlman responded that there are none to his knowledge, and
he recognizes that how we handle dual tenure homes during a budget reduction
could create disincentives for some faculty to be willing to enter dual
arrangements.
3.4.2 Policy on Transferring Tenure Home
Chancellor Perlman stated that the current policy on transferring
tenure homes seems to be right. If he
eliminates a program there is nothing that obliges the Chancellor to dismiss
everyone. His desire is to find other appropriate positions for terminated
tenured faculty. In the current program elimination some faculty were placed in
other programs, transferring their tenure home, some even before the program
elimination announcement due to the combining of colleges.
3.5 The Use of Retirement Options in the Budget
Cutting Process
Whitt noted that the
budget cuts are putting pressure on terminated faculty members to make a hasty
decision on taking early retirement. Chancellor Perlman
stated that the short deadline to opt for early retirement in the last round of
budget cuts was reasonable as there is an added contingency to signing. This
permits the faculty to sign for retirement but opt out if a position is found
elsewhere. Chancellor Perlman stated there is pressure to retire when a program
is eliminated, and he is more concerned with the faculty who are not eligible
for this option and have nothing. Whitt
asked for the current status of terminated faculty. Chancellor Perlman stated that one faculty member in Museum Studies is
still in an uncertain status and is considering some options. Some faculty in Health and Human Performance
are still searching for positions.
3.6 Other Announcements and Issues
VC Owens reported that
an announcement is forthcoming on a new federal program on campus in
conjunction with Fish and Wildlife Resources.
Chancellor Perlman reported there have been
significant new hires in History and several other departments. He noted that Deans have been encouraged to
hire in unfilled positions. Alexander
asked about the philosophy of hiring “super stars” and the potential negative
impact on other faculty. Chancellor Perlman stated that in the past UNL did not hire laterally
very often, but during the past four years there have been opportunities due to
funds such as the Othmer funded professorships and
other gifts, some which require hiring from outside UNL. He stated he supports this hiring as healthy
as it adds leadership to bring in senior faculty. He noted the Bessey
and Cather Professorships were initiated to recognize
senior faculty members within the university. He stated he is always open to
other ways to recognize those currently here.
Whitt asked what the
status is of faculty turnover. Chancellor Perlman
reported that UNL has had high profile faulty leave this year, and as we build
the quality of faculty we will have turnover.
He said UNL made a reasonable effort to retain faculty that were leaving
and that we need to do a better job of recruiting and retaining quality
faculty. He stated that there are remnants of a culture at UNL that does not
reward excellence. He noted that the
Senate Executive Committee has been uneasy with big differentials in salary,
which he feels keeps faculty here.
Fech asked about options for
students in HHP. Chancellor Perlman reported that some courses will continue to be
offered. He noted that some faculty members
are taking early retirement but will still teach some courses, and the
departments will be flexible with appropriate waivers and substitutions. They
are still working on the problems for the engineering students, which is more
difficult due to the number of part-time students.
4.0 Approval of
Alexander
moved approval of the minutes of 7/16. Buck seconded and all voted approval.
5.0 Southeast Extension Educator Position
Fuller asked if the
early retirement of an extension educator at the Southeast Research and
6.0 New Business
Beck requested that the
administration be asked for an accounting of the Priority Funds from last
fiscal year. One million dollars was designated to be spent. Shea suggested the
Senate be asked if the Priority Program Process is the right process for
allocation of these funds. Whitt stated he would like the priority programs
list reviewed and updated this year and requested that this be issue be added
to the agenda for the Executive Committee retreat.
Shea asked that the Committee
add the limitations of faculty governance to the retreat agenda. He also asked
that the issue of ways of informing the entire faculty of Senate business be
added to the retreat agenda.
The meeting was
adjourned at