EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES

 

Present:          Alexander, Beck, Fech, Flowers, Moeller, Peterson, Rapkin, Shea, Stock,

 

Absent:           Bolin, Scholz

           

Date:               Wednesday, September 7, 2005

 

Location:        Academic Senate Office, 420 University Terrace

 

Note:   These are not verbatim minutes.  They are a summary of the discussions at the Executive Committee meeting as corrected by those participating.

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1.0       Call to Order

            Beck called the meeting to order at 3:04 p.m.

           

2.0       Announcements

            No announcements were made.

 

3.0       Approval of 8/31/05 Minutes

Flowers moved and Alexander seconded approval of the minutes as amended.  Motion approved.

 

4.0       Unfinished Business

            4.1       Senate Meeting Preparations

Beck reported that she received phone calls from two state senators and an email from a faculty member encouraging the Senate to make a statement regarding the election of regents.  She stated that an emeriti professor contacted her and told her that he will be presenting a motion to the emeriti professors association in October regarding the situation. 

 

Beck asked the Committee whether the motion to make a statement should be considered an emergency motion.  Flowers stated that the packets to the Senators were just received and it was too early for Senators to get feedback from their colleagues on the issue.  Moeller noted that she has been approached by a number of people who feel the Senate should make a statement. 

 

Beck stated that she was surprised that the Presidents of the Faculty Senates at UNO, UNK, and UNMC feel constrained not to sign the statement.  Moeller asked Beck if she knew why.  Beck stated that some of the Presidents feel that commenting on legal issues is outside the purview of the faculty and that it is up to the legal system to take resolve the matter. 

 

Beck pointed out that the motion will be voted on in October if it is not declared as an emergency motion at the September 14th meeting.  Flowers stated that he is unsure whether the motion could be classified as an emergency motion.  He pointed out that the state’s commission reviewing the case will not act before the October 4th Senate meeting.  Hoffman pointed out that it might be a good strategy to wait until October to vote on the motion. 

 

Rapkin asked if Beck has heard of any faculty opposition to the Senate making a statement.  Stock stated that there has been no discussion on the issue in the English department yet about it.  Beck reported that she has not heard of anything.

 

            4.2       Scheduling Meeting with Dean Milligan

Beck reported that she sent an email message to Dean Milligan inviting her to speak with the Committee concerning the issues raised in the AAUP report.  Beck noted that she has not received a reply yet but will report back to the Committee when she does.

 

4.3       Power of Red Publicity Campaign

Beck displayed the proposed table tent for the Power of Red campaign.  She noted that the table tent will include a picture of a faculty member and explain how the research the faculty member is conducting applies to what the faculty member is teaching in class.  She stated that currently the plan is to place the table tents in the unions but there is consideration of placing them off campus as well.  She pointed out that the idea is to demonstrate how students are connected to faculty and research.  Moeller asked if the idea is to show the connection between the research mission and the land grant mission of the University.  Beck stated that she believes this is correct.  She stated that it is hoped that this campaign will help with public relations and retaining students because they will feel that they are connected to the campus. 

 

Beck stated that the Faculty at 5 receptions before the free concert series at the Lied Center will begin in October.  She noted that for $5 those attending the reception can receive a glass of wine or some other beverage with some snacks.  Additional drinks can be purchased.  Beck stated that the Communications Office would like to distribute information about the reception at the October Senate meeting. 

 

Griffin asked if the reception will only be open to faculty members.  Beck stated that she did not know but would ask Professor Lauerman. 

 

5.0       New Business

5.1       Develop Policy on Surveying Faculty

Peterson noted that Chancellor Perlman asked the Committee to develop a policy regarding who gets access to surveying the faculty.  Peterson pointed out that before a policy can be developed the Committee needs to decide who should be able to get access to the faculty.  Beck stated that guidelines need to be developed regarding this issue. 

 

Peterson pointed out that when the Committee brought the issue up to the Chancellor it was to only get permission for the Senate to send email messages to all faculty members without having to get permission from the Chancellor’s office each time.  Flowers suggested that the Committee should write up a policy for the Senate’s use.  Hoffman pointed out that there needs to be a policy that controls the limits of what can and cannot go out.  Peterson noted that announcements of seminars and other venues should be not allowed.  

 

Flowers stated that the policy should state that the Senate wants to assess faculty opinion on matters relating to faculty governance.  Hoffman asked if the Committee wants to just ask for continual permission for Senate purposes only.   Peterson noted that there might be some other times when the Committee wants to use the email list for something other than to gather information.  Moeller suggested that the policy could state that the Senate wants to communicate as well as gather input from the faculty. 

 

Shea stated that he thinks it will be important for the Senate to provide some feedback regarding results of the survey to the faculty.  Rapkin asked if the Senate wants to share data that is gathered with others in the University such as the administrators.  The Committee agreed that this would depend on the kind of survey that was generated.  Beck stated that she thinks it will be important to provide some feedback to the respondents so that they will continue to respond to the surveys.

 

Beck pointed out that the Senate does not want to be a conduit for other faculty members to run surveys. 

 

5.2              Upcoming Meetings with University Personnel

The Committee agreed that they would like to have a meeting with Vice Chancellor Paul to discuss the Conflict of Interest Committee.  Peterson stated that he has heard numerous complaints from faculty members regarding how difficult it is to get proposals approved by the IRB and IACUC.  He suggested that this matter should also be discussed with Vice Chancellor Paul. 

 

The Committee agreed that they would like to meet with President Milliken again.  Griffin stated that she would contact his assistant to see if a meeting can be arranged. 

 

The Committee agreed that they would also like to meet with the officers of ASUN, Dean Cerveny to discuss recruiting efforts, and Linda Crump, Assistant to the Chancellor for Equity, Access & Diversity Programs to discuss hurdles to search committee certification. 

 

5.3              Open Forum Discussion for October Senate Meeting

Peterson asked if there could be an open forum discussion meeting in October regarding the plans to review the General Education program.  He suggested that John Janovy, chair of the committee working on revising the program, could come and speak about the plans.  The Committee agreed that this would be a good idea.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 4:48 p.m.  The next meeting of the Executive Committee will be on Wednesday, September 14th at 3:00 pm.  The meeting will be held in the Academic Senate Office, 420 University Terrace.  The minutes are respectfully submitted by Karen Griffin, Coordinator and Pat Shea, Secretary.