EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES

Present: Alloway, Bradford, Flowers, Hachtmann, Ledder, Moeller, Rapkin, Stock

Absent: Alexander, Beck, Bolin, Scholz, Zimmers

Date: Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Location: 201 Canfield Administration Building

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

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

2.0 Susan Poser, Law College, Candidate for Associate to the Chancellor

The Committee interviewed Professor Poser for the Associate to the Chancellor position.

3.0 Dan Duncan, IANR, Candidate for Associate to the Chancellor

The Committee interviewed Dan Duncan for the Associate to the Chancellor position.

4.0 Announcements

4.1 Article in Lincoln Journal Star on Nelnet Kickback

Moeller reported that she spoke with Vice Chancellor Jackson about the $600,000 that UNL receives from Nelnet. Moeller stated that an agreement between UNL and Nelnet was signed in 2004. In the agreement graduate and professional students would first apply to Nelnet for student loans but Nelnet is presented as only one of many loan options for students. UNL has received $600,000 from Nelnet. Moeller reported that the $600,000 has gone directly into supporting student fellowships and assistantships.

5.0 Approval of 3/28/07 Minutes

Alloway moved and Stock seconded approval of the minutes as amended. Motion approved.

6.0 Unfinished Business

6.1 Executive Committee Elections

The Committee continued working on identifying possible people to serve on the Executive Committee.

6.2 RIAA

Bradford reported that he has more information on how the RIAA works in going after students. He stated that the RIAA obtains the IP address of students that are illegally downloading music. The RIAA then gives the IP address to the university asking them to identify who the IP address belongs to. Alloway asked how RIAA obtains the IP address. Bradford stated that it is provided by companies such as Napster that allow the downloading.

Bradford stated that once the students are identified the university sends them a message provided by RIAA with a settlement offer stating that the students can pay off the illegal downloading by going to a website. He pointed out that the question is whether doing this is anonymous or whether the student winds up identifying himself.

Bradford stated that the problem is that the students are not being given any legal representation. He noted that there is probably an 80% chance that the students would not be sued but students are being pressured to comply. He stated that he has a problem with the university using strong arm tactics on the students. He pointed out that the University of Wisconsin is not cooperating with identifying who the IP number belongs to and is not sending a letter out.

Bradford stated that he has a problem with the university cooperating with the RIAA without a subpoena. He stated that the question is whether the Executive Committee wants to take a position on this issue.

Ledder asked if there is a Board of Regents policy about giving student information out. Bradford stated that there is no problem of a violation of a Regents policy as far as he knows.

Bradford stated that the MPAA is now starting to do the same thing as the RIAA.

Rapkin stated that the university should avoid giving any information out to the RIAA because the perception of potential students that the university is a place that would turn in their own students could be disastrous to our reputation.

Bradford stated that if the university is subpoenaed it would have to comply but we should not comply until we get a subpoena.

Alloway noted that the cost of obtaining the information per student is $155. Ledder pointed out that as stewards of state funding the university is incumbent to not waste money and this is something that could be considered wasteful. Moeller questioned how the university could continue to provide this kind of information.

7.0 New Business

No new business was discussed.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:06 p.m. The next meeting of the Executive Committee will be on Wednesday, April 11 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 Rick Alloway, Secretary.