EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES

Present: Alexander, Bolin, Bradford, Flowers, Hachtmann, Ledder, Moeller, Rapkin, Stock, Zimmers

Absent: Alloway, Beck, Scholz

Date: Wednesday, March 28, 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.

______________________________________________________________________

1.0 Call to Order

Moeller called the meeting to order at 3:01 p.m.

2.0 VC Owens/SVCAA Couture

2.1 Department Management Issues

Moeller asked what the exact procedure is for faculty members to report if there is a repeated problem with department administration. She pointed out that waiting for the five year review is too long a time for people who are having problems with an administrator.

SVCAA Couture stated that complaints can be made to the Academic Rights & Responsibilities Committee or if it is a case of discrimination or harassment the Office of Equity, Access, and Diversity should be contacted. She stated that if there is a question about a tenure case or academic promotion the complaint should go to her or VC Owens.

Moeller asked what can be done if there is a repeated history of problematic behavior on the part of the administrator. SVCAA Couture stated that there could be an opportunity for an interim review of the administrator. She pointed out that faculty members always have the opportunity to bring up problems with management to either herself or VC Owens and action will be taken.

VC Owens stated that faculty members in the Institute are always provided with the opportunity for feedback on an administrator when annual evaluations are being conducted. He pointed out that the feedback is anonymous. He noted that there are usually not many responses but three or four years ago he learned of a serious problem through this process and was able to take appropriate action.

2.2 Update on Strategic Planning

SVCAA Couture stated that all college and unit plans are in except for two areas. She stated that hearings on the plans will be held on April 25^th and 26^th. She noted that the structuring of the hearings will be different this year. The college deans and IANR will present their plans first. The directors’ plans will be discussed at the May 1^st Deans Council meeting. She stated that the reason for the change is that there was an imbalance of interest between the college plans and the plans for the academic units headed by directors. She noted that the directors of the academic directors wanted to hear the deans’ plans first so they could adjust their strategic plans accordingly based on what the deans had to say. She reported that next year there will be a joint meeting of the deans and directors.

SVCAA Couture stated that the procedures are the same as last year. She noted that she, Chancellor Perlman, and Vice Chancellor Owens will respond in writing to all of the colleges’ and directors’ plans. She pointed out that last year the written responses were done in July and this is what is being planned for this year.

SVCAA Couture noted that related to strategic planning is the need to communicate a summary of the major emphases of the university. She stated that the Chancellor distributed a draft summary of these interests to department chairs at the Chairs Workshop in December 2006. The emphases on this list include excellence in undergraduate education, excellence in research, commitment to extension, economic development and quality of life. She pointed out that the core emphases are different than the core values. She stated that the core emphases are where we are putting our main resource efforts. She reported that the Chancellor felt that referring to the core emphases would help guide the chairs and deans in their strategic planning.

SVCAA Couture stated that the strategic plans came up through the departments and the colleges. She pointed out that we have no written “overall” UNL plan; the UNL plan is comprised of all of the plans. She stated that the senior leadership of the university has been hearing from our chairs that they would like to see the university’s core emphases written down so they can check to see if they are on track with their department plans.

Moeller noted that a department’s discipline will help determine their mission and strategic goals. SVCAA Couture agreed. She pointed out that the SAT does not expect every unit to tie into all of the campus core emphases as priorities because the university is a place of great diversity. She stated that making the statements more concrete could be an effective way of mobilizing our efforts, and we will be working on that. She noted that having both core values and emphases defined also has important implications for fundraising.

2.3 Official Accreditation Report

SVCAA Couture stated that she thought the report was completed but there are two external readers who are auditing the process and have not reported their findings yet. She stated that her office is highlighting points in the report that will help guide the campus in responding to the report over the next ten years.

SVCAA Couture stated that the report discussed strategic planning and how the plans came from the bottom up and are representative of all areas. She stated that there probably needs to be a better connection made between the service areas of the campus and the academic areas in the strategic planning process. She noted that the report included some suggestions about Information Services and its relationship to the academic mission of the campus.

SVCAA Couture stated that we had a successful review and a good report. VC Owens stated that he was amazed how well the self study process of accreditation worked. He pointed out that SVCAA Couture, Professor O’Hanlon, and the team who prepared the plan worked hard to get the accreditation report written.

SVCAA Couture reported that the campus is currently involved in trying to bring the Confucius Institute to campus and the self study accreditation report helped to provide a useful summary of the campus for visitors from Chinese universities and government offices.

2.4 Battelle Report

VC Owens stated that he was interested in having a third party organization estimate the value of the work and staff of the Institute and he chose the Battelle Corporation, a non-profit science and technology corporation from Columbus, Ohio which operates five national laboratories around the country. He noted that it took Battelle over a year to finish the report but it finally came out this February.

VC Owens stated that the document gives the faculty and staff members of the Institute a positive report. He pointed out that for every state dollar invested into the Institute, fifteen are returned to the state. Ten of these dollars are in new discoveries and new knowledge and the other five dollars in indirect expenditures (salaries, benefits, capital improvements, etc.) which represents an additional leverage ratio of approximately five to one.

VC Owens stated that he is presenting the report in as many venues as possible around the state. He noted that the Research and Extension Centers work with the county commissioners and they have received information from the report.

Moeller asked if an editorial has been written by the Lincoln Journal Star on the report. VC Owens stated that there has been some regional coverage and the Omaha World Herald had an editorial about it but he did not think the Lincoln Journal Star has written anything about it.

Moeller asked if the organization was paid for the report. VC Owens stated that they were and with non-state dollars. He pointed out that people from Battelle made five or six visits to Nebraska to interview people across the state.

Alexander asked when the study began. He noted that 2005 figures are quoted in the handout material from the report. VC Owens stated that it started about a year and a half ago. He noted that it took some time to write, in part because of the Institute’s complex structure.

Alexander stated that he read a similar report recently which stated that manufacturing is now the number one industry in Nebraska yet the Battelle report stated that agriculture remains number one. He noted that it is dangerous to put out conflicting stories. Ledder pointed out that it depends on what is being measured in the study; one study might look at which industry produces more revenue another might look at who employs more people.

2.5 Issues on the Horizon

VC Owens reported that he was in Mexico last week to work with the Northwestern Center of Biological Research (CIBNOR) an organization within the National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT) that sponsors Mexican students working on their graduate education outside of Mexico. He noted that UNL used to be on the list of schools CONACYT sponsored students to but it fell off the list. He reported that he signed an agreement with them and was told that the relationship with UNL will be re-established. He stated that these are all very bright students who come with assistantships and stipends paid for. He pointed out that the disciplines can be any appropriate fields of study on the entire UNL campus.

SVCAA Couture stated that on Thursday, March 29^th the Teaching and Learning Exhibition will be held. She reported that Professor Gallagher will discuss his work on assessment and there will be posters representing over 40 projects that have been funded. She noted that Chancellor Perlman has made his appeal for the Initiative for Teaching and Learning Excellence grant to fund more projects.

SVCAA Couture reported that the Chancellor was currently in China to sign an agreement for the Confucius Institute. Ledder asked if the Japanese students who are here at UNL are coming over because of an agreement. SVCAA Couture stated that there has been a brokering agency that has been sending Japanese students to UNL but many are now going to UNK because of the tuition difference. She stated that UNL wants to establish a continuing relationship with Japanese institutions and may be interested in setting up a similar program to the one being worked on in China.

VC Owens stated that the Japanese program has approached the golf management program about having students enter it. He noted that at first the PGA which accredits the program did not want international students but now they are allowing up to 10% of the students to be international students. He pointed out that there will be approximately 150 students now in the program for the fall semester.

3.0 Announcements

No announcements were made.

4.0 Approval of 3/21/07 Minutes

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

5.0 Unfinished Business

5.1 Executive Committee Elections

The Committee worked on trying to find nominees to run for the Executive Committee.

5.2 Budget Reallocation Procedures

Bradford asked if the Committee wanted to act on Beck’s suggestion of the Senate dealing with the budget reduction procedures. Rapkin noted that the revised procedures attempted to solidify faculty participation in more phases of the procedures. Bradford pointed out that there is faculty involvement in the existing document.

Ledder pointed out that it isn’t clear that a large amount of faculty involvement in the process would be desirable because the faculty will have their own biases of what should and should not be cut based on their personal interests. Moeller pointed out that departments that were eliminated were not necessarily cut for economic reasons. She stated that the criteria for eliminating a program should be clear. Bradford stated that cuts, if any, should be based on the contribution that a program makes to the university.

Griffin suggested that the Committee invite Associate Dean Rosson in during the summer to discuss his experience and concerns with the budget cutting process when he was chair of the Academic Planning Committee. The Committee agreed to invite Associate Dean Rosson to a meeting.

Moeller noted that the procedures are complex and that the effort to revise them was to simplify the existing procedures. She stated that steps need to be taken to ensure that faculty input is given in a timely fashion if the university faces budget cuts again.

5.3 Pound/Howard Nomination Language

Moeller stated that she was asked by Professor Walklin, co-chair of the Honorary Degrees Committee, to review the call for nominations for the Pound/Howard award to see if it should be revised to avoid any confusion. Alexander pointed out that the Honorary Degrees Committee has its own set of procedures for reviewing the nominations.

Bradford asked why the Honorary Degrees Committee is not revising the language. He stated that this is one of the responsibilities of this Committee. Moeller stated that she will ask the co-chair to have the Committee review and revise the call for nominations.

Alexander pointed out that the procedures need to be clarified. He stated that it needs to be clear who will make the presentation to the Committee on the nominee. He asked why two awards are not given out if there is a strong pool. He noted that in the past there have been two times when more than one person was given the award.

Alexander asked why the call for nominations comes out of the Chancellor’s office. He asked if it is because the office provides secretarial support for this award or if there are any other connections. Moeller suggested that the Senate office or the Honorary Degrees Committee should send the letter out in the future so that people do not think that the Chancellor’s office has an influence in the decision making process.

5.4 Report on Board of Regents Meeting

Bradford reported that the changes to the Academic Senate Bylaws will be voted on at the April Board meeting. He reported that Dr. Linda Pratt has been appointed as the permanent Vice President and Provost. He noted that she was serving as the Interim Vice President and Provost.

Bradford stated that the vacation and sick leave policy was passed. He reported that this policy states that employees can earn up to 280 hours maximum vacation time. Zimmers noted that an email message came out about the policy. He stated that the IANR senators will be meeting on Tuesday and he will get feedback about the policy.

Bradford stated that there was a lot of discussion about the budget at the meeting. He noted that the state appropriations and tuition only make up 40% of the university’s budget.

Bradford stated that the Regents appear to be absolutely committed to a 4.4% salary increase. He noted that the salary increases are being included in the mandatory expenses for the university. He stated that at the meeting it was pointed out that UNL would need a 5.3% increase in faculty salaries over the next two years just to reach the midpoint of our peer institutions. He noted that UNMC is even further behind. He stated that Chancellor Perlman spoke about the budget shortfall.

Bradford stated that a report was made on housing fire protection. He stated that UNL has most of the risky resident buildings on campus because there are a lot of older wood structured buildings on campus, many of which do not have sprinkler systems. He stated that these are just university housing and do not include the Greek houses. He noted that funding is being set aside to resolve the issue of fire protection in these buildings. He stated that the Board wants the university to put pressure on the Greek houses to have them brought up to fire safety codes.

Bradford stated that there was a presentation on research rewards. He noted that UNL and UNMC met their goals but UNK and UNO both did not meet their goals. Alexander asked if they broke out the Plus Up research money. He pointed out that this is money that is allocated in a legislative bill but it is non-competitive money. He noted that this money can be easy to get but difficult to sustain and UNL is currently getting a lot of this kind of money. Bradford stated that only the total federal funding was provided in the report.

5.5 Safe Assignment Policy

Flowers reported that Dean Giesecke sent over the final draft version of the policy and it is ready for the Senate to act on. The policy will be presented to the Senate at the April 3^rd meeting.

6.0 New Business

6.1 University’s Cooperation with RIAA Pursuit of Students for Illegal Downloading of Music

Bradford stated that the RIAA is pursuing students illegally downloading music. He noted that the University servers keep information on downloading for 30 days. He noted that the University of Wisconsin is only providing the information if the RIAA gets a subpoena.

He stated that the question is whether the university should be actively cooperating with the RIAA. He noted that President Milliken sent the RIAA a bill for the time and effort it took to identify the students.

Moeller asked why the university is doing this. Bradford stated that he did not know. Ledder stated that he agreed with what the University of Wisconsin is doing. He argued that such records should be protected by the university unless they are required by a court order.

Alexander noted that a lot of students use computer labs which a faculty member may be responsible for supervising. He asked if it would become a professor’s problem if this was being done in a computer lab. Ledder pointed out that it can be done in the libraries as well. He stated that it is an invasion of records for the RIAA to request the information they are asking. He noted that all universities should raise the issue and should resist voluntarily giving the information without a subpoena.

Alexander wondered how long email messages are kept and whether the university can be subpoenaed for email messages. Griffin stated that the Computational Services and Facilities Committee is giving its annual report to the Senate on April 3^rd and this would be a good time to ask this question.

6.2 Changes to StarTran Route

Ledder reported that StarTran is looking at changing its schedules and routes and they plan to eliminate the bus stop on Q Street between 13^th and 12^th streets. He noted that the closest stop would then be 11^th and O Streets for university people on city campus. He wondered whether the university would possibly change its internal routes to help compensate for the loss of the bus stop on Q Street.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 p.m. The next meeting of the Executive Committee will be on Wednesday, April 4 at 3:00 pm. The meeting will be held in 201 Canfield Administration. The minutes are respectfully submitted by Karen Griffin, Coordinator and Rick Alloway, Secretary.