UNL ACADEMIC SENATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES
PRESENT: Albrecht, Bender, Past-President Bleed, President Ford, President-Elect Kennedy, Baum Kuska, Japp, Mayo, Sartori, Scheideler, Shoemaker
ABSENT: Latta, Williams
DATE: February 18, 1998
PLACE: 201 Canfield Administration Building
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1.0 Call to Order
Ford called the meeting to order at 3:05 PM.
2.0 Announcements
2.1 Board of Regents Meeting
Ford announced that there will be a Board of Regents meeting on Saturday, February 28.
2.2 Fifth Annual No Limits Regional Conference
Ford reported that the UNL Women's Studies Association was requesting support for the Fifth Annual No Limits Regional Conference. Bleed moved, and Kennedy seconded that the Senate support the conference with a $100 donation. Motion approved.
2.3 Hibler Situation
Ford asked the Committee if the Senate should act on the Hibler situation. Scheideler asked if there were any policies regarding the rights and responsibilities of faculty members. Coordinator Griffin stated that there is a Professional Ethics Statement endorsed by the Senate in 1990. Kennedy stated that she will be meeting with Helen Moore, Sociology, who was one of the co-authors of the statement, to discuss the document. Ford requested that a copy of the statement be sent to the Executive Committee for discussion at an upcoming Executive Committee meeting.
3.0 Chancellor Moeser
3.1 Discussion "Office Center System" and Implications for Departments (Bleed)
Bleed reported that the creation of business centers on campus has been a topic of discussion across campus and that there is concern that departments would lose control of their funds if this were to happen. Chancellor Moeser stated that consolidation of departmental services is only an idea that has been suggested as part of the restructuring process and that no decisions have been made.
3.2 Gender and Diversity Hire in Central Administration (Bleed)
Bleed expressed reservation that the hiring of another administrator at the Systems level would serve to resolve diversity problems that existed at the campus level. He also expressed fear that these kinds of positions create more administrative work for departments. Chancellor Moeser stated that the person in this position will coordinate the different campuses, not act as an enforcer of university policies. He stated that part of the responsibilities of the position would be to collect some data but that there would also be a great deal of focus on the Gender Equity Task Force Report written in 1997. Chancellor Moeser stated that a major responsibility of the position will be to consolidate information to give to the Board of Regents. Chancellor Moeser suggested that the Executive Committee invite the individual to a meeting to discuss diversity issues.
3.3 Constitutional Revision on the Board of Regents
Albrecht asked what the status is on the bill concerning the abolishment of the Board of Regents. Chancellor Moeser stated that the bill was to establish one board that would govern both university and state colleges and would in effect remove the Board of Regents. In order for this to happen, Chancellor Moeser stated a constitutional revision would be required. He stated that there is little support for this bill at the current time due to the stipulation that all of the appointments on the committee are made by the governor. Chancellor Moeser reported that support for the bill will probably increase if the positions on the board were elected rather than appointed.
3.3 University-wide Calendar Committee
Chancellor Moeser stated that he had received a fax from Provost Jones regarding the decisions made by the University-wide Calendar Committee. Sartori reported that the university-wide calendar committee voted unanimously to observe Martin Luther King's birthday. Sartori stated that they also approved a fall break which would require that classes be taught on the Tuesday after Labor Day, and each campus would be required to provide an optional day for make-up. He also stated that spring break will take place after the 9th week of classes instead of the 10th week. Sartori reported that these changes would take effect beginning in the 1999-00 calendar.
3.4 Issues on the Horizon
3.4.A Diversity Training for Faculty
Kennedy asked if anything was being done on diversity training for faculty. Chancellor Moeser reported that they were close to having an official affirmative action report which would indicate areas where we are being under utilized. Chancellor Moeser reported that Associate Vice Chancellor Jacobson is working on bringing in an outside consultant from the American Council on Education for a three day workshop for chairs and other people who are interested in diversity issues. Chancellor Moeser stated that the administration has plans to bring together representatives from the various minority groups to discuss the diversity plan. He stated that he hoped this would create as much consensus as possible.
3.4.B Grade Inflation
Ford asked if it was possible to include the course grade average on student's grade reports. Chancellor Moeser stated that the Registrar was opposed to this. Ford reported that in articles on grade inflation recently published in The New York Times, both Dartmouth and Columbia Universities were including course averages on their grade reports. Chancellor Moeser suggested that the appropriate Senate committee and the academic deans should discuss this issue.
3.4.C Proposed Faculty Salary Increase
Ford reported that he received a call from a faculty member concerned over the source of funding for the proposed 6% faculty salary increase. Chancellor Moeser stated that the President's Council has yet to prioritize funding requests but that faculty salaries was a key issue to be discussed. He stated that the next step after the President's Council would be to report to the Board of Regents.
3.4.D Distinguished Professors
Ford asked if distinguished professors are invited to any meetings and stated that they would offer valuable input. Chancellor Moeser stated that the distinguished professors are invited periodically to attend meetings and that he has hosted a dinner for them in the past. Chancellor Moeser stated that a new distinguished professor will be awarded on March 12th and the distinguished professors will be invited to attend this presentation.
4.0 Senior Vice Chancellor Edwards
Senior Vice Chancellor Edwards was unable to attend the meeting.
5.0 Approval of 2/4/98 minutes (Albrecht)
Kennedy moved and Mayo seconded the approval of the minutes as amended.
6.0 Distinguished Educational Service Committee Appointment (Ford)
The committee recommended Walter Mientka, Mathematics and Statistics to serve on the Distinguished Educational Service Committee.
7.0 New Business
7.1 Chemistry Department
The committee discussed the concerns of the Chemistry Department as expressed in a meeting between Sartori, Kennedy and members of the Chemistry faculty.
7.2 Kellogg Conference
Kennedy and Scheideler reported that they attended the Kellogg conference. Kennedy stated that the conference discussed academic rigor, assessment of teaching, and peer assessment. Scheideler stated that she attended the meeting conducted by Chancellor Moeser and reported that he discussed the infrastructure of the university and the need to break down department barriers. Kennedy stated that Peter McGrath of the Kellogg Conference stated that there was no significant threat from on-line universities to the UNL's distance education program.
7.3 NCAA Accreditation
Mayo reported that he attended the NCAA accreditation. He stated there was discussion on the interpretation of the Judicial Board's policy of not acting on occurrences which take place off campus. Mayo reported that overall we were given a very favorable review.
8.0 Unfinished Business
8.1 Shared Faculty Governance Discussions
The committee nominated additional faculty members to participate in the shared faculty governance discussions. Ford and Kennedy will select specific nominees from the list generated by the Executive Committee.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:45 PM. The next Executive Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 25, 1227 R Street, Academic Senate Office. Respectfully submitted, Julie Albrecht, Secretary.