UNL ACADEMIC SENATE

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES

PRESENT: Albrecht, Bender, Past-President Bleed, President Ford, President-Elect Kennedy, Baum Kuska, Japp, Latta, Mayo, Sartori, Scheideler, Shoemaker

ABSENT: Williams

DATE: February 25, 1998

PLACE: 1227 R Street, Academic Senate Office

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1.0 Call to Order

Kennedy called the meeting to order at 3:06 PM.

2.0 Announcements

2.1 Focus Strategy Paper

Latta reported that she will be attending the Academic Planning Committee to discuss the issues relating to the focus strategy paper as outlined by Senior Vice Chancellor Edwards. She stated that the committee would also discuss UNL's national stature and whether or not this should be a priority for the university and how to achieve a national profile with the resources that are available. Latta will report back to the Executive Committee.

2.2 Faculty Forums

Scheideler stated that the Executive Committee should discuss feedback they received from faculty on the open faculty forums with Senior Vice Chancellor Edwards.

2.3 UNMC Faculty Senate Meeting

Albrecht announced that the faculty of UNMC discussed and approved the University-wide Post Tenure Review Document. She stated that the University Wide Fringe Benefit Committee is proposing changes in the University's retirement program as reported in the UNMC Senate minutes.

2.4 Acknowledgment of "Florida Bank" Letter

Ford reported that Chancellor Moeser had written a letter thanking the Executive Committee for their written comments on the "Florida Bank". He stated that the Chancellor was in agreement that the system for UNL would have to be a variant of the "Florida Bank" in order to work at UNL and that faculty would be actively involved in the process.

2.5 Meetings on Shared Governance

Ford reported that the first meeting on shared governance was scheduled for March 5^th and that 10 faculty members and 5 administrators would be attending. He stated that another group will be organized and that each group will be involved in 2 session meetings.

2.6 National Shared Governance Meetings

Ford announced that the National Network of Faculty Senates will be having a meeting in Atlanta, GA on March 21^st to discuss shared governance which he was planning on attending. Ford stated that the problems of reallocation and restructuring were occurring on campuses throughout the country.

3.0 UNLServe Migration, Donna Liss, Director, Information Systems and Dave Spanel,

Systems Coordinator Networking and Operations

Liss stated that they wanted to answer any questions regarding the migration from the UNLinfo system to the new UNLServe system. Albrecht asked if there will eventually be one system for all users. Liss stated that all users have a UNLinfo account which can be forwarded to any system being used, such as UNLVM. Spanel reported that the current UNLinfo system is 8 years old and has never been replaced. Consequently, it can not handle a number of computing programs such as SPSS, and it can not handle the massive load of email users. He stated that the new IBM systems are much larger and can handle all of the users. Spanel stated that the new system will enable them to verify the users of the system as current UNL personnel and they will be able to remove those people who are no longer with the university. Bleed asked if email addresses would change. Liss reported that they would eventually be changed but that an alias can be created which would forward UNLinfo mail to the UNLServe system. Spanel reported that no email messages will be lost during the migration. Latta asked if people have the option to change their email addresses. Liss stated that they have plans to periodically update email addresses at which time people would be able to change their addresses. Scheideler stated that a change in the email address would require the printing of new business cards, changes in professional directories, the printing of new letterhead, etc. Spanel stated it is for those reasons that a host name will be kept to forward any incoming mail. Kennedy asked if there was a limit on the length of the name in the email addresses. Liss reported that there will be no limit on name length. Bleed asked what the criteria was for designing a system. Spanel reported that the new system had to offer the services currently provided and had to support all of the computing programs required by faculty. Mayo asked what happened to Lotus Notes? Liss stated that users of Ccmail and UNLVM have been moved to Lotus Notes and that anyone else interested in using Lotus Notes can request to be moved onto that email program although she stated that forwarding on Lotus Notes can not be done as easily as on the UNLServe system. Spanel stated that these computing systems are designed to have a lifespan of 3 years and that most organizations upgrade their systems after 3 years. Liss reported that the deadline for Ccmail and UNLVM users to switch over to the new system is July 31. Spanel reported that there is no definite time line of when the migration will end but he stated that POPmail users are being migrated first. He stated that most people have been favorable to the move due to the increased ability of the new systems. The universal email address is (1^st initial)(last name)@unl.edu.

4.0 Approval of 2/18/98 minutes (Albrecht)

Bender moved and Japp seconded the approval of the minutes as amended.

5.0 Teaching Council Request

Coordinator Griffin reported that the Teaching Council has requested that their date of reporting to the Academic Senate be changed from the January meeting to the last meeting of the academic year and that they be allowed to establish a set time for committee meetings. The Executive committee agreed to these requests.

6.0 Nominating Committee for Senate Elections

Bleed will serve as chair of the nominating committee with Pat Kennedy, and Leo Chouinard, Chair of the Committee on Committees as members. Bleed suggested that a faculty member from outside the Senate might also be appointed to the committee. He will contact individuals suggested before calling and meeting to prepare a slate for the Senate.

7.0 New Business

7.1 Academic Freedom Coalition of Nebraska

Bender moved that the Senate pay the $100 membership fee to the Academic Freedom Coalition of Nebraska to retain its membership. Bleed seconded the motion. Motion approved.

8.0 Unfinished Business

8.1 Temporary Faculty Benefits

Ford reported that at the Chancellor's Cabinet it was announced that admninistration was moving to clean up the titles for temporary faculty and to extend benefits, including retirement benefits, to people of .50 FTE or above who have been with the university for 3 years or longer. Kennedy reported that the Faculty Compensation Advisory Committee stated that they were still working on defining who is classified as temporary. Bleed stated that there still needed to be work done on increasing the university's contribution to the retirement benefits.

8.2 100% of 6% X 2

Ford announed that he received information that the Regents will propose a 6% raise with 3% coming out of the campuses. He reported that the Chancellor stated that all 6% should come from the Legislature for a two year period. Albrecht stated that the Board of Regents are committed that NU campuses should be at the mid-point of peer institutions and in order to do this there must be a 6% increase funded by the legislature. The committee agreed to invite Senator Wehrbein, Chair of the Appropriations Committee to an Executive Committee meeting. Kennedy will contact him to make arrangements. Ford stated that he will encourage faculty at the Senate meeting to contact their legislators.

8.3 MLK Day

Ford reported that there are some concerns that Martin Luther King's birthday has been declared a day when classes are canceled rather than a holiday. Sartori stated that the University Calendar Committee did not have the authority to declare the day as a holiday. Ford reported that the issue is being discussed further with the Chancellor. Ford reported that a committee, chaired by Moira Ferguson, has been formed to plan events for Martin Luther King's birthday in 1999. The Executive Committee discussed having a Senate member serve on the committee.

8.4 Daily Nebraskan

Ford commended the Daily Nebraskan their recent article on the academic climate. Albrecht moved and Bleed seconded that the Executive Committee write a letter to the editor of the Daily Nebraskan commending them for their increasing coverage of academic issues.

8.5 Police Advisory Committee

Scheideler reported that the Police Advisory Committee is trying to become more proactive and stated that they now have a web page. Scheideler stated that Captain Ken Cauble is interested in speaking to the Senate. The committee suggested inviting him to an Executive Committee meeting.

8.6 Reallocation

Albrecht stated that some units were already working on the reallocation process and she asked whether anyone has received any notice about the reallocation process. Japp responded that some of the chairs in the College of Arts and Science received documentation on the reallocation process. Other committee members stated they had not received any information yet.

8.7 Attendance at Executive Committee Meetings

The committee discussed attendance at Executive Committee meetings.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:50 PM. The next Executive Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 4, 1227 R Street, Academic Senate Office. Respectfully submitted, Julie Albrecht, Secretary.