UNL ACADEMIC SENATE

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES

PRESENT: Aguilar, Bender, Bryant, Ford, Humes, Kennedy, Baum Kuska, Latta, Mayo, Scheideler, Zorn

ABSENT: Prochaska-Cue, Williams

DATE: October 14, 1998

PLACE: 1227 R Street, Academic Senate Office

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1.0 Call to Order

President Kennedy called the meeting to order at 3:04PM.

2.0 Announcements

2.1 Senate Presidents' Meeting with President Smith

Kennedy announced that she will be meeting with President Smith on October 21. She asked if there were specific items that the executive committee wanted placed on the agenda. Ford suggested transfer of tuition remission, Mayo suggested that President Smith should clarify his statement regarding the possibility of closing a campus should Measure 413 pass, and discussion on the distinct differences of the four campuses.

2.2 NN21 Meeting

Kennedy reported that she attended an NN21 meeting in Washington, DC on the progress of the NN21 projects. She stated that she will put together information regarding the accomplishments to date of the project. Bryant reported that faculty are concerned with the possible failure of the NN21 project and the damage it may cause to our relationship with the Kellogg Foundation. Kennedy reported that the Kellogg Foundation is very pleased with UNL's NN21 project. She reported that she met with Steve Bosserman, consultant to the NN21 project at the meeting and stated that he agreed to meet with the Executive Committee to discuss effective communication strategies on November 11.

2.3 Task Force on Diversity

Aguilar reported that the Task Force on Diversity is interested in getting feedback on the proposed diversity plan. She asked if the diversity plan is going to be discussed at the Senate meeting and if the Senate will take a stance on the plan. Bryant stated that it may not be possible to get a consensus on the plan. Latta pointed out that the diversity plan does not state specific goals of the plan and therefore, it is difficult to give feedback on the plan. Aguilar noted that the task force is wanting to define diversity and determine who is to be included in the plan. She stated that the legislative mandate is creating a hidden agenda in the plan but that diversity is not clarified within it. Aguilar asked how the University could legally target specific groups. She pointed out that there is competition for highly qualified people, regardless of their race or ethnicity. Additionally, she stated that real effort should be put into the retention of these people on our campus.

3.0 William Olubodun, Graduate Assistant, Office of Student Involvement, Reshell Ray, Assistant Director, Office of Student Involvement

Olubodun stated that the office of Student Involvement and the Cultural Center are working on a campus-wide project to promote dialog on culture, race and ethnicity. He stated that the initial plans are to have open forums where students, faculty and staff can feel free to express their ideas. He stated that he is seeking the support of the faculty who he feels have more contact with students than any one else. He hopes that with the support and active involvement of the faculty the campus community will be able to learn from the past and make things work for the future. Ray pointed out that there are many different organizations on campus working on diversity but there have been no opportunities for people to come together to talk about it in a consistent way. Scheideler commended the Office of Student Involvement for their efforts and pointed out that oftentimes international students feel left out and that they should be included in these discussions. Aguilar stated that the Task Force on Diversity is in the process of looking to fund projects on campus that enhance the campus climate. She stated that the grants will be awarded $500 - $5000 and that applications should be sent to Professor Rita Kean, 234D HE, East Campus (0802) by December 1^st. Olubodun stated that they are proposing to hold a round-table discussion in the spring entitled "Voice of the People." Ray noted that they would like to have these kinds of community and conversation building discussions on an on-going basis. Latta asked what topics were raised at the focus group sessions held at the Cultural Center. Ray stated they are still gathering some feedback but suggested that one of the topics is how people adjust or adapt to cultural differences. Aguilar suggested the topic of institutionalized racism. Mayo stated that they might want to bring the discussions down to a local level in departments as well as having campus-wide discussions. Olubodun stated that they could send flyers to departments and encourage students to attend these discussions by providing extra credit to those who attend. He also stated that he is willing to come to departments to discuss the project.

4.0 Dan Smith, Office Supervisor, University Bookstore

Bryant introduced Dan Smith, Office Supervisor, University Bookstore, and explained that he invited Smith to the meeting to discuss concerns on textbook ordering. Smith stated that some problems occur both with publishers and the bookstore but stressed that the bookstore wants to work with faculty to alleviate any difficulties that may occur. He reported that many students request used textbooks and in order to arrange for buy back, the bookstore needs to know if the textbooks will be used again by mid semester. Mayo noted that a problem occurs when a publisher indicates that a new text will be coming out soon but no definitive date of publication is given. He suggested that the bookstore might consider an automatic system that sends an email message to professors reminding them that their textbook order has not been placed. Smith replied that it is helpful to know when a faculty member is interested in a new book because he can then put pressure on the book representative to make sure that the book is available. Griffin stated that another problem that occurs, particularly for the fall semester, is not knowing who the instructor will be for a course due to lack of budget information. Humes stated that courses in the Political Science department are on a two - three year cycle. He pointed out that there is no way to communicate that the book will be used again a year from now. Smith stated that they could possibly work around this problem although he indicated that some risks occur for the bookstore in buying back these books. Zorn stated that it takes considerable time to review a new text and that it is difficult to do this in mid-semester. Smith stated that computer-based texts were closing out the used textbook market because the computer disk or CD Rom used with the text has a password good for only a six month period. Bryant asked how faculty could be more attentive in getting textbook orders processed. He suggested that the deadline date be moved closer to the beginning of the next semester. Bryant also suggested that the Academic Affairs Office could send out a notice asking faculty to help out by placing their textbook orders in a timely fashion. Smith stated that the date could be moved by a few weeks but that difficulty in textbook occurs if textbook orders come in at the end of November or early December. Kennedy stated that the perception of the faculty may change if an article was to appear in the Scarlet stating the reasons why textbook orders are needed by specific dates. Baum Kuska pointed out that it would be helpful to receive a reminder notice that textbook order has not been received. Smith stated that this information is given to the textbook coordinator on a regular basis. Latta suggested that the bookstore should encourage people to submit their orders quickly if they know what texts they are using and that real deadline dates should be given for ordering.

5.0 Approval of 9/23/98 and 10/7/98 minutes

Ford moved and Latta seconded approval of the 9/23/98 minutes as amended. Humes moved and Ford seconded approval of the 10/7/98 minutes as amended.

6.0 Senior Lecturer vs. Assistant Professor Positions

6.1 Graduate Faculty Status for Senior Lecturers

Ford noted that some of the positive effects of the senior lecturer position have been that people have been given some distinction and rank to the positions and that temporary faculty are now eligible for benefits. He pointed out that there are some significant drawbacks to these positions. He stated that many of the people moved into these new positions have felt emotionally and professionally as having less status. Ford noted that the Bylaws currently state that people below an assistant professor position can not hold graduate faculty status. He reported that Dean Merlin Lawson is working on changing this but that it needs approval from the Board of Regents. Ford stated that Dean Lawson is requesting that the Senate make a motion to make the Senior Lecturer position equivalent to a Visiting Assistant Professor position. Latta stated that the new titles were not being implemented in accordance with the justification given the senate for creating the senior lecturer position. She indicated that there are additional ramifications for the Teaching Council and the Teaching/Learning/Technology Roundtable. Aguilar asked if information is available on the number of changes that were made. Zorn stated that he thought the committee should review the various positions more closely. The committee agreed to discuss this issue further.

7.0 Unfinished Business

7.1 Finalizing Priority Goals

Item postponed due to lack of time.

8.0 New Business

8.1 Special Committee Investigations

Humes noted that there needs to be discussion on how surveys are used in special committee investigations.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:37 pm. The next Executive Committee will be held on October 21, 201 Canfield Administration Building. Respectfully submitted, Miles Bryant.