EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES

Present: Bender, Bryant, Latta, Kirk, Mayo, Miller, Scheideler, Zorn

Absent: Aguilar, Prochaska Cue, Siekman, Whitt

Date: November 17, 1999

Location: 201 Canfield Administration Building

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1.0 Call to Order (Latta)

Latta called the meeting to order at 3:12 PM.

2.0 Announcements

No announcements were made.

3.0 Chancellor Moeser, Senior Vice Chancellor Edwards, Vice Chancellor Omtvedt

(Chancellor Moeser was unable to attend the meeting due to a conflict in scheduling.)

3.1 Institutional Expectations of Non-tenure Track Faculty

Latta pointed out that there is great variability within UNL regarding the expectations of non-tenure track faculty for participation in departmental governance and commitment to the institutional mission. She noted that with the increased reliance on non-tenure track faculty being advocated by administration at UNL, that these expectations need to be made explicit and laid out clearly at the time these faculty are hired, just as they are for tenure-track faculty, with adequate attention to enculturating non-tenure track faculty in to the academy. She asked if there are currently guidelines for making these expectations explicit. Senior vice Chancellor Edwards reported that, due to conclusions drawn by the task force on temporary faculty, there are no campus-wide policies that define the expectations of non-tenure track faculty due to the variance within departments and colleges. Nor are there campus-wide expectations for enculturating these faculty into the academic community, as there are for tenure-track faculty. Mayo suggested that each department should determine the extent of the involvement of these faculty members.

3.2 Bylaw 4.3

Latta distributed copies of the latest revision to Bylaw 4.3. Item postponed until the members had a chance to review the latest draft.

3.3 Institutional Reward Systems - NASULGC Address

Item postponed.

3.4 Update on Open Searches

Vice Chancellor Omtvedt reported that three candidates were selected for the position of Dean of the College of Human Resources and Family Sciences although two of the candidates have withdrawn their applications. He stated that the remaining candidate will be interviewed on campus in the beginning of December.

VC Omtvedt reported that Elbert Dickey, former Associate Dean of Cooperative Extension, has been named interim Dean of Cooperative Extension. He stated that the committee will continue to work on filling this position.

VC Omtvedt reported that two candidates have been recommended for a second interview for the position of Director of the School of Natural Resource Sciences. He noted that the interviews will be conducted soon.

VC Omtvedt announced that Gary Hergert has been named District Director for the West Central Research & Extension Center. He pointed out that Hergert served as interim district director for the last year and that he was highly recommended by the people of the West Central Center.

Senior Vice Chancellor Edwards reported that the search committee for the position of Dean of the College of Architecture has identified candidates and will be conducting interviews soon.

Scheideler pointed out that the value for diversity is not being emphasized in some of the searches. She suggested that minorities who meet the minimum qualifications should be interviewed. Zorn noted that when he was assigned to a search committee the Affirmative Action office did stress that point. VC Omtvedt stated that Associate Vice Chancellor McBreen is writing guidelines for the IANR search committees concerning diversity. SVCAA Edwards stated that the Office of Academic Affairs may need to meet with search committees early in the process to discuss the search process. Zorn pointed out that search committees do not hire anyone. If the administration feels that qualified minorities have been ignored they need not hire any candidate put forward by a search committee.

3.5 Update of 17th & R Street Parking Garage Proposal

Item postponed.

3.6 Issues on the Horizon

VC Omtvedt reported that the faculty steering committee from horticulture and agronomy are leading a number of committees that are reviewing the possibility of integrating these two departments into one unit. He noted that the aim is to have the integrated department established in July 2000.

VC Omtvedt stated that as part of IANR's strategic plan, they are trying to reduce administrative overhead wherever possible. He reported that they are trying to accomplish this by combining the Center for Sustainable Agriculture Systems, the Center for Leadership Development, and the Center for Rural Revitalization and Development.

VC Omtvedt reported that extended education is becoming a higher priority for the university and as a result, all four campuses have agreed that it needs to be included in the biennial budget. He noted that grater coordination of extended education is needed between all of the campuses. Latta asked if programmatic planning is done for distance education within the colleges? VC Omtvedt stated that he hopes extended education will no longer be viewed as a separate entity but rather truly integrated into the academic planning of the university.

SVCAA Edwards noted that the biennial request from the UNL campus needs to be submitted to Central Administration by December 15th. He stated that they are completing work on the budget. He noted that the teaching initiative proposed by the Academic Planning Committee may not be included into the budget due to the lateness of its proposal.

4.0 Approval of 11/3/99 and 11/10/99 Minutes

Mayo moved and Miller seconded approval of the 11/3/99 and 11/10/99 minutes as amended.

5.0 Issues Facing the Academic Forums

Item postponed.

6.0 Unfinished Business

No unfinished business was discussed.

7.0 New Business

No new business was discussed.

Meeting adjourned at 5:08 pm. The next meeting of the Executive Committee will be held on Wednesday, December 1st at 3:00 pm in the Academic Senate Office, 420 University Terrace, Suite 203. Respectfully submitted, Miles Bryant, Secretary.