Email: senate@unlnotesorg.unl.edu

Website: http://www.unl.edu/asenate/welcome.htm

UNL ACADEMIC SENATE MEETING MINUTES

City Campus Union, Auditorium

February 1, 2000

Presidents Gail Latta, and Sheila Scheideler Presiding

1.0 Call to Order

President Latta called the meeting to order at 2:35p.m.

2.0 Announcements

2.1 AAHE Grant

President Latta reported that a letter has been sent to chairs inviting them to provide input on any process they may have in their units for implementing the post tenure review. She noted that this letter has been sent in conjunction with the AAHE grant. She encouraged faculty members to provide input to the chairs on any issues they may have regarding the implementation of the post tenure review.

2.2 Institutional Marketing Committee

President Latta announced that the Institutional Marketing Committee report will soon be forthcoming. She stated that she is working with the co-chairs of the committee to schedule a time for them to give their presentation to the full Senate although it will not be presented during a regularly scheduled Senate meeting.

3.0 Chancellor Moeser

Chancellor Moeser stated that he read with interest the report on the forums on the Intellectual Property Policy. He pointed out that it is very important to get faculty input on this issue. He noted that he is very interested in a policy that provides faculty with incentives.

Chancellor Moeser stated that it is important to recognize the variety of roles that faculty play in advancing the institution and its mission. As a result, he noted that we need to develop a reward system that is reflective of this multiple role structure.

He reported that the Academic Planning Committee will be meeting on February 2^nd with the Vice Chancellors to discuss the administration's recommendations for adjustments to the budget. He noted there will not be any substantial reallocations. He reported that the unfunded imperatives have been removed from the budget. He pointed out that, providing there are no unforeseen emergencies, there should only be a modest adjustment this year. He stated that no across the boards cuts will be made and that the academic areas will receive approximately a .66% adjustment in the budget.

Chancellor Moeser reported that he is hoping to hear something very soon on the Dean's position of the College of Human Resources and Family Sciences. He stated that three finalists have been interviewed for the Dean of the College of Architecture. He reported that Senior Vice Chancellor Edwards will soon be announcing the Interim Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences and the formation of a search committee. He stated that the searches for the Vice Chancellor of IANR, the Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance, and the Director of the Sheldon Art Gallery are well under way.

Chancellor Moeser reported that the University recently testified before the Appropriations Committee on the emergency request for the health insurance trust fund. He stated that he thinks the Appropriations Committee may make a request that is larger than the Governor's proposal.

Professor Jaswal, Physics & Astronomy, stated that some faculty are disturbed by the 1/13/00 Scarlet article on research. He noted that the article made faculty feel that small grants are not as highly valued as larger grants. He pointed out that many people apply for the small summer research grants. Chancellor Moeser stated that the intent was not in anyway to denigrate small grants. Rather, the intent was that we need to be more energetic in writing large grants. He stated that we want to recognize the value and merit of a lot of different kinds of activities, whether its small or large grants. He stated that we need to celebrate accomplishments whenever possible.

4.0 Approval of 1/11/00 Minutes

Professor Arth, Curriculum & Instruction, moved that the minutes be approved as amended. Professor Diffendal, Conservation & Survey, seconded the motion. Motion approved.

5.0 Redistricting Report

Secretary Bryant presented the 2000 Academic Senate Redistricting Report. Professor Diffendal moved that the report be approved. Motion seconded by Professor Bender, Journalism. Professor Brand recommended a correction to change Agricultural Engineering to Agricultural Economics. Motion approved.

6.0 Committee Reports

6.1 Curriculum Committee (Professor Pfeiffer)

Professor Pfeiffer, chair of the Curriculum Committee stated that the report was distributed to the Senate and that he would be happy to answer any questions.

6.2 Student Publications Board

President Latta stated that no members of the Board were available to attend the meeting. She pointed out that the report was distributed to the Senate and recommended that any questions be sent to the chair of the committee at the email address indicated at the bottom of the report.

6.3 Honorary Degrees Committee (Professor White Crawford)

Professor White Crawford reported that the committee carried out its charge of presenting nominations for the Honorary Degrees and for the Pound Howard Award. Professor Jensen, Psychology asked for a review of the Pound Howard Award. Professor White Crawford stated that the Pound Howard Award is distributed to a faculty, administrative or staff member who has provided service to UNL for the greater part of their career. She stated that the service can take any form whether it be service, teaching, or research. She reported that recent past winners have been Paul Olson, English, and Esther Cope, History.

6.4 Committee on Committees (Professor Allison)

Professor Allison, chair of the Committee on Committees, reported that it is a continuing struggle to get volunteers for the various committees. She noted that the committee relies on one search for volunteers that is conducted in the fall. She pointed out that this is the second year that the number of volunteers has decrease and the committee must spend a great deal of time trying to find people to serve. She noted that in the report is a breakdown of the colleges, the number of faculty in each college, and the number of people who volunteered to serve on committees. She stated that the committee would like to send out a survey this spring to determine why people are not volunteering to serve on committees. She noted that the committee does consider the lack of volunteers to be a serious issue that needs to be addressed.

6.5 Executive Committee Report on Draft Intellectual Property Ownership Policy (President Latta)

President Latta reported that the document provided to the Senators is a report compiled from comments made at the two forums held on the draft IP Policy. She noted that the Executive Committee wanted to make sure that the issues raised at the forums are recorded and passed on to Central Administration. Secretary Bryant presented a resolution calling for revisions, as suggested by faculty, to the proposed policy. Professor Nielsen, Animal Science, seconded the motion. President Latta asked that the motion be treated as an emergency item due to the February 1^st deadline for feedback. Motion approved for resolution to be treated as an emergency item. Motion for the resolution calling for revisions to the IP policy approved.

7.0 Committee on Committees Draft Ballot

Professor Allison presented the draft ballot for the Academic Planning Committee, Academic Rights and Responsibilities Committee, and the Academic Rights and Responsibilities Panel. She noted that there has been a revision to the ballot originally sent to the Senate in that Mo Neal, Art & Art History will be replaced by Michael Hoff, Art & Art History. President Latta noted that the ballot will be voted on at the March meeting.

8.0 Pound Howard Ballot Nominations/Elections

Professor White Crawford reported that the Honorary Degrees Committee met on January 21^st and heard three nominations for the Pound Howard Award. After deliberations, the committee voted unanimously to put forward the nominee on the ballot. The Academic Senate then voted on the ballot. President Latta reported, after the ballots were counted, that Vice Chancellor Irv Omtvedt has been awarded the Pound Howard Award.

9.0 Unfinished Business

9.1 Academic Standards Committee Changes Motion

Professor Hallbeck, Industrial & Management Systems Engineering, reported that, based upon the feedback from the Senate, the Committee on Committees has made changes to the proposed Academic Standards Committee Changes motion. She noted that they removed the recommendation to allow staff to be appointed to the committee, thereby making the members solely faculty. She stated that the Committee on Committees is recommending that the restrictions on the faculty serving on the committee be removed. She pointed out that they will try to represent all colleges but that there is no guarantee. She offered the motion as a substitution to last months' motion. Professor Jensen, recommended that the sentence that reads "every attempt will be made to insure that every college will be represented" should include "in the 22 faculty members". Professor Whitt, Sociology, recommended a friendly amendment that the statement should be listed as (c) under Name and Membership. Professor Brookes, English, asked how faculty are defined? President Latta stated that the same roles would apply as those for membership in the Academic Assembly. Motion to accept substitute motion approved. Motion to approve the changes to the Academic Standards Committee approved.

10.0 New Business

10.1 Proposed Revisions of ARRC Procedures (Professor Wise)

President Latta introduced a proposal from the Executive Committee to make changes to the Academic Rights and Responsibilities Procedures to comply with the recommendations made by the Office of Civil Rights. Linda Crump, Assistant to the Chancellor for Equity, Access & Diversity, reported that the Office of Civil Rights stated that University documents need to include 1) a definitive statement that states who has the duties and responsibility to act, 2) a broad statement that gives some description of sanctions that can be taken, and 3) more definitive time lines. Professor Jensen pointed out that the addition of the first five paragraphs are identical in each of the documents. He asked if there is anyway that the document can be shortened by having an all purpose paragraph inserted calling attention to the proposed language. Professor Albrecht, Co-Chair of the Academic Rights and Responsibilities Committee, pointed out that this insertion must be placed in each of the procedures for the five different kinds of cases overseen by the ARRC. Professor Goedert, Construction Systems Technology, asked who are considered university officials? Assistant to the Chancellor Crump stated that they are individuals who have any responsibility within the context of the employment issue that deals with others. Professor Goedert asked if this shouldn't be in a different document other than the ARRC procedures if university officials are going to be mandated to follow these guidelines? Assistant to the Chancellor Crump stated that it is already being included in other university documents. Professor Goedert pointed out that the ARRC does not have any investigative responsibility. He noted it is entirely the responsibility of the parties to make their claims to have the ARRC review the case. He stated that university officials should be able to make the necessary investigations. He felt that the proposed language changes the role of the ARRC by mandating what the university officials are suppose to do. President Latta pointed out that these documents are procedural documents that are often handed out to faculty who are inquiring about an issue that they may want to file a grievance against. She stated that this statement is being put into these documents to inform the faculty of what should have already occurred and what the responsibility is of any university official who might be involved in that action. Professor Goedert suggested that the faculty could be referred to the proposed statement rather than inserting it in the procedures. Assistant to the Chancellor Crump stated that the Office of Civil Rights examined all of the policies and procedures and stated that the policies need to clarify who has the responsibility to act. President Latta pointed out that the definition of a university official is defined in the second sentence of the proposed language. Professor Zorn, Finance, asked if a department chair must institute procedures to investigate an alleged incident of discrimination if a student makes a claim of discrimination on a teaching evaluation? Assistant to the Chancellor Crump stated that the chair should take appropriate action based upon the information that is before them. She pointed out that it is the duty of the official to determine if an allegation is true. She noted that any mechanism given to students in which alleged incidents of discrimination can be reported needs to be reviewed. President Latta pointed out that there were two other issues which needed to be addressed. Professor Wise, Co-Chair of ARRC, reported that more discreet timing needed to be included in the ARRC procedures and in the special committees procedures. Professor Wise stated that the ARRC determined that 150 business days should be adequate time for a special committee to hear and report on a case although they can request an extension if there is a need.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:38 pm. The next Senate meeting will be March 7, 2000 in the East Campus Union, Great Plains Room. Respectfully submitted, Miles Bryant, Secretary.