Email: senate@unl.edu

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

UNL ACADEMIC SENATE MEETING MINUTES

East Campus Union, Great Plains Room

November 2, 1999

Presidents Gail Latta, and Sheila Scheideler Presiding

1.0 Call to Order

President Latta called the meeting to order at 2:36 p.m.

2.0 Announcements

2.1 Academic Senate Email Address Change

President Latta announced that the new email address for the Academic Senate is senate@unlnotesorg.unl.edu. She asked the senators to report changes to their email address to the Senate office.

2.2 Academic Senate Open House

President Latta reported that the Academic Senate office and the other offices of 420 University Terrace will be hosting an open house of the facility on Monday, November 15th from 2:00 - 4:00 pm. All senators are welcome to attend.

2.3 Committee on Committees Preference Form

President Latta asked the senators to encourage their colleagues to submit the Committee on Committees service preference form to the Academic Senate office. She pointed out that the Senate committees are important to the campus community and need the participation of the faculty.

2.4 President Smith to Speak at the December Meeting

President Latta announced that President Smith will be speaking to the Academic Senate at the December 7th meeting in addition to the April meeting. She hoped that this will give the Senators an earlier opportunity to give input on various issues.

3.0 Resolution Honoring Former Chancellor and President Durward B. Varner.

President Latta asked that the agenda be changed to allow the emergency resolution honoring Chancellor Varner to be presented. Keith moved and Hallbeck seconded approval of the emergency motion. Motion approved. Jackson, Entomology, presented the following resolution:

"Whereas, former Chancellor and University of Nebraska Systems President Durward B. (Woody) Varner passed away on Saturday, October 30, 1999 and

Whereas, Woody Varner provided visionary leadership, service as Chancellor and later as President of the University of Nebraska with high distinction from 1970 - 1977, and

Whereas, Woody Varner, through his next appointment as Chief Executive of the UNL Foundation from 1977 to 1987, provided strong and highly successful leadership of the Foundations fund-raising efforts, and

Whereas, Woody and Paula Varner and family have been loyal supporters and generous donors to the University and to various social causes,

Therefore be it resolved that the UNL Academic Senate express our condolences, appreciation and gratitude to the Varner family and contribute a memorial to the Woody and Paula Varner Family Fund." Latta stated that a $100 contribution will be made to the fund. Motion approved unanimously.

4.0 Associate Vice Chancellor Brinkerhoff

Associate VC Brinkerhoff reported that the development of the budget is continuing and that there have been discussions about it with the Academic Senate Executive Committee, the Academic Planning Committee, the Deans Council, and the Academic Council. He noted that the highest priority in the budget request is for an increase in faculty/staff salaries. He stated that other budget priority items include:



Van Roojen, Philosophy, asked if these priorities are for the UNL campus and whether Central Administration will then choose whether they will be included in the university-wide budget? Associate VC Brinkerhoff stated that this is correct.

Mientka, Mathematics and Statistics, asked if a study has been conducted on the performance and retention rate of the students who have been admitted under the higher standards initiated three years ago? Associate VC Brinkerhoff replied that some studies have been conducted which indicate an improvement in the retention rate of students although it is unclear what this is attributable to. He pointed out that the development of learning communities and the Freshmen Experience Task Force have helped in the retention of students. He noted that while indications are that students are performing better, an analysis of this needs to be conducted.

Hallbeck, Industrial & Management Systems Engineering, reported that she recently attained access to MYNULOOK and that she was able to pull up a great deal of financial information on herself. She stated that she has serious concerns on the security of the system and other people having access to this data. Associate VC Brinkerhoff stated that MYNULOOK is an effort to tie in the human resources, financial, and student databases of the campus. He noted that they are aware that some of the information on the database must have tighter security and limited access and that they are currently working on this. She pointed out that the password and pin number to the system were sent to her by email which is not a secure process for disseminating this information. Associate VC Brinkerhoff stated that he will inform the administrators of this concern.

Prochaska Cue, Family and Consumer Sciences, asked why the social security number is being used as the employee identification number? She pointed out that federal legislation was passed a number of years ago that prohibits the use of the social security as a means of identification. Associate VC Brinkerhoff was unsure as to what is currently being done regarding this issue.

Wunder, History, pointed out that he attended the Academic Planning Committee when the budget was presented and he noted that the APC stated that $.5 million was not sufficient for improving graduate teaching stipends. He noted that IANR had concerns that the increases were going to be available only to graduate teaching assistants and not graduate research assistants. He stated that the committee also recommended that a teaching initiative that would address the need to improve the training of teachers in Nebraska was approved by the committee to be included in the budget. Associate VC Brinkerhoff responded that the $.5 million request to improve graduate assistant stipends was determined after a survey was conducted of the stipends paid by our peer and neighboring institutions. He pointed out that the $.5 million increase would bring the graduate student stipends to the mid-point of our peer institutions. He stated that this is an aggregate request but that it is still under review. He did not have any information regarding the teaching initiative request.

Jaswal, Physics and Astronomy, asked if future reallocations were considered in the budget? Associate VC Brinkerhoff stated that the Chancellor is waiting to hear from Central Administration what the UNL campus will be assessed for next year's budget allocation. He pointed out that any further reallocations will be discussed with the Academic Planning Committee.

Negahban, Engineering Mechanics, reported that they have been told in their department that they will be merged with another department in their college. He asked why faculty have not had any input into this decision and if there is any information about this? Associate VC Brinkerhoff stated that there has been no discussion at the upper administration level of this merger. He pointed out that if this is to occur, the department and college must put a plan together which would have to go to the Office of Academic Affairs for review. If approved by them, it would then have go to the Academic Planning Committee for review and possibly to the Board of Regents for approval. He noted that, at this time, he has only heard rumors concerning this merger. He stated that they will have to go through the process in order for this to be approved.

Reece, Panhandle Research & Extension, asked if there is a faculty based committee that provides guidance and information to the administration and what percentage of the graduate student assistantships are soft dollars and what percent are hard dollars? Associate VC Brinkerhoff noted that he does not have the actual figures on the graduate teaching stipends but he noted that many are from soft money although the majority of them are from state dollars. He pointed out that many of the graduate research stipends are from grants. He pointed out that faculty writing grants that will include stipends for graduate research assistants need to accurately reflect the cost of hiring these students. Reece stated that the majority of faculty support the increase in graduate student stipends but there is concern that increases for graduate research assistants may be mandated to be retroactive. He noted that this could cause problems for those people operating grants and he urged caution in how the increase is accomplished.

5.0 Approval of 10/5/99 Minutes

Mayo, Entomology, moved that the minutes be approved as amended. Diffendal, Conservation and Survey, seconded the motion. Motion approved.

6.0 Committee Reports

6.1 Chancellor's Commission on the Status of People of Color (Professor Knisely)

Knisely stated that the report was distributed in the senator's packet. He suggested that faculty wishing to provide input on the commissions past and upcoming activities should email either himself (mknisely2@unl.edu) or co-chair Juan Gonzales (jgonzales1@unl.edu). He noted that they held a diversity summit in September for representatives of the various organizations on campus dealing with diversity. He asked the Senate to continue to promote diversity on campus and he stressed the importance of the department and the college in the recruitment of people of color, particularly at the graduate level. He urged people to participate in the upcoming events that will be held on campus in conjunction with the holiday to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.

6.2 Chancellor's Commission on the Status of Women (Professor Gaber and Ms. Cammack)

Cammack stated that a copy of the report was distributed in the senator's packet and she asked for any questions. She noted that the commission had identified six priority areas and that subcommittees have been formed to work on these issues. She reported that a letter was sent to President Smith regarding the lack of gender diversity on the Prioritization Commission. She noted that Tom Calhoun from UNL and Jorge Rodriguez-Sierra, UNMC, have been added to the commission. She reported that they are continuing to work on the domestic partners benefit issue along with other groups on campus. She stated that they have expressed their concern to Chancellor Moeser about the tailgate on the turf event. They are currently recruiting two city campus faculty members for openings on the commission. Reece, Panhandle Research & Extension, stated that there is concern by some people that the funds available for diversity are not being adequately utilized. Gaber stated that they do not have any information regarding this issue. Associate VC Brinkerhoff stated that $400,000 over the past two years have been available for opportunity hiring and for retention of faculty on campus. He noted that some of these funds have gone to the Deans for hiring and support of new faculty. He stated that $50,000 in the past year was used to support the task force on diversity. Mientka suggested that the CCSW should list what departments the members are from so that people can contact them.

7.0 Academic Rights and Responsibilities Panel Ballot

Latta asked that the Academic Rights and Responsibilities Panel Ballot be declared an emergency motion so that the position can be filled as quickly as possible. Diffendal, Conservation and Survey, moved acceptance of the item as an emergency and approval of the ballot. Motion seconded by Hanna, Biological Systems Engineering. Motion approved.

7.0 Unfinished Business

7.1 Employee Benefits (Professor Adams, Chair, Employee Benefits Committee)

Adams, Chair, Employee Benefits Committee, reported that the committee has been involved in discussions on the increases in the health care premiums. She noted that all employee groups have representatives on the committee as well as members of the benefits office. She pointed out that there is one faculty member, and two staff members from the UNL campus on the University-wide Benefits Committee. She noted that most of the rush for changes in the benefits usually happens over the summer when faculty are not as available to provide input. She stated that they are trying to work with Central Administration to better regularize this.

Adams stated that long term health care insurance will be available in the spring for employees at a slightly reduced rate. However, she pointed out that this is not part of the benefits package but something that is being provided to employees should they wish to get this coverage. She stated that a vision care plan is being provided to employees. Adams noted that the committee agreed to approve a slight increase in premiums rather than a decrease in benefits. Prochaska Cue, Family & Consumer Science, asked what the University's contribution is to the long term care insurance? Adams responded that it is a zero contribution and that the plan is being offered to employees only as a group plan so that they may obtain the insurance at a 10% decreased rate.

Arth, Curriculum & Instruction, asked if the premiums are increasing due to the pullout of the insurance plan by a group of workers in Omaha? Adams stated that the Clarkson Hospital group leaving the plan is not the reason for the increase. Rather, the increase is due to the use of the insurance. She pointed out that 50% of the claims are for dependents, 25% are for retirees, and 25% are for the employees. She noted that a consulting firm is reviewing use of the plan and the payment scale.

Adams noted that the committee wants to support benefits that apply to everyone. She stated that they are suggesting that the retirement benefit contribution be raised another ½%. She noted that our peer institutions receive 11% in retirement benefits. She pointed out that they have asked Central Administration to increase the NUFLEX credits but that they have decided to put those funds towards the cost of the health plans instead. She noted that they are continuing to work on the issue of benefits for domestic partners.

Mientka asked if there is a breakdown of the 11% increase in the use of the insurance and suggested that a wellness program could possibly be established for this area. Adams reported that there was a dramatic increase in the substance abuse/mental health coverage.

Adams suggested that the committee should report to the Senate every three months to keep them updated on the benefits issue.

8.0 New Business

8.1 Senior Lecturers and Lecturers Motion

Latta reported that, due to the redistricting of the Academic Senate this year, an issue has arisen concerning the membership in the academic assembly of Senior Lecturers and Lecturers. She pointed out that according to the UNL "Guidelines for Faculty Appointments," Senior Lecturers and Lecturers are not equivalent in rank to faculty appointments and therefore they could not be members of the assembly. Bryant moved that "for purposes of discussing and deciding this issue, the Executive Committee moves the following language be added to UNL Bylaw 3.2.1. "(4) Lecturers and Senior Lecturers, holding 0.5 FTE or greater Special Appointments and having three successive academic years of paid faculty service at any professorial rank at UNL." Arth seconded the motion. Latta pointed out that we do not know who has been changed from an Assistant Professor title to a Senior Lecturer or Lecturer position. She noted that there are no longer non tenure track Assistant Professors. Van Roojen asked if we can get information on how many people were changed to these titles? Latta stated that they have asked for this information from the Senior Vice Chancellor but that the departments had not been required to report the number of changes. She stated that they will ask again for this information. Wunder pointed out that any professorial rank means Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor and that the language should be corrected to read "at any faculty rank". Friendly amendment accepted by Bryant. Brooks, English, suggested that .50 FTE or greater be inserted after "paid faculty service at". Bryant accepted the friendly amendment. Mientka asked if this will decrease the number of members in the academic assembly? Latta stated that it will increase the number.

8.2 Academic Senate Plaque Honoring Past Presidents

Latta reported that the Executive Committee has approved spending up to $200 for the purchase of a plaque to honor the past presidents of the Faculty and Academic Senate. She noted that the plaque will be displayed in the Academic Senate Conference room.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:06 p.m. The next Senate meeting will be December 7, 1999 in the City Campus Union, Auditorium. Respectfully submitted, Miles Bryant, Secretary.