EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES
Present: DiMagno, Fuller, Logan-Peters, Miller, Peterson, Sawyer, Siekman, Spann, Whitt, Wolf, Wunder
Absent: Wednesday, April 16, 2003
Location: Academic Senate Office, 420 University Terrace
1.0 Call to Order
Miller called the meeting to order at 3:04 pm.
2.0 Announcements
3.0 Approval of 4/9/03 Minutes
Spann moved and Whitt seconded approval of the minutes as amended. Motion approved.
4.0 Updates
4.1 APC Update
Miller and Wunder reported that the Academic Planning Committee would like to get input from the Executive Committee and the Senate on the idea of temporarily freezing $2 million of the Priority Programs Enhancement Fund to help offset the budget reductions. Wunder noted that the Senate meeting is not until April 29th and the APC must submit their report to the Chancellor on April 30th. He pointed out that it would be too late to bring it up as an agenda item on the 29th. He suggested that the Senate could be polled on the idea. Wolf stated that it is important that the Executive Committee not undermine the process of the Senate. Miller noted that the Faculty Senates of both UNK and UNO have passed resolutions pertaining to using the Priority Programs Enhancement Fund to help offset the budget reductions. Griffin suggested that the Executive Committee could send an email to the Senators explaining the issue and the situation and ask them to respond back by next Wednesday. This way the Executive Committee could make a decision based upon the input from the Senators. The committee agreed that this should be done.
Wunder reported that Professor Nickerson of the School of Biological Sciences has had to resign from the APC due to health reasons. He stated that he and Griffin consulted the Senate Bylaws and the Syllabus of Campus-wide Committees for guidance on replacing Nickerson. Since Nickersons appointment is until 2005, an election must be held to replace him for the remainder of his term. The President of the Academic Senate can appoint someone, preferably a person with prior experience, temporarily to the committee until the election is completed. Griffin stated that she contacted President Miller and suggested that Professor Nielsen, Animal Science, be appointed to the temporary position. She pointed out that he represents the discipline of Biological Sciences and, having recently finished a term on the APC, is familiar with the budget reduction process. President Miller agreed and Griffin contacted Professor Nielsen who graciously agreed to serve on the APC from now until May 9th when the election will be completed.
Griffin reported that she reviewed the committee service preference forms and identified two faculty members who indicated interest in serving on the APC and would qualify as the biological sciences representative. She then contacted the members of the Committee on Committees to see if they approved of the two faculty members. She reported that the members of the Committee on Committees agreed to the ballot. The Executive Committee approved the ballot. The ballot will be presented as an emergency motion to the full Senate for approval on the 29th. If approved, the ballots will be mailed to all faculty members on the 30th of April.
Wunder speculated whether the APC could suspend the Museum Studies Program rather than abolish it. He pointed out that there is no rational reason to abolish the program since most of the faculty members who teach in the program are still here. He suggested that the program could be officially suspended for two years and then reviewed to see if it warrants continuance. Peterson questioned what would happen with the program if the APC recommends not eliminating it. He noted admissions have already been suspended for next year. Fuller pointed out that the elimination might have procedural implications with the firing of tenured faculty members. The committee agreed to ask Professor Lee, Academic Senate Designee to the APC, to meet with them at the next meeting.
Siekman asked if the administration has presented the APC with alternatives to the budget cuts. The committee agreed to ask Professor Lee this question when he meets with them.
4.2 Museum Update
Miller reported that none of the four Museum faculty members, who reportedly have been reassigned to other departments, have received an official letter about their reassignment. Miller stated that he will contact the Chancellor to check on the status of these reassignments.
Siekman reported that he verified with Professor Stack, one of the extension faculty members who was supposed to be reassigned during the prior round of budget cuts, that he never received an official letter regarding his reassignment to another department. Siekman stated that as a result of this delay, Stack has accepted a position with Kansas State with tenure and at a higher salary.
4.3 Time Wasting Committee
Logan-Peters reported that the committee met for the first time last week along with SVCAA Edwards. She noted that the committee discussed the idea of looking into conducting evaluations of tenured faculty members every other year rather than annually, the length of time needed to get courses approved or deleted from the curriculum, advising issues, and tenure paperwork. Miller reported that the committee will meet again during the final week of classes. Logan-Peters stated that Exec. Associate Dean Weissinger will develop a survey to get feedback from faculty members regarding what processes they see as consuming too much time. Fuller pointed out that the committee needs to be careful about streamlining processes that could compromise faculty governance. Miller stated that he will keep the Executive Committee updated on the progress of the committee.
5.0 Unfinished Business
5.1 ES/IS Review Committee
The Committee discussed possible members for the ES/IS Review Committee. Peterson agreed to serve on the committee as the chair and as representative from the Executive Committee. Peterson suggested having a representative from ASUN on the committee.
6.0 New Business
6.1 Recycling Program
Peterson stated that one of his students is concerned with the elimination of the Recycling Program and would like to speak with the Executive Committee about it. He noted that the student has met with the Chancellor who explained that the program was being cut because it was not lucrative. Peterson stated that the student wants to discuss the possibility of faculty or staff taking on the responsibility of the program. A number of committee members indicated that they are already responsible for taking their recycling to a central location.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:16 pm. The next meeting of the Executive Committee will be on Wednesday, April 23rd at 3:00 pm. The meeting will be held in the Academic Senate Office, 420 University Terrace. The minutes are respectfully submitted by Karen Griffin, Coordinator and James King, Secretary.
