DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT (02oct2mins)

 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES

 

Present:          Bryant, Fuller, Logan-Peters, Sawyer, Spann, Whitt, Wolf, Wunder

 

Absent:           DiMagno, King, Miller, Peterson, Siekman

 

Date:               Wednesday, October 2, 2002

 

Location:        Academic Senate Office, 420 University Terrace

 

1.0       Call to Order

            Wunder called the meeting to order at 3:01 pm.

 

2.0       Announcements

            No announcements were made.

 

3.0       Emeriti Association – Dr. Fleming

Wunder welcomed Dr. Fleming and noted that the Executive Committee was interested in working with the Emeriti Association.  Fleming stated that he appreciated being asked to come back a second year to speak with the committee.  He stated that the Emeriti Association has a total of 700 members. 

 

Wunder asked who is eligible to be a member of the association.  Fleming stated that a member must be appointed by the Board of Regents as an emeritus professor.  He noted that the department must recommend a faculty member be appointed to emeritus status.  He pointed out that the process can take as long as six months in some cases.  He stated that a person cannot be invited to become a member until his or her appointment is approved by the Regents.  Wunder suggested that part of the delay could be in the departments if there is a lack of understanding of the process and Whitt stated that a policy does exist on the process of appointing someone to emeritus status. 

 

Fleming stated that the major issue for members is health insurance.  He noted that retirees will receive a 13% increase, although there was anticipation that it could be higher.  He pointed out that the university health insurance policy is better than what a person could get elsewhere. 

 

Wolf asked if the budget cuts affected the Emeriti Association.  Fleming stated that they did because support for mailing costs has been eliminated.  He noted that last year’s mailing costs were $4200.  He pointed out that the Chancellor has offered to have a web site and a list serve created to assist the association.  Fleming noted that he is unsure how many members have access to a computer.  He reported members were recently asked and less than ½ stated that they had access.  He pointed out that the association will go ahead and get the web site and list serve to help in the future. 

 

Sawyer asked if the association receives any support from the Alumni Association.  Fleming stated that they do not but the Alumni Association does provide a luncheon for the Emeriti Association members.  Wunder asked if they receive any support from the Foundation.  Fleming stated that the Foundation provides a luncheon meeting for the members once a year. 

 

Fleming stated that membership dues are only $2.00 a year and lifetime membership dues $50.  He stated that the association is proposing that the lifetime membership be raised to $100.  He noted that $30 of the lifetime membership fee went to the Maude Wisherd fund in the Foundation which awards small grants to emeriti professors.  He noted that the fund is also used to help support emeriti faculty who may need assistance paying for health insurance. 

 

Fleming reported that another concern is that the association may have to pay room charges to the Nebraska Union for their meetings.  Wunder pointed out that the association is not a private group and should not be treated as one.  He suggested that the Executive Committee discuss this with the Chancellor.

 

Fleming stated that he has heard that emeriti professors may be charged for parking.  He noted that currently they are not charged to park on campus.  Wolf asked if parking and office space were a concern for the emeriti professors.  Fleming stated that these are concerns.  He noted that the association does not use much space and that it would be greatly appreciated if they could get some.  Spann suggested that the Kellogg center could possibly have some space they could use.  Wunder stated that this should be mentioned to the Chancellor.

Sawyer asked if the members of the association receive free bus passes.  Fleming stated that they do, but they must apply for them.

 

Spann asked if the association was specific to UNL or whether it was for all of the campuses.  Fleming stated that it is exclusive to UNL.  Spann noted that the emeriti have volunteered in the past to assist the campus in various ways.  He asked if the campus has done anything to promote service of the emeriti professors.  Fleming stated that nothing has been done.  Wolf pointed out that the University of Oklahoma made use of their retired professors in the classroom.  He suggested that something similar could be done at UNL.  Bryant suggested that the admissions office, which sets up tours of the campus, could call on retired professors to assist with these tours.  He stated that an office could possibly be found in the new admissions building for the association. 

 

Wunder stated that the Executive Committee has discussed that the emeriti association might have an elected member on the Academic Senate.  He asked Fleming to see if the association would be interested in having a seat on the Senate.  Fleming stated that he would let the committee know the board’s reaction.

 

Bryant suggested that the association pitch the use of generic drugs to its members.  He pointed out that the more people who use generic drugs, the better it will be for health insurance rates.  Fleming agreed and noted that Greg Clayton, Director of Risk Management & Benefits, meets with the association to discuss any upcoming changes in health insurance. 

 

Fleming reported that Professor William Splinter is the President-Elect for the association. 

 

4.0       Lloyd Bell, Parking Advisory Committee and Tad McDowell, Director,   Parking & Transit Services

Bell stated that the Parking Advisory Committee wanted him to meet with the Executive committee to get input regarding parking and the transit services.  He noted that VC Jackson asked the parking committee to develop a document of guiding principles to use in making recommendations in the planning processes related to parking and transit issues (a copy was distributed to the Executive Committee).  He stated that VC Jackson wants all presentations concerning proposed transit service fees completed by Thanksgiving.  Wunder asked if the guiding principle document could be forwarded to the Senate with the suggestion that Senators contact Professor Bell if there are any questions.  Bell agreed that this could be done.

 

Bell reported that the committee is working on developing a financial plan for the next five years.  He stated that it would be presented to the Senate at the February or March meeting.

 

McDowell stated that he appreciated the Executive Committee’s vote to not raise permit holders’ fees to pay for the 14th & Avery Street garage.  He noted that this helped get the outside funding needed to construct the garage.

 

Wunder asked if there were any plans to encourage car pooling.  McDowell stated that car pooling already exists.  People can register more than one vehicle on a permit and share the parking tag. 

 

Bryant asked what the long term master plan calls for in terms of parking.  McDowell stated that eventually less transit will be needed because the campuses will be more closely tied together. 

 

McDowell reported that 1,000 more student permits were sold this year than last.  He noted that there will be some limitation on the number of permits sold next year. He stated that they are monitoring the turnover of cars in the 17th & R Streets garage to see how many people are leaving their cars there as storage.  He noted that there has been discussion of creating a storage lot for students who rarely use their car during the week. 

 

Wunder stated that there is faculty concern that the new garage will displace a biking trail.  McDowell stated that the trail will not be affected by the garage.  Bryant stated that last year there were discussions on alternatives to parking, such as restricting parking for freshmen students.  He noted that the officers of ASUN agreed with this idea and said that it was expected at many universities.  Logan-Peters pointed out that the Chancellor felt that this was a recruiting issue and that limiting parking would hurt enrollment.  McDowell noted that this is an issue that has been raised in the past and will probably be raised again. 

 

Wunder asked how many cars are registered to undergraduate students.  McDowell stated that it varies from semester to semester.  He noted that 80% of residence hall students and 40 – 50% of commuting students register a car.  He pointed out that 80% of the revenue comes from students. 

 

Bell stated that the transit proposal presented in the spring semester seemed simple enough but caused a flurry of responses.  McDowell stated that he would like to present new transit proposals to the committee before Thanksgiving. 

 

Griffin asked about the status of the retail space in the 17th Street garage.  McDowell stated that it was turned over to the Union.  He noted that Union services will pay parking $100,000 a year for the space.  He reported that the Union has hired a real estate company to assist in renting the space. 

 

Spann asked how many students use 2-wheel transportation.  McDowell stated that they do not know but a recent survey taken might provide some statistics.  Spann asked if there was a charge for parking motorcycles on campus.  McDowell stated that there is no charge.  He noted that it was tried in the past and that it was unsuccessful. 

 

5.0       Approval of 9/25/02 Minutes

            Sawyer moved and Whitt seconded approval of the minutes as amended.  Motion         approved.

 

6.0       Unfinished Business

            6.1       Appearance at APC Hearing

Wunder reported that the chair of APC might want members of the Executive committee to come to a hearing of the budget cuts.  He stated that this is in regards to the letter the Executive Committee wrote proposing alternatives to cutting the two tenure-leading positions in cooperative extension.  The committee agreed to attend the budget hearings if requested

 

7.0       New Business

            7.1       Chancellor’s Commission on the Status of Women

Wunder reported that there has been some problem with appointments to the commission.  He noted that applications were received, approved by the commission, and then forwarded to the Chancellor for a final decision.  Wunder pointed out that some of the positions did not have two applicants when past procedures requested two applicants for each position to be put forward for appointment.  He noted that the syllabus of the commission states two applicants for each position should be put forward.  As a result, the Chancellor has not made any appointments to the commission.  Wunder stated that the commission cannot function without its membership.  He stated that another major concern with the commission authorship of their annual report.  The committee agreed to request the outgoing chair of the commission meet with them.

 

7.2       Library Committee Meeting

Spann reported that he attended a meeting of the library committee.  He stated that there was a sense in the committee that the branch libraries were being closed due to their high cost, although another branch library reported circulation costs similar to some of those selected for elimination.  Logan-Peters stated that one of the reasons for the closures is that there is not enough library staff to cover all of the branch libraries. 

 

The meeting was adjourned at 5:02 pm.  The next meeting of the Executive Committee will be on Wednesday, October 9th at 3:00 pm.  The meeting will be held in 201 Canfield Administration Building.  The minutes are respectfully submitted by Karen Griffin, Coordinator and James King, Secretary.