The University of Iowa
FACULTY COUNCIL
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Penn State Room, #337 Iowa Memorial Union
Members Present: Judith Aikin, Michael Cohen, Edwin Dove, Paul Heidger, Ronald Herman, Philip Lutgendorf, Frank Mitros, Catherine Ringen, Linda Snetselaar, Shelton Stromquist, Steve Thunder-McGuire, Jerold Woodhead
Members Absent: Sheldon Kurtz, Sue Moorhead, James Nepola
Members Excused: Karin Southard
Faculty Senate Officers in Attendance: Katherine Tachau, President; Richard LeBlond, Vice President; Claibourne Dungy, Secretary; Margaret Raymond, Past President
Guests: Sue Buckley (Human Resources), Sarah Rood (Homecoming), Alex Lang (Daily Iowan), Marion Johnson (Emeritus Faculty), Cheryl Reardon (Staff Council, Past President), Tom Rocklin (Office of the Provost), Julie Thatcher (Faculty Senate Office)
I. Call to Order
Faculty Senate President Katherine Tachau called the meeting to order at 3:37 p.m.
II. Approvals
A. Meeting Agenda
Professor Tachau requested approval of the meeting agenda with the following changes:
- Moving reports to after New Business
- Moving item B under New Business to the first position. This would accommodate guests attending the meeting.
The revised meeting agenda was approved.
B. Faculty Council minutes of March 29, 2005
Professor Mitros moved, second by Professor Ringen, to approve the minutes of March 29, 2005. Motion approved by voice vote.
C. Senate Agendas, April 26, 2005
The Senate agenda for the last meeting of the 2004-2005 Senate and first meeting of the 2005-2006 Senate were approved by acclamation.
III. New Business
A. Emergency Leave Accrual, Cheryl Reardon
Cheryl Reardon, President of Staff Council, provided an overview of the Emergency Accrual Leave policy. She stated that recently approved AFSCME contract which begins on July 1, 2005 has negotiated a new clause into the contract – Article 9, Section 10b (5) – which in summary states employees will be allowed to carryover up to 40 hours of unused family care and emergency leave. Thus, employees would have up to 80 hours of emergency leave as opposed to the current 40. Staff Council President Reardon encouraged the Faculty Senate to recommend that the University administration adopt this policy for University faculty so that all UIHC employees, P&S, Merit, and exempt staff and faculty would be eligible for the same benefit effective July 1, 2005. Professor Aikin asked when the policy would take effect if approved and sent to central administration. Associate Vice President for Human Resources Sue Buckley responded the program would go into effect July 1, 2005. She said only 36 faculty used the entire 40 hours during the 2004 calendar year. If this policy is recommended, faculty would not be able to go over 80 hours of time. Professor Woodhead questioned if the policy were in effect for those wishing to donate sick leave time to colleagues. Ms. Buckley responded that the current plan only allows for vacation donors. Any change would be required at the state level. Professor Tachau questioned if there was any down side to the proposal. This was seen as an enhanced benefit. Vice President Buckley stated there might be some real costs in that some faculty may prefer to use family leave rather than a vacation and, therefore there might be some replacement costs. If family leave is used versus vacation, there might be a higher payout cost for vacations at the time of retirement. Professor LeBlond moved, second by Professor Woodhead, to recommend the University administration approve this benefit for faculty. Motion passed by unanimous voice vote.
B. Emeritus Policy, Kathy Clark
Professor Tachau informed the Council that Professor Clark, chair of the Committee on Faculty Policy and Compensation was not be able to attend today’s meeting and that Professor Dove would represent the committee. Vice President Buckley indicated that concerns about the current emeritus policy were raised by the Retirees Association. Several retired research engineers and scientists were concerned about problems accessing their databases. Since research engineers and scientists are not listed in the University directory, they do not have access to University databases by current policy. Currently, approximately 200 individuals fall into the category of retired research engineers and scientists. Since 1999 approximately 2 per year would have qualified for the benefit, had it been available. There are also approximately 90 individuals in the library category who would also be available for the emeritus title. Staff Council President Reardon noted that many of the research engineers and research scientists would qualify as faculty on research tracks at other institutions, yet at the University of Iowa they are not capable of continuing their research careers into retirement because of the restriction at accessing databases. Professor Dove, representing the Committee on Faculty Policy and Compensation, stated that the committee was sympathetic to the concerns of research scientists and engineers. The committee felt the university should find a mechanism for providing parking, access to libraries and databases for retired research scientists, engineers and librarians. However, the committee felt that the emeritus policy was not the proper mechanism for this arrangement. The committee was also concerned that Section d4 should be changed and did not agree with the current wording that the Vice President for Finance and Operations may grant emeritus staff status. The committee felt that the granting of emeritus status should be the province of the Provost. The committee was also concerned there was not a mechanism for grievance and also had concerns of why someone who retired or terminated under other than honorable circumstances would be eligible for emeritus status. Professor Ringen commented that the emeritus policy came up at Research Council. The Research Council felt that the emeritus policy was not the appropriate vehicle for addressing concerns of retired research engineers and scientists. Vice President Buckley indicated that currently librarians are included in the emeritus policy and the wording of the proposed policy would give equal footing to research scientists and engineers. Professor Dove moved, second by Professor Sentzler, to strike the phrase “other than honorable” wherever it appears in the document. Motion passed unanimously by hand vote. Professor Dove, speaking for the committee, requested the Council to assist the committee in its deliberations to revise the document for resubmission for Senate consideration. Vice President LeBlond was concerned that three issues needed to be addressed: 1) the definition of emeritus, 2) verification on automatic inclusion for emeritus status for research engineers and research scientists and librarians, and 3) what central administrator grants emeritus status to those in administrative ranks. Professor Aikin thought that rather than inclusion in the emeritus ranks research engineers and scientists could be included as independent scholars, which would allow them access to the University library and databases. If the independent scholar status was used, it would have to be reappointed on an annual basis. Professor Cohen moved, second by Professor Ringen, to philosophically approve the inclusion of Deans and university administrators in those listed under Section c and clarification that emeritus status should be granted by the Provost for deans and administrators. There was considerable discussion on the issue of appropriateness of the emeritus track for research scientists and engineers raised by several members of the Council. There were significant concerns this document did not address the issue of access to databases. There was also concern that Section d3 and d4 were not parallel and should be revised in a way to make them parallel. Associate Vice President Buckley indicated Section d4 in its current form is written incorrectly. The intent was to allow the Vice President for Finance and Operations to grant emeritus status to staff scientists, engineers and central administrative officers. President Tachau proposed a friendly amendment to “we reject in principle emeritus status listed as stated in Section d4 and accept in principle the inclusion of research engineers and scientists.” The friendly amendment was accepted by Professor Cohen and approved by unanimous hand vote. Professor Dove was directed to take the suggestions of the Council back to the Committee to rewrite the proposed policy in time for the upcoming Faculty Senate meeting.
C. Homecoming, Sarah Rood
Sarah Rood, undergraduate student, distributed information on the 2005 Homecoming activities. She encouraged the faculty to become involved in homecoming activities and provided information on how faculty could participate in these activities.
IV. Reports
A. 2005-2006 Committee Replacements, Richard LeBlond
Professor LeBlond presented the names of proposed committee replacements (attachment 3). There currently are two unfilled positions – one on the Student Publications Committee and one on the Presidential Committee on Athletics (PCA). The PCA position is a one year appointment and needs to be a faculty predominantly involved in undergraduate teaching. Approval was moved by Professor Mitros, second by Professor Herman.
B. 2005-2006 Faculty Senate Election Results, Claire Sponslor
The 2005-2006 Faculty Senate election results were presented by Professor Sponsler (attachment 4). Approval moved by Professor Mitros, second by Professor Lutgendorf.
C. Faculty Senate President’s Report, Katherine Tachau
Professor Tachau encouraged faculty to attend Provost Hogan’s presentation on 4/14/05. She also informed the Council that Provost Hogan thanks the Senate for its recommendation concerning the level at which associate provosts should participate in the promotions process, but felt that to be the best assistants to the Provost, they should report to him and vote at that level.
V. Items from the Floor
None
VI. Announcements
- Provost Address to the University of Iowa, April 14, 4:00, Shambaugh Auditorium, reception will follow
- Final Faculty Senate Meeting, April 26, 2005, 3:30-4:45 Terrace Room, 166 IMU
- Faculty Senate Organizational Meeting, April 26, 2005, 4:45-5:15 Terrace Room, 166 IMU
- Faculty Council/Administration Retreat: May 24, 2005, Gold Room, Oakdale Hall
Meeting was adjourned and would reconvene in an Executive Session.
VII. Executive Session
A. Regents Award for Excellence and the Michael J. Brody Awards
Professor Mitros moved, second by Professor Lutgendorf, to accept the nominations. Unanimously approved.
B. Legislative Action on Regents Budget
Legislative budget action was discussed.
VIII. Adjournment
Meeting was adjourned at 5:32 pm
Respectfully submitted,
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Claibourne I. Dungy, MD, MPH
Secretary, Faculty Council
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Katherine Tachau
Faculty Senate President