The University of Iowa
FACULTY COUNCIL
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Penn State Room, #337 Iowa Memorial Union

Members Present: Judith Aikin, Michael Cohen, Edwin Dove, Ronald Herman, Sheldon Kurtz, Philip Lutgendorf, Teresa Mangum, Frank Mitros, Sue Moorhead, Catherine Ringen, Linda Snetselaar, Karin Southard, Shelton Stromquist, Steve Thunder-McGuire, Paul Weller, Jerold Woodhead

Members Absent: James Nepola

Members Excused: Paul Heidger

Faculty Senate Officers in Attendance: Katherine Tachau, President; Claibourne Dungy, Secretary; Margaret Raymond, Past President

Officers Excused: Richard LeBlond, Vice President

Guests: Kristen Schorsch (Press-Citizen), Michael Hogan (Provost), Linda Maxson (CLAS), Tom Rocklin (Office of the Provost), Lee Anna Clark (Office of the Provost), Richard Saunders (Benefits), Jim Throgmorton (Urban Planning), Kathryn Wynes (Office of the Provost), Sue Buckley (Human Resources), Julie Thatcher (Faculty Senate Office)

I.  Call to Order

Faculty Senate President Katherine Tachau called the meeting to order at 3:31 p.m.

II.  Approvals

   A.  Faculty Council Minutes, April 13, 2004

Professor Herman moved and approval, second Professor Aiken of the April 13, 2004 Faculty Council minutes.  Motion approved by voice vote.

   B.   Faculty Senate Agenda, September 7, 2004

Professor Cohen moved the Faculty Senate agenda for September 7, 2004 with a second by Professor Dove.  Motion was approved by voice vote.

   C.   Replacements

Professor Kurtz moved and Professor Cohen seconded recommended replacements Julie Hochstrasser (Art and Art History) to replace Michael Kelleher (Pediatrics) on Parking and Transportation Committee for 2004-2005 and Ed Wasserman (Psychology) to replace Paul Perry (Pharmacy) on President’s Committee on Athletics 2004-2009.  The motion was approved by voice vote.

III.  Reports

   A.   Faculty Senate President Katherine Tachau

President Tachau informed the Council that efforts are in process to establish an ad hoc committee to develop principles and procedures regarding whether to establish faculty research track (if any) and salary decrement or bonus policies.  She reported conversations with deans of the various colleges who expressed a desire to meet more regularly with Faculty Council or faculty.  Professor Tachau discussed the issue of changes to the operations manual and proposed that when such items are brought to the Faculty Senate officers, that these issues be directed to the appropriate Senate committee for review and returned to the Council for recommendations concerning adoption, re-wording, revising, etc.  Professor Tachau informed the Council that processes of developing a list of members for the Awards Committee and the wording of the charge is in process.  Professor Tachau, President of the Staff Council and Student Government will engage in reviewing charter committees.  Finally, Professor Tachau informed the committee of Myles Brand’s, President of the NCAA, visit to the University of Iowa campus October 13-14th and encouraged faculty participation in the mini-conference.

   B.   University Advocacy Task Force

Professor Dove provided clarification of outreach programs currently in place, which include non-advocacy initiatives, community relations and advocacy initiatives.  He reported the need to keep in touch with colleagues at Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa in order to present a cohesive message towards target audiences and to begin to gather the costs of inadequately funded budgets.  The committee will meet again in the near future and would appreciate any feedback be directed to the committee via Professor Dove.  He encouraged e-mail communications.

IV.  Unfinished Business: Revision of Promotion and Tenure Procedures

Associate Provost Lee Anna Clark reviewed the history associated with the revision of promotion and tenure procedures.  She informed the committee that the Faculty Senate approved the revision of promotion procedures for the clinical track in April 2002.  There were two committees for revising the tenure track guidelines.  A committee chaired by Professor Altmeier recommended revisions and one chaired by Provost Clark revised the Guidelines accordingly; the Faculty Senate approved this revision in spring 2004.  The two sets of documents (clinical track and tenure track) need to be reconciled following the Senate recommendation that the clinical track guidelines be more in line with the tenure track guidelines.  Discussion ensued on tracking of residents and fellows.  Professor Cohen suggested the current wording on page 7 of the tenure track proposal and page 8 of the clinical track proposal would require faculty to keep track of residents which would pose a significant burden on many faculty in the Carver College of Medicine because they might supervise as many as 100 residents during the probationary period.  Professors Ringen, Magnum, Raymond, Lutgendorf, Herman and Kurtz offered further comments.

MOTION: Professor Kurtz moved (seconded by Professor Cohen) to delete “residents” from the current wording.  Motion passed to eliminate residents from the wording on Section III – Tenure Track and C4 from Clinical track was passed by voice vote with no negative votes. 

MOTION: Professor Kurtz moved (seconded by Professor Ringen) to forward the substance of the discussion to Professor Porter for review and possible revision. 

Provost Clark stated that the documents were vague as to the role of the associate deans and provosts in the promotion process and Provost Hogan wanted to clarify their role.  There was considerable discussion on pages 27-29 of the clinical track document, page 19 of clinical track and 17 of the tenure track proposals.  Professor Kurtz moved and second Professor Cohen that the procedures for promotion and tenure track and clinical track be approved subject to the concerns addressed during the discussions. 

Motion was passed by voice vote with no negative votes.

V.  New Business: GEF Task Force Benefits Recommendations

Sue Buckley discussed the recommendations of the GEF Task Force as they relate to faculty benefits.  Three issues were addressed:

  1. TIAA/CREF investment – proposal is for 3-year vesting period before UI funds belong to employee (currently there is no vesting period).
  2. Vacation banking – proposal is to limit vacation banking to 200 hours rather than current 400.
  3. Allocation of flex dollars – proposal is to revise flex credits for married couples and domestic partners when both are employed by UI.  Currently, both individuals received “married” flex credits; proposal is that only one would receive “married” flex credits and the other would receive “single” flex credits.  The flex credits of singles and employees with children would not be changed.

Ms. Buckley indicated the recommendation by HR to the President on allocation of flex dollars is likely to be made by September 13th in order to implement it in this year’s Benefits’ Open Enrollment if the President accepts the GEF TF recommendation, while recommendations on TIAA/CREF investments and vacation banking will probably not be made until October at the earliest.

VI.  From the Floor

There were no items from the floor.

VII.  Announcements

  1. Faculty Senate, September 7th, 3:30-5:15, Lucas Dodge Room, 256 IMU
  2. Faculty Council, October 5th, 3:30-5:15, Penn State Room, 337 IMU
  3. University Convocation, October 5th, 7:30, McBride Hall Auditorium
  4. NCAA President Myles Brand, October 12th, Terrence Room, 2:00-4:00pm

VIII.  Adjournment:

Moved by Professor Ringen, second by Professor Woodhead, meeting adjourned at 5:07pm.

 

Submitted by Claibourne Dungy