The University of Iowa
FACULTY COUNCIL
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Penn State Room, 337 IMU
Minutes
Members Present: Gloria Bulechek, Christine Catney, Virginia Dominquez, David Drake, Claibourne Dungy, Vicki Grassian, Paul Heidger, Steve McGuire, Frank Mitros, Michael O’Hara, Catherine Ringen, Linda Snetselaar, Downing Thomas, Brad Thompson
Members Absent: James Nepola, Jarjisu Sa-Aadu
Members Excused: Linda Boyle
Faculty Senate Officers in Attendance: Richard LeBlond, President; Sheldon Kurtz, Vice President; Michael Cohen, Secretary
Faculty Senate Officers Excused: Katherine Tachau, Past President
Guests: Charlie Drum (University Relations), Sam Edsill (Daily Iowan), Thomas H. Charlton (University Libraries Committee), Tom Rocklin (Office of the Provost), Lola Lopes (Office of the Provost), Gregg Hennigan (Press-Citizen), Steve Collins (Engineering), Susan Johnson (Office of the Provost), Michael Hogan (Office of the Provost), Eugene Spaziani (EFC), Julie Thatcher (Faculty Senate Office)
I. Call to Order
President LeBlond called the meeting to order at 3:35 pm.
II. Approvals
A. Meeting Agenda
A motion to approve the meeting revised agenda was made by Professor Thomas and seconded by Professor O’Hara. It was approved unanimously by voice vote.
B. Faculty Council Minutes, October 4, 2005
A motion to approve the minutes was made by Professor Kurtz and seconded by Professor McGuire. It was approved unanimously by voice vote.
C. Senate Agenda, November 29, 2005
A motion to approve the revised Senate meeting agenda was made by Professor O’Hara and seconded by Professor Catney. It was approved unanimously by voice vote.
D. Committee on Committees, Sheldon Kurtz
A motion to approve the appointment of Nicole Nisly, Internal Medicine, to the Diversity Committee was made by Professor O’Hara and seconded by Professor McGuire. It was approved unanimously by voice vote.
President LeBlond solicited suggestions for a vacancy on the Diversity Committee.
III. Reports
A. Faculty Senate President, Richard LeBlond
1. Board of Regents meeting, November 2-3
President LeBlond reported that the Board of Regents approved the first hearing of the University’s request for tuition increases for FY07. The request is for a 4.5% increase in resident undergraduate tuition. Final approval of the request is anticipated at the Board of Regents meeting in December. In addition, the Board of Regents approved moving forward with the new College of Public Health Building.
2. CIC Faculty Leadership meeting, November 4-5
President LeBlond reported on the meeting that he attended. The key observations were: 1) Each institution is uniquely organized including the University Senate. In some institutions students and staff are part of combined leadership organization. 2) UI faculty leadership has an unusual level of access to and a cooperative relationship with the University Provost and President. 3) Some faculty senates, notably Minnesota, Michigan, and Penn State, have full time staff support that greatly assist their effectiveness. The largest offices are on campuses where the faculty senate also serves as an academic senate reviewing all new programs and major programmatic changes and proposals. At UI this is done with the Provost’s Office. 4) UI’s organization and shared governance is more effective and efficient than most. But, this could still be improved with full time staff support and/or sharing of staff resources with the staff council and student government.
3. Tenure Clock Task Force, call for nominations
Provost Hogan is convening a task force to address questions regarding time to tenure decisions. Faculty Senate Vice President, Professor Kurtz, an Associate Provost Susan Johnson will co-chair the task force. The Faculty Senate officers and Provost Hogan have had initial discussions about the make up and membership of the task force. It will have approximately ten members, all full professors, five of which will be selected by senate officers and five by the Provost. It is anticipated that the task force will report in the Fall of 2006. President LeBlond asked for suggestions from the Senate for individuals who might have unique abilities to contribute to the task force.
4. Search Committee for the Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity, Call for Nominations
President LeBlond called attention to the OEEO/AA Work Force Report to the Board of Regents. President LeBlond requested suggestions of faculty who might serve on this committee. President LeBlond has been asked to forward names of three faculty to serve on this important task force.
5. Proposal for Shared Governance Task Force
President LeBlond described having submitted a letter in collaboration with the UI student government as well as Faculty Council leadership, i.e. their respective Presidents, to President Skorton about impaneling a task force that would focus on ways to enhance all three groups. There are ways in which communication could be enhanced, e.g. through closer proximity of the respective offices, as well as to consolidating the infrastructure, i.e. staff support for these three key aspects of shared governance within the institution.
B. Bylaws Committee
President LeBlond reported that the first meeting of the Bylaws Committee had been convened and that the Committee is initially focusing on ways in which the current bylaws can be updated to coincide with current operating procedures. In addition, he requested input about the idea of having a more direct link between the Faculty Council/Senate as well as the leadership groups within individual colleges. Currently, effective communication between these two governance structures, and thus communication, is suboptimal.
C. Iowa Engagement Core Grant Road’s Scholars, Downing Thomas
President LeBlond and Professor Thomas reported that the proposal from the Faculty Senate had been funded for $10,000. The project will send approximately 29 faculty members (most of whom would be at the Associate Professor level), along with representatives from each of the colleges and Faculty Senate leadership, to visit Northwestern Iowa to meet with community leaders. The tour is being organized by Jan Van Voorhis with assistance from Professors Thomas and McGuire. The tentative plan is for a three day trip in May of 2006. The funding, which is for one year, will hopefully be renewed if the program is successful.
D. Health and Wellness Project, Laura Reed & Joni Troester
Joni Troester presented information about liveWELL including the process, goals and outcomes, benchmark data, potential benefits to individuals participating in the program as well as potential benefits to the University of Iowa. The formal presentation is available on the Faculty Senate website at http://www.uiowa.edu/ ~facsen/Agenda/Council05-06/11-15-05/liveWELL.htm.
Professor O’Hara made a suggestion about how the anticipated 60% participation rate might be enhanced. In response to a question by Professor Kurtz, Ms. Troester explained that there would be a cost sharing between the employee and the University but that the University’s contributions would not come from the traditional medical benefits portion of the budget.
IV. New Business
A. UI Libraries Resolution, Thomas Charlton
Professor Charleton presented a resolution from the UI Libraries Committee. He noted that the cost of periodicals, especially those in the sciences, is increasing to such high levels that the University will not be able provide the full range of periodicals required for faculty, student, and staff scholarship. He further noted that there has been a major consolidation in the scholarly print publishing industry with a small number of publishing houses now controlling the market. In addition, faculty write the articles, choose where they are submitted, participate as reviewers and are editors of many of these journals, and, ultimately, are the consumers of their own and their colleagues work. Online publishing offers at least the possibility of decreased costs and greater ease of dissemination. The resolution is an attempt to raise faculty awareness of the issues to encourage faculty individually and collectively through their professional societies to try to influence the system that currently enriches a for profit publishers at the expense of not for profit libraries and universities. Subsequently, there was a spirited discussion facilitated by President LeBlond about the issues.
MOTION: Professor Kurtz moved to forward the resolution to the Senate, seconded by Professor Grassian. The motion carried with two opposed and no abstentions
B. Council on Teaching Revision to Charter, Richard LeBlond
The Council on Teaching has recommended an amendment to their Charter to reflect their current activities. The key substantive change is the director of the Center for Teaching is an ex officio member.
MOTION: Professor Kurtz moved to approve the revisions, seconded by Professor Dungy. It was approved unanimously by voice vote.
C. Gubernatorial and Legislative Candidate Questionnaire, Richard LeBlond
President LeBlond reported on a student government organization questionnaire that was being formulated to ask gubernatorial and legislative candidates questions about issues that were important to the University. Suggested questions should be forwarded to Mark Kresowik, the Student Government President or Professor LeBlond.
D. Committee on Faculty Policies and Compensation, Steve Collins
Professor Collins led a discussion about a resolution that came forward from the Committee on Faculty Policies and Compensation that focuses on the proposed mid-year salary increase policy. The thrust of the resolution is the perceived lack of clarity about Provost Hogan’s proposal for the 2% mid year salary increases amongst Deans, DEOs, and faculty at large. After a brief introduction by President LeBlond there was an extensive and lively discussion involving Faculty Council members as well as administrative officials, including Provost Hogan. The ultimate outcome of the lengthy discussion was that no motion was made but that the input that Provost Hogan received from the discussion would be used by him in carrying forward final instructions to the Dean’s about implementation of the policy.
V. From the floor
None
VI. Announcements
- UI Catalyst Awards Ceremony, November 16, 4:00-5:30, 2nd Floor Ballroom, IMU
- Faculty Senate, November 29, Terrace Room, 166 IMU
- Legislative Reception, December 8, 4:30-6:00, UI Museum of Art
VII. Adjournment
President LeBlond adjourned the meeting at 5:17 pm.