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May 2, 1995 Minutes


Present: Bible, Caruana, Caverly, Davis, Ford, Glassman, Lyman, Middlebrook,
Pascoe, Sawey, Stedman, Swinney, and Weller.

Incoming Senators Profs. Pat Deduck (English) and Diana Hunter (Physical
Therapy). Absent: Horne and Winek.

Guests: Associate VPAA Patrick Cassidy; Prof. Lawrence Estaville (Chair,
Geography); Mike Moore, Sandra Akridge.

CONTENTS:

27 CURRICULUM COMMITTEE REPORT (Prof. Caruana)
a. MA in MASS COMMUNICATIONS
b. OTHER CURRICULAR CHANGES
62 MODIFIED RETIREMENT (Assoc. VPAA Cassidy)
118 HONORS PROGRAM--FUNDING
121 TENURE AND PROMOTION POLICY
29 COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES REPORT
108 BUDGET CYCLE, FY96 (FACULTY RAISE STRATEGY)
DEVELOPMENTAL LEAVES--SENATE POLICY
63 PARKING--WHAT TO DO WHEN THE PIT CLOSES?
BRIEF REVIEW OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
39 SUMMER INSURANCE PAYMENTS (Early letters)
44 FACULTY LOUNGE
59 FACULTY DEVELOPMENTAL LEAVE REPORT
67 SALARY COMPRESSION AND DIFFERENTIAL SALARIES
68 SENATE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
70 FACULTY HANDBOOK REVISION--12TH ED.
101 BUDGETING FACULTY SALARIES FOR SUMMER
106 TRS AND MID-YEAR RAISES
120 PH.D. IN GEOGRAPHY
123 RETENTION
125 FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE (Early letter)
02 SENATE MINUTES OF 4/26/95
EXPIRATION OF THE THIRTY-SIXTH SENATE

ORGANIZATION OF THE THIRTY-SEVENTH SENATE

a. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
b. SCHEDULING SUMMER MEETINGS

The meeting began at 2:08, Chair Swinney presiding.

27 CURRICULUM COMMITTEE REPORT (Prof. Caruana)

a. MA in MASS COMMUNICATIONS

E-mail has been received from Dean Cheatham assuring the Senate that the
$36,000 will be returned to Mass Communications upon approval of the masters
for graduate assistant pay. The Senate approved the MA proposal.

b. OTHER CURRICULAR CHANGES

The Curriculum Committee reported that it had examined and
approved 405 changes--new courses, deletions, or other changes. Many of
these are changes in course numbers or prefixes which count as a "new
course." The Committee, composed of two persons from each School,
looks for overlaps with existing courses, etc. before the list goes to CAD
and the Senate. The Senate voted to accept the Committee's report.

62 MODIFIED RETIREMENT (Assoc. VPAA Cassidy)

Dr. Cassidy and the Senate discussed the pros and cons of voluntary
modification of employment (VME) for faculty, departments, and the
university. Charts prepared by Dr. Singh (Retirement Programs
Committee) show the percentage of 383 tenured faculty as of Fall 1994 in 5-
year age cohorts, and projections for those cohorts in 1999 and 2004.
Currently over one-third are 55 or older. Fifty-five is the age at which one
may opt for VME. The projections indicate the possible "bubble" of retirees
in the next decade. The Retirement Committee recommended VME, to keep
what they project will be a 25 percent loss (of these 383 faculty) to full
retirement by Fall 1999.

A draft revision of UPPS 04.04.51 (Voluntary Modification of Employment)
was distributed. The proposed changes are to increase eligibility from
55 years of age and 5 years of service to 55 and 10 years. Notice in writing
of desiring to participate should be given 6 to 8 months prior to the
beginning of the academic year (instead of 90 days), to allow
time for negotiation of the VME agreement, recruitment of a replacement,
and modification of the class schedule. New paragraph in UPPS: The
retiring faculty member and the Chair, with the advice of the Senior
Faculty, will negotiate the agreement, but it cannot contain agreement to
specific courses at particular times in selected semesters. Course
assignments are the prerogative of the Chair based on the needs of the
department. The VME will be renegotiated every five years. "The
participant shall be entitled to all the amenities which the Univ. affords its
full-time faculty, including continued participation in group insurance plans
at levels provided for other retired employees." The previous wording did
not include the "amenities," i.e. office space, etc. Salary and associated
workload "shall not be less than one-fourth nor more than one-half of the
salary" earned the year prior to participation.

Arguments re VME included that it is good to be able to hang on to our
best teachers until they are replaced and gives an avenue to phase out the
"deadwood." The downside is that it can cost a department. The department
gets only $27,261 for a beginning assistant professor replacement. The
School Dean and the VPAA retain and split the difference between this figure
and the semi-retiree's pay, presumably to reallocate to departments who are
needing increased staff. If the semi-retiree's salary is cut in half, for
example, and it is above the $27,261 level, the dept. has to come up with
the difference to pay the quasi-retiree. (Say the retiree earns
$62,000 and went on half time at $31,000. The dept. would have to come
up with nearly $3,000 difference.) Previously the Deans have kicked back
the difference, but this cannot be guaranteed in the future, especially if this
option is sought by a large number of persons. There is little incentive for
most departments to come up with funds out of their budgets for retaining a
semi-retired faculty member--let alone providing office space, equipment,
and other amenities.

Dr. Cassidy will provide us with his alternative proposal and the
Senate will work on it with him during the summer for a merged proposal to
the faculty in the fall. RTA'd for summer.

118 HONORS PROGRAM--FUNDING

A letter from Prof. Deduck (Chair, Honors Committee) to Pres.
Supple suggested a $72,000 permanent fund be established to reimburse
departments for faculty participating. That would cover 12 courses per
semester. Previously departments, such as English, have donated faculty
time to this pursuit. Departments cannot be expected to continue under the
current constraints and the Honors Program will disappear. Discussion
followed in which it was pointed out that the VPAA indicated this could be
done with departments cutting more than the 1-2-2 recapture. Others
questioned why some of this could not come from the $1 million already left
over from the recent 2 percent recapture. Several Senators pointed out the
Honors Program was the apex of what the University does, attracts
incipient scholars, and should be more widely advertised.

The Senate moved to endorse and support the creation of a permanent
fund for sustaining departments which contribute faculty to the program.

121 TENURE AND PROMOTION POLICY

The new policy put forth would have persons coming up for both at
the same time and either one gets both or one is out of the University.
Discussion included the ideas that tenure and promotion are not always
based on the same criteria. Tenure is partially based on assessment of
potential and promotion is based largely on publication. ABD's are
particularly handicapped by immediate publication expectations. How many
get tenured and not promoted? A number of Senators indicated they would
not be here today under these criteria. For those who are tenured and do not
perform later, promotion can be denied. Flexibility is lost with a six-year
up or out policy. The Senate rejected this idea 7 to 5.

The Senate endorsed 8 to 2 that data be provided on the number
tenured and not promoted, and whether this is up-or-out strategy is the only
way to raise standards.

The letter from Prof. Meek regarding whether this is retroactive should
also be entertained. This will be on the agenda for a future PAAG.

29 COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES REPORT

Research Committee appointments will be made in January 1996.
Appointments to the Committee on Committees were approved by the Senate as f
ollows: Lou Caruana (Health Professions), Gary Winek (Applied Arts), and
John Davis (Liberal Arts).

Calendar and procedures changes were RTA'd to next meeting.

The Senate voted not to change the current Library Committee
membership but to examine the balance among School representatives.

108 BUDGET CYCLE, FY96 (FACULTY RAISE STRATEGY)

RTA'd.

29 DEVELOPMENTAL LEAVES--SENATE POLICY

Publication of individual rankings for developmental leave cannot be
sustained under section 3A11 of the Open Records Act because this is
confidential information. Senate standing rules, Article IX, will be
amended to reflect this. RTA'd.

63 PARKING--WHAT TO DO WHEN THE PIT CLOSES?

88 restricted spaces will be lost in The Pit when closed for
construction. The Senate agreed to recommend that 44 should be allocated
to the Cogen parking lot and another 44 to the Sessoms lot by the tennis
courts, both of which contain restricted and other spaces at present. The
other spaces would be reduced in the two lots.

BRIEF REVIEW OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

39 SUMMER INSURANCE PAYMENTS (Early letters):

We seem to be stymied on this one. It is a low priority in F&SS.

44 FACULTY LOUNGE: Scratched from next year's agenda.

59 FACULTY DEVELOPMENTAL LEAVE REPORT: On hold.

67 SALARY COMPRESSION AND DIFFERENTIAL SALARIES:

Not on immediate list until more information received.

68 SENATE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD:

This will go forward.

70 FACULTY HANDBOOK REVISION--12TH ED.:

Copy will be in hand by Summer.

101 BUDGETING FACULTY SALARIES FOR SUMMER:

Continuing agenda item waiting for Summer Task Force report.

106 TRS AND MID-YEAR RAISES:

Constitutional question on whether mid-year raises can be granted
(previous contract makes this a "gift of public funds" which is questionable
legally). Waiting for ruling and language from State Attorney General and
SWT Attorney Fly.

120 PH.D. IN GEOGRAPHY:

Will be considered when it returns to Senate in fall.

123 RETENTION:

Senate will invite VPSA Studer back on a regular basis.

125 FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE (Early letter): Needs reexamination.

02 SENATE MINUTES OF 4/26/95

The minutes were approved.

The Senate gave a round of applause and thanks for their service to
Profs. Caruana and Davis who are retiring from the Senate and greeted
incoming Senators Deduck and Hunter. The Secretary was thanked for a
year's worth of minutes, which take hours. [Thanks also to the
career-ladder librarians who provided refreshments.]


EXPIRATION OF THE THIRTY-SIXTH SENATE at 5:10 p.m.

ORGANIZATION OF THE THIRTY-SEVENTH SENATE began at 5:17 p.m.

a. ELECTION OF OFFICERS

The Senate elected the following slate for the coming year:

Chair: Everette Swinney
Vice-Chair: Jon Bible
Secretary: Ramona Ford
Newsletter Editor: No editor appointed since minutes go out to all
on e-mail and this saves at least $100 a year in printing costs.
CoFGO: Pat Deduck and Diana Hunter, representatives

b. SCHEDULING SUMMER MEETINGS

Summer meetings will be the first Wednesday of each month:

June 7, July 5, and August 9, 1995, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:40 p.m.
Ramona Ford
Secretary