EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2001
3:00 P.M.
Approved Minutes
In attendance: Georgia Holmes, Dick Swanson, Paul Hustoles (recorder), Melodie Andrews, Mary Visser, Roger Severns, Barbara Keating, Gary Rushing, Don Larsson, Marilyn Montgomery, Gregg Marg, Winifred Mitchell, Steve Stoynoff, Steve Vassar; Phillip Goernert, Martin Mitchell, Nina LeNoir, Karen Willette-Murphy, Anne O’Meara.
Guests: Dave Abel,
John Parham, Steve Bohnenblust
1.
Meeting called to order at 3:04 p.m.
2.
Minutes of Executive Minutes November 1, 2001—Keating/M. Mitchell moved
to
approve. Passed.
3.
Call for Additional Items/Reordering of Agenda—none
4.
Web Page Information (Abel)—Abel mentioned that the state IFO office
has
a website that is very helpful and offered an example from Netscape
Composer
that was quite detailed for an MSU FA website including a very through
representation
of the organization. Abel encouraged
that there be a link from the university website to this homepage.
There are only two other FAs in the state with a website.
The site could even include a search engine.
We could have this up in the spring.
We could probably find a student to help us get this up.
5.
Confirm/Select/Replacements
6.
Appointments
7.
Agenda Items -Meet and Confer, Thursday, December 13, 2001@ 3:00 p.m.,
CSU
101 –AD Chair
8.
Reports
Documents--including
the FY 2001 and 2002 budgets--were distributed and discussed. These are
available,
if the Executive Committee wishes to review them.
In brief, the FY'02 M & E budget has been approved
by the
president. The 10% reduction
to the previous year's budget that was implemented at the beginning of
this
AY has been restored and the reduction to this year's budget represents
a
1/2 of 1% reduction across campus academic units.
As a part of the
directive the Legislature gave the MnSCU system office regarding
its $5 million reserve surplus, MSU will realize a one-time allocation
this
year of $482,000. However, this
allocation must be matched dollar for dollar by the institution through
outside
sources and dedicated to student instruction.
Donors' in-kind contributions constitute a match.
Budget savings that
accrued from the strike have been earmarked for the reserve.
The estimated gross savings to MSU prior to subtracting
any expenses associated with the strike (e.g., police contract,
employee overtime, etc.) may be as much as $500,000.
The system office has instructed campus presidents to increase
reserve accounts
to 5%-7% of their operating budgets.
Smith and Andersen promised to provide more specific figures for
the
savings realized from the strike at a future meeting.
Future budget
projections are predicated on enrollment growth of 2% per year
for the next few years. Healy
noted that it is unrealistic to expect the number of incoming Freshman
to
increase because we cannot accommodate any more without compromising
their
first year experience. Therefore, the university will need to emphasize
the
recruitment of transfer and graduate students in order to meet the 2%
growth
rate used in the budgeting process.
Budget committee
members present: Gary Hudson, Lou Schwartzkopf, Fred Slocum,
Steve Stoynoff (chair).
The next meeting is
scheduled for November 27 and the topic is the MnSCU
allocation model.
b.
Faculty
Development (Kent Kalm) The Faculty Development Committee is
reviewing
and discussing ten Teaching Scholar Fellowship Applications and will be
meeting
with the administrative team to make recommendations to VP Earley for
funding
of the applications. Kent Kalm
is also requesting that a replacement be found for him on this
committee.
New responsibilities have developed and he will not have
the necessary time available to continue with this committee and chair
responsibilities
.
c.
Faculty Improvement & Sabbatical (Steve Vassar) The Faculty
Improvement
and Sabbatical Sub Meet and Confer met on Nov. 16 to review and
recommend
sabbatical applications to the Vice President. All applications were
recommended.
Faculty Improvement Grant applications are due in the Dean's office by
Friday,
December 7.
d.
Graduate
(Phil Goernert)—no report.
e.
Planning (Martin Mitchell)—report distributed with recommendations from
the
Sub Meet that will be formalized on 12/4.
Basically this approach would suggest a down-up model
rather
than a top-down.
f.
Program Review & Assessment
(Nina LeNoir) – PR&A held an informational session on the
annual assessment
report process for those department members involved in reporting.
Approximately 30 faculty members attended.
Next submeet meeting will focus on the committee's
priorities
for next semester.
We are planning another workshop this spring
g.
Research
(Karen Willette-Murphy) – funded 6 of the 14 grants that were submitted.
We are trying to fund a seventh but are awaiting word
from
VP Earley. We are suggesting
that this is initial funding in hopes that applicants will seek
additional
funding elsewhere. But this
money should really be geared to first timers.
h.
Under.
Curriculum & Academic Policy (Anne O’Meara)—the flood of proposals
are
in.
i.
Unit Representatives (Rushing; Larsson; Elliott; Browne; Montgomery;
Marg;
W. Mitchell)
—no reports
j.
Negotiator (John Parham)—We didn’t settle.
The last session was a three-day session.
We are trying to figure out the bottom line.
We are not that far apart on money but they won’t admit
how
much money they have. Incoming
salary caps were discussed as well as teaching loads.
They did ask us if we wanted the Chancellor to attend.
We said no but he came anyway.
We are concerned about the Government’s budget memo but
this
is not really a surprise. We
also believe that there are contract violations on every campus
regarding
the summer 10-week session issue.
Marg: How do we have our insurance information without being part of
the
bargaining coalition? State
IFO did enter a letter of agreement.
We cannot negotiate health coverage specifically.
But we would love to get them to contribute some dollars
to
a pre-tax health plan. W. Mitchell:
What about the retirement health plan—would this be mandatory?
Yes, it is federal law.
Severance pay could possibly be used for this.
There are no new negotiating sessions set up at this
time.
We are interested in seeing if the Board passes tuition
increases.
k.
Parking
Advisory Representative (Steve Bohnenblust)—by 6 to 1 vote (including
support
from the student residence hall representative), what is currently gold
parking
will now be only for faculty and staff.
Faculty will have priority, then unsold slots will go to
off-campus
students. This is not a done
deal until the President approves.
This will take care of availability.
We have also proposed a trade of some gold in lot 18 for
lot
13 spots. The cost is another
issue. We are trying to get
a freeze on gold costs. The
students may suggest that green rise to $175.
Can we have spots for new faculty?
The big question is how long can we afford to wait
before you
open the spots up?
l.
Grievance (Dick Swanson)—There is a roster issue that is at the state
level.
The grievance regarding the Aviation Program is now at
the
state level. This program is
probably dead. Parents and students
are very angry. The contract
is a mess. The Administration
has mishandled this from the beginning.
What is the status of the internal audit?
That is still up in the air.
We need to be concerned that MnSCU is now investigating
some
teaching practices. We should
remind Dr. Wisen about our student complaint policy.
We need to be very vigilant about this.
We should ask that the latest version be distributed to
Chairs.
m.
State IFO
(Roger Severns; Mary Visser; Barbara Keating)—this is
Visser’s
last meeting and she wished us all well…to our kudos and applause for
her
good work.
9.
Discussion Items
Draft Commentary Regarding Graduate School
Memo Dated 09/09/01 (M. Mitchell)—previously
distributed
10.
Appointments/Replacement
Needed
11.
Information
Items:
a.
Open House FA Office – Wednesday, December 5, 2001 from 10:00 a.m. to
2:00
p.m. – 240B Morris Hall
b.
Executive Committee Retreat –Wednesday,
January 09, 2002 @8:15 a.m. – Old Main Village
c.
Next Executive Meeting – Thursday, January 17, 2002 @3:00 p.m. – CSU 204
d.
Next Meet & Confer – Thursday February 07, 2002@ 3:00 p.m.,
(FA Chair)
The meeting was
adjourned
at 4:42 P.M.
Paul J. Hustoles
Recording Secretary