Minutes of the Faculty Senate
September 11, 2008
Robert C. Voight Faculty Senate Chambers
3:30 p.m. – 325 Graff Main Hall
I. Roll Call.
Present: M. Abler, R. Ahmed, J. Anderson, S. Brokaw, D. Buffton, V. Crank, G. Cravins, S. Crutchfield, L. Dickmeyer, T. Gendreau, J. Heim, J. Holman, D. Hoskins, R. LeDocq, A. Loh, C. Miller, P. Miller, J. Miskowski, B. Riley, S. Shillinger, D. Sullivan, B. Udermann, B. Van Voorhis
Absent: A. Olson
II. The minutes of April 24, 2008 (43rd FS) and May 8, 2008 (42nd FS) were approved.
III. Reports.
A. Chair’s Report
SEC reviewed plans and priorities for the year, and committee charge letters will be in the mail shortly. The chair provided an orientation to new faculty this summer, participated in an ad hoc committee on the UW-L mission statement, and kept updated on the Budget Council (headed by Bob Hetzel) meetings over the summer. Planning for UW-L’s Centennial year (09-10) has begun, and the campus is preparing for SIS and PeopleSoft changes that will be ongoing this year.
Senate Priorities for this year include the following:
1. Strengthen and protect faculty governance
2. Improve communication—between senate and faculty
3. Make Senators and SEC members more accessible
4. Continue to monitor and discuss assessment issues
5. Continue to review and troubleshoot issues related to PeopleSoft implementation
6. Coordinate with the administration on various projects
The roles of the Faculty Senate were described.
1. to represent its constituents; members are obliged to learn and act upon the wishes of the faculty bodies that they have been elected to represent
2. to be involved in issues of an academic nature; members are obliged to bring concerns with such issues before the Senate
3. to deliberate and decide on academic policies and programs; the Senate was urged to treat reporting committee members and other committee proposals with respect.
B. Chancellor’s Report
The Chancellor opened the floor for questions.
1. What happened to the Scholarship component of GQA?
Our GQA budget allowed 1/3 funds for financial aid and 2/3 for hiring. Subsequently, the Regents approved our tuition plan, and then asked that we use the GQA 2/3 for financial aid rather than hiring. This transfer of funds has been held up in the legislature, and we currently await the approval of a current System budget proposal that includes the transfer of this 2/3 GQA funds to financial aid, along with a request for more financial aid money.
2. What’s the origin of this year’s changes in the UW-L budget process?
Internal budget matters have not been well handled in the past; money was being spent without a budget. This will stop. Bob Hetzel is working with JPB to improve the process. Several open house meetings on the budget will be held to answer questions about this and other budget issues.
3. Some have questions about our reconfiguration of diversity offices.
JMAC, the Campus Climate Council and others met over the summer and decided to try a new approach to organizing our diversity offices. There are more dollars now in diversity than there were before. This is not a dismantling of diversity efforts. Barbara Stewart will coordinate all these activities. If we want a full time Affirmative Action Officer, we must find the money (Al Thompson held a 1/2-time AAO position). An option is to ask JBP to use GQA staff money to fund the increase in the position.
4. Has there been any talk about restructuring the colleges?
The Provost reported that nothing has been done yet. We want to revise our mission statement first, then work on strategic planning afterwards.
[Item IV. on the agenda was taken up out of order.]
IV. Centennial Campaign Update: Al Trapp, Development Officer UW-L Foundation.
Al Trapp and gave an update on the Foundation’s fundraising efforts.
The Foundation has achieved pledges of $16.6 million for the sports complex, which is the total needed for phase 1 of the project. Fundraising for phase 2. will not go forward in order to prioritize the academic building. The Foundation needs to raise $6 million to get the state’s promised $38 million for the academic building. $2,370,000 has currently been raised, and they will meet bankers on Sept. 19 to seek a letter of credit to cover the $6 million pledge goal by Nov. 30. 36.7% of UW-L employees have contributed to Comprehensive Centennial Campaign, 37% of which is designated for academic building.
[Return to item III. Reports.]
C. Faculty Representative’s Report
No report.
D. Student Representative’s Report
Eric Fuhrman, Shared Governance Director for the Student Governance Association, reported that the SGA was working on free bus services to sports events in Winona, and that a Green Fund had been initiated.
IV. Introduction: Kathleen Enz Finken, Provost/Vice-Chancellor.
Some major initiatives for this year were outlined:
A. Deans searches
The CLS Dean Search Committee meets Sept. 12 to choose a chair and finish paperwork. The job announcement for the SAH Dean’s position will be published shortly.
Bob Hoar will discuss the Mission survey at the next Senate meeting. A committee will be formed to begin revising the current statement. Then strategic planning can commence.
Approximately 48 positions are in the works, with supplies and equipment, search and
screen, and startup funds attached. The goal is to bring down the student/faculty ratio with these positions. Additional instructional dollars will come as well to help bring that ratio down.
Planning has begun to create a centralized teacher-support services unit, which would include CATL, Writing Emphasis/Writing Across the Curriculum, Assessment, Online Instruction, an Instructional Designer, and a Multicultural Curriculum Infusion Advisor. This would help new faculty with course development/curricular design, etc.
V. Briefing: 23rd National Conference on Undergraduate Research, April 16-18, 2009 - UW-La Crosse
Gubbi Sudhakaran (NCUR Chair), Bill Schwan (Co-Chair of the Program Committee), and Ronda Knox (Chair of the Communications Committee) reported on conference planning. 50 classrooms have been selected for the conference sessions. Department chairs were made aware of the exact rooms in August, and e-mails will be sent to each instructor whose room will be affected. Plenaries will be held at the REC; poster sessions will be held at the Fieldhouse; lunch for 3,000 faculty and students will be provided in the gymnasium. The abstract submission site will open on Oct. 1, with a Dec. 1 deadline. The registration fee is reduced for UW-L students, and plenary sessions are free to UW-L faculty, instructors, and students. Volunteers are needed to moderate panels and to complete other tasks. Contact Ronda or Bill to volunteer.
VII. Nominees to the Search/Screen Committee for the Affirmative Action Officer
Sandra Krajewski
Victor Macías-González
Bart VanVoorhis
M/S/P to approve the nominees.
VIII. Senate Executive Committee Nominations.
M/S/P to suspend the bylaws of the GEC to allow Tom Pribek to be an extra member of the committee for one semester.
The Apportionment Committee needs a member.
MSP to accept the nominations as presented, all except the JPC.
MSP to accept the nominees for JPC [recognizing that Lalita Pandit’s resigned position will be filled at a later date].
Gwen Achenreiner
Tom Kernozek
Bruce Riley
Kim Vogt
1-yr replacements
Carol Miller (replaces Heim)
Gubbi Sudhakaran (replaces Hoar)
2008-2009 Joint Promotion Committee
3-yr terms
Gwen Achenreiner
Tom Kernozek
Bruce Riley
Kim Vogt
2-yr continuing terms
Roger Haro
Sharon Jessee
Aaron Monte
Ronda Smith
1-yr continuing term
Carol Miller (replaces Heim)
Rick Mikat
Lalita Pandit (resigned)—will need to be filled later
Gubbi Sudhakaran (replaces Hoar)
Joe Anderson (CLS) – Associate
Eric Kraemer (CLS) – Professor
Mark Gibson (SAH) – Assistant
2008-2009 Consultative Layoff Committee
3-yr terms
Joe Anderson (CLS) – Associate
Eric Kraemer (CLS) – Professor
Mark Gibson (SAH) – Assistant
2-year continuing terms
Paul Keaton (CBA) – Associate
Sandra Krajewski (CLS) – Professor
Gwyn Straker (SAH) – Assistant
1-year continuing term
Joe Heim, Convener (CLS) – Professor
Keith Sherony (CBA) – Professor
Mary Tollefson (CLS) – Associate
George Arimond
Elise Denlinger
Kerrie Hoar
David Howard, Convener
Melissa Wallace
Tom Pribek
Steve Brokaw, Convener
Virginia Crank
Tom Gendreau
Adrienne Loh
Carol Miller
Joe Anderson, Convener
Linda Dickmeyer
Brian Udermann
Mike Abler
Mike Haupert
Kim Vogt
Renee Redman
Paul Keaton – alternate
IX. Old Business.
X. New Business.
XI. Adjournment.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:45 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Susan Crutchfield