May 2025

 

UCCS Faculty Representative Assembly Meeting

Friday May 9, 2025

 

Attendance:  Joel Tonyan (President), David Havlick (President Elect), Monica Yoo (Past President), Kylie Rogalla (Secretary), Jennifer Sobanet, Lynn Vidler, Kathy Kaodis, Laura Austin-Eurich, Melissa Benton, Dylan Harris, Cathy Simmons, Les Tekamp, Douglas Risser, Sara Hagedorn, Todd Endres, Assma Sawani, Robert Mitchell, Henriikka Weir, Markus Moeder-Chandler, Margaret Harris, Marina Eckler, Aaron Corcoran, Michelle Dorne, Gabriel Martinez Mercier, Catherine Simmons, Rosely Conz, Matthew Beckwith, Douglas Risser, Colin Mahoney, Suman Lakkakula, Zhe Li, Evan Taparata, David Weiss, Jian Ma, David Moon, Birgitta de Pree, Gordon Stringer, Jennifer Zhon, Janet Giddings, Mark Ferguson, Solveig Olsen, David Anderson, Jena McCollum, Jon Forshee, Karin Larkin, Norah Mazel, Julie Torres, Emily Mooney, Suzanne Cook, Robin Kempf, Robert Mitchel

 

Call to Order / Approval of Minutes

Motion to approve April 11, 2025

           Moved by: Les Tekamp | Seconded by: David Weiss | Vote: Last Meeting Minutes Approved

 

Reports of Visitors:

Jennifer Sobanet, Chancellor - Presented by Interim Provost Lynn Vidler

  • Acknowledged the challenges of the semester and thanked faculty for their engagement.
  • Federal Transition: We plan to continue to have discussions in the Fall and will continue to give updates through the Federal Transition website.
  • One-Time Funded Items: Will start the conversation about these items and will have a systematic way to guide us in these conversations.
  • Differentiator Model: Working to id and put resources toward what makes UCCS unique
  • Strategic Enrollment Management Plan: Just has been shared and is starting to be implement as we work to get students here and to help them be successful.
  • Commencement is Next Friday! Come celebrate our students together!
  • Highlighted the importance of communication over the summer regarding budget decisions. 

 

Lynn Vidler, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

  • Appreciates the collaboration with everyone as they transitioned into this position
  • Provided update on HLC Accreditation preparations for April 2027. David Moon will be helping lead this process. Putting together committees to prepare for this accreditation
  • Discussed merit reviews for faculty who may have been impacted by the federal transition. Over the summer, RPT items will be reviewed so that grant issues can be mentioned. Tenure Clock-Stops are not under our control at the campus level although this is being discussed with system. Through the new section, Regent Policy 5.D.1.C, the President can give the Chancellor permission to grant clock stops and as of today, that has been authorized. Likely, the clock-stops will be more specific/targeted. If you are interested in this, please reach out to your Dean.
  • Revitalization Fellowship Grants: The Office of Research along with the Office of Strategic Initiatives is giving an opportunity for faculty to apply for internal funding. The goal is to provide flexible funding for the purpose of revitalization or shifting research/scholarly/creative agendas in the wake of the federal transition.
  • Dean/AA Searches: All new Dean appointments will be announced at the same time. Surveys open for the candidates for the Faculty Affairs Office position.
  • Excited to have the policies coming to a vote today. Encouraged to discuss the policies before voting on them today. 

Kathy Kaoudis, Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance

  • Reported on the successful Sustainability Summit.
  • Discussed budget projections including a $6 million deficit and plans to address the gap after the Long Budget Bill is officially signed. We are finalizing gap plans now and will provide information by the end of May. You can review all regent approved fees/budget consideration in this Communique Article.
  • Paving a sidewalk to the dirt lot from Alpine Garage. This was paid through a grant that was received.
    • Question: For the merit pool next year, is it contingent on SCH or revenue or head count?
      • Contingent on $1.5 million in new enrollment revenue. Can come from retention, new students, and transfer students. 

Robin Parent, Vice Chancellor of Strategic Initiatives and Chief of Staff

  • Provided update on international student visa reinstatements. Working with them to support them with their continued studies
  • The 15% NSF FA cap has a legal retraining order put against similar to other FA caps. Hopeful that it will be granted.
  • Federal Transition Taskforce: Has been meeting regularly and has been addressing the information that we have been receiving from faculty members. Please continue to send information into that group. An Undocumented FCQ has been released specifically for student guidance.
  • CU Gov Affairs is keeping an eye on the federal budget bill. Will have a better idea in July on this
  • The candidates for the VC for Advancement for Engagement were on campus this week. Please completely those surveys before they close. 

 

Report of the President – Joel Tonyan

  • Elections: Results are in! All constitutional changes have passed.
  • Thanks for your work this year. I appreciate everyone coming together for these meeting and helping each other through this time. 

 

Report of the President-Elect – David Havlick

  • Had meeting about the hotel/conference center. Reach out to me for the full minutes on this meeting. Dylan Harris was also included in this meeting

 

Report of the Past-President – Monica Yoo

  • Congrats to everyone that has been elected. Thank you FA for this year. I will be off of the Executive Committee but will be a COE rep. 

 

Committee Reports

 

Representative Reports

  • No New Reports

 

New Business

Guest 1: Anna Kosloski - Federal Transition & Impact

  1. Federal Transition Listening Session Report
    1. Anns Kosloski shared insights from recent listening sessions. Faculty expressed concerns about workload, protections, and multi-year contracts. The need for clear communication and support was emphasized

Guest 2: Professional Rights & Responsibilities (PRR) - David Moon

  • Professional Rights & Responsibilities Post EPUS Document
    • This has become linked with the Grievance Policy. It will need to be approved before the Grievance Policy can be approved. Not brought to a vote today but will be brought in early Fall.
      • Question: With budget cuts, would this document be where we discuss being paid for more work that is being done to deal with those cuts?
        • This is just about what happens in the classroom. That might be addressed in the Differentiated Workload? 

Motion to extend the meeting by 10 minutes | Moved by Les TeKamp | Seconded by David Weiss | Approved

Discussion #3: Differentiated Workload Policy - David Moon

  • Differentiated Workload Policy
    • This policy has been in the works and reviewed multiple times on multiple levels. This is a policy that is required by system and we are actually a year late in implementing it. After being heavily reviewed, hopefully all of the pain points have been worked out so that a department/college isn't forced to do something that doesn't make sense.
  • Motion #1: Vote for approval of the Differentiated Workload Policy
    • Moved: Joel Tonyan
    • Seconded: Les TeKamp
      • Yes: 28 | No: 1 | Abstain: 1
  • Motion Passes by Majority Vote

Discussion #4: Department Chair Responsibilities Guidelines

 

Motion to Adjourn

Les Tekamp motioned to end the meeting; Dylan Harris seconded; passed. 

Last Meeting of the 24/25 Academic Year