March 2016
March 2016
FACULTY REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY MEETING
March 11, 2016
Attendance: Pam Shockley-Zalabak, Terry Schwartz, Gary Reynolds, Kelli Klebe, Monique French, Barbara Prinari, Bita Rivas, Mark Malone, Tom Zwirlein, Ying Fan, Monica Yoo, Joe Wehrman, Pam Carter, Bret Windom, Ceil Malek, Suzanne Cook, Ann Amicucci, Stephen Carter, Cerian Gibbes, Valerie Brodar, Stephanie Spratt, Anna Kosloski, Norah Mazel, Catherine Grandorff, Dave Anderson, Jackie Berning, David Havlick
Call to Order / Approval of Minutes:
Motion to approve the minutes from February 12, 2016 meeting by Pam Carter
Seconded by Anna Kosloski
Motion passed with 15 in favor, 0 opposed and 3 abstentions
Reports of Visitors:
Pam Shockley-Zalabak, Chancellor:
We are doing every scientific test recommended for the Academic Office Building and we are taking this issue very seriously. There will be some shuffling of offices as well, but we are waiting to see the results of the testing of the air quality before we can make any more location assignments. We are working very diligently to find some answers in resolving these issues with the building quality. Legislative update – there were still attempts by the legislature to appropriate all fees on campus, which would not be good and would be bad public policy. Fortunately this did not make it out of committee. We have an elected Board of Regents who sets the tuition but cannot appropriate it. We are way under the legislative cap of 6%; our tuition will not even go up 4%. Hospital provider fee – Governor Ritter’s and Governor Owens’ attorneys have stated that it would be constitutional to move it to enterprise status; it is legal and other legal counsels have also verified it. However, no bill has been introduced yet and we have to plan for a $500,000 base cut. We have that money and we will not be cutting budgets. I had an open session with the faculty concerning the Provost search and received good feedback. Some desired qualities are commitment to shared governance, leadership, strong 2-way communication and good multi-disciplinary experience. We should be able to announce the members of the search committee after Spring Break and we will have other open forums. The search committee for the Vice Chancellor for Student Success is in place. The recruitment cycle for that position is very different, as opposed to the recruitment cycle for the academic position of the Provost. Later this afternoon we will have a meeting regarding internal and external communication strategies as well as marketing strategies for the graduate programs. We are concerned that in several programs we are now lower than we were in 2010. CU Denver had to take a $7 million cut in base budget due to declines that have not been addressed, so it is important for us to stay aware of what’s happening around us and address those issues. Some of this is due to the international market and geopolitical current situations. We are taking the Strategic Plan proposed revisions to the Board of Regents on the first week after Spring Break. As a reminder, we are only looking at items that need to be revised.
Gary Reynolds, Associate Vice Chancellor for Campus Planning & Facilities Management:
Here to report on some of the issues with the indoor air quality of the Academic Office Building. We recognize that the symptoms some of the building occupants are experiencing are very real and we have already done much testing. We have also made some changes and adjustments to the building. We have also engaged Dr. John Adgate with the Colorado School of Public Health, who is very experienced in indoor air quality and risk management and he is also working with Dr. Lee Newman, who is a medical doctor. We have sent communications to the building occupants and former occupants regarding the status of the building testing and informing them of what is being done in the process. Dr. Adgate has also agreed to anonymously interview anyone who has been experiencing physical symptoms in the building. We have also contacted the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, who has agreed to review the data we are collecting on the various tests. Dr. Jim Burkhart of our faculty has also presented some of his ideas concerning the issues, including testing some of the soil the building sits on. We will be doing further testing this month and sending out more e-mail communications to keep people informed. We will also be moving some offices around. We are taking a very serious approach to this situation.
Terry Schwartz, Interim Provost:
The draft of the HLC Assurance Argument will be distributed electronically to the faculty and staff early next week. Reviewing the content is very important and we need your feedback. Next week the guidelines for the RFP for the intercampus online undergraduate degree program grant will be released to all three campuses and we would like to see a strong proposal from UCCS.
Kelli Klebe, Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Faculty Development:
Here to discuss the investigation of claims of overreach by the IRB board; a summary report was sent as a memo attachment to February’s FA President’s Report. Due to a faculty complaint on this issue, we had several open forums and spent a great deal of time reading IRB protocols and emails to investigate this topic. There does not appear to be overreach, but there were many good ideas generated to improve the process. We are training our reviewers to focus on the risk aspects of the protocol and we are working on several of the suggestions for improving processes and procedures to clarify them. The latest versions are always posted online, so watch this website link for improvements.
Officer Reports:
Reports from Standing Committees:
EPUS:
Guidelines and Procedures for Research Misconduct Allegations
Personnel & Benefits:
Memo attachment
Faculty Advisory Committee on the Budget
Faculty Minority Affairs Committee
Teaching with Technology:
No report – have not met yet
Library:
Not present - no report
PRIDE:
Not present – no report
Misconduct in Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities :
No report – will meet after Spring Break
Reports from Representatives:
A. Spring Semester Conversations at Clyde’s:
1. Wednesday, March 30, 4:30pm – 6:30pm; Barbara Prinari, Bita Rivas, and Steve Carter are the coordinators.
2. Tuesday, April 26, 4:00pm – 6:00pm; Ann Amicucci, Cerian Gibbes, and Anna Kosloski are the coordinators.
3. Volunteers needed and date/time set for the week of May 9-13.
B. Other items: none
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
None
NEW BUSINESS
Motion 1 :
The Faculty Assembly Executive Committee moves to appoint Tom Huber as a UCCS member of the Privilege and Tenure Committee for a three-year term starting July 1, 2016 (2016-2019).
(Motion passed unanimously with 20 in favor, 0 opposed and 0 abstentions)
Motion 2 :
The Faculty Assembly Executive Committee moves to appoint Don Gardner as a UCCS member of the Privilege and Tenure Committee for a three-year term starting July 1, 2016 (2016-2019).
(Motion passed unanimously with 20 in favor, 0 opposed and 0 abstentions)
Motion 3 :
The Faculty Assembly Executive Committee moves to appoint David Fennel as a UCCS member of the Privilege and Tenure Committee for a three-year term starting July 1, 2016 (2016-2019).
(Motion passed unanimously with 20 in favor, 0 opposed and 0 abstentions)
Adjournment:
Motion to adjourn the Faculty Assembly Meeting by Norah Mazel
Seconded by Stephanie Spratt
Motion passed unanimously
Meeting adjourned at 1:57 p.m.