November 2009

FACULTY REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY MEETING

November 13, 2009

Attendance: Jackie Berning, Andrew Czaplewski, Brian Burnett, David Moon, Jim Knull, Pam Carter, Suzanne Cook, Peggy Beranek, Morgan Shepherd, Tabatha Farney, Catherine Kelly, Sylvia Martinez, Dorothea Olkowski, Tom Napierkowski, Andrea Hutchins, Bob Durham, Michele Companion, Roger Sambrook, Mariyam Thohira, Andrew Ketsdever, Eddie Portillos, Ron Fitz

Call to Order / Approval of Minutes:

Motion to approve the minutes from October 9, 2009 meeting by Pam Carter
Seconded by Michele Companion
Motion passed unanimously

Reports of Visitors:

David Moon:
The campus initiatives the Leadership Team has introduced to help address the budget issues are all in progress.  Academic Affairs is heading the Academic Innovations Teams and a list of those five task forces and their members was distributed to the assembly.  All of these task forces are now established and are currently meeting to discuss their missions; however, it is still possible to volunteer to participate.

The Strategic Enrollment Management initiative is now becoming more public and transparent in their work progression.  There are two sub-groups; Steve Ellis is in charge of the Student Success group and David Moon is in charge of the Academic Affairs group.  Their main focus is the admissions and retention process.  A campus presentation was given at the Forum on Friday, 11/06/09.  The larger overall SEM group is headed by the Chancellor and will meet on Monday, 11/16/09.

The recommendation for wrap-around Monday has been incorporated.  The Spring exam schedule will now be similar to the Fall exam schedule.  {The issue being that since Spring semester starts on Tuesday, exams started on Tuesday and would wrap around to the following Monday for Monday classes so that Monday would stand alone after the weekend for only those exams.}

Brian Burnett:
The Regents met this week for enrollment and budget discussions.  All CU campuses are up in enrollments, with UCCS up the highest.  With Veterans’ Day this month, we have 530 veterans and dependents on our campus and there are 1200 system-wide.

The Event Center is progressing on schedule for a January 2010 opening and the Science building renovation is also on schedule for an August 2010 re-opening.  The women’s soccer team made the playoffs.

A compromise was reached in the Austin Bluffs truck route discussion allowing medium-size trucks to use Austin Bluffs Parkway.  UCCS did not want any through truck traffic on the parkway for safety reasons and the trucking industry did not want any limits on trucks, including over-the-road 18 wheelers, but there will not be any 18 wheelers allowed and the decision will be revisited in a year with a formal report to City Council.

An article in The Denver Post concerning the balancing act on the state budget was distributed to the assembly.  This is a very challenging issue and the state still has not bottomed out yet.  Governor Ritter told state lawmakers that no department will be left untouched, including proposed cuts to public education.  State funding may be reduced by as much as 60 percent or $10 million for UCCS; an amount which federal stimulus funds are being used for to backfill the budget.  However, federal stimulus funds are set to expire and may be depleted in as little as 15 months.  Thus, the “cliff effect” is steeper than originally thought and is also coming sooner.

In order to help increase our revenues, we need 3 years in a row of 6% enrollment growth, but this is not likely.  There is a pattern of normal fluctuation in enrollment of high – low, high – low.  There has also been some discussion of state contributions to PERA being reduced by 2 ½ %.  In order to make up for this shortfall, PERA employees would take a 2 ½% “pay cut” whereby that money would be put into their personal PERA accounts.

Steve Linhart:
As the Executive Director of Student Support and Judicial Affairs, Steve discussed classroom conduct and disruption in the classroom.  The Dean of Students’ office does have a Student Code of Conduct, which follows criminal statutes in the state of Colorado.  There is also a Disruptive Classroom Behavior policy in place which was established in 2003.  Any corrective student action only goes on their academic record if they are suspended or expelled.  It is recommended that faculty put rules of conduct in their course syllabus, which acts as a contract with students.  It is also recommended that the Dean of Students’ office distribute a conduct tip sheet to new faculty.  For any students who pose an immediate threat to themselves or others, please be sure to contact the Student Response Team for assistance.  The Student Response Team consists of Steve Linhart; Benek Altayli, Director of University Counseling; and Jim Spice, Chief of Police in Public Safety.

Officer Reports:

President’s Report
Report attached

Vice-President’s Report
No report

Past President’s Report
Jackie Berning mentioned that Steve Ellis will work with any faculty member who needs assistance with wrap-around Monday scheduling.  She also said that the President’s Task Force on Efficiency has really been working on cutting the multitude of Academic Policy Statements.

Reports from Standing Committees:

EPUS Report:
Report attached – the Course Forgiveness Policy has been shelved

Personnel & Benefits:
No report – no one present

Faculty Advisory Committee on the Budget:
Bob Durham said that UBAC did not meet.

Minority Affairs Committee:
Report attached – New Faculty Reception on 10/23/09 not as well attended this year.

Women’s Committee:
FAWC put out a call for proposals and have received them; FAWC have concerns about the lack of transparency in selecting/adding people to committees.

Non-Tenure Track Faculty:
Report attached

Academic Computing:
No Report

Library:
Report attached - Committee has met twice this semester; they are focusing on making the library more accessible and user-friendly with improved signage.

Intercollegiate Athletics:
No report – no one present

Sustainability:
No report – no one present

PRIDE:
No report – no one present

OLD BUSINESS

None

NEW BUSINESS

None

MOTIONS

None

Adjournment:

Motion to adjourn the Faculty Assembly Meeting by Jackie Berning
Seconded by Jim Null
Motion passed unanimously
Meeting adjourned at 1:33 p.m.