September 2006

September 2006

September 2006

Faculty Representative Assembly Meeting

September 8, 2006

 

Attendance: Tom Napierkowski, Bob Durham, Ron Fitz, Pam Carter, Soo Young So, Pamela Shockley, Jackie Berning, James Stevens, Jim Henderson, Kelli Klebe, Brian Burnett, Glenda Reimer, Livia Gilstrap, Sue Byerley, James Null, Judith rice Jones, Edwardo Portillos, Susan Szpyrka, Tom Zwirlein

 

Call to Order / Approval of Minutes:

 

Motion to approve the minutes from May 2006 by Pam Carter

Seconded by Tom Zwirlein

Motion passed unanimously.

 

Reports of Visitors:

Pam Shockley:
Next May our campus will present our comprehensive strategic plan to the Board of Regents.  The Blue Ribbon Commission is developing a new diversity plan that will be more comprehensive. In addition, a new sustainability plan is in the works that will focus not just on buildings but also on the curriculum. The facilities strategic plan also needs to be completed. All of these plans will be integrated into the comprehensive plan.

 

We are launching two salary groups, one for faculty and one for PESA, to put into the planning process over a period of five years to balance uncompensated merit with the salary pool. The groups will include representatives from Personnel and Benefits, Faculty Assembly, the Budget Advisory Committee and EPUS.

 

A new Task Force has been appointed to deal with issues regarding military students and deployment. Jenenne Nelson has agreed to chair the group.

 

Brian Burnett: The Dwire project is going very well. The recreation center is also moving along nicely. The contractor for the rec center, Adolfson Peterson Construction, specializes in recreation centers for colleges and universities. Both buildings should be complete and open by next fall. The Science and Engineering building has significant cost pressures. The cost of copper is up 60% along with rising cost of other materials. The Regents have approved extending the budget to 53.1M.

 

Susan Szpyrka is the new Associate Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance. Vickie Hilty is the new Compliance Officer for the campus, Julie Heintz will move over to the Human Resources and HR will be more consolidated, handling all employee and faculty records.

 

 

 

Jim Henderson: Anthony Cordova is the new director of Student Multi-Cultural Affairs and Outreach. His office will be moved to University Center in the area that is now the TV lounge. This area of the UC will be remodeled to create the office space as well as space for the TV lounge.

 

The office for Veterans and Military Student Affairs has been in the planning stages for several months. The funding and approval for it came together about a month ago. It will be an expansion of the Veteran Affairs office that is now located on the first floor of Main Hall. We hope to have more classes on Ft. Carson through extended studies. Dana Rocha will be the director of this office.

 

Peg Bacon: The search for the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs will be announced this week. The academic strategic plan that Roger Redding started last year will continue to be fleshed out this year.

 

Betty Trout-Kelly from the Office of Diversity has decided teach in the College of Education. Kee Warner has stepped in to guide the strategic planning process for diversity on the campus.

 

A BA in Criminal Justice was approved by the Regents and will be up and running by next fall.  The regents have also approved a Doctorate of Nursing Practice.  UBAC is studying a proposal for a bachelor?s degree in innovation.

 

In response to the tenure report, departments will be asked to review their tenure criteria. Faculty will be encouraged to discuss some of the highlights in the report, especially the notion of faculty work at a retreat that will be scheduled for January.

 

The North Central Association reaccreditation visit will be November 13-15. The final draft is the NCA report is in the works now. Forums will be scheduled to inform faculty about key issues in advance of the review. The accreditation team will want to talk to faculty governance during their visit.

 

 

Susan Szpyrka

ENT Federal Union is now the campus bank. ENT is located in the University Center under the stairs by the front desk; there is an ATM in Columbine Hall, and when the recreation center is complete another ATM will be located there. ENT is offering a debit card called the Mountain Lion Card. ENT wants to make the card available to all faculty, staff and students sometime in September.

 

Officer Reports (system wide):

 

President's Report attached

The faculty assembly will be soliciting nominations for six positions. We need one from College of Ed, two from College of Business and three at large positions. Please talk to colleges and get volunteers.

 

Vice President's Report

He is very interested in the salary issues related to faculty. There has been too much taken for granted in faculty governance in the last few years. If you have ideas pertaining to these issues he welcomes your comments.

 

Past President's Report

No Report

 

Reports From Standing Committees:

 

EPUS: Report

Meeting next week attached

 

Finance

No Report

 

Personnel and Benefits

No meeting yet

 

Minority Affairs Committee

Minutes attached

 

Women's Committee

No Report

 

Academic Computing

MinutesPay for Print Report

 

Non Tenured Track Faculty

Minutes

 

Research Council

No Report

 

Library

Scheduled to meet this month a new chair is to be elected

 

Teaching Excellence Committee

No Report

 

Sustainability Committee

Minutes

 

Athletic Department

No Report

 

OLD BUSINESS

All FCQ summaries are currently on file in the Library and can be viewed by anyone who asks to see them. Boulder wants to put the results of FCQ?s online.

 

It was suggested that guidelines accompany the results explaining how to read the FCQ. A discussion about who and why needs to see the results, and how much authority the faculty has to restrict or extend the distribution of the FCQ ensued. It was generally felt that FCQ?s are now being used for reasons beyond the original purpose which was to get feedback on teaching.

 

Tom Zwirlein made a motion to suspend the rules until we can discuss the policy further. Jim Null seconded the motion. The assembly vote was unanimous to suspend the rules.

 

Tom Zwirlein entered a motion to continue to only provide the FCQ in paper form at the library only. Bob Durham seconded this motion. The assembly vote was unanimous to provide the FCQ in paper form at the library only.

 

The Tenure Report: The report made 39 recommendations for improvement in the tenure process. The recommendations were reviewed by a committee established by the Academic Planning Working Group. The chairs of the campus assemblies and EPUS meet five times this summer to go over the 39 recommendations. The committee has gone back to General Estes with some concerns about the recommendations. The policies will come back to the campus for review.

 

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

 

Adjournment:

 

Motion to adjourn the Faculty Assembly Meeting

Motion passed unanimously.

Meeting adjourned at 2.00 pm.