University of North Carolina at Asheville FACULTY SENATE MEETING Minutes, February 10, 1994 Senate Members: S. Browning, P. Caulfield, F. Davenport, M. Gillum, C. Goedsche, G. Henderson, C. James, P. McDonald, M. L. Manns, B. Miller, P. Nickless, P. Snoyer, A. Wengrow, B. Yearout, T. Cochran Excused: D. Mullen Visitors: C. Bennett, C. Ewing, N. Kauffman I.A. Call to Order Dr. Browning, Faculty Senate Chair, welcomed faculty and guests to the meeting and called the meeting to order at 3:20 pm. Dr. Browning revised the agenda to accommodate Dr. Cochran's schedule. II. Administrative Report Dr. Tom Cochran, Interim VCAA, gave the Administration Report. Update on Long Range Planning GA has instructed UNCA to begin updating the University's long range plan. With the exception of planning conducted a couple of years ago to obtain a Liberal Arts classification, UNCA has not updated the typical long range plan in four or five years. Updates normally occur biennially. Dr. Alan Hantz has been asked to shepherd the project, which will require incorporating discussions held last summer with members of the Senate, UPC, and Administrative Council on goals set for this year. The only major request will likely be from the Environmental Quality Institute (EQI) to make a formal request to be established as a research center. In response to Dr. James' question, Dr. Cochran stated that Mossbauer is an example of a research institute; EQI does not have this designation. Because of EQI's increasing activity, especially contract-related work, it seems appropriate to give it a more formalized status. The new status would not change the activity. There is also some exploration being initiated about a possible new interdisciplinary degree program called Multimedia. MIT initiated this program which is a combination of man and machine, how the two work together, and how to use one to enhance the other. Dean Brock, Bob Yearout, Alan Hantz, Cynthia Ho, Chuck Bennett, Mark West, Robert Tynes, and Alan Combs are looking into the program. Dr. Cochran stated that it is an idea worth discussing and now, when a university updates the long range plan, is the time to explore new programs. Ms. Snoyer asked if UNCA's long range plan tied in with the SAC report or capital campaign drives. Dr. Cochran stated that ideally the long range plan should be based on SAC information because that is a thorough, intensive audit. The University should begin shaping fundraising plans, improvement plans, and facilities plans from the SAC information. Recruitment Dr. Cochran reported at the last meeting that UNCA has reduced its request for FTE students from 2,650 to 2,617 for next year. This impacts the budget in two ways: (1) it reduces operating budget increases and , (2) reduces the number of faculty positions. UNCA was originally recruiting this year on the assumption of three positions. This now reduces that assumption to one net new position for next year. This will impact current searches that are underway. Several departments are ready to make offers; it will probably be necessary to put a contingency clause in the offers. Most of this is a result of UNCA not being able to meet its enrollment targets. The old target was 2,650 and this year UNCA's FTE was 2,473. The new target of 2,617 is an ambitious goal to achieve. Both the Literature and History departments are prepared to make offers. The Biology department position will now be a replacement as opposed to a new position; Dr. Comer was on leave for a year and will not be returning. In response to Dr. Miller's question regarding decreased enrollments, Dr. Cochran stated that UNCA brought in a few more Freshman but a substantial percentage (5%) of continuing students did not return. Consequently, all enrollment projections for this fall were suddenly off by 4-5%. The new enrollment target will require an increase of 120 additional students. The impact on current profile remains to be seen; it will likely impact the profile slightly by decreasing SAT scores and class rank profile. Departmental Searches Dr. Cochran is chair of the Music Chair search as well as the new women's basketball coach. Other departments looking for replacements include: Management, Drama, Chemistry (2), and Education. The Sociology department has filled their two replacements. Task Force Assignment Based on APC's review of The Report on the Status of People of Color and Women at UNCA, and a request from the Faculty Senate, Dr. Cochran has formed a Task Force to study the presence of minorities in academic majors. The Task Force is composed of Randy Booker, Carolyn Briggs, Heidi Kelley, Don Lisnerski, and Dwight Mullen. Dr. Mullen has been asked to serve as chair and convene the first meeting. The Task Force has a deadline of April 15, 1994 to submit their findings to the Faculty Senate. Budget The February budget reports should be released soon. Dr. Cochran will review the remaining reserves in 101 as departments are beginning to feel the pinch and copy budgets are nearly depleted. Additional funds will be placed in the departmental budgets to offset telephone charges which have been moved to the departmental level. Questions Dr. Henderson stated that it seemed that several people named to the Task Force were on the Minority Affairs Commission; but from comments at the last meeting, Commission members were overburdened. It was Dr. Cochran's understanding that this group was quite willing to take on this project. Dr. Henderson stated that at the last meeting the Senate discussed the fact that more issues were raised in the Report than just the matter of majors. Also, Dr. Browning had previously asked Dr. Wilson if the administration had moved on anything regarding the Report and it was to be taken to the then-chancellor. On October 14, 1993, the IDC responded to the Report and asked the Commission to develop recommendations based upon its findings and to present the recommendations to the Faculty Senate. Dr. Henderson stated that she was again asking that the recommendations made by the UPC be addressed, not just those from APC. Dr. Cochran asked Dr. Browning to communicate this to Dr. Mullen as he was chair of the Minority Affairs Commission as well as the Task Force. Dr. Mullen was out of town and unable to attend the meeting. Tenure Committee Replacement In adherence to the Faculty Handbook, Dr. Ted Uldricks was the next eligible person to replace Mr. Arnold Wengrow on the Tenure Committee. Dr. Uldricks has been notified and agreed to serve on the committee. III. Announcements A. Election of Alternate to Replace Mr. Arnold Wengrow Dr. Browning stated that Mr. Arnold Wengrow had resigned from the Faculty Senate last week; the Executive Committee met and accepted his resignation. Mr. Wengrow also resigned from the Tenure Committee and the UNCA Foundation Board. In accordance with the Constitution, the senators voted to elect an alternate to fill Mr. Wengrow's unexpired term. The remaining 1993-94 alternates are: Chuck Bennett and Nancy Kauffman. Dr. Nancy Kauffman was elected to fill Mr. Wengrow's term and will serve on UPC. Dr. Browning welcomed Dr. Kauffman to the Senate. B. Memorandum One On February 13, 1992, the Senate asked Dr. Wilson if he could find Memorandum One, wherein President Spangler directed the institutional chancellors to make average faculty salary ranges across the state available to faculty. At the March 1992 meeting Dr. Wilson stated he was unable to locate Memorandum One but would request a copy when he was in Chapel Hill the following week. Dr. Cochran will report on the status of this document at the next Senate meeting. IV. Report on the Chancellor's Search The search committee has received 245 applications and has narrowed the list to less than 15 candidates. The committee will narrow the list further, conduct off-campus interviews, then make another round of cuts. Site visits will then be conducted and tentative plans are to have on-campus visits in March. The pool of candidates is strong and very diverse. Dr. Browning hopes UNCA can have an open campus forum before candidates arrive in order to present names and basic vita information and give a brief overview as to why these particular individuals were selected. Some candidates are interviewing with other liberal arts institutions. Dr. Browning stressed that the search committee is selling UNCA as much as it is screening candidates, and the whole campus needs to be in that same mode. Candidates have asked the search committee for an entire copy of the institution's budget provided by auditors, as well as information on The Foundation, Fact Book, and Catalogs. All of these requests are being granted. V. Executive Committee Report Dr. Shirley Browning stated that the Executive Committee report was folded into previous reports given today. VI. Student Government Report Mr. Charles Ewing gave the Student Government Report. The SGA continues to discuss recommendations for a Reading Date in preparation for final exams. VII. Academic Policies Report Dr. Yearout asked that members of the APC meet briefly after the Senate meeting. There was no formal APC report. VIII. Institutional Development Committee/University Planning Council Report University Planning Council Report. Management Department's Self Study The UPC reviewed the Management/Accounting Department's Self Study report. After careful review the UPC accepted the report but asked for more specific recommendations. The Management/Accounting department would like to change all adjunct positions to full time positions and make curricular revisions. UPC commended the department for its efforts to move closer to the liberal arts philosophy. The APC will receive documents from the Management/Accounting Department. Comments on Minority Affairs Commission Dr. Henderson stated that she hoped her statement concerning IDC and UPC's report on the Minority Affairs Commission did get into the minutes. Dr. Henderson stated that she was a little concerned and would like for it to be handled properly. IX. Faculty Welfare and Development Committee Report Mary Lynn Manns gave the Faculty Welfare and Development Committee Report. The FWDC is in a holding pattern, waiting for documents at this time. The committee met with Mr. Ken Wilson in Institutional Research as elections will be underway in a few weeks. FWDC #2 and #3 which were sent back to committee at the last meeting will be available for second reading again on March 10, 1994. The Policy for Extended Illness and Disability for Faculty is making great headway and should be coming to FWDC within two weeks. The policy is modeled after UNC- Greensboro's policy. UNC-G modeled their policy after UNC's policy. Ms. Manns met with Dr. Peg Downes, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Faculty Development and discussed some of the issues that FWDC considered fall semester. Hopefully some of the issues will get rectified. Faculty Assembly Request Dr. Browning stated that a subcommittee on the Faculty Assembly which is parallel to Ms. Manns' subcommittee on Faculty Welfare has asked each Senate Chair to submit five topics which the faculty feel are the most important concerns to faculty morale on that campus. All sixteen campuses will be pooled to see if there is a tendency within the system for there is be a few issues that are most important systemwide. From an informal poll Dr. Caulfield listed the following topics: teaching four courses per semester leaves little time for research, not enough travel money, not enough computers, sense of constant rushing around, lack of diversity on campus, xerox budget too low, parking, class sizes; for new faculty a feeling of being unconnected to the university for the first year or so, feeling isolated, low to no raises in recent years, and feeling isolated from the town of Asheville. Dr. Browning asked Senators to ask colleagues for input and forward responses to Ms. Manns. Dr. Yearout stated that his department has had difficulty recruiting because NC's Health Care Plan is not competitive. Dr. Browning stated that the entire package of salary and fringe benefits will undoubtedly be a concern on every campus. X. Old Business There was no Old Business. XI. New Business There was no New Business. XII. Adjournment Dr. Browning adjourned the meeting at 4:05 pm. The next Senate meeting is scheduled for March 10, 1994. Respectfully submitted by: Sandra Gravely Mary Lynn Manns