University of North Carolina at Asheville FACULTY SENATE MEETING Minutes, September 14, 1995 Senate Members: S. Browning, T. Dohse, G. Henderson, D. Howard, C. James, N. Kauffman, B. Larson, P. Laughon, P. McDonald, M. L. Manns, K. Moorhead, R. Tynes, K. Whatley, A. White-Carter, T. Cochran Excused: A. Wengrow Visitors: P. Downes, J. Heimbach, E. Katz, P. Reed, B. Sensabaugh I. Call to Order Dr. Browning welcomed senators and guests to the Conference Room of Ramsey Library and called the meeting to order at 3:20 pm. Approval of Minutes The following minutes were approved as written: April 13, 1995, May 4, 1995 (3:15 pm, 3:35 pm, and 5:30 pm meetings) (McDonald/Larson). II. Administrative Report Dr. Tom Cochran gave the Administrative Report. Faculty Salaries Letters notifying faculty of their recent salary increase are in campus mail. Due to the small pool of $150K to distribute (effectively 2% of the current salary pool) a fixed allocation was used as opposed to a percentage increase. Increments of $1200, $1000, $800 and $600 were allocated, with ratings ranging from exceptional to standard. Faculty who received tenure and promotion also received equity adjustments of $1K. Enrollment UNCA met the projected Fall 1995 enrollment with 2644 FTE and is within the 2% window by -1.95 percent. Last year UNCA received five new faculty positions in recognition of its liberal arts status and three positions due to the change in student/faculty ratio. Three positions were held in reserve due to the enrollment shortfall. If enrollment remains within the 2% window this Spring, UNCA may be able to keep all eight positions, which would be a substantial windfall. As a safeguard to maintain spring enrollment, Dr. Cochran would like to increase the number of evening classes and course offerings. Budgets The budget allocation process is complete and departmental budgets are posted to the financial records system. This year each department has been allocated approximately 95% of last year's expenditures, creating a reserve in the 101 Instruction Budget for special programs or to meet unforeseen needs. The 95% budget allocation is being initiated institution-wide, in the hope of being able to identify $150K for similar purposes at the institutional level. The budget allocation is connected with the planning process. Academic Affairs reorganization Dr. Cochran distributed a new organizational chart and outlined the responsibilities of Peg Downes, Merritt Moseley, and Archer Gravely. As Associate VCAA, Dr. Downes has been asked to work with curriculum responsibilities and will staff the Academic Policy Committee, work with non-major degree programs, and manage space. The centers and institutes, such as Mossbauer, will report to Dr. Downes. Dr. Moseley's duties as Dean of Faculty Development were more defined at the beginning as they focused on a Teaching Center. Dr. Moseley will work with off-campus scholarly assignments, faculty exchanges, and in some capacity in the faculty recruitment process. He will oversee the mentoring program, and will work on community-based service activities to build the connection with Asheville and the surrounding area. Dr. Gravely has been asked to assume Dr. Cochran's duties in the planning process and will staff the Planning Council as well as other duties in institutional research. Weekly meetings are held with individuals reporting to the VCAA office to offer advice, receive feedback, and use as a conduit of information coming out of the Chancellor's Council. Dr. Cochran welcomes feedback on how the new process is working. Comments from Chancellor Reed Board of Governor's Meeting Chancellor Reed reported on the Board of Governor's meeting held on September 8th. The Personnel and Tenure Committee requested that chancellors confer with the elected representation of the faculty, students, and Board of Trustees about our policy on amorous relationships, and to be prepared to discuss the matter at the September 26th Administrative Council meeting. The request has resulted from a great deal of negative publicity. UNCA does not have an amorous policy and, although some campuses have adopted policies, Dr. Reed suggested that perhaps the Faculty Assembly might be the group to suggest a policy. Dr. Reed solicited comments from the Senate or the Executive Committee. Dr. Browning stated that Dr. Cochran had provided Dr. McDonald with a copy of the AAUP report concerning the amorous policy and the Senate could discuss this during Dr. McDonald's report. Grant Accountant After discussions with Tom Cochran and Arthur Foley, Chancellor Reed decided to hire a half-time grant proposal writer. Efforts are underway to hire a grant accountant who would serve in a recording-keeping and educator/training capacity. This person will ensure that UNCA abides by federal regulations. Enrollment Dr. Reed was pleased to report that 18.4 percent of UNCA's incoming Freshman class were out-of-state residents; universities are asked to limit out-of-state Freshman to 18 percent. III. Executive Committee Report Dr. Shirley Browning gave the Executive Committee Report. The Executive Committee met to develop committee agenda items for the coming year. IV. Student Government Report There was no Student Government report. V. Academic Policies Report Dr. Bruce Larson reported for the Academic Policies Committee. Dr. Larson directed Senators' attention to three APC documents mailed earlier in the week and gave a brief history of the SACS recommendation, specifically, "..that the university incorporate a competency dimension including evaluative measures which ensure competence in oral communication" as well as a request for a follow up report stating, "The Institution must present evidence of oral competence requirements for all degree programs." The deadline for the fourth response to SACS is October 6, 1995. Dr. Larson moved to waive the Comer rule in order to consider APC documents #1, #2, and #3. The motion was seconded by Dr. Henderson and passed. Dr. Larson moved approval of APC #1: Oral Competency Requirement. The motion was seconded by Dr. Henderson. This proposal will encourage each major department to become more intentional about its expectations with regard to oral performance and thus enhance the oral performances of our students. The Senate discussed the SACS recommendation and medical disabilities. APC #1 passed unanimously and became Senate Document #0195F. Dr. Larson will notify departments of the new policy and action required at the departmental level. Dr. Larson moved approval of APC #2: Oral Competency in the Major. The motion was seconded by Dr. Henderson. This document is necessitated by APC #1. It ensures that oral competency requirements are presented uniformly throughout the Catalog. APC #2 passed unanimously and became Senate Document #0295F. Dr. Larson moved approval of APC #3: Oral Competency Requirement Addendum. The motion was seconded by Dr. Henderson. This proposal is necessitated by APC #1 and APC #2. APC #3 passed unanimously and became Senate Document #0395F. Agenda Items The APC will be working on the following agenda items this year: Disability Policy (Nancy Kauffman and Robert Tynes); Registrar-based issues and Catalog issues (Til Dohse and Charles James); Advance Placement Courses; Plagiarism (Peg Downes and Charlotte Goedsche); Honors in Education; Latin Honors; and Multi-cultural issues (Charles James). VI. Institutional Development Committee/University Planning Council Report Dr. Kathy Whatley gave the Institutional Development Committee/University Planning Council Report. University Planning The UPC is taking a hard look at the university planning process to ensure that UNCA is actually planning and not reacting to events. The UPC is looking at a two-year planning process developed by Archer Gravely and Tom Cochran last summer. Dr. Whatley will report on this more fully in future meetings. Some senators may be asked to contribute to the planning process. Comments and suggestions are welcome. Departmental Self-studies Dr. Whatley anticipates receiving the consultant's final report on Environmental Studies' departmental self-study soon. The Philosophy Department is working on their departmental self-study. Task Force on Summer Session Dr. Peg Downes is heading a Task Force on Summer Session to work on ways to enhance UNCA's summer session without losing FTE's generated during the regular academic year. VII. Faculty Welfare and Development Committee Report Dr. Paul McDonald gave the Faculty Welfare and Development Committee report. Nominations for Replacements to Faculty Committees The Senate approved the following slate of faculty replacements to faculty committees (McDonald/Howard): Cheryl McClary for Minority Affairs to replace K. Apraku for a two-year appointment; Tucker Cooke for University Teaching Council to replace B. Spellman for a one-year appointment; and Alan Hantz for University Relations Advisory to replace M. Moseley for a one-year appointment. Agenda items Dr. McDonald listed the following FWDC agenda items under consideration this year: minority concerns, diversity of faculty and hiring policy, faculty appreciation of diversity and the need to cultivate diversity in the community, student creed becoming institutional creed, sick leave and disability policy, consider revising the Handbook policies dealing with emeritus status, initiating earlier nominations for the prestigious systemwide O. Max Gardner Award for excellence as a member of the university community and larger community, formulating a more generous policy for awarding office pc's to faculty members, and spring elections. Amorous Policy The Senate discussed the AAUP statement on consensual relations between faculty and students adopted in June and Chancellor Reed's response to the Administrative Council meeting scheduled on September 26. Issues of university autonomy, individual freedom, and the likelihood of outside sources making university policy were considered. Dr. Whatley made a motion "To endorse the policy by the AAUP on consensual relations between faculty and students." Dr. Laughon seconded the motion. Discussion followed concerning the words "apparent" and "endorse." Dr. Whatley made a substitute motion, "To endorse the AAUP statement and set up a mechanism to write our own policy." The seconder accepted the substitute motion. At this time Dr. Howard made a friendly amendment to change the wording to, "We endorse the AAUP statement as a point of departure for writing our own policy." Dr. Howard's friendly amendment was accepted, and the amended substitute motion passed unanimously. NCUR-10 Dr. Laughon distributed brochures for the Tenth National Conference on Undergraduate Research to be hosted by UNCA on April 18-20, 1996. This will be the largest conference UNCA has hosted and Dr. Laughon anticipates 2,000 people will be on campus. Currently seventy faculty are on board and there are eleven subcommittees; four hundred students will be needed to staff the conference. Memos went out to department Chairs requiring faculty to participate in two jobs, reviewing student abstracts (1,600-1,800) and moderating 1,400 oral paper presentations (45 concurrent sessions 3 times a day for 2 1/2 days). The abstract deadline is December 1, 1995. Students who wish to be funded by the Undergraduate Research Program have a November 1, 1995 abstract deadline. The funding covers the $75 funding fee as well as the banquet fee. VIII. Old Business There was no Old Business. IX. New Business Building Bridges Program In response to student requests, UNCA is moving toward joining with St. Joseph and Memorial Mission hospitals in a Building Bridges Program. Chancellor Reed stated that working with the two hospitals will allow for a larger discussion group. Dr. Katz and Ms. White-Carter were part of the discussion team working on the program last summer. Conversation with VCAA Search Committee Dr. Browning, Chair of the VCAA Search Committee, reported on the status of the search process. Several forums have taken place, faculty have received a list of committee members, efforts are underway to write the position statement, and the committee will start working on criteria to be used to evaluate candidates. Mel Blowers and Doc Patel have resigned from the committee, citing professional and personal conflicts. Archer Gravely will replace Mel Blowers and efforts are underway to find a replacement for Mr. Patel. Dr. Browning solicited questions, suggestions, and advice from senators concerning characteristics they felt were important in filling the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs position. Dr. Howard asked if the Senators could respond to a draft position statement. Dr. Browning did not believe this was feasible given the time frame but stated that the committee would take it under consideration. In response to Dr. Browning's query, senators stated the following characteristics were important: organizational skills and ability to delegate (confirmation that they are comfortable delegating); support the writing-across-the-curriculum effort; make decisions from a professional perspective; possess teaching background; experience in a institution/private liberal arts as well as a public university/institute experience; understand UNCA's role; similar size; understand faculty needs; possess the terminal degree in their field; administrative experience is essential. Dr. McDonald stated that the criteria multiply and he hoped they wouldn't be prescriptive. Dr. Browning stated that he wanted to give faculty an opportunity at the front-end so as to know their judgements on some of these matters. The Search Committee will do its best to try to bring the best possible candidates. Dr. Henderson supported Dr. Browning in asking the questions, to give everyone an opportunity to give input, and then recognize that not everybody is going to be pleased. X. Adjournment Dr. Browning adjourned the meeting at 5:05 pm. Respectfully submitted by: Sandra Gravely Paul McDonald