President Steve Shapiro called the meeting to order at 12:20 p.m.. He announced that Sigma Chi has provided drinks and sandwiches for faculty after the meeting today.

Academic Program Committee - Joyce Jones

No report.

Academic Standards Committee - Simin Vaghefi

The committee met on March 9 and approved items forwarded to the committee by Academic Affairs. The next meeting is scheduled for April 13 at 12:15, room 42/3138.

Academic Technology and Support Services Committee - Dennis Gay

The committee is considering whether now is the time for UNF to connect to Internet 2. He encouraged faculty members working on projects that would benefit from the high-speed data transfer capabilities of Internet 2 to contact him (dgay@unf.edu). If there is sufficient demand, Sponsored Research is willing to help a group of faculty apply for external funding to partially offset the costs for connection to Internet 2. Federal funds have been specifically allocated for this purpose. The committee deals with bookstore issues, too. If you have troubles with the bookstore, let Dennis know with specific details. The next committee meeting is April 14 at 10 a.m.

Adjunct Affairs Committee - Allen Tilley

Diane Kazlauskas reported that the committee's survey results will be presented to Faculty Association at its next meeting.

Budget and Legislative Affairs Committee - Joe Perry/Sheila Mangum

Joe Perry reported that the committee will meet within the next two weeks at a time and date to be announced.

Faculty Affairs Committee - Judy Solano

The committee will meet March 19 in the Library to discuss a policy for research on human subjects as well as questions about TIP and PEP. There is one item on today's agenda.

Nominations and Elections Committee - Diane Tanner

Diane distributed three handouts for nominations for use later in the meeting after the Bylaws have been dealt with.

Promotion and Tenure Committee - Bill Slaughter

He will make a full report to the faculty after President Hopkins' recommendations have been received.

Executive Committee - Kathleen Cohen

The next meeting is Tuesday, March 16 at 12:15 in the Faculty Association room.

Graduate Council - Bill Wilson

The council talked about follow-up issues after the SACS visit. He announced that it has funding to produce a glossy informational publication about graduate study at UNF.

Safety Advisory Council - Ted Stumm

No report.

President Anne Hopkins

No report; she is at a Board of Regents meeting.

Legislative Liaison Report - Janet Owen

She is lobbying; look for her report on the web.

United Faculty of Florida - Gary Harmon

He reported that ratification of the new contract sailed through with about 97% approval. These are tough times for faculty, but despite the need to participate in the ratification process, there was a low turnout. (He asked if there was a quorum and Judy Solano, Parliamentarian, said that there was.) Harmon said that in addition to an across-the-board increase in faculty salaries, 2.6% would be allocated to chairs to distribute by department agreements; he also hopes for additional funds, because the amount appropriated will affect the way in which it is distributed.

Steve remarked that there were 44 Faculty Association members in attendance, so there is a quorum.

Steve read Brian Striar's written questions addressed to Provost Kline concerning new contract language referring to collegiality (BOR/UFF contract).

1. What constitutes non-collegiality?

2. Who is to make a judgment as to when a faculty member is non-collegial?

3. When, or in what venues, is such a judgment to be made? P and T? Annual review by chair? An ad hoc assessment anytime a supervisor wishes to make such a judgment?

4. What remedies are to be afforded the BOR in exercising the judgment of non-collegiality? e.g. denial of promotion or tenure; denial of raise; reprimand; termination?

He appended additional questions for the Provost:

1. Who will have standing to bring charges of non-collegiality against whom?

a. administrators against faculty and staff?
b. faculty and staff against administrators?
c. faculty and staff against each other?

Brian Striar also had written questions for Steve Shapiro:

1. Didn't we reject establishing collegiality as a criterion for P and T?

2. As President, are you concerned about this?

3. Is it constitutional?

Steve answered that Striar is correct; collegiality is not part of the UNF Promotion & Tenure guidelines. He deferred comment about his own concerns and the constitutionality of collegiality requirements.

Ellie Scheirer asked of the Parking Committee and Vice-President Robert Fagin:

Do we pro-rate the charge for a half-year parking sticker? If not, why not?

Richard Crosby replied that he thought parking stickers were pro-rated, but he would check into it.

FA 99-09: Submitted by the Faculty Affairs Committee. Moved by Judy Solano with seven friendly amendments. The open hearing on the Bylaws produced agreement on the following comments and suggestions:

SECTION 5.
The Vice President shall assist the President in coordinating Association work; receive motions, resolutions, and proposals from the members and place all such matters on a legislative calendar in the order received; serve as a delegate to other University governance bodies as specified in the Constitution; and serve as a member chairperson of the Faculty Affairs Committee and as chair of the Executive Committee.
Amendment: Page 3, sec. 5, line 26 -- "serve as a voting member"

SECTION 3.
The meeting in April shall be known as the Annual Meeting and shall be held for the purpose of electing committee members and delegates, and for any other business which may arise. The annual report of the President shall not be submitted until the first meeting in September, in order that it might include information about legislative activity during the preceding Fall, Spring and Summer semesters.
Amendment: Page 4, sec. 3, lines 31-32 -- "shall be submitted at the first meeting in September"

SECTION 2.
The Standing Committees shall be:
A. Academic Programs Committee: Graduate
B. Academic Programs Committee: Undergraduate
C. Academic Standards Committee
etc.
Amendment: Page 6, sec. 2, lines 32-33 -- leave Academic Programs as one committee, collapse the lines to make one committee

A. Academic Programs Committee: Graduate
The committee shall consist of eight members: six faculty who are members of the graduate faculty, one from each of the Colleges and one at large; one faculty member from the Library; and one graduate student member selected by the Student Government Association.

B. Academic Programs Committee: Undergraduate
The committee shall consist of eight members: seven faculty, one from each of the colleges and the Library, and one at large; and one undergraduate student selected by the Student Government Association. Three members from the Student Government Association; eleven members from the Faculty Association, of whom two shall be elected from the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, two from the College of Business Administration, two from the College of Education and Human Services, two from the College of Health, one from the College of Computer and Information Sciences, one from the Library and one shall be elected at large.
Amendment: Page 7, lines 4 -15 -- corrected to reflect the single committee by leaving the Bylaws language as it is in the current Bylaws

A. The Academic Programs Committee: Undergraduate shall review and recommend policies regarding undergraduate degree requirements, academic programs and priorities, program evaluation, organization of academic units, and major changes in the University's undergraduate curriculum.

B. The Academic Programs Committee: Graduate shall review and recommend policies regarding graduate degree requirements, academic programs and priorities, program evaluation, and major changes in the University's graduate curriculum.
Amendment: Page 8, sec. 4, lines 32-38 -- collapse and leave the charge as it currently reads.

E. The Adjunct Affairs Committee shall review and recommend policies and practices with regard to the appointment, evaluation, retention, professional development, ethics, affirmative action, and teaching issues methods of adjunct faculty; their instructional support; their orientation and training; their advancement; and such other matters as may pertain to the role of adjunct faculty in the instructional effort of the institution. The Committee shall seek the opinions and recommendation of adjunct faculty. The Committee shall also review, on request, unresolved differences between adjunct faculty members and the administration and make appropriate recommendations. , except in instances that are clear violations of such agreements as may be negotiated between UFF and the BOR and are addressable through the grievance process.
Amendment: Page 9, top of page, add 2 items to the list of the Adjunct Affairs Committee's concerns -- "contractual obligations" added to the end of line 1; "academic freedom" added before "teaching issues" in line 2
By April 15, or as soon thereafter as possible, these minutes a separate record of the vote and recommendation on each candidate shall be placed for safekeeping in the Office of the Academic Vice President, not in the Association Office, where any candidate receiving a negative recommendation for promotion and/or tenure by the University President or his delegate may inspect those portions of the record dealing specifically with her/his case. all minutes for the current year and for the two previous years.
Amendment: Page 11, lines 12-13 -- concerning where the Promotion and Tenure Committee's vote is housed, delete "not in the Association office".

Pat Plumlee then proposed a series of amendments to the proposed Bylaws:

SECTION 3.
In addition to the duties prescribed by the Parliamentary authority, the President shall: represent the Association and its membership at meetings, conferences, and other occasions except as herein provided; provide leadership for Association activities; keep the membership advised concerning needs, programs, and accomplishments of the Association; coordinate the work of the Association; serve as an ex officio non-voting member of all Association committees; appoint such committees as the Association deems necessary to conduct business; serve as a delegate to other University governance bodies as specified in the Constitution and to any state-level faculty body; meet on a regular basis with the Academic Vice President and the President of the University; and be the accountable officer for the Association's budget. and Upon leaving office, the President shall assume the role of Past President and shall serve a two-year term as a voting member of on the Executive Committee, the Faculty Affairs Committee, and the Budget and Legislative Information Committee Strategic Planning Committee.
Amendment: Strike the language in Section 3 beginning on line 14, p.3, of the proposed revisions to include all of lines 14, 15, 16. All text between "Upon leaving office . . . and Strategic Planning Committee" to be struck.

G. Faculty Affairs Committee
The committee shall consist of nine faculty members: Seven members elected from the Faculty Association at large, and the immediate past president of the Association, and the current Vice President of the Association.
Amendment: On page 7, Section G, lines 36 and 37 modified to read:
"The committee shall consist of nine faculty members: Eight members elected from the Faculty Association at large, and the current Vice President of the Association."

I. Governmental Relations Committee
The committee shall consist of eight faculty members: Seven elected at large and the immediate past president of the Association.
Amendment: On page 7, Section I, lines 44 and 45 modified to read:
"The committee shall consist of seven faculty members elected at large."

M. Strategic Planning Committee
The committee shall consist of eight faculty members: Seven elected at large and the immediate past president of the Association.
Amendment: On page 8, Section M, lines 14 and 15 to read:
"The committee shall consist of seven faculty members elected at large."

N. Executive Committee
The committee shall consist of seventeen members: The Vice President of the Faculty Association (who shall serve as chairperson), the Secretary of the Association (who shall serve as vice chairperson), the President of the Association, the current chairpersons of the Association's other standing committees, and the immediate past president of the Association.
Amendment: On page 8, Section N, lines 20 and 21 to read:
". . . Association, the current chairpersons of the Association's other standing committees, and, as a nonvoting member, the immediate past president of the Association."

The amendments' intent is to take the Association past-president off all committees. The rationale is that the role of a past-president is not that of an officer, and while the Bylaws make the past president de facto an officer, he is just an ex-officer. Others have to stand for election, so should past presidents. Also, Plumlee said that the important principle of rotation in office is violated by this invitation to past presidents. Their service expertise can be used by standing for office again.

Nick Wilson spoke against the amendment since he feels the experience of president is valuable.
Susana Urbina: why not make the past president a nonvoting member on these committees?
Pat Plumlee: no, there is too much non-rotation in office already, and giving the past president a seat, even a nonvoting one, doesn't open up positions for competition.
Joyce Jones argued that it is spurious to describe past presidents as non-elected; they serve two years as president, then two years as an advisor.
Pat Plumlee retorted that the current practice is suspect constitutionally.
Bob Vergenz: what do past presidents think of such service?
Steve Shapiro: the experience of past presidents is useful but he doesn't disagree with the amendments.
Ellie Scheirer: committee work is usually done by consensus anyway, and membership on these committees honors the participation of past presidents. Kathleen Cohen: it is helpful to have the past president there for carry-over business.
Pat Plumlee: that may be true, but he just needs to run for a position.
A vote was taken: 23 voted for the Plumlee amendments; 17 were against. The motion passed.

Nick Wilson said that at-large voting hurts the smaller colleges; he moved to have a representative on all committees from each college.
Judy Solano responded that where issues weren't pertinent to all, the hardship of providing members for every committee was recognized by providing for at-large positions rather than reserving positions per college.
The Wilson amendment failed on a voice vote.

The Bylaws changes were then unanimously approved as amended.

FA 99-10: Submitted by the Academic Programs Committee. Moved by Joyce Jones. The item includes ten APCs all relating to the College of Computing Sciences and Engineering. In APC 99-008, -009, and -012, strike the sentence that reads: "Students will extend course topics...."

The motion passed.

Nominations and Elections: Diane Tanner conducted nominations from the floor for vacancies on the Faculty Association Committees and Other University Committees. It was then announced that additional nominations would be accepted for one week. Please see the FA web page for a complete list of candidates and vacancies for the committees.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:20 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

______________________________
Elizabeth Lane Furdell,
Faculty Association Secretary