The annual Caring Award is upcoming; be prepared to nominate deserving individuals when material comes to you.

Diane Kazlauskas announced new open access policies to the library video collection. Book the videos that you want a week ahead of time to assure their availability for class.

Academic Program Committee - Joyce Jones

There are eight agenda items today that represent 47 actions; items are grouped by college. The committee will meet again next Tuesday, February 9, at 1:00 PM in the College of Business Administration Room 3136.

Academic Standards Committee - Simin Vaghefi

The committee will meet February 9 at 12:15 in the College of Business Administration Room 3138.

Academic Technology and Support Services Committee - Dennis Gay

No report. The committee will meet February 10 at 10:00 am in the Faculty Association Meeting Area.

Adjunct Affairs Committee - Allen Tilley

There has been good response to the committee survey of adjunct faculty; it will meet in two weeks to make recommendations and report them to the faculty later this semester. The committee will meet February 15 at 3 PM in the Faculty Association Meeting Area.

Budget and Legislative Information - Joe Perry/Sheila Mangum

The committee will meet again March 9 at 12:15 in the Faculty Association Meeting Area.

Faculty Affairs Committee - Judy Solano

One item is on the agenda today: Revisions of the Faculty Association Bylaws. This is just the first reading of the revisions; voting will take place at the next Faculty Association meeting. The proposed changes came together from a combination of current practice, revision for clarity to problem areas in the existing by-laws, and a review of other SUS bylaws for comparison. These suggestions were then evaluated by an interested sub-committee, which made additional revisions. On February 18 at 12:15, an open hearing will be held in Mathews Building 15/1303 on these revisions. Please e-mail Judy with any corrections and your reactions. Voting on the revisions will take place at the March Faculty Association meeting. The committee meets again on February 19 at 12:15 in the Faculty Association Meeting Area.

Steve reminded the group that it is most helpful for committee members if comments and corrections are made before the March meeting.

Nominations and Elections Committee - Diane Tanner

The committee met February 2 to gear up for spring elections. Two information items can be found on the FA web site.

Promotion and Tenure Committee - Bill Slaughter

The committee's work is done. Candidates have been informed of the committee's recommendations and it awaits their responses. The committee will meet February 12 with Provost Kline.

Executive Committee - Kathleen Cohen

The committee will meet February16 at 12:15 in Faculty Association Meeting Area.

Graduate Council - Bill Wilson
The committee is meeting January 15 to set the agenda for the January 26 Graduate Faculty meeting.

Safety Advisory Council - Ted Stumm
The committee will meet January 24 at 3 p.m. in the President's Conference room to address the problem of unchaperoned children on campus among other topics. He asked for suggestions from the faculty on how to deal with the problem.

President Anne Hopkins

Steve introduced new UNF President Anne Hopkins. She said that since she has been here only two and a half weeks, she is still feeling her way. Please ask her what you want to know and she will incorporate her answers into her reports. She reported on upcoming controlled burns on campus for fire prevention. She commented on a troubling situation -- the pre-Hopkins lawsuit in the College of Business Administration. She urged faculty to be careful and gentle with their colleagues. The settlement of the lawsuit raises questions about discrimination, but she reaffirmed her commitment to campus diversity. Be civil and respectful to one another, she admonished. The lawsuit is a public document should anyone want to see it.

President Hopkins has met with state legislators, trying to work with them. The governor's budget gives UNF a good position, which we want to make better. There was a bomb threat on her third day here: the courtyard was cordoned off and some classes were canceled. We need to be careful.

Since Daniel Hall is under renovation, she urged faculty to come visit her via the back stairs. She feels somewhat isolated at the moment. At recent community events, she has witnessed the pride that Jacksonville feels towards its university; people are effusive about UNF. What a remarkable twenty-six years!

Legislative Liaison Report - Janet Owen

The proposed Governor's budget came out last week, but can be revamped until April 30. The SUS requested enhancement funds of $72 million; the governor proposed $57 million including monies for library resources and enrollment growth. A 10% request for a tuition increase was whittled down to 6.5%, but the concept of gradations in tuition was approved. The proposed 2.6% across the board salary increases, lower than we worked for, will be effective July 1. Matching funds and critical deferred maintenance are still to be discussed. Funding was restored for PECO. Much work is still to be done. Look on the web for information from her.

United Faculty of Florida - Gary Harmon

Ten weeks of bargaining have concluded; voting will soon take place on the resulting contract. UFF recommends a yes vote. Highlights include Section 5 on academic freedom. Academic freedom will be expanded to include activities like advising and counseling. The section on responsibility will be expanded to include collegial treatment and contributions to the orderly functioning of the institution. Collegiality needed to be defined. Section 6 strengthens the policy on sexual harassment. Article 12, dealing with notice of non-reappointment, now addresses "qualifications" and entitlement to summer employment. Article 22 deals with professional development and will reflect an increase in the number of one semester sabbaticals, a 20% increase SUS-wide. Although he is disappointed with the 2.6% across-the-board salary situation, the new contract provides for market equity, PEP and TIP. Any excess funds will be distributed as market equity. However, market equity still needs definition.

SACS Report - Cheryl Fountain

The Visiting Committee of nineteen members is coming February 22. On February 23-24 there will be across-campus interviews, and some faculty will be contacted to participate in those interviews. The exit interview will take place on February 25; the committee will send us its final report within six weeks. President Hopkins will host a campus thank you party to conclude this eighteen month-long process. Cheryl voiced her appreciation of the faculty's efforts.

Steve Shapiro asked Gary Harmon to clarify if there is merit money in the new contract?

Gary: There are two pots: the 2.6% covers funding of promotions, a $500 minimum for all, and departmental merit money. Enhancement monies (TIP, PEP) are in another pot. If there is less than $6 million in that pot, then it only goes to market merit.

Susana Urbina: On occasion there is total darkness on the parking garage roof at night. How frequently are lights turned off? Can faculty be informed when this will happen? She asked that her questions be directed to Natural Sciences (because of its observatory on the roof).

Judy Solano to Gary Harmon: Who is the "we" who will define what is meant by market equity?

Gary read parts of the provision: a committee will develop such procedures and submit them to the president for final approval. Meritorious performance will be the highest criterion. The UFF document will soon be made available to faculty.

Item #1 FA 99-01: Submitted by the Academic Programs Committee.
COAS Department of History, Philosophy & Religious Studies. New course.
Moved and seconded. Item passed.

Item #2 FA 99-02: Submitted by the Academic Programs Committee.
COAS Department of English & Foreign Languages. Course changes and program changes.
Donna Mohr corrected 98-207 and 208; they remain 4 credit courses and Joyce accepted this correction. Susana Urbina asked why do native speakers of Spanish need permission to enroll?
Donna Mohr addressed this: the department wants the ability to make the decision on native-speaking students if the instructor feels that their enrollment is appropriate.
Moved and seconded. Item passed.

Item #3 FA 99-03: Submitted by the Academic Programs Committee.
COBA Department of Accounting & Finance. New course and program changes.
Moved and seconded. Item passed.

Item #4 FA 99-04: Submitted by the Academic Programs Committee.
COEHS Division of Curriculum & Instruction. Program change.
Moved and seconded. Item passed.

Item #5 FA 99-05: Submitted by the Academic Programs Committee.
COEHS Division of Educational Services & Research. School Counseling Track. New courses, course change and program change.
Moved and seconded. Item passed.

Item #6 FA 99-06: (misnumbered #5 FA 99-05) Submitted by the Academic Programs Committee.
COEHS Division of Educational Services & Research. Mental Health Counseling Track. New courses, course changes and program change.
Moved and seconded. Item passed.

Item #7 FA 99-07: Submitted by the Academic Programs Committee.
COH Department of Health Science. New course, course changes and program changes.
Moved and seconded. Item passed.

Item #8 FA 99-08: Submitted by the Academic Programs Committee.
COCSE Department of Computer & Information Sciences. Program change.
Moved and seconded. Item passed.

Item #9 FA 99-09: Submitted by the Faculty Affairs Committee. Proposed revisions to the Faculty Association Bylaws. (1^st reading)
Steve asked the faculty to be sure to study the proposed revisions to the Bylaws and come to the open meeting. Chris Rasche called the faculty's attention to page 13 for significant additions to the section on committees.

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 1 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

______________________________
Elizabeth Lane Furdell,
Faculty Association Secretary