 Faculty Association |
November 6 , 2003 |
FACULTY ASSOCIATION MEETING
Minutes of Meeeting
October 2, 2003
| I. | CALL TO ORDER | |
| President Judy Solano called the meeting to order at 12:18 PM. | ||
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| II. | APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES | |
| The minutes of the meeting were approved as published on the web. | ||
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| III. | ANNOUNCEMENTS | |
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Jean Middleton said next weekend, Friday, Oct. 10 through Sunday, Oct. 12, is Family Weekend on campus. Saturday morning at 11 in the small theater in building 14, faculty make the case for their field in order to ensure their "survival" in a raft. The raft debate is followed by a picnic. The events are sponsored by the Alumni Services office. Karen Reedy of the Academic Center for Excellence said the early warning referral system form is now online. It can be used to refer students having difficulty with academic work or students with attendance problems or outside problems. |
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| IV. | STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS | |
| Academic Programs Committee - Len Roberson | ||
| Judy Solano reported for Len Roberson that the committee meets October 9 at 9 AM in the Association meeting room. | ||
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| Academic Standards Committee - Chip Klostermeyer | ||
| Chip Klostermeyer said the committee has considered a request to change the late registration deadline, and the committee feels it should remain as it is. Students with hardships should use the appeals process. The committee meets October 28. | ||
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| Adjunct Affairs Committee - Barbara Tuck | ||
| Barbara Tuck said the committee meets on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 12:15. The committee has sent letters to part-time faculty to introduce the committee. Members are also working on the results of last spring's survey. | ||
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| Budget Advisory Committee - Joyce Jones | ||
| Joyce Jones said the committee meets on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 10 AM. The committee has invited Joann Campbell to the next meeting for a budget briefing. | ||
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| Campus Technology Committee -Katharine Brown | ||
| Kathy Brown said the committee meets October 2 to review the university educational technology plan. | ||
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| Faculty Affairs Committee - Ellie Scheirer | ||
| Ellie Scheirer said the committee met September 11, and meets again on October 9. Members will discuss the ISQ online pilot for possible adoption. The committee will address the issue of a Faculty Senate after the constitution is approved. The faculty handbook is also undergoing revision. | ||
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| Faculty Enhancement Committee - Reza Vaghefi | ||
| Steve Shapiro reported for Reza Vaghefi that the committee is reviewing the summer teaching grant proposals, and has scheduled a seminar on things to do and not to do before applying for tenure and promotion. | ||
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| Nominations and Elections Committee - Henry Thomas | ||
| Henry Thomas said Venkat's name should be struck from the ballots for the search committee for provost. Additional nominations were sought and none were offered. Voting occurs today after the meeting, and continues until Friday at 1 PM in the faculty commons. | ||
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| Promotion and Tenure Committee - Elizabeth Furdell | ||
| Betty Furdell said the committee has no report. | ||
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| Research Committee - David Lambert | ||
| Cathy Hough reported for David Lambert that the committee is reviewing summer research grant proposals. | ||
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| Strategic Planning Committee - Steven Williamson | ||
| Steven
Williamson said the committee meets on the 2nd Monday of the month
at 10 AM. |
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| Support Services Committee-Robert Schupp | ||
| Robert Schupp said the committee meets on the Tuesday before Faculty Association meetings. He asked for support services questions for committee consideration. The committee is currently looking into problems with the sale and distribution of parking decals. | ||
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| Executive Committee - Steve Shapiro | ||
| Steve Shapiro reported that the committee's next meeting is scheduled for October 21, at 12:15 PM. | ||
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| V. | SPECIAL REPORTS | |
| President - John Delaney | ||
| No Report. | ||
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| Legislative Liaison Report - Janet Owen | ||
| No Report.. | ||
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| United Faculty of Florida - Bruce Fortado | ||
| Bruce Fortado said the union decentralization was the topic at the senate meeting. On January 1, a new executive director takes office, and local presidents will now be able to vote. On October 9 at noon, the fall luncheon for bargaining unit members will take place with local negotiators. It is a time to voice concerns about working conditions. | ||
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| Association President - Judy Solano | ||
| Judy
Solano said the meeting packet has information about this year's
faculty awards, and she encouraged nominations. The UNF Foundation
supports the awards. Award decisions are made in the spring, and
last year's winners will be acknowledged at the convocation on October
10. The constitution expires in December. Each association sends representatives to review the document and to propose amendments, then each association approves the changes. The Faculty Association group met, and was concerned about meeting the deadline. The President's office feels the work will be done in time. In November we will look at the progress of the convention, and possibly ask the Association to request an extension of the deadline. Judy said she is a member of the university Board of Trustees. All documents pertaining to board meetings are now on the trustees' website. An item for a future meeting is the question of Division I status for athletics. Judy wants to get a sense from faculty on the topic, and will post a survey on the Association website. Judy sits on the Advisory Council of Faculty Senates, which met in Tallahassee in September. The group has a voting presence on the state Board of Governors. |
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| The group took positions on five items: | ||
| 1. | The choices high school students have for completing their diploma include the traditional 4-year course, and two new 3-year paths. One is a college-prep plan, but without fine arts, PE, and history, and reductions in science and math. The group passed a resolution that candidates for admission to state universities as freshman need to satisfy the old 4-year plan. The Board of Governors and the university presidents are concerned about the issues and are working with legislators to modify the law. | |
| 2. | The role of the Board of Governors in presidential searches and appointments is not clear, and the board plans to discuss the issue. The Advisory Council of Faculty Senates said that all finalists should have strong academic experience and leadership at upper levels of university governance. | |
| 3. | Steve Uhlfelder heads the Board of Governors subcommittee on accountability, and wants students to pass the CLAST or other FCAT-like exam for college seniors. Accountability concerns include degrees, licenses, retention, testing, grad rates, and others. There was no consensus at the meeting. The Advisory Council resolution says any test required of students should include students having a stake in the outcome. Now students would graduate regardless of their performance on the test, but universities would be "graded" on the students' performance. We are already accountable to SACS and program accrediting agencies. State measures need to be consistent with these outside measures. Measures should be consistent with the goals and mission of each institution. Residential campuses have better 4-year graduation rates. Measures need to be in place longer than one year to allow institutions to adjust. | |
| 4. | Florida's public university tuition rates are almost last among states. The Governors discussed the issue, and reached no resolution. The Advisory Council resolved to support increases so tuition rates approach the national average for public universities. Tuition increases should not replace state funding. | |
| 5. | An issue that has not gone before Board of Governors yet is the need for Florida faculty salaries to approach the national average. | |
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| VI. | QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES | |
| An
anonymous question was addressed to John Delaney: "It was reported at the last Faculty Association meeting that $3 million from TSI funds will be used to enhance the new library addition. What parts of TSI earned this money and from what activities? How much money do they typically earn in a year?" Dale Clifford asked whether we will have flu shots. Verna Urbanski said they are being scheduled now, contact Campus Health Services. Judy Solano said she understood there will be a limited number of nasal vaccinations available. Mary Borg asked about the status of the new science building. Neal Coulter said the substantial completion date is suppose to be October 24. Faculty will move in after the first of the year. Kim Luther said they are not scheduling classes there for spring. Tom Serwatka said October 24 is the correct date for substantial completion. He will get more information out on when the building will begin to be occupied. |
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| VII. | LEGISLATIVE ITEMS | |
| No legislative items this month. | ||
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| VIII. | INFORMATION ITEMS | |
| 1. | Election of Search Committee for Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Submitted by the Nominations and Elections Committee. | |
| 2. | Nomination for Nominations and Elections Committee Submitted by the Nominations and Elections Committee. | |
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| IX. | ADJOURNMENT | |
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The meeting
adjourned at 12:53. PM. |
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Respectfully submitted,
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