The meeting was called to order at 12:17 p.m. by Chip Klostermeyer.

A motion to approve the minutes was made by Kathy Robinson.
The minutes were approved.

Nominations for Faculty Association officers will be taken from the floor today.

Nominations for Faculty Association committees and University committees will be taken from the floor at the February FA meeting.

The administration promised to approve a $5 addition to the parking stipend for all faculty and staff to cover the $5 increase in annual parking permit fees scheduled to take effect for the 2008-2009 Academic Year.

There will be a meeting regarding the proposed split of the Chemistry and Physics departments on February 20 th at 11:45 AM in 50/2600.

On February 26 at noon, a brown bag lunch with the Provost will be held with a discussion of the voluntary system of accountability. More information will be sent out on the voluntary system shortly. Lunch will be provided.

The first item in the agenda packet is a letter of concern from the Executive Committee to the Provost concerning the advising controversy. The response from the Provost is posted on FA website and addresses two concerns. A plan to establish undergraduate coordinators for each major was approved by the Undergraduate Studies Council and will move forward as funding and volunteer coordinators are available. The second issue is a pre-proposal to centralize advising. This will be referred to the Undergraduate Studies Council to determine the best way to improve advising.

The Committee met today and processed APC requests. There are no APC legislative items on today’s FA agenda.

The meeting scheduled for January meeting had no quorum. The next meeting is scheduled for Friday, February 8 at 10:00 AM.

No report.

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The Committee met on January 28. Dmitriy Bond, from ITS, presented some information on the portal and changes scheduled to be made to it. The committee will meet again on February 25.

The Committee met last month and continued academic misconduct discussions. The next meeting will be February 8 at noon with a discussion of how to revise the policy and procedures for academic misconduct cases.

The Committee met on February 4 and March 3. Committee business included discussions with David Jaffee on the recruitment of a permanent director of OFE. The search for the permanent director resulted in a small candidate pool. Given that the current budget is tight, the Committee recommended to David Jaffee to freeze the search and extend the interim director position which is currently held by Dan Richard.

The Committee solicited additional nominations from the floor at the next Faculty Association meeting. Current nominees are:

The next meeting is scheduled for February 25 at 10 a.m. with Dr. Ebong.

No report.

Executive Committee - Katherine Robinson

The Committee met to set the agenda for today’s Faculty Association meeting. A great deal of discussion occurred relating to the advising issues addressed earlier in this meeting. A letter to the Provost is included in today’s Faculty Association packet.

Legislative Liaison Report - Janet Owen
The October special session generated a 3.6% budget cut which translates to a 2.9% cut of UNF’s budget. The State is holding about 3.8% in anticipation of further cuts. The Governor’s budget is set at $70 billion. He found $2 billion by sweeping trust fund balances and $600M in enhanced lottery initiatives such as machines. There is also about $140M in the Seminole gaming compact. There are about $200 million in base-budget reductions. The State is not looking at the 2008-2009 budget yet, instead it is still trying to decide how much more to cut from 2007-2008. The good news is they are trying to minimize further cuts to higher education in that they are sensitive to the need for more degrees. The big key is when the turnaround will occur.

There is a lawsuit between BOG and the Legislature. The BOG filed its third amended complaint regarding an 8% increase they recommended. If this complaint does not stand on its own, the lawsuit is over.

The BOG passed a policy that enrollments will be equal to the number for which Universities are funded.

Some bills have been filed which are causing the SUS playing defense…UCF has filed a bill requesting a huge tuition increase similar to the increase granted to UF and FSU.

Rep. Kravitz filed a bill again to prohibit us to use State funds for foreign students.

The Florida Legislature is looking at the statewide common course numbering system. When is articulation and accepting credits from other schools enough? For instance: Should a nursing degree from FCCJ bear the same weight as a degree from UNF?

The PECO budget is fine because funding comes from separate sources than that for operations.

Question from Kathy Brown: Do you have any opinion on the effect of the property taxes ballot item that passed?
Response from Janet Owen: No response.

President John Delaney
The property tax amendment 1 that passed will have impact on education given that it takes funding from higher education.

The Governor’s budget was incredible; however, the Legislature laughed at the governor’s budget, so it looks as if it will not pass. UNF has adjusted for our first cut and has adjusted for most of what is anticipation in terms of future cuts. The good news is there will probably be either no or very little academic cuts. Pay raises are not part of the budget. If a bigger cut is announced in March, announcements will be made.

The construction budget comes from a different income stream. UNF is on slate for the biggest PECO budget ever with the new biology building. The BCH wing will be opened this fall.

United Faculty of Florida – Henry Thomas
Henry Thomas gave a salute to President Delaney given we are in a superior position due to forward budget planning compared to other Universities in Florida.

The Indian casino is the price we must pay for the FSU mascot.

Question from Chris Rasche: What does that mean?
Response from Henry Thomas: Across the nation, universities have raised questions about the appropriateness of using Indian mascots. Florida has agreed that FSU can keep its mascot as part of the arrangement that Indians can keep their casinos, which is in effect, a cost for casino operations.

The UFF ratification vote will be held on February 12 and 13. The re-opener of the collective bargaining agreement negotiations has been completed. The elections will be from 10 to
4 p.m. The documents are posted on UFF’s web page.

Promotion and Tenure Committee - Katherine Robinson
The Committee held several meetings to discuss P&T dossiers and then met with the Provost for a briefing session. The reviews and results were:

20 candidates for promotion to associate professor and tenure – the committee gave a positive recommendation to all 20.

13 candidates for promotion to professor – the committee gave a positive recommendation to 10 and a negative recommendation to 3.

1 candidate for tenure only – the committee gave a positive recommendation.

Campus Safety Advisory Council – Cynthia Nyquist-Battie
As everyone has probably noted, there is a skateboard problem. This fall, some of the Committee members proposed a ban in campus core area. The students that sit on the committee were not in favor of a ban, so the UNFPD tried enforcement, however it has not worked. The SGA is supposed to mount a safety awareness program, but it has not yet been presented. Faculty should send suggestions on how to deal with this to Cindy Battie.

Question from Dale Clifford: Has anyone been hurt?
Response from Cindy Battie: There have been a couple of problems of skateboards going through plate glass windows. One police had to arrest an out of control skateboarder and put in jail. A number of near hits have occurred.
Comment from Debra Murphy: There is also a problem with students smoking in doorways, especially in the Fine Arts Building area. Some are polite and move when asked, but others do not. There are also incidents of people driving thru stop signs in parking garage. There could be greater awareness for a number of safety issues.
Response from Cindy Battie: The regulations related to smoking are rather vague while those related to skateboard can result in handling by the Police. The Committee had a role in getting the road by child care center closed and the new light by University center installed.
Comment: Directional arrows on lights are needed to prevent traffic accidents as well.
Comment from Mina Baliamoune: Eight years ago issues such as these were not an issue. We must think about new policies as changes occur.

Agenda Item # 1 -FA 08-01 submitted by the Strategic Planning Committee
Second Reading: By-Laws Revision and Committee Name Change Proposal
Kathy Robinson moved the item.
The item was passed.

I.   Faculty Association Officers (2008-2010)
II.  Faculty Association Standing and University Committees

Chip Klostermeyer adjourned the meeting at 1:24 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

_________________________
Diane Tanner , Acting Secretary