EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
FACULTY SENATE
FULL MINUTES OF 7 DECEMBER 1999
The fourth regular meeting of the 1999-2000 Faculty Senate
was held on Tuesday, 7 December 1999, in Club Level
Seating at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
Agenda Item I. Call to Order
Vice Chair Robert Morrison called the meeting to order at
2:10 p.m.
Agenda Item II. Approval of Minutes
The 16 November 1999, full Faculty Senate minutes were
approved as distributed.
Agenda Item III. Special Order of the Day
A. Roll Call
Senators absent were: Vice Chancellor Feldbush,
Professors Lowe (Administrative Council), Neal (Geology),
Joyner (Education), Stanley (Biology), Mustafa (Medicine),
Meredith (Medicine), Fiordalisi (Medicine), Shea (HESC),
Clark (Theatre and Dance), Miller (Philosophy),
Killingsworth (Faculty Chair)
Alternates present were: Professors Whitman (Allied Health)
for Smith, Wubneh (Industry and Technology) for Friend
B. Announcements: Allred (Psychology) spoke about the
East Carolina University scholars program. Information
about the program was distributed to all Senators prior to
the meeting. The goal for the Faculty Component is
$300,000 over a 3-year period.
C. Richard Eakin, Chancellor, began his remarks by
commenting on the facility in which the meeting was held.
He spoke of the positive impact that could be made by
private donations to the University. The Chancellor also
stated that the club level and the soon-to-be completed
strength and conditioning center were much needed
additions to the University. The Chancellor discussed the
report on employment category for all faculty, referring to a
report which had been distributed to all Senators. Eakin
spoke of the "distressing" characteristic on the decline of
tenure track faculty members since 1991, and the increase
in non-tenure track positions. Compared to other UNC
institutions, ECU has lower percentage of faculty not on
tenure track, but a task force will be empanelled to discover
reasons for the gradual increase in non-tenure track faculty.
Financial matters: The Chancellor stated that the remaining
funds from the ECU flood relief fund will be distributed on
December 8. Phase II of the flood relief program will involve
much larger grants, some over $3000.
Tuition: The Chancellor stated that authority for tuition
increases has been passed to individual campuses in past
few years. For the first time each campus can recommend
across the board increases. The Chapel Hill campus and
North Carolina State have already done so. UNC-
Wilmington and UNC-Charlotte have recommended
increases. These recommendations are in addition to Board
of Governors recommendations, and the Board of
Governors must approve all tuition increases. On Friday,
December 10, Chancellor Eakin will recommend a $150
increase to the ECU Board of Trustees. A $30 increase is
already mandated because of University's move to Doctoral
II status, but a $400 increase is mandated for out of state
tuition as a result of moving to Doctoral II status. The
Student Government Association has expressed concern
about the proposed increase in view of the recent flood and
the hardship it imposed. The Chancellor stated that he is
proposing a $530 increase over the next three years. He
stated that the reasons for the recommended increases are:
1) to keep faculty salaries with other institutions, 2) to
augment library resources, 3) to continue ECU's leadership
in developing and maintaining technology, and 4) to set
aside some funds for financial aid.
Salaries: Chancellor Eakin stated that a recent report in the
News and Observer with respect to faculty salaries is
inaccurate. He stated that commissions have been
established to study our standing, and that the attempt is to
place us in the 80th percentile relative to other universities.
The estimated total cost for raising faculty salaries to the
desirable level is approximately $28 million for the entire
state.
Chancellor Eakin stated that the Merit scholarship campaign
has exceeded $8 million and is headed toward $15 million.
Tilley (History) asked if phased retirement was a possible
factor in the decline of tenure track positions. The
Chancellor stated that he was not sure if phase retirement
faculty were included in the information in Senator's hands.
Joyce (Physics) stated that the issue of declining tenure
track faculty is being studied by the Faculty Governance
Committee. Joyce stated that he is concerned that over 1 in
3 faculty on campus are not on tenure track. Professor
Joyce asked whether this situation is a result of the 6-year
cap. The Chancellor stated that a task force would be
appointed to examine what is going on in individual units
that may be causing the decline in tenure track faculty.
Tabrizi (Mathematics) offered possible explanations for
increase. The Chancellor stated that the answer may not lie
in just one factor, and that the problem may get worse with
the projected growth in enrollment. Ferrell (Faculty
Assembly) stated that quality of instruction rather than
administrative ease should be the determining factor in
hiring fixed term faculty.
D. Vice Chancellor's Report
James Hallock, Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences, stated
that an $8 million gift has been received from the Brody
family, and that the ECU School of Medicine has been
renamed the Brody School of Medicine. Seven million
dollars will go for an endowment in several areas of
medicine; $1 million will go for the scholars program. With
respect to this year's incoming Medical School class, there
were 72 admissions, 39 men, 33 women, and 50% of the
class came from the three largest North Carolina
Universities. Hallock stated that grade point averages and
medical school score test scores remain very high, and that
there has been no adverse impact on minority enrollment.
The Vice Chancellor stated that permission to plan has been
granted for a Master in Public Health degree. He also stated
that a contract has been signed with the National Library of
Medicine contract for telemedicine and that ECU will lead
the way in applying telemedicine throughout the country.
E. Faculty Assembly Report
Lou Everett reported that the Faculty Assembly met on 19
November 1999. The full Faculty Assembly report on the
19 November 1999, meeting is available in the Faculty
Senate office, 140 Rawl Annex.
F. Delegate Alan Rosenberg, Chair of the Professional
Development Committee (PDAC) for the Assembly spoke of
recommendations made by the Committee. Included was
the recommendation that Teaching Development centers be
established at all campuses, and that ECU was one of six
campuses that does not have one. Professor Rosenberg
stated that funding for the Carolina Colloquy is due to expire
in June, and that faculty should provide encouragement for
keeping the Colloquy operational. Rosenberg stated that
the Instructional Technology Initiative was funded last year,
and that the technology is being used well, but that not
enough funding was being used for teaching development in
this area. Pravica (Mathematics) asked if more emphasis
was going to be placed on distance learning. Rosenberg
stated that the answer was yes, and Chancellor Eakin stated
that a teleconference meeting was held on December 6 to
discuss enrollment increases statewide and distance
learning. He stated that ECU was featured in the meeting,
as we are leaders in distance education.
G. Keith Howell of UNC-Greensboro and Chair of the
Faculty Assembly was invited to address the Senate. He
encouraged participation in the Assembly. Howell stated that
the purpose of the Assembly was to facilitate communication
between the UNC campuses and bring information to the
President's attention. He spoke of President Broad's
openness to assembly concerns, including the role of non-
tenure track positions, and that information is already being
compiled. Each campus will appoint at least one faculty
member to task forces to examine the tenure track
employment situation, that the percentage of classes being
taught by tenure track faculty has been dropping statewide
over the last 10 years. The problem is nationwide and
extends to public and private colleges and universities. He
stated that cost is not the only factor involved and that some
is due to faculty requests for various non-tenure track
expertise. Howell stated that the question of how non-
tenure track employees are treated is also an important one.
Professor Howell stated that the UNC system is near the
bottom (39th according to comments made by Professor
Everett) in terms of benefits. Retirement and health benefits
are of greatest concern in this area. The Assembly wants a
political action group to influence legislators on these
issues, rather than depending solely on Chancellors to
inform legislators of faculty needs. Professor Howell
acknowledged the work of ECU delegates for this year, and
the work of Professor Don Sexauer (Immediate Past Chair)
for his work in the past.
Agenda Item IV. Unfinished Business There was no
unfinished business to come before the Faculty Senate for
this meeting.
Agenda Item V. Report of Committees
A. Agenda Committee
Jim Joyce (Physics), Chair of the Committee, presented the
proposed 2000-2001 Faculty Senate and Agenda
Committee meeting dates. There was no discussion and the
proposed meeting dates were approved as presented.
(Resolution #99-27)
B. Faculty Governance Committee, Henry Ferrell, Chair,
presented an interpretation of Appendix D, Section IV. H.
regarding non-concurring personnel recommendations. The
report was approved without discussion.
(Resolution #99-28)
C. University Curriculum Committee
James Smith (Business), Chair of the Committee, stated that
a workshop on electronic submission is being prepared. He
presented the curriculum matters contained in the minutes of
28 October 1999, and 11 November 1999, meetings. There
was no discussion and the curriculum matters were
approved as presented. (Resolution #99-29)
Agenda Item VI. New Business
There being no new business to come before the Faculty
Senate at this time. The meeting adjourned at 3:56 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Mark Jones
Secretary of the Faculty
School of Social Work and Criminal Justice Studies
