FACULTY SENATE
FULL MINUTES OF DECEMBER 6, 2005
The fourth regular meeting of the 2005-2006
Agenda Item I. Call
to Order
Catherine Rigsby, Chair of the Faculty called the meeting to
order at 2:10 p.m.
Agenda Item II.
Approval of Minutes
Sprague (Physics) moved the postponement of the minutes
of November
8, 2005, until January 31, 2006.
Agenda Item III.
Special Order of the Day
A. Roll Call
Senators absent were: Professors Zoller (Art), Robinson
(Mathematics), Gilliland and Schenarts (Medicine), Eastman (Social Work), and
Vice Chancellor Mageean.
Alternates present were: Professors Boklage for Ray
(Medicine), Moll for Taggart (Music), Kirkpatrick for Eason (Nursing), and Cope
for Allred (Psychology).
B. Announcements
1. The
Chancellor has approved the following resolutions from the November 8, 2005,
Faculty Senate meeting:
05-42 Approval of the Fall 2005 Graduation Roster, including honors
program graduates, subject to the completion of degree requirements.
05-44 Curriculum
matters contained in the minutes of the October 13, 2005, and October 27,
2005, Committee Meetings.
05-45 Resolution on Fixed term Faculty.
With regard to this resolution, the Academic Council will
proceed to draft a plan that will be discussed with the Chancellor’s Executive
Council and the Faculty Governance Committee.
The Academic Council will then, in concern with the Faculty Governance
Committee, present the plan to the Faculty Senate.
2. Electronic
access to the 2005-2006 Faculty Salary report is now available via OneStop at:
https://onestop.ecu.edu/onestop/
under Tools, Employee. The
3. Faculty
interested in periodically receiving past copies of "The Chronicle of Higher Education" are asked to call the
4. The
Committee on Committees has been charged to seek volunteers to serve on the
various academic, appellate, administrative, Board of Trustees, and student
union committees. Faculty are strongly
encouraged to participate in this component of shared faculty governance and
return the volunteer form by February 15, 2006. Committee appointments will be finalized at the April 25,
2006, Faculty Senate meeting.
Faculty members have two ways to note their preference for service on the
various standing University committees.
1) On OneStop under Employee Section, faculty
members click on “Faculty Committee Volunteer Form” and complete the committee
volunteer preference form.
2) A faculty member may complete the volunteer
preference form that is available on the Faculty Senate web site at http://www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/fsonline/customcf/committee/callforvolunteers.htm
5. Letters concerning unit elections for 2006-2007
6. A special thanks was extended to Chancellor Steve Ballard for
providing the additional food and wine for today’s meeting.
7. The
Chancellor will host a
Chancellor Ballard announced that Kitty Wetherington
has virtually accepted the position as new University Attorney, with the
negotiations being completed soon. The Chancellor said he appreciated the
efforts of the search committee in finding finalists and making
recommendations.
The Chancellor stated that the next six months of
planning will be especially important to this institution. The areas he discussed are as follows:
Status in System:
ECU should be very proud of its position but also very vigilant in
keeping its position. We are the 3rd
largest university, one of two with medical schools, and by far the fastest
growing (based on the last four years of growth). We should be fully respected
for the quality of what we do. The
Chancellor also discussed what the formation of a future peer list should
be. He thanked Catherine Rigsby for her
help. It establishes the salary
structure that we can offer at this University.
We should be very aggressive to find peers that represent our future.
Financial outlook:
The next five years will look much different from the last five
years. He is optimistic about the
financial future. There are three things
which will dominate how we think about generating revenue and the faculty will
be at the heart of what we decide to do.
One is structural deficits within the state. State government will have less money
available for universities. Secondly, we
are the largest discretionary item in the state budget. Thirdly, he feels it is virtually impossible
for enrollment to grow over the next five years as it has over the last five
years. We have been saved through the work the faculty has done in
enrollment growth. The Chancellor does
not feel that the projections support a grow level which will carry us over the
next five years. So the future will be
different. We should be paying
attention to the right mix of who should be paying for the cost of education
and how we can be prepared. We will
recommend to the Board of Trustees a sizable increase in tuition and fee
structures within the guidelines established by the Board of Governors. In 2003 students paid about 20% of the cost
of their education. This year it will be
closer to 22%. 25% would most likely be
the maximum we could ask students to contribute to their education. We are approaching the limit of what we can
ask students to contribute, therefore we must we must do more to guarantee our
financial viability over the next decade.
We are investing our resources in ways, which will make a
difference. Three areas are research,
advancement, and athletics. We are doing
better today than we were a year ago. We
are investing in ways which will help our financial future.
Planning: The
Chancellor stated that planning is the glue that connects our status in the
system, our financial future and the decisions, which we all must make in the
community as we go forth. The
Chancellor stated that Erskine Bowles is not happy with the strategic plan of
the general administration and does not believe that the campus plan makes a
whole lot of difference. We have the
opportunity to provide a viable model for planning within this 16-campus
system. This is the goal. The Board of Trustees has identified planning
as one of the two things in which we must make the most progress. We must plan as our needs and our resources
are not going to line up. We need to
come to grips with this in the ways that make the most sense. We need to decide
those areas which will have the most impact on our faculty and resources, set
the priorities and establish specificity at some level so that we can really
make a difference on what is most important to the success of our faculty. In the first stage of the planning process we
must answer the question “where is ECU going?”.
This question concerns how big we want to be, the appropriate faculty
mix, our academic programs, etc. The Chancellor will continue to work with the
faculty senate leadership for continuous feedback. Stage two is the most important as it will
identify what we are not doing that we need to do and things we are doing that
we shouldn’t do. This is the stage where
every academic unit develops their own plan that set priorities, which will
make the most difference for ECU. It is
hopeful that this stage will start early in the spring semester. This is the stage where the key decisions
will be made as to where we are headed, how we deal with enrollment issues, and
what programs make the most difference for economic development. Stage one is a much more general exercise and
stage two is specific about what happens at the local level. The Chancellor is looking forward to
continuing discussions on how we can make the most progress and he thanked
everyone.
Tabrizi (Technology and Computer Science) stated that we often receive announcements
regarding student safety on the streets of
The
Chancellor thanked Professor Tabrizi for identifying a number of good ideas and
he agreed with him. He will discuss this
with Provost Smith and Vice Chancellor Moore.
Safety is a major concern and Vice Chancellor Moore has added 15
additional police due to recent incidences.
VC Moore is also taking several people to
Long (History) noted the continued problems with traffic
control on 10th street and stressed that there should be more
priority with the handling of this situation.
Chancellor Ballard stated they are working on this problem. Vice Chancellor
D. Jim Smith, Provost and Vice Chancellor for
Academic Affairs
Provost Smith
reviewed information related to several items he had distributed prior to the
meeting. The items included:
1. Strategic
Planning: By the time of my remarks, Chancellor Ballard will have
shared with you his perspectives on this topic. As a close at hand
observer of our planning process since its re-inception in 1987, I believe the
broadening of the process and the invocation of parallel thought processes
across departments, schools, colleges, and divisions is remarkably
encouraging. Strategic planning in a University setting is difficult
because of the many and varied valid tasks and goals a mature university
encapsulates and, hopefully, advances. As a SACS visitor on five campuses
in the 1990s and an observer of four such visits here (1970, 1980, 1990, 2000),
I believe we have the best opportunity now to develop a plan that maximizes
both everyone’s opportunity and the likelihood that we will arrive at a product
about which we can be passionate. I salute Henry Peel and all of you who
have expressed interest and decided to become involved. Onward and
upward!
2. Day
Care and Fixed term Appointments: The Senate has gone on record some
time ago about and reiterated interest in both of these topics most
recently. I am currently framing task forces on each topic.
Regarding day care, Nan Lee in the
3. Transparent
Processes and Process Improvements: I continue to be impressed
with successes with the attitudes and spirit of openness and transparency that
Chancellor Ballard has instructed us to pursue. Processes will improve
and I believe we should have as a goal in the next 2-5 years that we become a
national model for budget and resource allocation transparency We
can do this.
4. Faculty
Position Allocations and the Distribution of Operating Dollars: I
have shared the October 25 Academic Affairs position allocation memorandum
widely and I continue to discuss the rationales with deans and others. The
continued availability of enrollment increase monies is of course a function of
continuing enrollment increases. We will be making enrollment projections
for GA in December and a great deal turns on how well we do this
projection. I trust that deans are discussing these matters with the
departments and schools within their units.
5. The
Joyner Library (ALS) Director Search Process: Elections under App. L
of the faculty representatives occurred last Friday and this week I am working
on the appointments of the chair and the 3 remaining appointments that are at
my discretion. I am also discussing the best manner of involvement of the
Laupus Health Sciences Library in this search process. I have indicated
that one of my appointments will come from the Faculty Senate Libraries
Committee. ALS Faculty elected were: Lisa Barricella, Bryna Coonin, Linda
Teel, Carolyn Willis, Beth Winstead, and Maury York. Congratulations to
these persons for receiving the confidence of their colleagues.
Brown
(Education) asked if her unit could pull information from three self studies
toward accreditation to draft their 5 year vision. Provost Smith stated that if
the information is relevant then use the information.
E. Catherine Rigsby,
Chair of the Faculty
Professor Rigsby noted that faculty members have been busy this semester
and involved most recently with discussion on strategic planning with Henry
Peel. Chairs (or their representatives) of
all academic and appellate committees and faculty officers were invited to participate
in the discussion. The University should include what we can do and tie it to
the University budget.
She stated that after extensive discussion last Spring in the Faculty
Senate, the Faculty Officers, in consultation with the Division of Academic
Affairs, agreed to form an Ad Hoc Committee on Search Committee Guidelines. One
of the continuing concerns across campus has been the proper conduct of faculty
and administrative searches. This Ad Hoc Committee was asked to review
guidelines across campus, clarify the rules and regulations for searches, and
draft some basic University-wide search committee guidelines that are
applicable across campus. Members of the Ad Hoc Committee have now
compiled a document entitled Best
Practices for Hiring EPA Faculty and EPA Administrator that can be used as
a guide in future search activities.
Three new Federal Priorities
have been approved by the Federal Priorities Selection Committee, relating to North
Carolina Coastal Hazards: Implications of Climate Change, Sea-Level Rise and
Storms, Program
in Racial Disparities and Cardiovascular Disease, and SouthEast
Crescent Authority. These items will be
forwarded to the UNC Board of Governors for consideration.
The 10th. Street Safety Subcommittee has been meeting and has
provided an information
sheet for today’s meeting.
Issues relating to both the print and online
University Catalog are being worked out between the University Curriculum
Committee and the Division of Academic Affairs. Issues will be clarified and
any new procedures announced to all in the near future. The online catalog is considered the
“official” catalog and will be updated at least bi-monthly throughout the year.
The catalog will change every semester. Chair Rigsby noted that faculty in all
units needed to know that there was no longer a curriculum submission deadline
for curriculum items to be included in the “official” University catalog. Printed Fall catalogs will remain available
to those who require them.
F.
Dee Dee Glascoff, Faculty Assembly Delegate
Professor Glascoff (Health and Human Performance) presented
a report on the November 18, 2005,
Faculty Assembly meeting. There were no
questions.
G. Brief
Moment in History
Henry Ferrell (History) continued his discussion from the
last month’s meeting in connection with various historical happening relating
to the faculty and its evolution.
H. Question
Period
Faculty are encouraged to participate in
the Question Period of the
Sprague (Physics) asked, in reference to the
“official” online catalog, if there would be a list of changes made from the
previous printed catalog distributed to faculty. Provost Smith stated yes.
Chair Rigsby stated that this was a good suggestion
and that a record of all changes should be available for retrieval and
distribution.
Tovey (English) stated that there were discrepancies
between the online catalog, OneStop in reference to the listing of writing
intensive courses.
Chair Rigsby stated that she could not answer that
question but that the on-line catalog was the official catalog and contains the
official information which should be used.
Those in charge of One-stop should be informed of the discrepancies.
Wang (Geography) asked who oversaw changes in the
catalog. Chair Rigsby said just like it was handled through the Provost’s office. She also stated that everything in the
catalog must go through the appropriate committees.
Sprague (Physics) stated that “A” parking spaces were
being taken up by construction storage and that something should be done about
students parking in “A” lots. Chair
Rigsby said that after the first semester of this new parking programs all
illegally parked cars were to be towed then ticketed as opposed to ticketed and
then towed. They should be towed immediately.
Professor Tovey stated that the student union/library lot has spaces
available.
Given (Foreign Languages) asked about the proposed
daycare and why there were now 2 steps to follow, with Nan Lee’s plan that was
approved by the Faculty Senate being sent to a newly formed task force. Provost Smith stated that this is an involved
process and that finding the resources is difficult. It may not resolve itself as quickly as we
would like it to.
Tabrizi (Technology and Computer Science) asked Dr.
Gemperline about the infrastructure changes and the merging of grants and
contracts with sponsored programs. Dr. Gemperline stated that they were working
hard to try and improve the research infrastructure. There have been a number of changes over the
past year and that the Division is now more responsive to faculty needs. They will have people to help in the area of
program development. Research compliance
will come under the control of the Research Division. This has been a difficult and challenging
process with a new Vice Chancellor on board for only four months, a new budget
process to develop, and making fundamental structural changes to the Research
Division.
Estes (Health and Human Performance) asked Provost
Smith if there would be a Spring 2006 online curriculum catalog. Provost Smith said yes. Chair Rigsby reminded the Senate that Faculty
Senate Resolution #04-02 states “The online/CD version
should be the official ECU catalog beginning with the 2005–2006 academic year.
The catalog for the next academic year (2004–2005) will be the last official
paper catalog.” Both the Provost and the
Chair stated that there are some glitches but they would be worked out.
Deena (English) asked if there would be more money for
research grants with the increase in the number of faculty members, emphasis on
research, and increase in doctoral programs.
Provost Smith stated that this was something that Vice
Chancellor Mageean and Dr. Gemperline will be considering but the idea of seed
grants is a great idea to get people going.
Dr. Gemperline stated that they have been working on start-up requests
and have been making progress on that issue.
Vice Chancellor Mageean is very much aware of the request.
Willson (Medicine) noted that there was a decrease in
the number of dentists in
Vice Chancellor Lewis related a number of statistics
in the connection with the shortage of dentists in NC and stated that he was
very optimistic about plans for a 4-year program in dentistry at the Brody
School of Medicine.
Moll (Music) asked how the productivity of degree
programs are accessed? Provost Smith
noted that General Administration looks at the number of graduates. This will be a focus for the Dean’s
group. There is currently no collective
way to do this.
Agenda Item IV.
Unfinished Business
There was no unfinished business to come before the
Agenda Item V. Report
of Committees
A. University
Curriculum Committee
Cheryl Estes (Health and Human Performance), Secretary of
the Committee, presented the curriculum matters contained in the minutes of the
November 10, 2005,
Committee meeting. There was no discussion and the curriculum matters were
approved as presented. RESOLUTION #05-46
Mark Sprague (Physics), Chair of the Committee, presented
the proposed 2006-2007
C. Committee on Committees
Henry Ferrell (History), Chair of the Committee, first
presented the second reading of the proposed revisions to the Teaching Grants
Committee charge. There was no
discussion and the revised committee charge was approved as presented. RESOLUTION
#05-48
Professor Ferrell then presented the second reading of the
proposed revisions to the University Athletics Committee charge. There was no discusison and the revised
committee charge was approved as presented.
RESOLUTION #05-49
Professor Ferrell completed his report with the first
reading of a proposed new University Environment Academic Committee
charge.
Ciechalski (Technology and Computer Science) stated that
“environment” included air and noise pollution and was too inclusive. Professor
Ferrell referred to the committee first charged and stated its importance and
they needed to be inclusive.
It was noted that the Senate would be asked to act on the
proposed new University Environment Academic Committee charge at their January
31, 2006, meeting.
D. Educational
Policies and Planning Committee
Dale Knickerbocker (Foreign Languages), Chair of the
Committee, presented for information only a request by EXSS to change
the name of “Physical Activity and Fitness” program to “Health Fitness
Specialist”. There was no discussion.
E. Faculty Welfare
Committee
Bill Sugar (Education), Chair of the Committee, first
presented a proposed addition to the ECU Faculty
Manual, Part VI. Section
I.H. relating to Phased Retirement .
The following text would be added to this section.
“1. Phased Retirement
Participation in
Participation is not an absolute
right.
To be eligible, faculty members must
be at least 50, have at least five years of full-time service at East Carolina
University, and be eligible to receive retirement benefits through either the
Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System (TSERS) or the Optional
Retirement System (ORP).
Faculty members who are considering
applying for this program are encouraged to contact the Department of Human
Resources for a list of the program officers and to schedule an informational
session. Faculty members are also encouraged to consult their attorney and
financial advisor before making a decision to enter the program. A decision to
enter the program is binding once made. However, the period of phased
retirement may be terminated if the faculty member and the university both
agree.
Faculty members who are accepted for
participation in the program are required to give up tenure and terminate their
current full-time positions. In return, the university contracts with the
faculty member for half-time re-employment for a period of three years. Each
participant negotiates their specific teaching duties and the time frame for
fulfilling them with the appropriate unit administrator.
Faculty members in the program are
initially compensated at a salary equal to fifty percent (50%) of the salary
they received prior to the phased retirement during their last nine or twelve
months of full-time employment. Their salary is paid over a twelve-month
period. The faculty member continues to be subject to performance reviews.
Subject to any limitations imposed under the State Retirement System and the
legislative appropriations process, faculty members are eligible for salary
increases and merit pay in subsequent years of program participation based on
annual evaluations.
Faculty members in the program may
participate in all employee benefits available to half-time employees. They
should review their benefits with a Human Resources benefits counselor.
Faculty members on phased retirement
are also eligible to participate in the other programs discussed in the
Retirement section of the Faculty Manual.”
Painter (Allied Health Sciences) asked about the new
requirement for retired faculty noted in the Faculty Assembly report. Cope (Psychology) stated that the new
requirement on phased retirement would be a part of the 2007 roll in.
Following a brief discussion, the proposed addition to the ECU Faculty Manual, Part VI. Section I.H. relating
to Phased Retirement was approved as presented.
RESOLUTION #05-50
Professor Sugar then presented a proposed revision to the ECU Faculty Manual, Part VI. Section I.H.2.a.6 relating
to the University Employee Assistance Program.
The new text would read:
“6) Access to the University Employee Assistance
Program and Provider Directory when such services are available.“
There was
no discussion and the proposed revision to the ECU Faculty Manual, Part VI. Section
I.H.2.a.6 relating to the University Employee Assistance Program was
approved as presented.
RESOLUTION
#05-51
The Faculty Welfare Committee’s report on a proposed revision to the ECU Faculty Manual, Part VI. (attachment
7) was withdrawn. Faculty
Senate Resolution 05-23 relating to parking privileges for retired faculty to
read as follows: “Free campus parking permit with “A” zone privileges (without
a waiting list)” is still pending the Chancellor’s approval. In April 2005, Chancellor Ballard stated that
he wanted to do a use study by retired faculty before reaching a decision on
this resolution.
F. Unit Code
Screening Committee
Ralph Scott (Academic Library Services), an ex-officio
member of the Committee, presented the revised Allied
Health Sciences’ Unit Code of Operation.
There was no discussion and the revised unit code of operation was
approved as presented. RESOLUTION #05-52
Agenda Item VI. New
Business
There being
no further business to come before the body at this time, the meeting adjourned
at 4:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Tovey Lori
Lee
Interim Secretary of the Faculty Administrative Officer
Department of English
FACULTY
SENATE RESOLUTIONS APPROVED AT THE DECEMBER 6, 2005, MEETING
05-46 Curriculum
matters contained in the minutes of the November 10, 2005,
Committee meeting.
Disposition: Chancellor
05-47 2006-2007
|
August
29, 2006 |
September
12, 2006 |
|
September
26, 2006 |
October
10, 2006 |
|
October
24, 2006 |
November
7, 2006 |
|
November
21, 2006 |
December
5, 2006 |
|
January
16, 2007 |
January
30, 2007 |
|
February
6, 2007 |
February
20, 2007 |
|
March 6,
2007 |
March
20, 2007 |
|
April 3,
2007 |
April
17, 2007 |
|
|
April
24, 2007 Organizational
Meeting |
Disposition: Faculty
Senate
05-48
Revised Teaching Grants Committee
charge.
Disposition: Faculty
Senate
05-49 Revised University Athletics
Committee charge.
Disposition: Faculty
Senate
05-50 Addition to the ECU Faculty Manual, Part VI. Section I.H. relating
to Phased Retirement to read as follows:
“1. Phased Retirement
Participation in
Participation is not
an absolute right.
To be eligible,
faculty members must be at least 50, have at least five years of full-time
service at East Carolina University, and be eligible to receive retirement
benefits through either the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System
(TSERS) or the Optional Retirement System (ORP).
Faculty members who
are considering applying for this program are encouraged to contact the
Department of Human Resources for a list of the program officers and to
schedule an informational session. Faculty members are also encouraged to
consult their attorney and financial advisor before making a decision to enter
the program. A decision to enter the program is binding once made. However, the
period of phased retirement may be terminated if the faculty member and the
university both agree.
Faculty members who
are accepted for participation in the program are required to give up tenure
and terminate their current full-time positions. In return, the university
contracts with the faculty member for half-time re-employment for a period of
three years. Each participant negotiates their specific teaching duties and the
time frame for fulfilling them with the appropriate unit administrator.
Faculty members in the
program are initially compensated at a salary equal to fifty percent (50%) of
the salary they received prior to the phased retirement during their last nine
or twelve months of full-time employment. Their salary is paid over a
twelve-month period. The faculty member continues to be subject to performance
reviews. Subject to any limitations imposed under the State Retirement System
and the legislative appropriations process, faculty members are eligible for
salary increases and merit pay in subsequent years of program participation
based on annual evaluations.
Faculty members in the
program may participate in all employee benefits available to half-time
employees. They should review their benefits with a Human Resources benefits
counselor.
Faculty members on
phased retirement are also eligible to participate in the other programs
discussed in the Retirement section of the Faculty Manual.”
Disposition: Chancellor
05-51 Revision to the ECU Faculty
Manual, Part VI. Section I.H.2.a.6 relating to the
University Employee Assistance Program to read as follows: “6)
Access to the University Employee Assistance Program and Provider
Directory when such services are available.“
Disposition: Chancellor
05-52 Revised Allied Health Sciences’ Unit
Code of Operation.
Disposition: Chancellor