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Faculty Senate
Faculty Senate

2003-2004 Senate

Minutes

Wednesday, January 14, 2004, 2 p.m., MBSC Dodge Rooms
Attendees: Akers, Allen, Bacon, Benjamin-Alvarado, Bennett, Bramlett, M. Carroll, Dasgupta, D'Souza, Dickson, Garver, Kosloski, Latchaw, Lewis, Madsen, Mei, Metal-Corbin, Mitenko, Nazem, Neathery-Castro, Ortman, Owens, Pasco, Pedersen, Ritter, Sadlek, Schulte, Shuster, Simpson, Smith, Thorp, Watson, Zigurs

Excused: Helm, Williams

Absent: Shroder, Tixier y Vigil

At 2:05 p.m., John Christensen, Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, reviewed the Summary of Outcomes Survey of Baccalaureate Graduates, December 2003. Questions were taken at the end of the presentation.
I.Senator Sadlek called the meeting to order at 2:30 p.m., with a moment of silence for former faculty member, Ross Pilkington, who died January 29, 2003.

II. Senator Sadlek introduced the following guests:

A. Joe Price, President-Elect, Staff Advisory Council
B. Steve Massara: Student Senate/Faculty Senate Liaison
C. Becky Brown, University Relations

Senator Sadlek welcomed back Senators Dasgupta and Watson, who were returning to the Senate after a semester's absence. He also welcomed Senator Thorp, who will be replacing Senator Krause this semester.

III. The December 10, 2003, minutes were approved as submitted.

IV. Officers' Reports

A. President's Report: Senator Sadlek reported:

    1. The Executive Committee and Administration Meeting was held December 17, 2003. The Administration accepted amended resolution 2712 as well as resolutions 2716 and 2717. Among the items of discussion were minority recruiting and retention. Copies of the UNO "Diversity Action Plan" were distributed. In addition, minority recruiting will become a much larger part of the job description of the Multicultural Affairs Office. We reported on the initial meeting between the Creighton and UNO Faculty Senate Executive Committees.Finally, we discussed the frustrations of Laura Dickson and the Educational Resources and Services Committee with respect to UNO financial scholarship information on the web. VC Christensen promised to follow up with Laura Dickson to see if the committee's frustrations could be addressed.
    2. The Board of Regents met on Friday, December 12, and Saturday, December 13, 2004, at Varner Hall in Lincoln, NE. There were three committee meetings on Friday afternoon. In the first, the Board heard a report on the Millard/UNO Dual Enrollment Pilot Project from Sheri Rogers and John Christensen. The next committee meeting was given over to a report on distance education given by Provost Jay Noren and the NU Distance Education Coordinating Council. Regent Miller suggested an expanded Coordinating Council with a "consumer marketing expert" and "an individual very familiar with the Phoenix and Bellevue University approach to profitably providing distance education." With these additional members, he wants the council to study marketing programs and "faculty-centered vs. school owned models" of education that could be used at NU. Miller's proposal was sent to committee, which will report out in April. This is a proposal that well deserves the faculty's closest attention. (Senate Discussion: Senator Pasco was concerned that no faculty was represented on the NU Distance Education Coordinating Council. Two points made during the discussion were that distance education is not a hardware issue, but an instructional issue, and if an enlarged distance education program is wanted then an administrative structure would need to be developed to manage those programs. Senator Sadlek charged the Education Resources & Services Committee to research and bring recommendations back to the Senate.) The final committee report was on deferred maintenance.

      At the regular Saturday meeting of the Board of Regents the major presentation of the day was on "Tax Policy as it relates to Higher Education." In addition to the report, Ron Withem passed out a report entitled "It's Crunch Time for State Budgets," written by the Rockefeller Institute of Government. Out-going UNO Student President/Regent Joe Bilek was given a Kudos award for his dedicated work. The move of the UNO Department of Communication to a School of Communication was approved as was the proposed UNO B.A. program in Latino/Latina American Studies. Also approved was the naming of the UNO Library as the "Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library" with a proposed "Dr. Guinter Kahn Addition." Gifts by these donors will finally make a $6.9 million renovation and expansion of the UNO Library possible.

B. Vice President's Report: Senator Bacon reported:

The Chancellor's Council met on December 17, 2003. Sheri Rogers presented a draft summary report for increasing the enrollment of minorities at UNO. She will discuss the draft with the Senate's Goals and Directions Committee. Rod Oberle proposed the adoption of the PeopleAdmin Inc. "Employment Application Systems for Higher Education" which would put employment applications on-line. However, questions were raised about its costs. The NU Values program is continuing. The Board of Regents meeting was discussed. The VC for A&S Affairs and the CBA Dean search committees reported progress. B.J. Reed reported that the Presidential search committee had begun its work. Vice Chancellors Buck and Carrico presented the campus security update. David Carter in Counseling is available for consultation on how to contain explosive classroom situations. The four NU campuses will consult on consistent public access rules in light of last spring's confrontation at UNO. The Chicago Park District's model on maintaining that balance is being discussed. The Omaha police are reluctant to become involved in controlling disruptions on campus.Chancellor Belck presented her views on campus developments, including south campus reconfiguration (e.g., CBA's eventual relocation), the potential for more campus housing, and a north campus parking facility south of the Library. We also learned that funding for the Library's expansion will come from Clark Foundation monies. Both Registrar Robinson and Interim Dean Langen again addressed the minority recruitment issue.

C. Secretary-Treasurer's Report: Senator Dickson submitted the December 2003 Budget Report.

V. Executive Committee Report: Senator Bacon moved the following, which passed:

Resolution 2718, 01/14/04: Regarding the UNO Soccer Team

Whereas, the 2003 University of Nebraska at Omaha soccer team amassed an impressive 17-4-2 season and played in the NCAA semi-finals, and

Whereas, the soccer team's success over the last two years has brought credit and national recognition to the entire University of Nebraska at Omaha community, and

Whereas, the soccer team collectively continues to distinguish itself academically, epitomizing the standards of student-athletes,

Therefore, be it resolved that the Faculty Senate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha congratulates the soccer team and Coach Don Klosterman for their success and wishes them another successful season in 2004.

VI. Standing Committee Reports

A. Committee on Educational Resources and Services: Senator Dickson reported that she recently met with Vice Chancellor Christensen who agrees that scholarship information should be more available and accessible. The Vice Chancellor plans to take these concerns to various committees and will notify Senator Dickson of changes.

B. Committee on Goals and Directions: Senator Simpson reported the Goals & Directions committee met on December 17 at 2PM in Room 318 of the Fine Arts building. Those in attendance were: Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado, Bruce Garver, Karl Kosloski, Richard Ortman, and Caroline Simpson. The committee met with Dr. Robert Chrisman, Chair of the Black Studies Department and Sheri Rogers, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Assessment, to discuss the university's Diversity Action Plan. The committee made numerous suggestions on ways to strengthen and improve this document. The committee requested to see a revised version of the Diversity Action Plan and recommends that Sheri Rogers and Dr. Chrisman be invited to speak to the full senate about the plan later in the semester.

VII. Faculty Senate Ad Hoc Committee Reports

A. Budget Advisory Committee: Prof. Bartle reported that the committee met only once last semester due to his absence. He reviewed the "Implications of 'State Spending for Higher Education in the Coming Decade,' by Don Boyd, Nelson A Rockefeller Institute of Government, (October 2002)." The report is available at http:\nchems.org/State_Spending.doc. He was one of a group who presented this to the Board of Regents in December 2003.

B. Emeritus College Committee: Prof. Cederblom reported a short message was e-mailed to all faculty to determine who might be interested in helping plan the Senior Scholars Academy. The replies were to be sent to Sue Bishop who will compile a list of those interested.

C. Academic Prioritization Review Committee: Senator Garver reported the committee (Profs. J. Carroll, Coyne, and Garver) and representatives from the Strategic Planning Steering Committee met on the morning of Friday, December 12, 2003. Profs. Carroll and Garver reported on the results of the November meeting of the Senate's Academic Prioritization Committee. Afterward, the Committee reviewed whathad gone well in the Prioritization of 2002, principally the fact that the UNO administration clearly identified the procedures it would follow and then followed them. The Committee next decided to ascertain before its next meeting the extent to which any funds have been allocated to projects ---or programs identified as "priorities" in 2002. The committee's impression has been that to date a large part of "priority" funds are being held by the UNO administration to meet unanticipated developments or the future funding of priority requests currently still unfunded.

VIII. Non-Senate Committee Reports

A. Academic Freedom Coalition of Nebraska (AFCON): Senator Ritter reported the Academic Freedom Coalition Of Nebraska (AFCON) held its monthly meetings on December 13, 2003 and January 10, 2004 in Lincoln, NE. New officers were installed for the 2004 term at the January meeting. AFCON will be monitoring three left over legislative bills in the unicameral that may have implications for academic freedom (LB 389, which eliminates the Postsecondary Coordinating Committee; LB 512, which prevents fetal tissue research by public institutions or employees; and, LB 566, which creates the offense of destructive research on human embryos). We will also be monitoring implications of the Patriot Act on academic freedom as well as the continued threats to tenure (UNL, etc.,.). We are currently updating our speaker's bureau, please consider inviting an AFCON speaker for your class or organization. AFCON is actively seeking new members ($10 for individuals, $5 for students, $100 for organizations). Members receive a quarterly newsletter and the opportunity to monitor and promote the cause of academic freedom in Nebraska. For more information, please visit the AFCON website: http://www.AFCONebr.org .

B. Alumni Association, Board of Directors: Senator Sadlek submitted this report from Professor Fruhling who was unable to attend the meeting: The Alumni Association met on December 16, 2003. Newly elected board members are: Kelli Sears, Pat Lamberty, Mike Kudlacz and Jim Garbina. Returning members are: Gary Domet, Luanne Nelson, and Angelo Passarelli.. Mr. Don Winters is the only retiring Board Member.

C. Graduate Council: Senator Lewis noted a memo attached to the agenda titled, "New Graduate Policies and Revision to the size of the Graduate Council."

D. Strategic Planning Steering Committee: Senator Garver reported the Strategic Planning Steering Committee did not meet during the period -----between the December and January meetings of the UNO Faculty Senate. The next SPSC meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m. on the fourth-Wednesday of January 2004.

IX. Old Business

A. Senator Sadlek noted that the Goals & Direction Committee is working on steps and actions regarding minority recruiting and retention.

B. Senator Sadlek announced that there would be a Campus Security Forum at next month's meeting. Panel members will be representatives from Campus Security, Omaha Police Department, Vice Chancellor Buck, and Prof. David Carter (Counseling) are invited. Senators should send -questions regarding security on campus to the Faculty Senate Office (Sue Bishop) before the end of the month. The questions will be distributed to the panel members and answered at the forum.

X. New Business

A. Senator Sadlek charged the Faculty Personnel & Welfare Committee to speak with V.C. Buck, Central Administration, or whatever office is in charge of travel arrangements, to look into the situation with "Travel and Transport."

B. Senator Latchaw asked how the Alumni Association can do better fundraising for UNO. Other university alumni associations were cited. Senator Sadlek asked that questions/information be communicated through Ann Fruhling, the Faculty Senate representative to the Alumni Association Board of Directors. It was also suggested that the Alumni Association director, Jim Leslie, and a representative from the Foundation, Clark Rosenlof, be invited to a future Senate meeting to discuss which group appeals to the alumni for contributions.

C. Senator Sadlek charged the Academic & Curricular Affairs Committee with contacting Institutional Research to see if the survey that was presented before the meeting by VC Christensen could be run to include racial and ethnic categories and tie the product to minority recruitment.

XI. The meeting adjourned at 3:39 p.m.