FS Minutes - 09-11-00

Onda Bennett, Walter Boles, Danny Britt, Rita Davis, JoAnna Dickey, Steven Fulkerson, Jim Keith, Nancy B. Kenner, Jean Marlow, Doris Pierce, Ritchie Rednour, Jennifer Rogers (The Eastern Progress), Elizabeth Schmidt, Aaron Thompson, Linda Turner, Elizabeth Wachtel, Doug Whitlock.

REPORT FROM THE PRESIDENT: Dr. Kustra

The President informed the Faculty Senate that he fully intends to keep the faculty and staff better informed on EKU's finances and budget. Once the new Vice President for Finances is on board, Dr. Kustra plans to meet with him and with each department on an individual basis to discuss the budget and current budget issues. In addition, Dr. Kustra plans to have the Faculty Senate Budget Committee work actively with the new Vice President for Finances. He stressed the importance of the university community working together as a whole to face the upcoming budget issues for this next year.

The President indicated that there are several financial opportunities available to Eastern Kentucky University in the near future. One such opportunity is the Action Agenda fund set up by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the amount of $1.5 million dollars which would be available to EKU during the next physical year if an acceptable proposal is presented to the Council on Postsecondary Education. Dr. Kustra suggested that a possible proposal could be developed to help with salary inequities. This would be a tremendous help in making needed salary adjustments without having to take those funds from the regular salary pool.

Dr. Kustra stated that he had spoken to the Governor recently and learned that the benchmarking-budgeting process may no longer be in effect for Kentucky's institutions. This would be favorable for Eastern as well as the other universities in the state.

The President reminded the Faculty Senate that there is a $5 million dollar endowment trust fund challenge currently open to Eastern Kentucky University. If enough funds are generated to total $5 million dollars before the end of the biennium, the state of Kentucky will match that total with another $5 million dollars. If those funds are generated, those dollars can be used for endowed chairs, endowed professorships and scholarships for our students. If you have names of individuals who you feel would make a considerable contribution to Eastern Kentucky University, please submit those names to Vern Snyder, Vice President of University Advancement.

The President invited faculty to attend a presentation on September 28 at 7:00 p.m. in the Pearl Buchanan Theater where the Meridian company will present its latest effort to sum up what the essence of Eastern is. The findings of the Meridian Company will provide the basis for the public relations and marketing campaign that this University will utilize to recruit our students in the future.

The President indicated that new student enrollment for the fall semester is up by 755 students, compared to last fall's enrollment.

REPORT FROM THE CHAIR: Senator Taylor

Senator Taylor announced that Eastern's insurance has been changed from MedBen back to Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield.

Senator Taylor commented that on April 5, 1999 the Faculty Senate passed legislation that would place a moratorium on the IDEA numeric data and department numerical equivalent for a period of three years for the purposes of merit pay, promotion and tenure decisions starting with the academic year 2000-2001. Senator Taylor has been informed by Senator Marsden and President Kustra that the IDEA evaluations and departmental-equivalent evaluations WILL continue for this academic year and may be used for merit pay, promotion, and tenure. The Executive Committee will discuss the teaching evaluation process at their next meeting and a report will be made at the October Faculty Senate meeting.

Senator Taylor stated that the Executive Committee met on August 28 and discussed the following three topics:

Evaluation of Administrators. It was the consensus of the Executive Committee that Senator Taylor meet with Senator Thompson, Mr. Gilbert and Dr. Kustra to discuss the idea that all faculty in a specific area be given the right to evaluate an administrator during the evaluation process. As of this date, a meeting date has not been set.
Faculty Minimum Salary. It was the consensus of the Executive Committee that Senator Taylor meet with the President and discuss the possibility of establishing a faculty minimum salary. This is just a discussion at present, and faculty input is welcomed and encouraged. Send Senator Taylor any feedback you may have.
The Minimum Salary by Rank discussed for 2001-2002 is as follows:
University Compensation Committee and Benefits Committee. The Executive Committee were in agreement that two committees need to be formed on a university-wide basis by the President: A committee on faculty/staff compensation and a separate committee to review university benefits as compared to other Kentucky institutions.

OLD BUSINESS:

Election of Faculty Senate Secretary: Senator Harley nominated Pauletta King Rogers as Faculty Senate Secretary, seconded by Senator Miller and the motion was passed by the Faculty Senate.

Tenured Faculty Member Review: The post tenure review document, in its amended state, was approved by the Faculty Senate. The corrected document can be viewed at: http://www.eku.edu/academics/facultysenate/posttenure.htm.

Domestic Partner Benefits. Senator Goodwin moved that the Faculty Senate recommend that Eastern Kentucky University adopt the following definition of domestic partnership and add it to the Faculty/Staff Handbook.

A domestic partner is defined as a person over 18, unrelated by blood to an extent that would preclude marriage under the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, who has demonstrable financial interdependence with an employee of Eastern Kentucky University and shares an exclusive relationship which both partners intend to maintain indefinitely.

In addition, Senator Goodwin further proposed that the Faculty Senate extend the following recommendation to the President and the Board of Regents to consider:

Eastern Kentucky University considers domestic partners of employees, as defined by the Faculty/Staff Handbook, to be eligible for all benefits extended by the University to spouses of married employees. Eligible employees must complete the Declaration of Domestic Partner Relationship form to enroll the non-employee partner for benefits, and a Termination of Domestic Partner Relationship form must be completed within sixty days of the dissolution of a domestic partner relationship.

The Faculty Senate approved the motions with a majority ruling.

Phase II Reorganization. As an informational item, Dr. Marsden shared with the Faculty Senate that the Medical Services Technology program changed the program name to Medical Assisting Practices and requested to join the Department of Health Promotion and Administration. In addition, Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Environmental Health Science have combined to form a new department with Professor Worley Johnson appointed as acting chair. The two units were combined this summer on a one-year approval, with a final solution to be reached sometime during this academic year.

Senator Konkel, as a representative for the Department of Environmental Health and Clinical Laboratory Science, stated that the two departments work very well together and would prefer to continue as a department functioning under the name of the Department of Environmental Health Science and Clinical Laboratory Sciences. Senator Konkel stated that if the subject is revisited in the next year, then he would appreciate the Senate's involvement, focusing on the needs of students and faculty in the newly constituted department, and recognizing tradeoffs in any further reorganization.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

New Child Care Center: Senator Taylor stated that a new child care facility is being established on campus, and Dr. Jansook Gilbert would like to give a report at the next Faculty Senate meeting on the center's progress.

Shared Faculty Positions/Appointments: Ms. Joy Anderson gave a brief report on the committee's progress on the faculty positions and appointments task force findings. Ms. Anderson stated that the committee hopes to bring a proposal to the Senate for a vote by early December. Senator Spears will present additional information at the October meeting.

New EKU E-Mail System: Access 2000 is the new e-mail system now available on campus. It can still be set to access your mail through Netscape Mail or Internet Explorer Microsoft Outlook 2000, if preferred. However, all the new features will not be available to those who choose this option. All e-mail addresses will need to be changed to first name.last name@eku.edu. Some of the advantages of the new system will be virtually no e-mail down time, a more up-to-date address book for campus e-mails, calendar functions which can be shared university-wide, read-receipt and delivery receipt of e-mails, and an office assistance option that upon receipt of mail to your in-box responds with an e-mail to the sender notifying them of your absence from the office. There will be training provided on the new e-mail system in the near future. Questions may be directed to Steve Fulkerson at 622-5900.

Faculty Senate Representation: Senator Taylor mentioned that the Committee on Elections will be reviewing the Senate representation to make sure the departmental representations meet the Senate By-Laws.

Materials Submitted to Faculty Senate: Senator Taylor informed the Faculty Senate members that all items submitted to the Faculty Senate must now be on disk or through e-mail. The Faculty Senate Agenda and attachments will be available from this point on through the Faculty Senate Web Site at:http://www.eku.edu/academics/facultysenate/.

Faculty Senate Picnic: Senator Taylor reminded the Faculty Senate members that the second annual picnic will be held on Wednesday, September 27 at 6:00 p.m. at Arlington's Mulebarn. Senator Taylor thanked Kathy Kustra and Renee Taylor for their help in organizing the event.

NEW BUSINESS:

Evaluation of Administrators (Deans and Vice President of Academic Affairs): Senator Schlomann proposed two motions to clarify the faculty/staff handbook:

Under the Vice President of Academic Affairs evaluation section in the faculty/staff handbook it should read, "Chairs, deans, and other academic support administrators working directly with the Vice President and all faculty would be given the opportunity to complete a questionnaire and shall be transmitted to the President.

Under the deans evaluation section in the faculty/staff handbook it should read, "Academic support administrators who work directly with the dean as well as all college faculty and college chairs will be given the opportunity to complete the questionnaire."

The Faculty Senate approved the motion to suggest the addition of the two proposed statements to the Faculty/Staff Handbook.

Evaluation of Administrators (President): The Faculty Senate moved and approved a motion that Senator Taylor meet with Mr. Gilbert and the consultant, once selected by the Board of Regents, to discuss having an evaluation sent to all faculty and staff dealing with the President.

Task Report on Salary Inequities: The Faculty Senate were in agreement that a university wide policy should be adopted on the procedures to deal with salary inequities such as the proposal developed by a Departmental Salary Inequities Committee in the College of Business and Technology recently. Senator Marsden indicated that such a proposal could easily be expanded to work effectively for the Academic Affairs area.

EKU Degree Completion for Accomplished Professionals: This item was moved to the October agenda for lack of time for discussion.

Council on Academic Affairs Report: Senator Marsden reported that during the summer he began working on faculty development ideas with the Committee on the Improvement of Instruction. The report from that committee will be presented at a future Faculty Senate meeting.

Senator Marsden introduced a report from the Faculty Development Task Force which deals with very specific recommendations with regards to enhancing faculty development at the university. The report is on the web at the following address: http://www.biology.eku.edu/frederick/tdtaskforce.htm/.

Senator Marsden made a motion to approve the proposed Public Child Welfare Certification program from the Department of Anthropology, Sociology, and Social Work. This motion was seconded and approved by the Faculty Senate.

Report from the Faculty Regent: Senator Thompson reported that since the Senate's last meeting in May, the Board of Regents has met four times. One of the four meetings was with the Financial Affairs Committee on May 16 for a discussion of the budget. The second meeting was a full board meeting where the budget was officially approved. The third meeting was the two day July retreat at which time the Board utilized a consultant to facilitate discussion of board functions. The beginning discussion on the presidential evaluation also began at this meeting. The fourth meeting was on August 3. The Academic and Executive Affairs Committee of the Board is Regents, according to the by-laws of the Board, is charged with conducting for the Board the Presidential assessment process. That committee reached a general agreement that proposals would be solicited and considered for consultants who would assist with the Presidential assessment.

Report from the COSFL Representative: Senator Strong (Reporting for Senator Falkenberg) stated that the meeting mainly focused on the Council on Higher Education presentation and program review.

Report from the Student Government: Ritchie Rednour indicated that the Student Senate is working on several initiatives ranging from parking to campus safety to community service. He further stated that he hopes there will be joint proposals from the Student Senate and the Faculty Senate during this academic year.

STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Committee on Elections: Senator McAdams was elected chair.

Committee on Committees: Senator Willingham was elected chair.

Committee on Rules: Senator Yoder was elected chair.

Committee on the Budget: Senator Rink was elected chair.

Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities: Senator Goodwin was elected the chair.

ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Senator Lifland: At approximately 9:00 a.m. on Friday morning, the EKU flag left on board the space shuttle. Within the next week or two it will be transferred to the international space station that is orbiting and will be brought back when the shuttle returns. Dr. Boles, Dr. Lifland, and the other members of the Robotics team expressed their thanks to Dr. Kustra for providing the funds to attend the launch.

Senator McAdams: There will be a part-time faculty representative on the Faculty Senate by the next meeting. A ballot will be sent out soon to all part-time faculty members to cast their votes. Please encourage part-time faculty to return the ballots.

ADJOURNMENT

Dr. Marsden made a motion to adjourn at 5:30 p.m.