November 16, 2005

FACULTY SENATE MINUTES

NOVEMBER 16, 2005

Present: Jim Acheson, Dean Astumian, Shari Baxter, Richard Blanke, Richard Borgman, Emmanuel Boss, Rod Bushway, Sandy Caron, Dorothy Croall, John Daigle, Marcia Davidson, Sue Estler, Amy Fried, James Gilbert, Stephen Gilson, Alexander Grab, Michael Greenwood, Robert Gundersen, William Halteman, Marie Hayes, Dianne Hoff, Karen Horton, Sue Hunter, John Jemison, Mel Johnson, Scott Johnson, Leonard Kass, Dennis King, Dorothy Klimis-Zacas, Irv Kornfield, David Kotecki, David Lambert, Kathleen March, James McClymer, Kathleen McIntyre, Mick Peterson, Paul Rawson, Robert Rice, Joyce Rumery, Ann Schonbeger, Mike Scott, Evelyn Silver, Denise Skonberg, Touradj Solouki, Claire Strickland, Janet Waldron, Stephanie Welcomer, Beth Wiemann

Absent: Aria Amirbahman, Eisso Atzema, Robert Bayer, Carla Billitteri, Mary Brakey, Tony Brinkley, Hsiang-Tai Cheng, Alan Cobo-Lewis, Laura Cowan, Raphael DiLuzio, Nancy Hall, Ludlow Hallman, Stephen Marks, Jessica Miller, Harlan Onsrud, Eric Peterson, Alan Rosenwasser, Kathryn Slott, Stellos Tavantzis, Roy Turner

The meeting was called to order at 3:15 pm.

Minutes from the October 19, 2005 were approved.

President Hayes opened the meeting by introducing Dr. Shannon Martin and stated that the meeting should be run in order to give Dr. Martin a half hour for her presentation. The Executive Committee has been working with the administration on the topic of running of the University inclusive of the faculty. She also mentioned the Promotion & Tenure Committee vacancy which is being filled. She also mentioned the Library Committee’s motion on the agenda today and how important the issues surrounding the library and funding are to the University. She mentioned the spring course schedule and the lack of printed copies and the faculty’s concerns about using the electronic schedule.

Questions for the Administration:

Dr. Alex Grab questioned the reasons why the spring schedule is no longer printed. He said that cost was a factor, but he had been told it only cost $10,500 to print the schedule; he also mentioned that the new electronic schedule was to be updated daily in order for it to remain accurate, but he had always found the paper copy to be highly reliable, and he has been advising students for 20 years.

Dr. Sue Hunter replied that she too had always depended on the paper schedule. She also didn’t think that the $10,500 figure was prohibitive. She gave a few hints on how to use the electronic copy, she said that the PDF version was the one she uses. She would not rule out that there would not be a printed schedule in the future.
Dr. Hunter said that Tammy Light at the Office of Student Records is giving her some estimates of different types of schedules and costs of printing.

Dr. Sandy Caron asked if anyone had considered selling advertising for the schedule, which might cover most if not all of the costs of printing. She said there are many schools that do this.

Dr. Amy Fried stated that there are many students who do not own a computer, and accessing public computer clusters to pick classes and register is sometimes prohibitive, especially if the student works. She also pointed out that the loss of a printed copy also takes away a students ability to look at other courses in different concentrations. She pointed out that many of the people in the room had probably at one point in their college careers, taken a class that they normally wouldn’t have taken if they had not seen the class in a printed schedule.

Committee Reports:

Academic Affairs – Dr. Irving Kornfield

The committee has met and has discussed several issues, including Provost’s visits to classrooms. The co-chairs of the committee will be meeting with the Provost in the near future. The committee has also been working with the UTC regarding teaching evaluations. The committee is also concerned with the lack of printed schedules.

Constitution & Bylaws – Dr. Leonard Kass

They have met and are working on the Faculty Handbook. The handbook should be considered as a resource manual for faculty.

University Environment – Dr. Amy Fried

The committee has been gathering data on policies related to disability leave, and will continue to work on this issue.

Research & Public Service – Dr. Scott Johnson

The committee has met and is working on their agenda items.

Finance & Institutional Planning – Dr. Todd Gabe

The committee will meet first Friday in December to track university financial ratios. Members are also involved in the Graduate Student Housing Committee.

Committee on Committees – Dr. Stephen French Gilson

The committee met and selected nominees for the vacancy on the Promotion & Tenure Advisory Committee, the names were forwarded to the Provost’s Office. He thanked Dr. Eckardt for including the senate on the search for the Director of the Margaret Chase Smith Center for Public Policy, nominees are being sought for this committee. Please contact Dr. Gilson if you wish to participate in this search. The Parking and Transportation Committee and the Instructional Technology committee are seeking members.

Library Advisory Committee – Dr. Dianne Hoff

The committee has a motion to be brought to the table today.

Service & Outreach Committee – Dr. Kathleen March

The committee has met several times. They have a motion which is still being worked on, but should be presented soon. They are looking at ways to promote the campus to the community.

Board of Trustees Representative – Dr. Robert Rice

The BOT will meet in Bangor on Sunday, December 4 and Monday, December 5, and he will have a report at the next senate meeting.

New Business:

Motion to Support Fogler Library through Bonds and the Capital Campaign – Library Advisory Committee

Preamble:

The University of Maine System Strategic Plan states that, “As the only research library in the State of Maine, consistent and substantial investments in Fogler Library are vital to the entire state.” The Plan also calls for expanding and enhancing the system’s library resources to meet the research and resource needs of the university system and the state through a library consortium “founded on one strong, well-funded research library at the University of Maine.”

The administration has generated numerous reports that document the deficiencies of Fogler Library and the changes necessary to remedy the impact of decades without a major expansion and years of high inflation in journal subscription costs. A major boost in funding is needed, and the Strategic Plan commits the university and the university system to meeting this most serious need.

However, this focus on and support for the library has not materialized, and library improvements were not included in the bond package presented to the voters November 8, 2005. Fogler Library remains in crisis, with inadequate space for the collection and for patrons, and most importantly a decline in the number of scholarly journals and databases available to students, faculty members, and statewide users.

Further, with an increasing focus on research at this institution, along with the addition of new programs (e.g. biomedical and biophysics), the library requires more, not fewer, resources.

Finally, failure to support the library more robustly will have several negative consequences, including a decrease in the reputation of this university, the risk of losing our Carnegie Doctoral-Research designation, an inability to attract world-class researchers and scholars, and ultimately a decline in graduate and undergraduate enrollment.

Motion:

As part of a multi-pronged approach to improving Fogler Library, the Faculty Senate calls on the administration of this campus, the Chancellor, and the Board of Trustees, to designate Fogler Library with highest priority status in the upcoming Comprehensive Campaign and the next Bond Proposal. We ask that the campus administration make a public commitment that no other Campaign or Bond projects will replace Fogler Library as a funding priority.

Dr. Dianne Hoff introduced the motion to the senate. The motion was seconded. There was no discussion. A vote was called. 35 for, 1 against, no abstentions. The motion passed.

Presentation:

Dr. Shannon Martin, Chair of the Scholarship Measure Committee of the University Research Council

President Hayes introduced Dr. Martin. Dr. Martin has been working on a sub-committee of the University Research Council to develop a university-wide set of procedures to measure our creative activity which is inclusive of all disciplines. Dr. Martin distributed copies of a report that has been produced by the sub-committee (a copy of the report is available upon request).

She began by describing the committee and its inception. It was organized in January 2005 and was charged with reporting the scholarship measures, research products and creative outcomes thought to meet the standards of our academic faculty at this university. The committee finished its work in April. She gave an outline of their progress and the kinds of work which fell into different categories.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:30.