December 12, 2007

Faculty Senate Minutes

DECEMBER 12, 2007

Present: Andrei Alyokhin, Aria Amirbahman, Edward Ashworth, Daniel Belknap, Richard Blanke, Douglas Bousfield, Tony Brinkley, Rodney Bushway, Fei Chai, Steve Cohn, Ted Coladarci, Dorothy Croall, Marcia Davidson, Patrick Devanney, Michael Eckardt, Sue Estler, Per Garder, James Gilbert, Audra Grady, Christine Hockensmith, Dianne Hoff, Karen Horton, Susan Hunter, Blake James, Cary Jenson, Mel Johnson, Scott Johnson, Robert Kennedy, Alan Kezis, Deborah Killam, Michael Kinnison, Dorothy Klimis-Zacas, Irv Kornfield, Yvon Labbe, David Lambert, John Mahon, Kathleen March, James McClymer, Harlan Onsrud, Richard Pattenaude, Tina Passman, Robert Rice, Joyce Rumery, Dan Sandweiss, Evelyn Silver, Touradj Solouki, Claire Strickland, Edna Mora Szymanski, Shihfen Tu, Roy Turner, Gloria Vollmers, Janet Waldron, Stephanie Welcomer, Beth Wiemann, David Wihry.

Absent: Carla Billitteri, Emmanuel Boss, Thomas Brann, Hsiang-Tai Cheng, Slan Cobo-Lewis, William Congleton, Raphael DiLuzio, Catherine Elliott, Alaric Faulkner, Jacques Ferland, Saundra Gardner, William Halteman, Duane Hanselman, Karl Kreutz, Larry Latour, Craig Mason, Robert Merchant, Ngo Vinh Long, Howard Patterson, Mick Peterson, Gregory Porter, Kathryn Slott, Allan Smith,Vivian Wu.

The meeting began at 3:15 pm.

Senate President James Gilbert introduced Dr. Richard Pattenaude, Chancellor of the University of Maine System, the guest speaker.

Dr. Pattenaude began by thanking everyone attending for their contributions to making UMaine the institution that it is. He thanked Dr. Kennedy for his work, stating that they were good colleagues when he was president of USM and continue to be so.

The University of Maine received a 4.5% budget increase for the present year. Next year, it will only be 1.8%. Thus he has submitted a supplemental budget request for $8 million. Since then we have seen a state shortfall of $95 million. We have received a request from the state to give back $5 million in base budget money this year, and another $8.3 million next year. We politely refused to do this. The legislature reconvenes in January. We are concentrating our efforts on the 1.8% we expect to receive on July 1. Dr. Pattenaude has asked campus presidents to keep expenses to a minimum. On a positive note, both bond issues were passed in the last election.

The Chancellor’s goal, over the next 36 months, is to cut $1 dollars from the central office budget and return that money to the campuses. He then passed around a handout titled University of Maine System Agenda for Action, which had five focus points:

Student Success. Graduation rates. Campuses should focus on this.

Strengthening the Economy of Maine (R&D&E) Add human capital to idea of R & D.

Environmental Leadership. In the end, this will save money.

Financial Sustainability

Higher Education Voice. We all need to advocate for the importance of higher education. Our voice should be equal to that of community colleges.

There was a question regarding the possibility of saving money through not using PeopleSoft. This is not an option at this point.

The Chancellor noted that UMS must show its relevance to state needs and that campuses should be allowed to be entrepreneurial. At the same time, we must continue to be universities and provide good liberal education. These fit together: strong economy, strong state, strong civic society.

President Gilbert noted that we have a quorum for the agenda.

The minutes of 11/14/07 were approved as presented.

BOT representative Rice noted that there will be a move toward more dialogue in the disciplines. There will be a meeting to discuss this and he will report as able.

Academic Affairs – Dr. Beth Wiemann

The Committee met with Sue Hunter, discussing the general education learning outcomes process and other issues. Several faculty volunteer “gen ed facilitators” are now contacting chairs of departments that offer general education courses to make sure that all these departments are aware of the 2003-4 Gen Ed Workshop reports and the NEASC standards for gen ed assessment. These facilitators are using templates drawn up by Tina Passman, which were discussed both in the Academic Affairs meeting and at the most recent UPCC meeting. We expect that responses from the chairs to this contact will lead to refining the learning outcomes developed in the CTE 2003-4 reports later next semester.

Constitution & By-Laws – Dr. Dianne Hoff

No Report.

Research & Scholarship – Dr. Touradj Solouki

The Senate Research and Scholarship Committee is proceeding with its goal of drafting a report on faculty incentive programs. Our purpose is to recommend initiation of potential new support and incentive programs that will assist faculty in improving recognition and achieving their professional aspirations. The Research and Scholarship Committee is in process of finalizing an online questionnaire that will be available for university wide faculty participation. Our goal is to identify important, cost effective, and high impact incentive programs that can be best utilized to increase external funding and enhance research and scholarly activities at the University of Maine. The senate committee is also synchronizing its efforts with the University Research Council Incentives Committee to augment inclusive effectiveness. The Senate Research and Scholarship Committee has

formed three subcommittees that will acquire and finalize statistical data from three sets of selected universities and institutions for committee’s final report.

Finance & Institutional Planning – Dr. Sue Estler

The Finance and Institutional Planning Committee Report has heard and discussed a proposal for the renovation of Stodder Hall and the relocation of the Graduate School offices, Graduate Center, Graduate Student Government offices and graduate student housing to the renovated building. The result would consolidate graduate program support in an accessible location for students, faculty and staff with disabilities and greater programmatic synergies. It would also provide a visible presence for the Graduate School, comparable to undergraduate admissions, at a key campus entry point thus enhancing the visibility of the graduate mission of the University. The Committee has also heard preliminary discussion of the developing long-range campus plan in consultation with the Sasaki firm.

Library Advisory – Dr. Emmanuel Boss

We are preparing to discuss early next year a proposal for an

institutional repository for UMaine (possibly with UMS). A specialist

will present to the senate her experience with an institutional

repository at UMass Amherst on Feb. 13th.

Committee on Committees – Dr. William Halteman

President Gilbert noted that there is still a need for nominees for NCAA faculty representative. Nominations for all previously advertised committees have been forwarded to the Provost.

There are two new opportunities:

Search Committee for the Director of Institutional Studies (5 nominations).

(the search will be internal)

University of Maine

Faculty Athletics Representative

The Faculty Senate seeks nominees for the position of Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR). The Senate will present at least three recommendations for this position to President Kennedy, who will make the final selection.

Each college and university belonging to the NCAA has one faculty member designated, by the institution’s president, as the Faculty Athletics Representative. The FAR responsibilities vary considerably from campus to campus, but generally (and at the University of Maine) they involve overseeing compliance with NCAA regulations; promoting the academic success and the overall welfare of student athletes; advising the President on athletically-related matters; and working within the institution’s athletic conferences to promote appropriate balance between academics and athletics, academic success of student-athletes, and other related topics.

The Faculty Athletics Representative reports to the President and works very closely with the Director of Athletics, the Director of Athletic Compliance and head coaches. Expenses for travel related to the position are approved by and paid for by the President’s

Office. The President has budgeted $6,000 for use as an annual stipend and/or course release for this position. The FAR must be a full-time, tenured member of the faculty and have demonstrated an interest in athletics. Prior experience on athletically related boards or committees is preferable.

The role of FAR typically involves two to three short trips per year for conference-level and national meetings, regular monthly meetings of the Presidential Compliance Committee, and moderately frequent involvement in athletically related matters on campus. The FAR is appointed for a five-year term, with possibility of renewal, in order that experience can be developed and applied efficiently.

Those with questions about the position are invited to contact either the current FAR, Prof. George L. Jacobson (12991; george.jacobson@umit.maine.edu), who is soon retiring from the faculty or Evelyn Silver, Senior Advisor to the President. The President has asked the Faculty Senate to forward recommendations as soon as possible.

The term will start Sept of 08, but because of the complexity of the job, the powers that be would like the new rep to shadow the current rep (George Jacobson) during the spring.

To add your name to the nomination lists email to: William Halteman on First Class or halteman@math.umaine.edu, or halteman@maine.edu

Service & Outreach – Dr. Kathleen March

Representatives of the Service & Outreach Committee met with Provost Szymanski on November 20 to discuss her response to the long report we submitted to her at the end of the spring 2007 semester. Discussion centered on service and engagement from the perspective of students, faculty, cooperative extension and the stakeholders in each of these groups. It also included ideas on how to network among these three groups more effectively, for the benefit of the university as a whole. The perception of the university can be greatly enhanced by better partnerships with communities throughout the state and beyond. The conclusion of the meeting was: (1) A team will be sent to a national conference on community engagement to be held at Penn State in October 2007. (2) A faculty committee to oversee a Service-Learning 101 course will be created and people invited to join a group to discuss this as well as subsequent courses. (3) Funding has been designated for which the committee will develop a budget to be submitted to the Provost. The purpose of the funding is to infuse service-learning/community engagement into the institution through course creation, better communication among relevant campus units with other organizations in Maine, and the hosting of events such as a day-long retreat focused on engagement.

The Committee is extremely grateful to the Provost for her generosity and understanding of the goals of our group.

PCRRC – Dr. David Wihry

The committee currently has no active business before it.

University Environment – Dr. Stephanie Welcomer

The environment committee met on December 6th and decided to set up meetings to pursue the work-family issues and to pursue continual Wallace Pool access. We also are going to propose a change to the committee’s charge.

Shared Governance – Dianne Hoff asked people to periodically look at the folder on this topic.

There were no announcements except for the discussion of Sasaki Consultants. There was a question as to how faculty can provide input. CFO Waldron was asked to provide a 5-minute report on the master planning efforts. The Sasaki group returns to campus in early February.

There was no other business.

There were 3 motions on the agenda which did not need seconding to be presented:

Motion to Reauthorize The University of Maine Policy on Program Creation and Reorganization

Whereas a motion was passed by the Faculty Senate on October 18, 2006 creating the Program Creation and Reorganization Review Committee (PCRRC); and

Whereas in February 2007 the Faculty Senate approved The University of Maine Policy on Program Creation and Reorganization; and

Whereas this was signed into policy by the President in March 2007; and

Whereas there was an agreement to review this policy one year after its implementation; and

Whereas the Constitution of the Faculty Senate establishes its jurisdiction and responsibility to make recommendations regarding academic matters, including program creation and reorganization; and

Whereas the PCRRC and the administration have demonstrated that The University of Maine Policy on Program Creation and Reorganization is an excellent example of procedures that promote shared governance by providing a process for considering reorganization proposals;

Therefore

The Committee of the Elected Members moves that The University of Maine Policy on Program Creation and Reorganization be reauthorized by the Faculty Senate and recommended to the President as standing policy.

The motion passed unanimously.

UMaine Faculty Senate Academic Motion 2007-08 Number 2

Whereas, the Faculty Senate has requested the opportunity to nominate faculty for participation on:

Provost’s Promotion and Tenure Advisory Committee (4 nominees, to be staggered terms),

Provost’s Faculty Advisory Committee (6 nominees from which 4 are selected, plus the senate president), and

Academic Affairs Budget Advisory Team (6 nominees from which 4 are selected, plus the senate president);

And whereas the Provost has offered the opportunity for the Faculty Senate to nominate the faculty to serve on these committees;

Therefore, the Faculty Senate and the Administration agree that the Faculty Senate will forward nominations for all faculty appointed to each committee.

The motion passed unanimously.

UMaine Faculty Senate Motion 2007-08 Number 3

Whereas, because the President and the Vice President of the Faculty Senate are both going to be away from campus during January and part of February,

Therefore, the Faculty Senate affirms that Beth Wiemann will be President Pro-Tem during their absence.

The motion passed unanimously.

New Business:

Gloria Vollmers noted that senate had passed a motion not to allow finals in the last week of classes, but that she had spoken with a student who had three during this period. She asked if senate will change its ruling or reaffirm it.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:12 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathleen March