September 19, 2018
FACULTY SENATE MINUTES
September 19, 2018
Present: Seanna Annis, Erik Blomberg, Alice Bruce, Dick Brucher, Stephanie Burnett, Sandy Butler, Mauricio da Cunha, Paula Drewniany, Phil Dunn, Scott Dunning, Nuri Emanetoglu, Mark Haggerty, Sam Hanes, Valerie Herbert, Molly MacLean, Grant Miles, Patti Miles, William Nichols, Christopher Nightingale, Laura Rickard, Deborah Saber, Michael Scott, David Townsend, Stephanie Welcomer, Mark Wells, Clayton Wheeler, President Joan Ferrini-Mundy, Provost Jeff Hecker, Jen Bonnet (PEAC), Harrison Ransley (Undergrad Rep), Jaqulin Wallace (Grad Stud Gov)
Absent: Emmanuel Boss, Julie DellaMattera, Per Garder, Torsten Hahmann, Nancy Hall, Leonard Kass, Margaret Killinger, Anil Raj Kizha, Colt Knight, Peter Koons, Robson Machado, Robert Meulenberg, Renae Moran, Nigel Pitt, Howard Segal, John Singer, Kathryn Slott, Mona Therrien, Andrew Thomas, Phil Trostel, Xudong Zheng, VP Research Kody Varahramyan,
The meeting was called to order at 3:20 pm
I. Welcome, Announcements and Comments:
David Townsend welcomed President Ferinni-Mundy to her first Faculty Senate meeting. Also recognized were the new undergraduate (Harrison Ransley) and graduate (Jaqulin Wallace) representatives.
II. Approval of Minutes
May 2, 2018
Approved
III. Committee Reports
BOT – Patti Miles
The Board of Trustees met last weekend in Presque Isle. Among the items discussed was the UMaine Library and how other system campuses don’t have access. The issue of access revolves around cost, with questions as to where the additional money needed might come from (e.g., from UMain, the other campuses, and/or the system. Joyce Rumery, Dean of Libraries, said a report was sent to Vice Chancellor Bob Neely last December. Other items discussed included IT resources. It was noted that everyone has access to Microsoft office 365, reached through the IT homepage. Also, over the next year there will be a migration to Active Directory (AD), provides more resources and virus free. There will be a $50 million bond campaign for the UMaine System, information can be found on a website, Yes 4 ME Workforce. Patti also stated the UMaine System spends $7 million per month on healthcare.
Academic Affairs – William “Dee” Nichols
The committee is scheduled to meet on September 26, 3:00 pm in Merrill Hall. The committee will continue to look at Electronic Student Evaluations (SET) for teaching and are ready to work toward a policy with the Provost. The committee last met in May discussing Infolisem, they will set up a meeting in the next few weeks to discuss it further. Also looking into who monitors gender inclusive language and will meet with Jane Smith regarding proposed changes to Modern Languages. Student Accessibility Service discussions continue on how to help make sure they have the resources they need. The subcommittee, General Education, will have a chair soon.
— Academic Affairs subcommittee – General Education –
No report.
Constitution & Bylaws – William “Dee” Nichols
Grant Miles will run the committee and look at addressing inconsistencies in the Constitution and Bylaws. A meeting will be scheduled soon.
Research & Scholarship – Deborah Saber & Nuri Emanetoglu
The committee met Monday and will be working on joint research, Centrally Operated Research Equipment (CORE) concept and the three units that fall under it. A continuation from last year will be equipment maintenance listed under Facilities Management (but they don’t necessarily consider it their responsibility). Last year some equipment on campus was listed under Facilities Management but departments purchased the equipment, which is responsible for maintenance. New items to look into will include self-plagiarism and how research is accessed in regards to resources for departments. Most new resources are based on teaching.
Finance & Institutional Planning – Mauricio da Cunha
The initiative to have biennial meetings with the Provost will be moving forward, the purpose is to discuss issues related to Institutional Planning. Meetings will take place in late September, or early October, with the second meeting in April. Discussions on how recommendations can be implemented, or not. In the next week a poll will be distributed to faculty regarding institutional planning and asking for suggestions. Information gathered will be discussed with the committee and elected members of Faculty Senate before meeting with Provost Hecker.
Q. Would you encourage senate committees to bring forward items discussed last year, such as childcare, should we talk with Mauricio?
A. Yes
Comment: Last year there were questions regarding the Unified Fees and reference to a document that would be delivered. Provost Hecker said he is going to discuss that later today.
University Environment – Erik Blomberg
The committee met today and developed items for the upcoming year. A few items childcare, a policy for faculty parental leave, and summarize a policy on diversity and what is implemented.
Provost Hecker suggested talking to Susan Garner regarding parental leave.
Service & Outreach –
No report.
Committee on Committees –
Dee Nichols stated there had been a couple requests for committee members from the Administration. Names will be forwarded tomorrow.
Program Creation & Reorganization Review – Clayton Wheeler
No report.
Library Committee – Howard Segal
No report.
IT Committee – Patti Miles
The committee has met twice with Robin Sherman. They will be looking at gathering an estimate of changes in classrooms over the last four years and come up with a survey of current IT shortfalls or what people want to see addressed.
Q. Regarding the AD program, can other programs be added on to a computer with the AD system?
A. Robin Sherman said IT would be looking to see where site licenses could be purchased.
Comment: There may be only two people needing one program, will AD limit access? Robin said she would discuss specifics after the meeting.
Ad Hoc Shared Governance – Grant Miles
Grant said there’s a need to discuss the relevance of this committee.
Reports of Faculty Members on Committees of the Administration
No report.
IV. Announcements and Updates from the Administration
President Ferinni-Mundy thanked everyone for the work done in Faculty Senate. She said she’d made notes on items as they were discussed, i.e. priorities on budget, gender inclusiveness, childcare, and assessment of research and classrooms. Since arriving at UMaine, she’s been getting out to meet people on campus. She’s tried to visit centers, research facilities, outreach, economic development etc. She encouraged everyone to take a look at the Annual Report on Academic Affairs because it is very well done.
New enrollment numbers, 11,446 undergraduate and graduate combined. The breakdown is 9,409 undergraduates and 2,037 graduates. There are 2,262 first year students, exceeding the budgeted credit hours by 688.
The President also announced that Andrew Egan was named Vice President and head of the UMaine Machias campus, Lizzie Wahab was named Vice President of Enrollment Management, and Ken Ralph named as Director of Athletics.
The BOT has mentioned three challenges: success/enrollment, rapidly changing market for post-secondary education, and Maine’s workforce crisis. She said she looks forward to working with the senate and faculty on those items. President Ferinni-Mundy will have once a month office hours beginning next month. October 11, is the scheduled date, a notice will be distributed shortly telling everyone how to make an appointment.
Regarding the Blue Sky plan and assessment, she stated she was happy to see the engagement. She’s charged the Provost with expanding Blue Sky.
The President stated she did look at the childcare proposal and there is a draft prepared for a taskforce. She’d like a member of the University Environment Committee to serve on that taskforce. She’s looking at an October date with a final report in December.
Provost Hecker said the President started discussions on strategic visions and a direction, he’s been asked to lead the process and some preliminarily work has been done. Key points – with higher education changes a vision is to create strategic objectives. What are strategies and how to move forward? Need a firm “dashboard of data”. Step one is gathering UMaine community ideas, currently planning forums to gather information. Faculty Senate will be asked to help oversee and FIPCE to have a key role. Need to create awareness for faculty and students to have input and collect data. An ambitious timeline has been set, want to be transparent, but move fast. There should be a public announcement by mid January.
- Initiatives as part of strategic objectives, first year student success. One of the Blue Sky issues was retention. Over 12 years, UMaine has lower retention than peer institutions. On September 27, the Provost will host this year’s first faculty forum. Everyone will be encouraged to attend and input can be done online.
- IT improvements – Facilities and IT improved 35 classrooms. There are three new active classrooms making five total. The Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning will train people on how to use the classrooms, if needed.
- Volunteers will be needed for an upcoming committee.
- A follow-up on last year’s discussion regarding (SET), there’s a position open for a current faculty member to learn how the system works. Brian Doore has left UMaine so a job description has been distributed to faculty. There is an Interim Director but that person doesn’t have time with NEASC work she’s doing.
- Unified Fee – a report was received in May and has been reviewed. Work was done over the summer with Deans. The report can be circulated with the understanding work is currently underway.
Q. Alice Bruce had a question regarding the report. Can it be distributed?
A. Any question and how it’s used now should go to Deans.
Q. So direct all questions to your Dean?
A. Yes
Comment: Different Deans handle things differently. Some deans could use it to their advantage not the advantage of a chair or faculty members.
Provost Hecker said part of the discussion is more accountability to the Provost.
Back when there was a Chemistry Lab fee it later went to the Unified fee. The current Dean sees this as discretionary, Chemistry is costly, it’s not balanced how the money is redistributed. Does LAS get $400,000 from the Unified Fee per semester? If LAS has 40% of students why does only 5% come back to the college?
The fee covers activities, Collins Center, Athletics, etc. As the fee increased the redistribution to the college did not. When the UMaine had budget cuts it seemed odd to give back money and then tell a college they had to make a certain number of cuts.
Q. There have been good budgets the last a couple years, so will distributions to colleges go up?
A. Provost Hecker said that’s being looked at.
Comment: The BOT defines the Unified Fee as classrooms, technology, rec fees, etc. It seems like the name should be changed.
V. Questions of the Administration
Q. I’ve heard there will be a Solar Array and biomass burner in proximity of campus is this accurate?
A. Somewhat accurate. There are negotiations with companies on how to improve energy over the next 20 years leading towards carbon neutrality. Negotiations do include Solar Array.
Q. Is there a way for Senate to be involved for transparency?
A. Claire Strickland stated the talks are at a very preliminary stage. There aren’t contract negotiations going on now. Provost Hecker said the timing is right for input now, earlier things were very confidential.
Q. Student success, what is being looked at as to why students leave UMaine and can you share the data?
A. Provost Hecker said yes, there is a report and it will be posted on the web to allow input. Data indicates that some students want to go to a different university, grades, etc.
VI. Old Business
None.
VII. New Business
Dave Townsend stated that faculty senators represent faculty and each needs to communicate with those in their college. Senators need to update department faculty and bring back to senate any concerns from the faculty.
Adjourned 4:40 pm
Respectfully submitted,
Grant Miles
Prepared by Kim Junkins