Executive Council Meeting
April 8, 2014, 8:45 a.m., UW2 327
Present: Jerelyn Resnick, Chair, Paul Collins, Steve Collins, Colin Danby, JoLynn Edwards, Karen Gourd,
Andrea Kovalesky and Kari Lerum
Adoption of Agenda
The agenda was adopted.
Approval of Minutes – March 11, 2014
The joint AC/EC minutes of March 11, 2014 were approved as amended.
Report of GFO Officers
GFO Chair – Kari Lerum
Senate Executive Committee (SEC)
Lerum reported on the SEC meeting which sets the agenda for Faculty Senate.
SEC Discussion Points:
o The Faculty Council on Faculty Affairs has proposed legislation to create a new faculty
title, “Professor of Practice”. This title would allow the University to invite highly
distinguished individuals into the faculty to teach, start a program or collaborate on
research in units or programs. This type of appointment is used in other institutions and
the Faculty Council and the deans of some units feel that these faculty members would
contribute to the quality of the University. The proposal initially included voting rights for
the faculty members with the new title, but it has been amended to remove voting rights
for the Professor of Practice title.
EC discussion points
 Why do we need this new title? How is this different from an affiliate position? Lerum explained
the rationale was intended to make the title commensurate with the individual’s distinction in their
field. This title would be administered to a few individuals after careful review.
 How would the position be funded? Funding would come from external sources on a case by case
basis. The unit would be responsible to provide funding.
 What are the implications to faculty governance? How will this affect the allocation of funding for
new hires or other funding within a unit? Will this erode promotion and tenure within units?
 All faculty are distinguished; why should we differentiate one faculty member as more
distinguished or prestigious?
o The UW will now provide benefits to transgendered faculty. These benefits have been
provided for undergraduate students and this loop-hole in health benefits coverage for
faculty has been closed.
o The University is conducting a search for a Vice Provost of UW Educational Outreach.
With the increasingly important role of online learning and degrees, this is an extremely
important position. Search committee members Jerry Baldasty (chair) and Judy Howard
have asked for feedback and input from faculty.
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EC discussion points
 These programs are administered outside the UW structure. We need to ensure that the
academic goals of the faculty are supported through UWEO.
 Some graduate degrees are offered as fee-based programs. There is a shift to fee-based
programs at UW. Does this shift threaten degree programs across the campuses?
 It is the responsibility of the faculty to develop curriculum; we need to look at policies for programs
administered outside the UW structure.
 Another area of concern is faculty hiring and P&T. Faculty teaching Summer Quarter are paid
less than adjunct faculty teaching through UWEO Summer Quarter. UWEO is not in alignment
with the Faculty Code.
 UWT has decided to administer their own program for Educational Outreach and is no longer
working through UWEO.
 Now is the time to provide input to Jerry Baldesty for a re-organization of UWEO with stronger
faculty governance.
Old Business
A. Joint EC/CCPTFA Lecture Task Force – clarifying the criteria and membership
A jointly sponsored Lecturer Task Force reporting to the EC and the Campus Council on
Promotion, Tenure and Faculty Affairs is being formed to begin implementation at a local
level of the 2013 UWB lecturer task force’s recommendations to the Provost and to
address other issues on this campus. The EC reviewed the draft charge letter of the joint
task force and offered input on the charge and formation of the task force. Membership of
the task force will include two to three members each from EC and CCPTFA and
competitively and non-competitively hired lecturers. The number of lecturers included shall
not be less than the number of participating tenure track faculty to represent the concerns
of lecturers directly. All recommendations would be forwarded to both the CCPTFA and
the EC for additional consideration before forwarding to the VCAA and the Academic
Council.
EC discussion points
 Should administrators be included in the membership of the task force in an ex-offcio capacity?
 Administrators should be available for consultation but should not serve on the task force.
 Some UWB Schools have begun drafting policy on the implementation in the hiring of lecturers.
The School of Business has begun setting policy based on UWB recommendations to the Provost.
The task force will need to get input from the School of Business and check with other
Schools/Programs at UWB on this matter.
 The recommendations to the Provost responded to policy on full-time lecturers; there need to be
policies adopted for part-time lecturers as well.
 The charge of the joint task force addresses part-time lecturers. Should we take up this issue
separately?
 The UWB task force will provide campus guidelines for promotion, contract renewal for
competitively hired lecturers, and contract length for work currently performed by noncompetitively hired lecturers. These guidelines will not be tri-campus policy; the UW policy does
not address these issues. Faculty at UWB feel these are cultural and morale issues and see the
need to address these issues also. Working conditions include part-time lecturers and we can
have a best practices overview of working conditions at this campus.
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Resnick agreed to serve as co-Chair on the task force from EC and Paul Collins also agreed to
serve on the task force. Resnick will amend the charge letter with recommendations from the EC
on issues of non-competitively hired lecturers.
B.
GFO Budget
Lerum opened discussion on the GFO budget. Lerum and Resnick have had ongoing
consultations with Chancellor Yeigh and VCAA Jeffords on the GFO budget and budgetary
authority. There has been clarification on budgetary issues regarding the stipend for
Suzanne Sikma, Chair of the CCASC. Compensation will be paid to Sikma. A GFO budget
will be submitted in the UWB budget planning process. The EC will be responsible for
drafting a GFO budget proposal. The budget will include fixed costs, salaries for staff
support and ongoing expenses for supplies, parking and the GFO Chair and Vice Chair
course releases.
VCAA Jeffords indicated that a possible change in GFO budget responsibility would relate
to compensation for service on GFO Councils and Committees. Compensation for service
on GFO Councils and Committees would be decided by the EC. Compensation and course
releases would be funded by the GFO rather than the VCAA. The GFO will have authority
over decision-making on funding course releases for GFO service out of the GFO budget.
EC discussion points
 Should the GFO compensate chairs of the councils and committees or members serving on these
councils or committees?
 The CCPTFA have received course releases; should this be continued? Does the workload of
this Council justify a course release?
 The workload for EC representatives is as time intensive as the CCPTFA; should EC
representatives receive course releases?
 The GFO Chair and Vice Chair receive 3 course releases and 1 month summer salary over 2
years.
 If the GFO is allotted a given number of course releases for GFO service, we will need to decide
on the allocation of these releases across the councils and committees.
 The Chair of the CCASC needs a course release. The workload of that Council has grown with the
growth of schools and programs. If the Chair serves on the UW Curriculum Committee as well, 2
course releases would be appropriate.
 What about funding to conduct faculty research or to commission a study for information gathering
on governance issues?
 Faculty service must be acknowledged in a stronger way in the P&T process. Junior faculty in
some schools/programs are not encouraged to participate in GFO service. How do we change
this culture to support campus leadership? There should be recognition of faculty work.
 The administration needs to stop pretending that invisible work is not being done.
 Increased enrollment will only entail more faculty service and stress on faculty workloads.
Campus growth in scale and complexity is a burden on service for faculty.
 Senior faculty should be in the classroom; this relates to the best interest of the students.
 A GFO discretionary budget needs to be requested for multiple uses.
 We need to know what percentage of the UWB budget is dedicated to the academic enterprise.
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The EC will continue working on a GFO budget. We have been given some flexibility on
the UWB deadline for submission of the budget.
New Business
A. Faculty Governance Spring Elections - Discussions
Lerum updated the EC on the GFO elections. There are no nominees for GFO Vice Chair at
this time. Nominees for Faculty Senate are Karam Dana, Butch de Castro, Pam Joseph
and Kari Lerum; there is one additional opening for Senate to be filled. A nominee from
STEM or Business would be welcomed.
B. Increase of enrollment to 7500 – postponed
Reports from Program Representatives
A. Business – Collins
The School of Business hired 4 faculty members, 2 replacement hires and 2 new faculty
hires.
B. CUSP – Danby
The CUSP review is underway; faculty are encouraged to complete the survey that was
sent out earlier this month.
C. Education – Gourd
The Education faculty discussed some issues regarding the campus enrollment growth to
7500. Faculty input is needed to address the impact on faculty with this growth. Parking is
also an issue with students and others. Some students come directly from a job to class
and parking has become a problem.
D. Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences – Edwards
There are 4 faculty members leaving IAS and possibly 8 hires in the future. There was a
failed search for Interdisciplinary Statistics.
E. Nursing and Health Studies – Kovalesky
Nursing and Health Studies have 3 faculty members retiring, Mary Abrums, Carol Leppa
and Linda Westbrook.
F. STEM – Collins
STEM has offered 4 candidates faculty positions, 3 Mechanical Engineering and 1
Electrical Engineering offers. One of the ME positions has been offered to a woman
candidate; STEM has a strategic priority to recruit women students and faculty into the
program. Chancellor Yeigh came to the School’s meeting. He engaged in discussion but
did not vote on candidates.
Good of the Order
Lerum announced that there will be a GFO Promotion and Tenure Workshop open to faculty on
Wednesday, April 16, from 2:30 – 5:00 pm in the Rose Room.
Meeting adjourned at 10:45 am
Minutes submitted by Barbara Van Sant
The next meeting will be April 22, 2014
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