BSUFA MEET AND CONFER AGENDA
SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2014 – 4:00 – 6:00 PM
DEPUTY 301A
OPENING QUERIES
Are any faculty members currently under investigation? Nature of investigation (no name needed).
No
Have any investigations been completed? Results? No
UPDATES
Enrollment update
Overall:
Online:
On-Campus
Retention
-2.1%
14% of overall enrollment
-6.1% year-to-date
86% of overall enrollment
-1.6% year-to-date
68.1%
Concurrent enrollment – will impact enrollment in the next few weeks
Facilities update
Memorial and Sanford Hall are well underway. The Talley Gallery project is starting soon.
Positions update
Biology positions is being advertised
CJ is being discussed now.
Physiology is under discussion
These were the three failed searches from the summer.
Marketing and Nursing were failed too, being discussed at department level.
Budget update
1.) Overall budget FYE is currently based at 4,265 FYE. This 0.7% decrease from FY2014 is the fifth
FYE will have declined since a high of 4,715 FYE. Net operating tuition revenue is expected to
decline by 3.9% or about $1.1M due to a higher % of enrollment being in summer, increased in
fenced off revenue for 80/20 programs, and an increase in tuition discounting.
2.) Use of carryforwards and the holding the CIO position will be one-time solutions to cover the
gap for fiscal year 2015. $750,000 in carryforwards will be swept and will be directly applied to
the revenue shortfall. The exact accounts are still being determined but there will be
approximately $500k from academic affairs (includes the colleges); and $250,000 from all other
areas. The total amount of unrestricted carryforwards is about $2.127M with $1.6M being in
academic affairs.
3.) Currently being audited for FY2014. Revenue increased by 2.19% from FY2013 while expenses
increased by 4.4% year-to-year.. With the use of carryforwards in FY2015 we are heading
toward similar results. For FY2016, we will have to get things back into structural balance.
4.) MnSCU’s biennial budget request for FY2016/17 will include a request to freeze tuition.
5.) Upcoming forums will be used on this topic.
Tom – question – tuition revenue is down about 4%, what does this mean in a short fall?
Bill – about $1.1 million
Bill – currently going through the audit – revenue increase last year and our expenses increased
faster.
Tom – out of the 2.13 in carry forward total, what is the criteria on the sweep?
Martin – we have identified money in Academic Affairs and bottom dollars. All other dollars will
come from Academic Affairs.
Tom – are we looking at department sweep?
Martin – there might be but that is from the Deans and we do not have this information at this point.
Tom – budget forum?
Bill – Yes, we will use a campus forum for a budget forum – most likely early October.
Bill – MnSCU request to freeze tuition, University of Minnesota and DFL made the same request.
Dr. Hanson – we are going to devote one open forum to the strategy of the budget. MnSCU request
to receive a $142 million increase.
Campaign update – Dr. Hanson – yesterday, we went over $30 million. 18 academic departments
have benefit from the campaign. The increase in scholarships in the past five years is very
significant.
CARRY OVER AGENDA ITEMS FROM 8-27-14 MEET AND CONFER
1.
Hagg-Sauer Project update
Bill Maki
Planning continuing – stakeholder meetings last week and steering committee meeting today. This is
a complicated process with a chain effect. There will not be a unanimous support for this project. We
have an open forum this Friday. It seems we are heading toward a classroom building or an adjacent
building. There has not been much support to adding on to Bangsberg Hall. The work in progress is
the landing spot for departments. The process is evolving and is very complicated. Bangsberg is
coming to shape. Sattgast is coming together as well. Bensen Hall – there were some new ideas that
emerged last week and brought new issues with the current tenants. The Library is taking shape. The
project will most likely be between $14-$15 million. The project scope has grown, in a good way. The
$14-$15 million is for renovation and construction.
Jeff – the Senate does not like the Bangberg addition and we appreciate you working with us due to
our timelines. We are very happy that you are willing to work with us.
Martin – Friday is a big meeting.
The architect will be back one week from today.
Bridgeman – there are some talk about moving in Bridgemen, there is on-going discussion.
2.
Assessment tied to budgeting and planning – additional details
Attachment 1 Martin Tadlock
Any questions?
Tom – should send to the departments that are impacted.
Martin – it has been shared.
Jeff – can we share this document?
Martin – yes.
The wording is vague – “department has provided sufficient detail” – BSUFA believes the language is
pretty subjective.
Patrick – this is intended to be a faculty centered process. We are riding a fine line, not being too
specific while allowing faculty to develop the process. We can try and be more specific but the
assessment is program specific.
BSUFA - The academic program can control when they submit, but then it is out of their control. 22
years down the road this document could be interpreted differently.
Martin – every department will set their own goals and objectives.
This year, we had 80 submissions and two or three will be asked to submit revisions.
Jeff – will departments be penalized for that?
Patrick – yes.
Patrick – we are open to suggestions. Please send suggestions to Patrick.
Jeff – is this in play this year?
Patrick – no, we did it last year and will continue this year.
3.
Central Scheduling Phase-in – additional information
Attachment 1
Martin Tadlock
Martin – questions?
Jeff – this will be an evolving process?
Martin – yes, professional education is conducting the pilot for this project.
4.
College reorganization discussions – on hold
Martin – we listened to people. It is on hold.
Jeff – is there a timeframe?
Martin Tadlock
Martin – we do not have any timeframe. We can reorganize throughout the year at the request of
Deans. We have taken the entire reorganization off the table but individual discussions can still occur.
The question should come back after Hagg Sauer and NTC are determined. If the Deans want to
reorganize, they can do this throughout the year.
5.
Northwest Technical College update
a. HLC-presentation by task group this week
b. MAP – draft
Jeff Ueland
Attachment 2 & 3
Jeff – any takeaway from today?
Martin – we sent you the updated MAP with the newest version. The document is updated every
Monday.
Rod – one quick comment – we are trying to meet with the NTC Business faculty and they do not seem
to want to meet with us.
Martin – I would recommend you work with Shawn and have him help schedule the meeting.
Tom – we are hearing about business but not much about the trades.
Martin – Shawn and Bob are working with them on it, nothing is finalized at this moment.
Tom – November 1 notification for contract?
Martin/Bill – yes.
Many of the new items are also included in the NTC MAP.
Dr. Hanson – it is just too early. It is tough over there. Wait a couple of weeks, or a month.
NEW AGENDA ITEMS
1.
Year-long scheduling
Michelle Frenzel / Patrick Guilfoile
Michelle/Patrick – the idea was to have a conversation about having the full, academic year course
schedule out instead of one semester at a time. Feedback?
Tom – vacant positions, staffing, overload – all that stuff is up in the air and then how do you come up
with the schedule? This is very difficult to do. What type of funding are we going to have? Some
departments do not face this, but others do.
Would you have built into this for due dates, class due dates? Would there be a time when we could
modify or adjust the schedule?
Patrick – we could approve this process now, we do not have specific deadlines. There would be
opportunities for adjustments, etc. It is not all going to be figured out but it will be known, and helpful,
to students. If we have the information a full-year out which would allow for better planning of over
load, etc.
BSUFA – once we print the information, are we obligated to offer the courses?
Patrick – at this point, we have not been obligated in our current schedule.
Patrick – this could allow us to plan better.
Rod – year long registration and waitlist would be helpful.
Tom – waitlist – you might have a waitlist of 50 people, then you add the course and due to time
restraints the enrollment does not match the waitlist. Online course is different.
Michelle – having the information earlier would help students enroll and with their class schedule. For
the most part, once the course schedule is published, it does not change much.
Jeff – it would be appropriate to take this to Senate and get back to you at the next Meet and Confer.
Patrick – yes, we would not implement this until next year.
2.
Hiring Checklist
Attachment 4 - 12
Patrick Guilfoile
Patrick – the hiring check list is trying to be more systematic and help the process. The process
started off as simple as has evolved entire a larger document. It is designed to make things easier.
VP’s office is not involved in the interview selection process. Each reference call would require two
members on the call.
3.
Summer / Fall Schedule
Martin Tadlock
Martin – if we could get twelve credits hours to be taught in the summer, we have commitments from
our International partners that they will send students to BSU.
4.
Convocation meeting hour – Thursday @ 3:00 pm
Martin Tadlock
Martin – we are proposing a one-hour time to not host any courses. We would request Thursday at
3pm.
Michelle – there are very few courses that start at 3pm and we could make an adjustment to have
courses end by 2:45pm. There are some things that will need to be shuffled but it is not
unsurmountable.
Martin – this would be an open, flex time.
Jeff – could you send us some information on what you would suggest to occur at this time?
Rod – the only time that I know that works is Southwest, Monday at noon?
5.
Diversity Planning Task Force Representative
Martin Tadlock
President Hanson – we need to do some work around diversity issues. I would like to get a group of
people together to work on a diversity plan, the achievement gap, and others. We have an opportunity
to establish our own goals for access. We have never had a diversity plan. We are requesting three
BSUFA members to serve on the committee.
Jeff – it could be four faculty members.
Dr. Hanson – yes, that would be great.
6.
Centralized Evaluations
Jeff Ueland
Jeff – this goes back to last year. The Executive Committee of BSUFA is not interested in pursuing
this as an option. We are and still remain opposed to this. Our current system meets contract
requirements and we work with Deans/departments to provide an effective approach. We hope this will
not be brought forward again.
Patrick – there has never been an intent to have this as a part of the PDP process.
Rod – what is meant by this? Are you saying there will be an instrument that is pre-prepared that
faculty must use?
Martin – yes, or something you work with your dean to establish.
Jeff – the course evaluations are still controlled by the faculty or is the intent to broadcast the
evaluation?
Martin – no, it will not be broadcasted but we want the Dean to be able to use the information in
helping the faculty member through their process.
Tom – individual faculty members gets to make their own determination of what evaluation mechanism
they want to use.
Martin – what I am asking, the departments need something to evaluate the faculty that the Deans can
use to determine student and course satisfaction.
Jeff – whatever comes forward, we would be interested in the conversation.
7.
MBA Program
Jeff Ueland
Martin – we got an email today that we would know within one week.
Rod – so I hold off putting together a schedule until then.
Martin – yes.
8.
Summer course caps
Jeff Ueland
Jeff – trying to get in front of this curve – we understand there is a bottom cap – but the top level of
courses varied a lot. How are course, upper-caps, going to be determined, both on-line and oncampus.
Martin – I am not interested in setting a common upper-course cap. This needs to be a local decision
between the chair and the Dean. I am not interested in a uniform cap. The Dean has the final say in the
decision. I do not want to say across the board that we can set caps.
Tom – between Deans, there needs to be consistency. It causes frustration when the logic is not
consistent.
Martin – the decisions are made in consultation with the chairs. The Deans are different and there
might be different decisions between Deans. If you think you are being mistreated, then you need to
bring that forward.
9.
Handicapped parking
Bill Maki
Jeff – I have run into a number of faculty that have run into issues with this new policy. Some of the
confusion is over what is BSU handicap parking and what is general handicap parking. You should
work with the city to improve signage, I believe the city is willng to work with us on it.
Bill – I will send you the policy.
10. Carry forward
Bill Maki
Jeff – this was covered earlier.
Tom – we had $1.1 million in shortfall, $750,000 in carry forward, and holding CIO position – so about
$200,000 in expense reductions.
11. Class cancellation pilot
Bob Griggs
BSU piloted the class cancellation tool last spring, Sam Parsons made some modifications this
summer, the program is available to be used by all faculty. The suggestion that was made that before
we deploy it on a campus-wide basis that we work to develop and implement some policy language to
govern the use of the tool. One potential option is that Bob Griggs can develop the language working
with the IFO-Acad. Computing Comm. and then bring it through our policy process.
12. Other
Martin – developing an International Student Health Insurance Waiver Request policy
Jeff – NTC faculty teaching a BSU course – BSUFA asserts this process was a violation of the IFO
contract and we do not believe the right path was chosen. BSUFA statement is below:
RE: A statement from the BSUFA on NTC Faculty Teaching a BSU Course on-load, in fall semester
2014
For: BSUFA/BSU Administration Meet and Confer 24 September 2014
We will start by saying that we do appreciate Dr. Tadlock’s efforts to help the BSUFA make sense of
this situation. He has provided 3 email updates and allowed two quick meetings to discuss this
situation under very short notice.
In essence:
A NTC full-time faculty member has been allowed to teach a class as part of their load this fall. The
driving factor in all of this seems to be the desire to fill out the NTC faculty member’s teaching
commitment.
The communication chain that has been forwarded to us, as we have attempted to make sense of it,
seems to go down the path of CYA as opposed to good and fair decision making.
• Its seems the key driver is that a faculty member in NTC needed 3 credits of teaching to be full load
• All the documentation provided so far, relative to this hire, relates to provisions from the MSCF
contract and not the IFO contract.
• It was asserted that overload was offered to BSU faculty by the Dean and we believe this to be in
dispute.
- As such, the affected department at BSU understood this hire to be an adjunct appointment which it
was not.
• Dr. Tadlock asserts that the Administration; from Finance, HR, and Academic affairs were against
this, yet permission was sought by the BSU Administration from MNSCU labor relations to follow the
course of action that has come to pass.
- That permission/advice from MNSCU labor relations was sought is telling and shows the great
lengths that were traversed to find some kernel of justification for a hiring practice that is likely against
the contract but most certainly against the best interests of BSU/NTC relations.
- Not to put too fine of point on this, but this course of action perhaps went a long way in
compromising the local decision making authority for BSU/NTC going forward.
• The most recent communication from Dr. Tadlock asserts that MNSCU Labor Relations position is
that overload does not have to be requested in this situation because having a NTC faculty member
teach a BSU course is just like having an administrator teach a course.
o Beyond the absurdity of this interpretation, we suspect the potentially damaging nature this stance
could hold for any BSU/NTC cooperative model going forward should be apparent.
We know Dr. Tadlock has indicated that this is not the intended direction going forward, but it seems
that at the first opportunity to test these waters, it was attempted.
We do assert that this is a violation of the contract, and on that point we might disagree. However there
are times when just because you can do something it can be still in your best interest to diverge from
that possibility. This was clearly one of those moments and the right path was not chosen.
Respectfully,
Jeff Ueland
On behalf of the BSUFA Executive Committee
Martin – there is no philosophy of doing this, it may be within the contact, but we do not plan to go this
direction with a philosophy.
Dr. Hanson – I am concerned about blurring lines between faculty. We must all be comfortable with the
definition of faculty. There is no intention to blur the lines.
NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEET & CONFER MEETING:
October 29th, 2014 – 4-6 pm – Deputy 301A