Attendance: (Those present indicated by an underline)
Officers: President Fisher, President-Elect Schoenberger, Past President Larkin, Secretary: Williams, Treasurer: Buske
IFO Board Members: Hill, Johnson, Kilborn
Unit Representatives: COB SubbaNarasimha, COE Hornstein, FAH Kilborn, Condon
COSE Akubue, COSS Ore, SS C. Inkster
Negotiator: Langen
1. Call to order at 3:25 PM.
The agenda was moved to 6.g. Negotiations.
6. g. Negotiations
Bill Langen stated the negotiations are moving, and substantial progress has been made. Two matters -- money and language regarding faculty representation in a meeting with an administrator -- need yet to be resolved, and he is confident they will be. There will be another negotiation session at the end of April.
2. Call for new agenda items
6.i. Meet and Confer Enrollment
Management Presentation
6.j. Meet and Confer Right to
Representation
6.k. Meet and Confer Budget
1. Treasurer’s Report
We have approximately $8,000 right now, and a full report will be made at the next Senate.
FA President Fisher stated she has hired a temp agency to pay the FA office staff for overtime hours after a resolution was passed in the IFO Board. Our choices for paying overtime are: 1) a temp agency; 2) a payroll service; or 3) work out an agreement with the IFO.
Treasurer Buske stated we cannot cut a check without taking out taxes. The IFO office wants to wait until the Executive Committee meets (on April 8-9) in order for them to discuss the issue, and they would then bring the issue to the Board
FA President Fisher suggested we pay the office staff through the temp agency for the overtime hours they’ve already worked (or substitute the hours worked with comp time if they prefer this option). Any future hours should come through the IFO after the issue is taken to the board.
2. Announcements
a. Delegate Assembly – Resolutions
All of the resolutions were passed including the one Past President Larkin spoke for regarding all graduate courses counting for 4 credits, not just 600 courses. The resolution for the GLBTA statewide issues committee was passed as well, and we received a lot of compliments from people for this initiative.
b. Affirmative Action and Social Equity Search Committee
FA President Fisher has been asked by the chair of the committee to attend a committee meeting tomorrow at 7:00 AM. She shared a letter from the President’s assistant requesting she not attend the meeting; however, it remains her intent to attend.
3. Unfinished Business
a. Sanctioned Meetings
b. Student Grade Appeal
c. Website Links (Larkin)
No reports were given on the above agenda items; therefore, they will remain on the agenda.
4. New Business:
a. Office of Clinical Experiences (Hornstein)
Steve Hornstein provided an update on this issue. A grievance is in the process of being prepared, and it will be brought forward next week.
b. Web space for discussions (Larkin)
This item was not discussed and will remain on the agenda.
c. Right to Representation – Delegate Assembly (Meet & Confer Issue)
This topic will be brought to Meet and Confer this Thursday; and the Provost will make a statement of his support for faculty bringing union representation. The committee requested FA President Fisher to ask the Provost to say this will be normal procedure, since it should be considered as a right, and routine. It was stated faculty should not be questioned or reprimanded when they exercise such a right. Also, it was stated processes should be put in place to eliminate people feeling intimidated of perceived retaliation.
This subject covers item 6.j. under new agenda items; therefore, 6.j. may be eliminated.
d. Class Sizes, Core, Majors, and Enrollment (Meet & Confer Issue)
FA President Fisher stated there were a number of complaints made in Delegate Assembly regarding the pressure to increase enrollment in courses. At SCSU we have the lowest graduation rate in 4 years of all the state universities. Desks are being added to classrooms so people can hardly move around, but there’s no chalk. We are also the only university where very large classes are used. We need to ask for reasons for the differences in the figures that show that Mankato spends $49 million and we spend $60 million to teach close to the same number of students. Is Mankato using more Teaching Assistants? Does SCSU have more faculty with Ph.D.s? We appear to be moving toward more adjunct and fixed term faculty to cover continuing needs.
Motion to bring the issue of class sizes, core, majors, and enrollment and related issues such as budget to M&C (Kilborn/Schoenberger). Passed
This subject covers new agenda items 6.i. and 6.k
e. Article 22/Article 25 – PDP/PDR (Buske)
Treasurer Buske stated there is no process in place for the withdrawal of a promotion application on this campus. It was asked for consideration to be given in comparing our current policy on this issue and the contract language.
This item will remain on the agenda for further discussion.
h. Discussion on a vote of no-confidence regarding the Chancellor
FA President Fisher will send an e-mail note to the entire faculty to allow discussion before the next Senate meeting. There is a need to make a recommendation to the IFO Board; and we must list what our concerns are.
7. Adjournment at 5:30 PM.