April 12, 2005
Officers: Schoenberger, Fisher, Kilborn, Motin, Gasparino
IFO Board: Kilborn, Fisher, Hill, Negotiator: Langen
BUSINESS: (Unit Representative) SubbaNarasimha, (ACCT) vacant, (BCIS) Herath, Song, (FIRE) Hudson, (MGMT) Roth, vacant, (MKGB) Gulati, Johnson
EDUCATION: (Unit Representative) Hornstein, (CFS) Gilman, (LDR) Kayona, Merchant (CEEP) Kuhlman, Murphy, (HRESS) Moore, Martin (John Palmer, sub.), (HURL) Benjamin, (SPED) Hoover, Beutel, (TDEV) Heine, Beniek, Serrano, (IM) Theis
FINE ARTS & HUMANITIES: (Unit Representative) Condon (ENGL) (ART) Weston, (CDSI) Whites, (ENGL) Dorn, vacant, Robinson, Vacant (FORL), Boyer, Triana-Echevema, (COMM) vacant, vacant (MUSIC) Fuller, Springer, (PHIL) Nuccetelli, (CMST) Wells, Wildeson, Ringer, (THFD) Leigh
SCIENCE & ENGINEERING: (Unit Representative) Akubue, (AVIA) Anderson, (BIOL) Julius, Gazal, Schoenfuss, (CHEM) Sadrai, Mahroof-Tahir, (CSCI) Fisher, (EAS) Hansen, (EE) Thamvichai, (ETS) Akubue, (ME) Covey (MATH) Buske, Walk, Branson, (NURS) Herm, (PHYS) Haglin, (STAT) Onyiah, Gammell
SOCIAL SCIENCES: (Unit Representative) Ore, (CMTY) Karasik, (CJUS) Clifford, Vacant (ECON) Banaian, Lo, (ES) Lacourt (GEOG) Wong, (HIST) Jaede, (POL) vacant, (PSYC) Jazwinski, (SW) Chesborough, (SAN) Gold, Lavenda, (WS) Berila
SPECIAL SERVICES: (Unit Representative) Vacant, (COUN) Gasparino, (LR&TS) Inkster, Williams, Hergert, (MEN’S ATHL) vacant, (WOMEN’S ATHL) Odette, (OAA) vacant
The agenda was moved to 6.b., Announcements
6. b. Class Schedule with meeting times (FS 031505 6.c) – Nothing to report.
c. Draft Timeline for filling Director of Affirmative Action Position (FS 032905 6.g)
FA President Schoenberger stated it was discussed at Meet and Confer this is a title change only and the job description remains the same. It was felt part of the reason why we didn’t get an adequate pool last time was because of the job title. It is expected the search committee will work with the search firm in the same manner as was done with the Provost’s search committee. If people have questions regarding this process, they may consult John Burgeson.
d. Parking Rate Increases (FS 041205 6.d)
FA President Schoenberger stated faculty may make comments regarding the parking rate increases -- they may e-mail them to her -- however, the parking rate increases will take place.
1. Called to order at 3:40 PM.
2. Approval of Minutes
a. Faculty Senate Minutes of March 29, 2005 (FS 041205 2.a)
Motion to approve the Faculty Senate Minutes of March 29, 2005 (Whites/Berila). Passed
b. Executive Committee Minutes – These are not ready to approve yet.
c. General Education Committee Minutes of March 25, 2005 (FS 041205 2.c) - File
d. Admissions and Retention Committee Minutes of April 1, 2005 (FS 041205 2.d) – File
e. UCC Minutes of March 3, 2005 (FA 041005 2.e)
Motion to approve the actions taken in the UCC Minutes of March 3, 2005 (Condon/Hill). Passed
3. Treasurer’s Report for February and March 2005 (FS 032905 3) – The Treasurer’s Report was given at the last Senate; therefore, no report was made.
4. Consent Agenda – No items are on the Consent Agenda.
5. Call for new agenda items
- 8.a., Academic Bill of Rights
6. Announcements
e. Tuition Freeze from Students (FS 041205 6.e)
Motion for FA President Schoenberger to sign the Declaration of Support on behalf of the Faculty Association supporting the tuition freeze (Jaede/Ore). Passed.
FA President Schoenberger stated individuals may sign this declaration as well.
f. Draft Policy on Naming Facilities (FS 041205 6.f) – Discussed.
g. Summary from Salary Competitiveness Task Force (FS 041205 6.g)
Dale Buske stated faculty may e-mail him with any questions and emphasized if people would like to respond, now is the time.
h. Project Proposal for Centers of Excellence (FS 041205 6.h)
FA President Schoenberger stated if faculty have comments, please e-mail them to her; and she will take them to the next Meet and Confer.
i. MnSCU FY2005 Capital Budget Request (FS 041205 6.i) – Discussed.
j. Minnesota On-line Peer Review Process and Application (FS 041205 6.j) – Discussed.
7. Unfinished Business
a. Ward Churchill at the University of Colorado (Condon) (FS 041205 7.a)
Motion that because of heightened focus on academic freedom in the public sphere and potential threats to academic freedom posed by pending legislation not only in Minnesota, but across the United States, the Faculty Association resolves to form an Ad Hoc Committee on Academic Freedom.
This Committee is charged with developing a working definition of academic freedom for St. Cloud State University faculty and students. This Committee is further charged with developing recommendations for policy and processes pursuant to the protection of academic freedom for SCSU faculty and students and the maintenance of a campus culture of rigorous intellectual inquiry, creative exploration, and scholarly and creative production as befits an academic community. Finally, the Committee on Academic Freedom will examine current procedures for addressing allegations of academic misconduct to determine whether those procedures are fair, equitable, and supportive of academic freedom.
The Committee on Academic Freedom will be composed of six faculty representatives, one from each college and Special Services. Additionally, the Faculty Association will invite a student representative from SCSU Student Government. The Faculty Association will also invite the Provost or his designee to represent the Administration as an ex officio member.
The Committee on Academic Freedom will report on its initial deliberations and progress toward recommendations to Senate at the second Senate meeting of the Fall 2005 semester (Condon/Ore). Passed
The agenda was moved to 7.c.
c. Educational Reforms (FS 031505 8.b) Hornstein
Motion: Calls for change and reform have been a staple of the environment in which education institutions exist since at least the beginning of the 20h century. Researchers on education change (Sarason, 1990; Fullan, 1997) note that reform efforts often fail when they are imported from one setting to another without appropriate analysis of the proposed reforms’ efficacy for a particular setting.
The Faculty Association will consider participating in the proposed reforms only when the concerns on the SCSU campus the reforms are designed to address are clearly identified, the appropriateness of this approach to local problems is analyzed, and the expected outcomes of the reform efforts are clearly explained (Hornstein/Condon).
Motion to amend to include the words “that this document be sent to the IFO Board members for their attention” (Dorn/Motin). Passed
Motion to close debate (Motin/Seconded). Passed
Motion: Calls for change and reform have been a staple of the environment in which education institutions exist since at least the beginning of the 20h century. Researchers on education change (Sarason, 1990; Fullan, 1997) note that reform efforts often fail when they are imported from one setting to another without appropriate analysis of the proposed reforms’ efficacy for a particular setting.
The Faculty Association will consider participating in the proposed reforms only when the concerns on the SCSU campus the reforms are designed to address are clearly identified, the appropriateness of this approach to local problems is analyzed and the expected outcomes of the reform efforts are clearly explained. This motion will be sent to the IFO Board members for their attention (Hornstein/Condon). Passed
d. Affirmative Action Hiring Manual from Moorhead – Discussed.
The agenda was moved to 7.b.
b. Mandatory Diversity Training (Fisher)
FA Past President Fisher reported a couple of weeks ago, FA President Schoenberger, IFO President Nancy Black, Pat Arseneault, and herself met with President Saigo, Provost Spitzer, the Chancellor, and Bill Tschida to discuss Mandatory Diversity Training. It was necessary to wait for the opportunity to discuss Mandatory Diversity Training with MnSCU, since a conversation on this topic was not permitted as long as there was any possibility of litigation. Therefore, when litigation was over, they met with MnSCU to tell them Mandatory Diversity Training does not work. SCSU’s model is the CARE initiative, recommended by Faculty Senate and approved by the President’s Council in addition to other current training through the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. They held a conversation on why Mandatory Diversity Training does not work and why the CARE initiative should be supported. Our anti-racism initiative is the same model at Moorhead and Metro and the one Mankato will soon have. FA Past President Fisher stated the discussion was interesting; and they expressed their displeasure over the position Mandatory Diversity Training put our institution in, without any consultation. MnSCU made no promises this would not happen again; however, mechanisms are in place in the form of Delegate Assembly resolutions.
e. 4:30 Strategic Planning Draft Document on General Education (FS 032905 6.h.1, 6.h.2) –
Motion for the university to support and approve the Strategic Planning draft document on General Education and begin conversations to look at General Education at the St. Cloud State campus (Motin/seconded).
Motion to amend by deleting the words “support and approve” and substituting the word “accept.” (Jaede/Motin). Passed
Motion for the university to accept the Strategic Planning draft document on General Education and begin conversations to look at General Education at the St. Cloud State campus (Jaede/Motin).
This motion will be e-mailed to Senators for their review prior to the next Faculty Senate.
The agenda was moved to 6.a.
6. a. 4:45 Nancy Black Negotiations Update
IFO President Black gave an update to Faculty Senate regarding negotiations. She stated St. Cloud State University is where the “action is” and commended FA President-Elect Judy Kilborn for her participation as the State Action Coordinator in addition to her role as substitute negotiator while Negotiator Langen is out of the country. “Stop the Slide” means many things – “Stop the Slide” of the quality of higher public education in this state as well as “Stop the Slide” of failed faculty searches, and “Stop the Slide” of faculty salaries.
IFO President Black thanked Dale Buske, who is on the Salary Competitiveness Task Force, and Michael Connaughton, who is our local Action Chair, for their work, stating they’ve done great work. She added the Board of Trustees are committed to Centers of Excellence.
Programs have been built, and we are watching them disintegrate. When researching the numbers, since 1999, the system has 30,000 more students (MnSCU). If we compared money, in fiscal year 2005, we had $3.5 million less in the system. We want to stop this “slide.” We realize with health care, a very important issue, some faculty are now taking home less money than before the contract. IFO President Black stated we’ll see how they’ll raid our health care – the latest word is they were looking at a sliding scale based on income. If we don’t get any additional funding with enrollment increases (the Governor is not honoring the promises to fund enrollment increases), tuition will go up again. We are denying access to the very people the system is to serve.
FA President-Elect Kilborn stated one reason we are pressuring early on is they will soon make a decision on how much money will be on the table. With the last contract, we didn’t make any waves; and they said “you should have told us you wanted more;” so now we’re raising their awareness we want more.
Michael Connaughton stated the number of failed searches is equal to the number of retirements and stated the future of the system is in jeopardy. We aren’t getting those 150 applicant pools anymore, and we’re not getting our first choice. We need to keep reminding people these are important issues. We really are committed to these institutions.
FA President Schoenberger stated the “Stop the Slide” posters are for faculty’s doors and the buttons are for their shirts and to please let Michael Connaughton know if more buttons or posters are needed.
8. New Business
a. Academic Bill of Rights – Not discussed
9. Adjournment at 5:15 PM.