MSU FACULTY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
February 19, 2003
Members Present: Marlow for Gipp, McDermott, White, Kommers,
Schlotzhauer, Metz for Linker, Leech, Taylor, Howard, Stewart, Jones,
Yoo, Conant, Weaver, Amend, Levy, Bogar, Jelinski, Idzerda, Pratt,
Fisher, Prawdzienski, Kempcke, Knight.
Members Absent: Young, Morrill, Giroux, Anderson, Chem Engr, Nehrir,
Lefcort, Locke, Engl, Bond, Lynch, Lynes-Hayes, Hoffman.
Others Present: Bandyopadhyay, Dooley, Fedock.
The meeting was called to order by Chair Rich Howard at 4:10 PM. A
quorum was present. The minutes of the February 5, 2003, meeting were
approved as distributed.
Report from ASMSU - Trevor Blyth.
- The Montana Association of Students (MAS) is concerned that the
student regent, Christian Hur, has been appointed to a third year
on the Board of Regents. The concern arises from the fact that
students do not feel he represents the students and their
opinions and that his reappointment by the Governor prevents
another qualified student within the system from gaining the
experience provided as student regent.
- Trevor outlined the process provided in the state constitution
for appointment of the student regent. Students feel that the
process was not followed.
- MAS is pursuing avenues for remedying the situation or for at
least having a rightful voice in the selection of student regents
in the future.
- During discussion, Trevor was invited to contact Faculty
Council if support of the Council could be of value in this
matter.
Chair's report - Rich Howard.
- The February 5 presentation by Doug Young on Montana's economy
and taxation issues was well received and a much
larger-than-expected number of people attended.
- February 20, Faculty Council and Faculty Senate leaders from
the university system will meet with Elaine Hairston of Academic
Search Consultants, the company hired to facilitate the search
for a new Commissioner of Higher Education.
- Topics to be addressed during the meeting include:
- Identifying challenges to higher education in Montana
during the next years, and
- Identifying the characteristics desirable in candidates.
- Input regarding the two topics may be e-mailed to Rich by
tomorrow a.m.
- Some characteristics that should be considered include:
- Ability to interface with the legislature,
- Awareness of the role of the smaller schools within the
system,
- Ability to develop consensus on the Board of Regents, and
- Ability to develop a method for providing funding
flexibility on individual campuses.
- During discussion, it was asked if Montana's regents attend
national conferences designed for members of boards of regents.
According to the Provost, several Montana regents have attended
these conferences in the past. Discussion by the entire Board
about information gained at the conferences is valuable, but time
for such discussion has recently been very limited because of the
structure of the board meetings.
- There will be a special Board of Regents meeting March 3 to
write the advertisement for the position.
- An issue that will likely come up again, even though it
has already been discussed by the Regents and voted on, is
the role of the Commissioner. The issue is whether the
Commissioner should be a CEO or a Secretary to the Board
with the two presidents sharing leadership and the Board
managing the system.
- The first option (CEO) has been approved by a vote of the
Board.
- According to Chair Howard, states using a CEO model appear
to manage better resource-wise with their university
systems.
- On February 13, UGC Steering Committee met with the President.
- Issues he addressed were the legislative session and
budgets.
- Current enrollment at MSU was also addressed. Enrollment
appears to be ahead of last year but down some from
projections.
- Chair Howard and Chair Elect Jones met with Provost Dooley and
Vice Provost Fedock today. Topics discussed include the status
of two university-wide searches and the next catalog.
- The searches for the Vice Provost for Undergraduate
Education and for the Assistant Vice Provost for
Undergraduate Education (Summer Session) have attracted some
strong candidates.
- No new money is needed for the positions because of
occurrences and reorganization within the Provost's
Office.
- Although there is broad support for filling the
positions, before the Provost offers the position to a
candidate, he invites input from faculty about whether
they think it is of higher benefit to MSU to fill the
positions or to leave the positions vacant and use the
financial resources elsewhere.
- The academic calendar for '04 and '05 has been determined
for the next catalog. Because Labor Day falls on a later
date during the two years (September 6 and September 5),
classes will begin August 30 and August 29, respectively.
- During comments by Faculty Council, it was requested that
there be discussion of ways to manage problems caused to the
teaching schedule by several one-day holidays in each
semester, especially during Spring Semester when many of the
holidays fall on a Monday.
- As follow-up on the Council discussion with Dean of Graduate
Studies McLeod regarding a liaison between Graduate Council and
Faculty Council, Chair Howard announced that:
- Craig Stewart will be the liaison between the two Councils
for the remainder of the year.
- Dean McLeod has invited Faculty Council to join a Graduate
Council meeting on Friday, April 4, at 10:00 a.m.
Faculty Affairs Committee report - Walter Metz.
- Chair Howard and Legal Counsel Leslie Taylor are working out
some issues on the two proposed Faculty Handbook changes approved
by Faculty Council and forwarded to the administration. There
will be further discussion at Faculty Council regarding the
issues.
- John Amend moved approval of amendments to Faculty Handbook
Section 802.00 (Definitions for Formal Review of Faculty). The
motion was seconded and carried. The amendment will be forwarded
to the President for approval.
- Jack Jelinski moved approval of amendments to Faculty Handbook
Sections 463, 610, 618 and 730 (Post-Tenure Review). The motion
was seconded.
- During the ten-day faculty comment period, some issues
with Sections 461 and 462 were brought up. Because they
concern existing parts of the Handbook, the issues will be
considered separately from this proposal, at a later date.
- During discussion, it was suggested a counterbalance of
faculty rewards (sabbaticals or other professional
development) be provided along with this policy. This will
be discussed in greater detail at another meeting.
- The motion was approved. The amendment will be forwarded
to the President for approval.
- Because of the lateness of the hour, the amendment to Section
810.00 (Responsibility of the Candidate to Submit Dossier) will
be discussed at the February 26 meeting.
As there was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:05 PM.
Joann Amend, Secretary Richard Howard, Chair