Absent: Adyemi, Boothby, Chessin, Diegelmann, Fuller-Seeley, Heuman, Holmes, Kennamer, Nicholson, Rife, Seago, Tepper, Thoma, Wood
The February minutes were approved as written.
Bob told senators he was meeting March 5 with a member of the Board of Visitors concerning the Faculty Senate request to have a nonvoting faculty advisory representative appointed to the Board of Visitors.Senators were reminded they should have received an announcement from Provost McDavis about the Assistant Vice Provost for Diversity position. Faculty Senate had passed a resolution asking for action in the area of diversity.
The Spring 2003 tuition increase money was spent to add 216 courses with 6823 students enrolled. Bob commended VCU Administration and Board of Visitors for their consideration of faculty and student recommendations.
The Board of Visitors met and did not pass the Intellectual Property Policy. The Rector of the Board did not remember the Intellectual Property Foundation reviewing the policy, and another Board member wanted data to determine how the faculty compensation in the revised policy compare with that of other universities. Once clarifications are made, on these issues, the Board will reconsider the proposed revision of the policy.
When University Council meets Thursday, March 7, legislative issues and some of the financial indications, such as faculty salary raises, will be updated. Provost McDavis was present today and also addressed those topics with senators.
Judy Lewis, PresidentNo further nominations were made from the floor, but senators will have another opportunity to nominate candidates when the vote for officers is held at the April Faculty Senate meeting.
Fred Certosimo, Vice President
Dan Ream, Secretary
Bob Lamb, East Campus Representative
Pat Cummins, West Campus Representative
Dr. McDavis talked about items that resulted from the legislative session:
(1) All indications are optimistic that a faculty salary raise of 2.25 percent will happen in the fall if the Commonwealth of Virginia revenues hold their present course.Dr. McDavis stated that currently the University financial situation is brighter than it was a year ago; but no one can accurately predict the economy, the events that affect the economy, and the impact those events would have upon the University’s finances. He then opened the floor to questions.
(2) The bad news is a cap on tuition; however, Virginia Commonwealth University feels confident that it will be able to get an 8 to 9 percent tuition increase. An increase of 8 to 9 percent would allow the University to remain competitive in the market place because sister institutions are also raising tuition at this level and even higher.
(3) In terms of the VCU Health System, the University got all but a million dollars of its request for indigent care.
(4) The University is not anticipating any new budget cuts for the 2003-2004 academic year; so at this time, it has no plan to recommend cuts to the Board of Visitors in May 2003.
Where does the University stand on centers and institutes? The legislature took a higher cut on centers and institutes at VCU than at other universities without giving rationale for the cuts. Some centers and institutes are in jeopardy. The University is trying to recoup some of those funds; it has asked the Secretary of Education to present the University’s case (asking for money to be restored to the budget for centers and institutes) to Governor Warner.What is happening concerning increasing student fees? The University has a committee working on the issue, and the University intends to ask the Board of Visitors to increase both fees and tuition. The provost was asked about having Faculty Senate representatives on this committee. He indicated he would seek faculty representation.
Will the 8 to 9 percent tuition increase for 2003-2004 be based on the January 2003 tuition that included the $300 raise? The University can annualize the tuition base which means the next increase will be based on the tuition for 2002-2003, including the $300 increase in January 2003.
Other topics questioned and discussed with the provost centered around the process of funding centers and institutes, status of campus renovations, student military leave, inclement weather (decision process and notification to university population), university closing during the holiday season and its impact on faculty and staff annual leave, and the Faculty Alternative Severance Option.
_____________________
Iris W. Johnson, Secretary
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
PROVOST’S OFFICE
AUGUST 2002
TABLE OF CONTENTS
· POLICY STATEMENT AND PURPOSE
· WHO SHOULD READ THIS POLICY
· RELATED DOCUMENTS
· CONTACTS
· DEFINITIONS
POLICY STATEMENT AND PURPOSE:
The Faculty Sick Leave Policy applies to sick leave for all faculty with 12 month, 11 month, 10 month and 9 month appointments. Most faculty are either teaching and research (T & R) with 9/10 or 12 month appointments or administrative and professional (A & P) with 12 month appointments.
Personal Sick Leave Accrual
· Full time 9/10 month T & R faculty (in traditional sick leave) receive 48 hours (6 days) of sick leave at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. If 9/10-month faculty are in the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP), use web site below.
· For 12-month faculty sick leave, please go to:
http://www.hr.vcu.edu/leave/Leave%20Manual%20-%20Faculty%20section.pdf
Reporting Usage
· A & P faculty report usage in hour increments.
· T & R faculty report usage in 4 and 8 hour increments as appropriate. Time is self-reported to departmental chairs who will have time keepers enter the hours of use. School and units that do not have a departmental structure will utilize their existing personnel organizational structure to report faculty sick leave.
· Faculty members with a history of frequent and/or prolonged illness, usually a duration of 3 months or longer, may be asked to provide a health care provider’s certification. There may be other circumstances that qualify for Family and Medical Leave that require medical certification. Please refer to the Human Resource Division’s information on the Family and Medical Leave Act for more information. Faculty participating in the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP) also must provide medical documentation to the third-party administrator after seven consecutive days of absence to qualify for short-term disability (STD) benefits.
· Deans and Department Chairs should discuss with faculty regarding what, if any, work time versus leave time is requested prior to the faculty member beginning a leave of absence. The appropriate Vice President must approve such arrangements before final approval is given to the faculty member.
· Sick leave may be used for any illness or injury, exposure
to contagious disease, and medical appointments. Sick leave also
may be used for some family illness/death. Refer to the Human Resource
Division’s Faculty Leave handout for more information.
_________________________________________________________________
WHO SHOULD READ THIS POLICY:
· Vice Presidents
· Vice Provosts
· Deans
· Department Heads
· Faculty
__________________________________________________________________
RELATED DOCUMENTS:
· Faculty Roles And Rewards Policy
· Faculty Handbook
· Faculty Leave – Human Resources
· Virginia Sickness and Disability
· Faculty Salary Administrative Guidelines
· Family and Medical Leave Act – Human Resources
_________________________________________________________________
CONTACTS:
General and specific questions about this policy can be answered in
your Vice President’s Office.
__________________________________________________________________
DEFINITIONS:
· T and R = Teaching and Research Faculty
· A and P = Administrative and Professional Faculty
Distributed January 23, 2003