Meeting November 5, 2002
 Commonwealth A, Student Commons 
Academic campus.

Agenda


1.  Approve October Minutes
2.  Opening Remarks - Bob Andrews
3.  Faculty Alternative Severance Option Proposal - Linda Harber & Ed Blanks
4.  Report on 5-year plan for the Library, followup to May resolution. - John Ulmschneider
5.  Intellectual Property Policy - Joyce Lloyd & Bob Lamb
6.  Research Data update- Joyce Lloyd & Bob Lamb
7.  New Business

Minutes

Present:
Abbott, Adera , Adyemi, Alder, Andrews, Beardsley, Bilyeu, Briceland, Byles, Cash, Chessin, Corey, Costanzo, Cramer, Crouch (Alt. Delafuente), Cummins, Dery, Dingelmann, Donnell, Fuller-Seeley, Guidarelli, Hague, Harvie, Hodges (Alt. Henry), Holmes, Hutchinson (Alt. Ingram), Huvard, Jeter, Johnson, Karchmer (Alt. Alder), Kirkpatrick, Kuemmerle, Lamb, Lewis, Lloyd, Mays, McCay, McCreary , McKelvey, McMahon, Nicholson, Olds, Pitts, Poynor, Pyles, Ream, Rife, Sarkozi, Sawin , Schmeelk, Seago , Separ, Sholley, Simons, Thoma, Turman, Turner, Walsh, Ward, Weaver, Welleford , Whitehead, Wood.

Absent:
Bigbee, Boothby, Certosimo, Davey, Dewey, Dilworth, Heuman, Tepper

The Minutes from the October Faculty Senate meeting were approved.

Faculty Senate President Bob Andrews reminded members of the Faculty Senate to vote today.  Bob also indicated that the Academic Affairs Committee has approved and is submitting to University Council the name changes for the following programs: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics in the School of Medicine is to be renamed Department of Biochemistry; the MSHA Executive Program is to be renamed the MSHA Professional Program ; and the AA/504 Advisory Committee is be renamed the VCU Advisory Committee on Equity and Diversity.
 

Board of Visitors.

On November 14th and 15th, the Board of Visitors is meeting.  Bob Andrews and the Executive Committee of Faculty Senate are invited to attend and to participate in the discussions of the Academic and Health Affairs Policy Committee.  Bob Andrews has also been asked to evaluate Dr. Trani.  The ratings are done on a one to five scale.  If Faculty Senate members have any comments or items they would like reflected in the evaluation, Bob Andrews asks that those comments be forwarded to him for inclusion in the evaluation.  Bob Andrews underlined the good working relationship that Faculty Senate has with the Board of Visitors.  He also reminded Senators of the resolution made last year during a Faculty Senate meeting which stated the Senate’s desire to see a faculty member appointed to serve as a non-voting member of the Board.

In response to Chris Turner’s question concerning a tuition surcharge, Bob Andrews said Faculty Senate does endorse the surcharge unless Senators indicate otherwise.  Bob Andrews therefore asked if anyone opposed the idea of Faculty Senate supporting the surcharge.  Pat Cummins suggested that increasing by $300 could be in the best interest of students if the additional money is used to provide needed courses.  With additional courses, some students would be able to get courses they need and graduate without being forced to wait another semester to enroll in courses needed for graduation.  No one raised a problem with it providing that all additional charges above the $200-level go towards teaching and course availability.   At the upcoming Academic and Health Committee, Bob Andrew’s will inform the Board of Visitors of Faculty Senate’s support for the increase.
 

Faculty Alternative Severance Proposal.

Virginia Tech University has used this faculty severance option.  In light of the current budget cuts, this proposed severance plan is to be used as a management tool.   Ed Blanks presented the proposal to Faculty Senate.   Ed Blanks stated that he has already met with Bob Andrews and the Executive Committee of Faculty Senate to discuss the draft of the proposal and following those meetings some modifications were made to the proposal.  The document has been discussed at several levels within the University: President’s, Vice-Presidents’ and Deans’ Councils.  Ed  Blanks pointed out on page two of the proposal that one can see the standard policy format that the BOV has approved (all policies will follow this format).  In the document itself, a unit means a school (college).  Each unit will present a business plan; Deans have until January 15th, 2003 to submit their unit’s 5-year business plan.  “This is a restructuring tool, a management tool”, Ed Blanks said.  Linda Harber addressed the specifics of the document and who could be eligible under the program.  Linda Harber also indicated that a calculator designed to facilitate the computation of payout comparisons would go on-line as soon as the Board of Visitors approves the document (http://www.hr.vcu.edu/FASO.htm).  Ed Blanks reminded Faculty Senate that it does usually take VRS ninety days to process an application before one receives the first paycheck.

Ed Blanks also shared with Faculty Senate a comment made by Dr. McDavis.  The latter is very concerned about the brain drain from the University. “This proposed severance plan is no attempt to drain the valuable minds of this institution.  We are concerned about keeping those who want to continue to work on even up to the age of 85 if they want to still be productive”, stated Mr. Blanks.
 

Report on VCU Libraries.

John E. Ulmschneider, Executive Director of VCU Libraries, passed out handouts to all Senators.  John thanked Faculty Senate for its support of the VCU Libraries.  Last year, John presented a five-year plan to senators so the library could eventually obtain ARL accreditation.  The plan’s financial explanation indicated five sources of money needed and Faculty Senate passed a resolution last year to support this financial plan.  Part of the report also indicated that the Director of VCU Libraries is to give an annual report every year to Faculty Senate on the progress that has been made.  This accountability aspect of the plan is why John is before Faculty Senate today.

John indicated that VCU Libraries had some one-time funding that helped provide longer business hours during the academic year.  This funding allowed for improved security and IDs were checked after ten o’clock at night.  The libraries expanded their volume of books last year and maintained an entire year without canceling a single journal subscription –it was only this past September, due to budget cuts, that some subscriptions were cancelled.  There is also new management electronic systems, such as, the new interlibrary loan software so one can check on-line the status of an item.  There have also been renovations done with one-time money.  The University came up with additional money to renovate the south side of the building and that work will be finished in February 2003.    There are also two funding lines that are on the rise this year: (1) gifts to the libraries are up 50% and (2) one-half of the profits on coffee sales at the library goes directly into book endowments and acquisitions.  It is anticipated that giving should be even higher next year.  Total dollars to the library increased because more research dollars are coming into VCU Libraries.   These dollars represent almost 1% of all funds that come to the library.  The University is re-negotiating the rate (Federal Cost formula: 1.2% to 3% is the goal).

The University has also allocated budget cuts in the best way to help reduce their impact on the library in a couple of ways:  reductions made to budgets in July were restored to ½ of that announced; and reduction in personnel lines were off-set with part-time help to keep the library open.  Yet, permanent reductions are substantial.   If non-permanent help continues at the present levels, the libraries face 7 ½% reductions.  The University community’s response to the library has been heart warming.  Three of major funding lines called for in the financial plan are not there and will probably not be there in the immediate future.  Yet, they are crucial in the goals that have been planned.  John assured Faculty Senate of the goal to bring the libraries to a Tier 2 rating.

Judy Lewis told John that the Library Advisory Committee is concerned about holes in the collections because of budget cuts.  She indicated that no one wants to see cuts on the personnel side of things, but the collection side of things is a concern too. John replied,

“We are concerned about collections and maintaining the strength of our research enterprises.  The libraries had to submit in September a reductions plan as did the other units of the University.  We took staff reductions this year to redirect those monies into collections.  We are going to plug holes in collections.  Salary savings we will move into collections.  We have also made behind the scene changes in order to help us protect our collection holdings.”
Liz Cramer from the School of Social Work asked if bids were made to community vendors when the library was looking for coffee vendors.  Cramer also asked if consideration was given to minority vendors and why Starbucks, instead of a community based business, received the final bid. John indicated that there were bids received and that a number of people approached in the community said they did not want to run a retail operation.  VCU Libraries had a taste testing (blind taste test- including local vendors).  John said that the process was very sensitive to all these issues.  Bob Andrews stated that Faculty Senator Iris Johnson, a member of the Dining Committee, participated in this time consuming process.  John finished his presentation by reminding Senators that the Library’s renovation celebration is tomorrow and to please announce the event.

Announcements by Bob Andrews

The Intellectual Property Policy will be discussed at the next Faculty Senate meeting and that a copy of the policy was already emailed out to all Senators.  All comments should be sent to Bob Lamb or Joyce Lloyd.  Judy Lewis and Wes Poynor have also worked on the committee.  Bob Lamb said it is a better policy due to the work of Judy and Wes.  It has better ownership for the faculty, better control.

Bob Andrews also announced that the Research Data Policy which was emailed to members of the Academic Programs and Research Committee is a more current version than the one found on the website.

Another policy, the Faculty Sick Leave Policy, was also sent out to Faculty Senate members and will be discussed by the Academic and Professional Status Committee.  Senators can provide feedback to Judy Lewis or Fred Certosimo.
 

Other Business.

Senator Charles Byles, Chair of the Mentoring Task Force, will be sending out a notice to faculty members urging them to become faculty mentors.

Wes Poynor is chairing the Grievance Policy committee and an appointed group including May Jo Graft, Janet Hutchinson, Camden Whitehead, and Ed Blanks will serve with him on this committee.  The committee will look at the policy and seek general comments on the document, especially from those who have been acquainted with the process.  The committee will also interview the President and the Deans.  Bob Andrews asked if any Senators have had experience in this area to please let Wes know.  The committee wants to finish its work by May.  At the Academic Affairs of University Council, Wes Poynor brought up the subject of “forced annual leave.”  There appears to be different cultures on both campuses.  It is an issue that should be taken up by especially classified staff.

Alan Briceland, Chair of the Alumni and Community Relations Committee, announced that this committee will meet next Tuesday at 4 o’clock with Pam Lepley (826 W. Franklin) in News Services.   The Committee will also meet with Bill Iles, Executive Director of the Office of Alumni Activities, on November 19th at 4:00pm in the Alumni House.

At 5:47pm, with no further business, Faculty Senate was adjourned.


Respectfully submitted,

Dr. Peter S. Kirkpatrick
Faculty Senate Secretary-Treasurer

Posted by Neil W. Henry
January 21, 2003