Meeting of the
University of Alaska
System
Governance Council
Thursday, April 19, 2001
1:00pm-3:00pm via audioconference
DRAFT MINUTES
1. Call to order and roll call
Members present:
Stacey Banks, Chair of the Council and President, ASUAF
Donna Moore, Representative, UAF Staff Council (effective March 6, 2001)
Larry Duffy, Chair, Faculty Alliance and President, UAF Faculty Senate
Debbie Narang, Faculty Representative, UAA Assembly
Kerry Digou, President, Statewide Administration Assembly
Lea Ann McWhorter, for David Woodley, Chair, Staff Alliance and
President, UAA Classified Council
Robert Sewell, President, UAS Staff Council
Others present
Ann Ringstad, Director, Government Relations
Pat Ivey, Executive Officer, System Governance
Dave Veazey, Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs
Members Absent:
Mark Graves, Senator, USUAS-Juneau
David Marvel, Chair, UAS Faculty Council
John Newman, President, USUAS-Sitka
Skye Rubadeau, President, USUAA; Commissioner Alaska
Postsecondary Ed Commission
Daryl Royce, President, UAA Alumni Association, ex-officio
Cindy Branley, Executive Director, UAF Alumni Association, ex-officio
Lynne Johnson, Coordinator, UAS Alumni Association, ex-officio
Kerry Digou will have to leave at 2 pm thus breaking quorum
2. Adopt agenda
MOTION: Moved by Digou, seconded by Duffy, passed without objection
“The System Governance Council moves to adopt the agenda for the April 19, 2001 meeting. This action is effective April 19, 2001.”
3. Approve February 28, 2001 minutes
MOTION: Moved by Duffy, seconded by Digou, passed without objection
“The System Governance Council moves to approve the minutes for the February 28, 2001 minutes. This action is effective April 19, 2001.
4. Chair's report
Stacey Banks urged members to keep up their activities with the legislature; that the session was not over until May 8.
5. Awards
5.1
Award for Outstanding Distance
Educator
http://gov.alaska.edu/Faculty/distance-educator-award/
President Hamilton has established an annual award for outstanding distance educator. Deadline for submitting nominations was March 16. The selection committee will meet in Anchorage on April 20.
5.2
Make Students Count Award
The president annually presents Make Students Count awards to staff who have given outstanding service to students. There are currently four awards, one each for UAF, UAA, UAF and Statewide Administration staff. Nominations are solicited by the local staff governance group or assembly and ranked by them. Those recommendations are forwarded through the System Governance Office to the president who makes the final decision.
Debbie Narang recommended that in addition to having one from each MAU that there should be a separate award for rural sites. She said the UAA selection committee strongly recommended this.
Robert Sewell said this award is a neat thing. The instructions are not very prescriptive so the committees have to determine that. It is a good symbol and process. He seconded Narang’s recommended to explore having a separate award for the extended sites but thought that this should be extended to one each from UAS, UAF that there should be one from UAS Juneau, UAS Ketchikan and UAS Sitka which would double the number of awards from these MAUs.
6. Legislative update
Ann Ringstad reported that the Council agenda packets contained a status report. The House count is $186 million plus $2 million from ACPE. The Senate count is $11.4 million over base, including adding $2 million back into the base so both House and Senate numbers are currently $9.4 million over base. The budget in conference committee, then House and Senate floor for vote. In addition SB137 gives us more vocational education money at $3 million for two years in addition to operating budget money.
Will take courage for House and Senate to fully fund the university. University advocates are encouraged to send e-mails and letters to their representatives and senators in support of the university.
Larry Duffy asked if governor was pushing university budget. The Governor is pushing for fully funding education including university and K-12. However, the Governor’s budget does not include the $1.5 million for non covered employees. Governor's numbers for the university is $202.5 million including base plus $16.9 million in increments.
Larry Duffy said Pat Pitney gave a presentation on the long-term plan for the university and urged others to get her to give her presentation to them.
7. Program initiatives update
Dave Veazey is hoping to get the proposals to the provosts and statewide by early May. Stacey Banks said important to spread the word because not very many students and even student government leaders know about the process.
Larry Duffy suggested student governments invite their faculty senate presidents to discuss the process.
Robert Sewell said that any projects that had already been put in place would continue. Larry Duffy said the money for continuing programs is part of the base but new programs or new pieces of existing programs are subject to FY02 funding levels.
Kerry Digou said some money to hire this year to jump-start the staff development initiative program but if no new money is received, the program will probably end.
Regarding the FY02 budget request, Robert Sewell asked if the initiatives were submitted in order of priority. Larry Duffy said his understanding was there was no priority, that if less money is received the university will go back and make decisions about how to distribute the money. No decision has been made as yet.
Everything is being evaluated for FY03. The planning groups are looking at Phase II proposals now. That should be done by May 15 and then we will go from there. Process for submitting proposal was put in place back in October. Staff development initiative area is still open as is distance education so if there is something this body has it would be a very good time to get it in to Janet Jacobs or Mike Sfraga, respectively.
It is not known when the FY04 process will begin. This will be discussed over the summer.
Stacey Banks suggested that a bulletin be sent out to all governance groups. Debby Narang said that all proposal submitters should receive acknowledgement of receipt of their proposals for placement in tenure and promotion files. Debbie Narang said one UAA proposal got dropped off accidentally. Larry Duffy said the Faculty Alliance recommended this and the Alliance served as the PBAC for faculty development proposals. Dave Veazey wants details on who got dropped off accidentally. He said acknowledgement should have occurred for all proposals. Sewell said this was a good idea.
8. System governance reports
8.1 Coalition of Student Leaders
Stacey Banks reported he was not at last meeting because he was in Honduras. The most important Coalition project was check campaign. The Coalition received a little over 3,000 checks. The Coalition is also working on Board of Regents tuition and fee policy.
8.2
Faculty Alliance
Duffy reported that the Faculty Alliance met April 16 and passed resolution applauding the president’s stand on freedom of speech. The Alliance also urged administration and faculty unions to work together on pay issues. The Alliance considered giving the faculty fellow the option of extending for a second year, but the motion failed.
8.3
Staff Alliance
David Woodley reported that the Staff Alliance retreat held its retreat in Juneau April 10 and 11 and did the Cookie Brigade at the legislature again. The Staff Alliance distributed cookies to all the legislators and then met with them. This is the second year the Alliance has done this and it is well received. The Staff Alliance met in March and went over 04.05 salary administration. Then this went to local staff governance groups. The Statewide Office of Human Resources has hired a full-time and half-time person to deal with staff development issues.
Robert Sewell said with a sad heart that Mr. Woodley and Ms. Downing would not be back on the Staff Alliance next year. Kerry Digou said that the Staff Alliance got to see the results of the check campaign while in Juneau. Senator Wilkens’s office is wallpapered in checks.
10. Local governance reports
10.1
UAA
Debbie Narang said UAA Faculty Senate endorsed the Alliance resolution on freedom of speech. The senate held elections and heard about UAA library and parking. This will be a major initiative for UAA. Jackie Pflaum is President of the Senate. Debbie Narang 1st Vice President and Caedmon Liburd will continue on the Faculty Alliance.
The UAA Assembly met and is conducting search for a new provost. Current provost Dan Johnson is leaving in May. The Assembly talked about changes in student fees at UAA. A proposal going forward to allow tuition waivers for self support for one physical education class per semester as a wellness benefit for employees only, and also waivers for degree related courses.
APT Council elections are coming up.
UAA staff development day is in May. Policy 04.05 was discussed and language is much better. The APT Council still has questions about the 5 percent versus 10 percent. The Classified council did a survey on benefits. Shows that most used is medical, least is wellness, least liked was dental.
10.2
UAF
ASUAF elections are next Tuesday and Wednesday. ASUAF is working on finishing up things from lobbying campaign. Childcare is major issue for the group.
UAF Faculty Senate President Larry Duffy said at the last Senate meeting, most of work focused on improving degree programs. Senate elections are in May. The Senate has a lot old business to get through, mostly associated with degrees. The Board of Regents scaled back number of meetings which means most of the degree stuff has to go to the June BOR meeting.
Donna Moore said she serves on the UAF Staff Council. She will report at the next Council meeting.
10.3 UAS
Robert Sewell said that the student representative can’t be with us but passed on his remarks. The Juneau student government held elections
Katrina Koch is vice president and Mark Graves is president. UAS is changing its student fee structure from $20 per semester to $3 per credit.
The Make Students Count awards process is finished at UAS and packets being forwarded to the System Governance Office.
Robert Sewell reported being twice contacted by union representatives.
10.4 Statewide
Digou said SAA met yesterday and getting ready for annual meeting to elect president and vice president. Number of human resource issues to be packed into May meeting. Going to Staff Alliance meeting couple of days later.
11. Other items of concern
The question was asked regarding student fees, which is better, per credit or one set fee for everyone? Duffy said the complexity in a set fee for all students is that it does not address the differences in use of facilities between on-campus and off campus students and rural versus urban students. Robert Sewell said at UAS there is a great difference between full and part-time students involvement in student life. Juneau students also have to pay $120 for student union plus $3 per credit. Robert Sewell said we shouldn’t knick the part-timers as much as we do.
Narang said that in setting UAA’s student fees, Vice Chancellor Lazell did obtained data from other similar universities.
12. Comments
Next System Governance Council meeting is scheduled for May 24. At that time, it is suggested that the president be invited to say what he thinks about the Council and what he wants out of this particular governance structure.
13. Adjourn
The meeting was adjourned at 2:07pm