Draft Minutes

February 27, 2003

1:00-3:00pm

via video and audio conference

1. Call to order and roll call

Members present:

Robert Sewell, Chair; President, UAS Staff Council and

Chair of the Staff Alliance

Justin Whittington, Senator, United Students of the

University of Alaska Southeast

Judy Michael for Barb Tullis, Vice President, UAA Assembly

Hilary Davies, President, UAA Assembly

Larry Ledlow, President, UAF Staff Council

Darrell Behymer, President, Kachemak Bay Branch Student Association for

Amber Clark, President, PWSCC Student Association

Casey Reynolds, Legislative Affairs Director, Union of Students of UAA

Larry Duffy, Representative and Past President, UAF Faculty Senate

Joe Hayes, Executive Director, UAF Alumni Association

Others present:

Eva Kopacz, Faculty Liaison, Office of the President

Ann Ringstad, Assistant to the President

2. Adopt agenda

MOTION: Moved by Behymer, seconded by Whittington,

passed without objection

“The System Governance Council moves to adopt the agenda for the February 27, 2003 meeting. This action is effective February 27, 2003.”

3. Approve minutes

3.1 November 15, 2002

MOTION: Passed as amended without objection

The System Governance Council moves to approve the November 15, 2002 minutes. This action is effective February 27, 2003.”

On page 5, the reference to Step IV should be Step V.

3.2 December 15, 2002

MOTION: Passed without objection

“The System Governance Council moves to approve the December 15, 2002 workshop notes. This action is effective February 27, 2003.”

4. Chair's Report

Sewell referenced his report was in the February Governance Report to the Board of Regents (see http://gov.alaska.edu/news/govreps/GRvol7no3.pdf) and covered the strategic plan, the student employment wage grid, and institutional approaches to diversity.

5. Ann Ringstad

Ringstad reported that the president is gearing up for his state of the university speech to the House-Senate joint Finance Committee meeting March 4. President Hamilton’s presentation will be broadcast on Gavel to Gavel and will be put up on the web afterward. Student and alumni leaders will also be present.

The Board of Regents has asked for $13.6 in general funds over the university’s general fund operating budget for FY04. Governor Murkowski campaigned on 5 percent over base for the university. Governor will not announce his budget proposal until March 6.

Every year the university has received an increment every year for past six years including ACPE money and ASTF money and funds from the Mental Health Trust. ACPE money rolled to the base university general fund budget last year but the ASTF and Mental Health trust money did not and will probably be included in the Governor’s increment for this year.

There is no plan this year to fund the Alaska Scholars program but the governor is thinking about doing it long term and taking it from timber money. President Hamilton has not yet had an opportunity to meet with the governor; only the chief of staff.

6. Strategic plan

The Council reviewed the strategic plan. Hilary Davies sent her comments directly to the regents and will also send them to Pat Ivey for distribution to the rest of the Council. Pat Ivey was directed to list the changes and submit them to Jeannie Phillips, the Regents Affairs Officer.

CHANGES:

Page 1:

System Governance Council members have changed. The latest list of members is as follows:

Brodie Anderson, Vice President, Associated Students of UAF

Amber Clarke, President, PWSCC Student Association

M. Hilary Davies, President, UAA Assembly

James Hale, Member, UAS Faculty Senate

Larry Ledlow, President, UAF Staff Council

John Mitchell, President, Statewide Administration Assembly

Casey Reynolds, Legislative Affairs Director, Union of Students of UAA

Barbara Tullis, Vice President, UAA Assembly

Robert Sewell, Chair of the System Governance Council,

Chair of the Staff Alliance and President of the UAS Staff Council

Justin Whittington, Senator, United Students of UAS-Juneau

Joe Hayes, ex-officio, Executive Director, UAF Alumni Association

Suzette Mashburn, ex-officio, Executive Director, UAA Alumni Association

Lynne Johnson, ex-officio, Executive Director, Development,

UAS Alumni Association

Page 3

“Admit all Alaskans wherever they may be in their academic preparation.”

The word "eligible" in front of "Alaskans" would clarify the intent. The statement as it stands allows, for example, a 6 year old home schooled child to take courses at UA.

Page 4

In the paragraph after UAS, replace the words "but most notably in serving" by "including".

Rationale: There are other areas that are equally notable within the UA system.

Similar comments pertain to Page 7.

Also on Page 4, Page 5: Replace "remedial" by "preparatory". This reflects

current terminology, and does not have such negative connotations.

Page 6

Page 6 is very awkwardly written and needs to be rewritten.

Page 9

Goal 4:

Under the first objective, add to the end so the sentence reads, “Regularly assess development needs INCLUDING CAREER PLANNING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.”

Add a new objective before “Ensure high quality teaching” that reads

“Ensure excellent administrative practices which support faculty and staff.”

Page 12

The first paragraph of the University of Alaska Anchorage is inaccurate and needs to be rewritten.

In the 1971 University of Alaska catalog, it states that the "University of Alaska, Anchorage-Senior College offers upper division and graduate programs leading to the baccalaureate and masters degrees for the Anchorage area. Upper division courses are offered in most fields with the exception of the physical and natural sciences; however, areas of concentration are in education, psychology, business, English and engineering management. Specifically, students may complete the following master's degrees: Master of Education, Master of Arts, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Fine Arts, Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Counseling Psychology, and

Educational Specialist. ...A Master's degree in Engineering Management can be earned in Anchorage." The Senior College had 5 divisions: Arts and Letters

Division of Behavioral Sciences, Economics, Business and Public Administration

Education Mathematics, Science and Engineering…”

7. Student employee wages

Casey Reynolds said the Coalition was looking at making at making the student employee wage grid more conducive to inflation. Administration proposes basing the grid beginning at $7.15 while the Coalition wants it more adjusted to inflation. There is evidence that some of the student employees doing more sophisticated work are not paid at the level that they need and deserve. The thing that has brought this to Robert Sewell's attention is the State's college intern program which pays substantially higher than was is even proposed by the Coalition. Sewell said that high school interns in state government even make more than what can be made in a student position with the university.

Hilary Davies hires math and computer technicians that are very low paid but is very concerned because in her department some students would be making more than some of the staff hour to hour. This is a concern that has come from the staff at Ranges 73 and 74. The other concern is that if the pay scale goes up the student fees in her will have to go up to pay for tutoring and lab support. Davies explained that in many of the UAA department student employees are paid by student fees and several departments have contacted Hilary to increase the student fees to accommodate the change.

Casey Reynolds said he isn't too concerned about the student fees because a lot has been done to reduce student fees.

MOTION: Moved by Duffy and Reynolds, seconded by Behymer, passed unanimously.

"The System Governance Council strongly recommends that the university recognize the key role that student employees play in the functioning and well being of the university with appropriate compensation. As such, the Council urges the administration to carefully consider the student salary grid and to enhance it, especially with regard to Student Assistant III and IV. This action is effective February 27, 2003."

8. Diversity committee

Larry Ledlow explained how UAF deals with diversity and tolerance and how we deal with it. He indicated that similar mechanisms may exist across the campuses and that an assessment of all practices may be very beneficial in that practices at one campus may be adoptable at another campus without reinventing the wheel

Ledlow said that multicultural aspects and diversity need to be overseen by a committee or task force of the System Governance Council. This committee or task force would be an assessment and oversight committee that would practices across the system and where issues are Systemwide, make recommendations to the president and the Board of Regents. The intent of this proposal is to make sure that the MAUs develop the kind of environment the president and regents want them to have.

Larry Duffy said that at UAF diversity and tolerance issues have been brought to governance many times but until now there was no mechanism within governance to deal with it. The only alternative was to go to administrators who often were reluctant to deal with it. UAF governance established a diversity and tolerance committee for the purpose.

Casey Reynolds asked how this committee would be better than what we have now at the MAU level. UAA has diversity committees at all levels. Ledlow said this committee is to assess and coordinate not to insert itself into MAU business but rather to guide and coordinate. Davies outlined the considerable structure already in place on the Anchorage campus, including an ombudsman.

Larry Duffy said that it sounds like UAA has a lot going on but UAF might need an ombudsman. He thought the assessment would reveal the best practices and allow for cross-pollination across the system. There is probably going to be a lot of variation across all the campuses. UAA might have some interesting things going on that might be shared and used in other parts of the system. There are also individuals who will express concerns and governance can provide information but governance is not in the business of resolving concerns.

The task force was envisioned to be a permanent activity requiring a constitutional and/or bylaw change but the Council decided to try a task force for one year with an opportunity for expansion beyond one year. The task force would present quarterly or biannual reports to the Council and work with the diversity and tolerance offices and groups at the lowest level to identify what the major issues really are and how the campuses handle these.

The Council decided that the task force would consist of three Council member volunteers.

MOTION: Moved by Reynolds, seconded by Davies, passed unanimously.

The System Governance Council moves to establish a task force for diversity and tolerance. The task force shall have a sunset clause of one year with provision for renewal. The task force members will consist of at least three Council volunteers. The task force would establish its charter, work with diversity and tolerance groups and offices at all campuses, conduct an assessment of practices and issues, present their findings and determine whether or not the task force should continue beyond one year. The task force shall report to the Council at each of the Council meetings. This action is effective February 27, 2003.”

9. System governance reports

9.1 Faculty Alliance

Duffy reported that the Faculty Alliance has had reports from the president and the new vice president for faculty and staff affairs. The alliance has also been discussing joint PhD programs and looking at the distance educator award.

9.2 Staff Alliance

The Staff Alliance continues to speak to the lack of movement in the staff salary grid. The Alliance is somewhat pleased with the movement toward establishing a classification program. The Alliance going to Juneau to advocate on UA's behalf in April 14 and 15. Sewell advised that the Make Students Count award deadline was March 1. Any classified or APT permanent employee of the university can be recognized. There are four awards, one for each MAU, consisting $1000, two plane tickets and recognition before the Board of Regents. Statewide human resources intends to conduct another McDowell survey of classified and APT employees’ attitudes, and is preparing a similar one for faculty. The Alliance is also exploring the concept of establishing an on line mechanism with which to do web-based referenda.

9.3 Coalition of Student Leaders

Casey Reynolds said student leaders are doing a legislative fly in this weekend Saturday through Tuesday. The student pay grid also tops the Coalition’s list. Duffy asked that students spend some time with the governor's office. Reynolds said USUAA is targeting the governor and targeting a majority legislator in Anchorage to go to bat for UAA. USUAA is also focusing on capital projects.

9.4 Alumni

Joe Hayes is the new UAF alumni director. On March 6-9 the three alumni associations going to Anchorage and Portland having functions to recruit more alumni. They are also working on strategic planning regarding how to get the younger alumni on board and are working with Mary Rutherford, the new associate vice president for development on that.

10. Local governance

10.1 UAA

Hilary Davies said faculty are working on distance education and general education assessments. Casey Reynolds said USUAA has a recycling program that is really quite wonderful.

10.2 UAF

Larry Ledlow said he had no further comments from the Staff Council. Larry Duffy had nothing to report from the UAF Faculty Senate except that everyone is worried about the budget.

10.3 UAS

Justin Whittington reported that the USUAS-J legislative conference March 1-4 is the most important thing right now.

10.4 SW

There were no comments

11. Agenda items for next meeting May 15, 2003

Send agenda items to Robert Sewell and/or Pat Ivey up to ten days in advance of the meeting.

12. Comments

There were no additional comments.

13. Adjourn

The meeting was adjourned at 3:01pm.