March 26, 1999
Meeting of the Faculty Council
March 26, 1999, 3:00 p.m.
Assembly Room, 2nd Floor, Wilson Library
Chancellor Michael Hooker and Professor Richard N. Andrews will preside.
Agenda
ACT 3:00 Memorial Resolution for the late Robert B. Gardner, Professor Emeritus of Mathematics
- Presented by Prof. Warren Wogen
INFO DISC 3:05 Chancellor’s Remarks and Question Period. Chancellor Michael Hooker.
- The Chancellor invites questions or comments on any topic.
INFO 3:20 Chair of the Faculty’s Remarks. Prof. Richard N. Andrews
INFO 3:30 Annual Report, Executive Committee of the Faculty Council. Prof. Richard N. Andrews, Chair
INFO 3:35 Greetings from the Chair of the Graduate & Professional Students Federation. C. Lee Conner
INFO 3:40 Annual Report, Educational Policy Committee. Prof. Thomas Warburton, Chair
ACT 3:50 Resolution 99-1. On Thursday Night Football Games. Prof. Richard W. Pfaff.
ACT 4:00 Faculty Welfare Committee, Prof. Steven Bachenheimer
- Resolution 99-2. On the Faculty Welfare Implications of Distance Learning
DISC 4:20 Annual Report, Administrative Board of the Library. Prof. Catharine Newbury, Chair
INFO 4:35 Update Report from the Intellectual Climate Implementation Committee. Prof. Donna LeFebvre
ACT 4:50 CLOSED SESSION
- Report of the Committee on Honorary Degrees and Special Awards.
- Honorary Degrees for Commencement 2000. Prof. Joseph S. Ferrell, Secretary of the Faculty
ACT 5:00 OPEN SESSION
Adjourn
Joseph S. Ferrell
Secretary of the Faculty
KEY:
ACT = Action
INFO = Information
DISC = Discussion
Minutes
Attendance
Present (55): Adler, Angel, Assani, Bangdiwala, Black, Blackburn, Bluestein, Collins, Cordeiro-Stone, Covach, Dalton, Debreczeny, Estroff, Favorov, Fishman, Fox, Grossberg, Harrison, Haskill, Holmgren, Hooper, Huang, Johnson, Kaufman, LeFebvre, Levine, Lord, Lubker, Ludlow, Madison, Maffly-Kipp, Margolis, McKeown, Meehan-Black, Molina, Newton, Nord, Owen, Panter, Passannante, Pfaff, Plante, Postema, Raper, Rosenfeld, Schaller, Shea, Straughan, Strauss, Taft, Thorp, Tysinger, Vevea, Weiss, Williams.
Excused absences (20): Bowen, Carl, Cravey, Daye, Devellis, Eckel, Elvers, Foshee, Gasaway, Hyatt, Lentz, Melchert, Mill, Moreau, Platin, Sekerak, Steponaitis, Wells, Werner, White.
Unexcused absences (12): Adler, Bender, Bolas, Clegg, Graham, Graves, Hattem, Jackson, Kjervik, Marshall, Pagano, Raab-Traub.
Memorial Resolution
Professor Patrick Eberlein (Mathematics) presented a memorial resolution for the late Robert G. Gardner, Professor of Mathematics.
Chancellor’s Remarks
Chancellor Hooker spoke with guarded optimism about the condition of his health. He thanked everyone for the expressions of support he has received. He said that he has been in touch with Provost Richardson who seems to be mending well and is in great spirits.
The chancellor reported that the prospects for increased funding from the General Assembly over the next few years are remote. Even though the state’s economy is healthy, the combined effect of tax cuts and adverse court decisions means there is very little available money in the near term. Prof. Diane Kjervik (Nursing) asked about the prospects for continued funding for distance education. The chancellor replied that he has no definite information.
Prof. Steven Bachenheimer (Microbiology) noted that press reports imply that most of the projected increase in enrollment will be at the undergraduate level. He wondered about the impact on the community. Chancellor Hooker replied that the University will be adding enough residence hall capacity to absorb the undergraduate enrollment increase. A significant increase in undergraduate enrollment will also entail adding faculty and staff and increased graduate enrollment in certain disciplines. These increases will have an impact on the community that the University will not be able to ameliorate directly.
Prof. Larry Grossberg (Communication Studies) asked why the chancellor has declined to support student demands that the University’s licensing agreement include clauses requiring public disclosure of factory sites and commitment to paying a “living wage.” Chancellor Hooker replied that the task force now studying these issues is developing recommendations that are very close to what is being asked by the student group. He will be guided by its recommendations when they are complete.
Chair of the Faculty’s Remarks
Prof. Andrews, who is co-chairing the Labor Licensing Code Advisory Committee, also responded to Prof. Grossberg’s question and promised that a discussion of the task force’s recommendations on the matters in question will be scheduled for the April meeting of the Council.
Prof. Andrews introduced Lee Connor, newly elected president of the Graduate and Professional Student Federation. Mr. Connor spoke briefly of his plans for the coming year. He called attention to a concern first voiced by Bryan Kennedy, past president of GPSF, about the disparity across the University as to teaching resources made available to graduate teaching assistants. In some departments, teaching assistants are not provided with desk copies of textbooks and are expected to pay for copies of classroom handouts. Prof. Andrews said that he has brought this matter to the attention of the Executive Committee.
Football Scheduling
Prof. Richard Pfaff (History) presented Resolution 99-1 resolving that “The Faculty Council opposes the scheduling of any home football game on a weekday or weeknight.” In the course of the discussion it was explained that the Atlantic Coast Conference has agreed, as a part of negotiating television rights, that each of its member schools will play a home game on Thursday at least once over the five-year period of the contract. Prof. Pfaff asserted that it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to schedule a Thursday game in Kenan Stadium without disrupting the University’s normal functions. Prof. Jack Evans, speaking as a member of the Athletics Committee, said that the committee does not favor Thursday night games and had no part in the decision to schedule them. To avoid the undesirable consequences pointed out by Prof. Pfaff, the Athletic Department has complied with the ACC rule by scheduling Thursday “home” games in Charlotte. In response to a question as to whether a Thursday game could be scheduled during Fall break, David Lanier, University Registrar, said that the Athletics Department has asked that fall break not be scheduled to coincide with a home football game. It was also noted that Fall break does not affect the schedules of most 12-month faculty. Prof. Frayda Bluestein moved to amend the resolution to add the words “on campus” after the words “football game.” The amendment was adopted, and the resolution, as amended, was then adopted.
Annual Reports of Standing Committees
Educational Policy Committee.
The annual report of the Educational Policy Committee was received.
Faculty Welfare Committee.
Prof. Steven Bachenheimer (Microbiology) presented three additional items for the Faculty Welfare Committee which had submitted its annual report in February.
Prof. Bachenheimer summarized several recommendations that have been developed by a Faculty Benefits Study Group appointed in 1998 by President Broad. With respect to the Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System, the Study Group recommends an increase in the benefit multiplier formula to 2%, a decrease in the employee contribution rate to 4%, and a reduction in the final average salary period to three years. With respect to Optional Retirement Program, the Study Group recommends reducing the employee contribution rate to 4% and increasing the employer’s contribution, immediate vesting of employer contributions, and 100% cashability of employer contributions at retirement. With respect to the Comprehensive Major Medical Plan, the Group recommends increasing the State share of indemnity coverage to 69%, provision of an employer-funded flexible compensation plan, and formation by the President of a coalition of University representatives and other interested groups for the purpose of achieving a State subsidy for family coverage.
Prof. Bachenheimer next presented a comprehensive summary of compliance with the Faculty Salary Policy Resolution approved by the Council in 1995-96.
Prof. Bachenheimer next moved adoption of Resolution 99-2 requesting the Chair of the Faculty “to establish a task force whose charge is to (1) evaluate the implications of distance learning on aspects of faculty welfare, and (2) report its findings and any recommendations with regard to this subject to the Faculty Council.” He said that the committee sees the need for a careful study of the impact of distance learning on such matters as faculty status, instructional conditions, and intellectual property. The resolution was adopted.
Administrative Board of the Library.
Prof. Catharine Newbury (Political Science) presented the report of the Administrative Board of the Library. She warned that the library faces a fiscal crisis in 1999-2000 unless one-time funding that has been available in 1998-99 is renewed. Without continuation of that funding, the library will have to reduce purchases of monographs by as many as 20,000 volumes, or cut serial and electronic subscriptions by as much as 20%, or do some of each. As for salaries, our library now ranks 17th in the nation among research libraries but 80th in salaries. This is having a serious negative impact on recruitment. Prof. Newbury moved adoption of Resolution 99-3 which calls on the University Administration “to work to raise librarian salaries to a level competitive with peer institutions and to ensure that librarians participate fully in any salary increase provided other faculty members, regardless of source of funds.” Prof. Timothy Taft (Orthopaedics) questioned whether it is wise to single out a particular group in this way when many departments are in a similar situation with respect to salary levels. Barbara Tysinger (Academic Affairs Libraries) noted that many librarians are paid less than $35,000 annually. Robert Dalton (Academic Affairs Libraries) said that librarians have in the past been excluded from special pay raises made available to other faculty members. Prof. Joe Hewitt (University Librarian) said that the intent of the resolution is to urge that librarians, as members of the General Faculty, be included in any special initiative to improve faculty salaries. Prof. Diane Kjervik (Nursing) voiced concern about the phrase “regardless of source of funds.” Prof. Richard Pfaff (History) countered that the resolution does not go far enough. He contended that librarians’ salaries cannot be brought up to any reasonable level if they are limited to percentage raises available to the faculty in general. The resolution was adopted as presented.
Prof. Hewitt reviewed with the Council plans for continuing services now provided in the House Undergraduate Library when that building closes for renovations, which will take place beginning August 3. It is anticipated that the renovated building will be ready for occupancy by January, 2001.
Honorary Degrees
The Council went into closed session to consider nominations for honorary degrees to be awarded at Commencement 2000. Five nominees presented by the Committee on Honorary Degrees and Special Awards were approved. The Council also discussed the selection of a speaker for Commencement 2000 and asked that its wishes in this regard be communicated to the chancellor and the selection committee.
Joseph S. Ferrell
Secretary of the Faculty
