IFO Board of Directors Report
Sheraton Bloomington
December 2-3, 2004
Present: Nancy Black, Annette Schoenberger, Theresia Fisher, Judy Kilborn, Mary Kesler, Cathy Summa, David Bratt, Dave Larkin, Carol Milowski, Rose Weaver, Steve Bohnenblust, Gwen Griffin, Barbara Keating, Sonja Meiers (Friday only – Thursday attending AAC meeting), Becky Omdahl, Ruth Zietlow, Cindy Phillips, Wayne Alexander, Wade Swenson, Fred Hill, Gerald Toland
Also Present: Cindy Webber (note taker), Patrice Arseneault (Friday only), Russ Stanton (Friday afternoon only), Debra Japp (Friday afternoon only), Frank Conroy (Friday only), Paul Harris (Friday afternoon for GRC report only), Richard Gendreau (Thursday only)
Not Present: George Seldat (family wedding), Wil Harri (family emergency)
Called to order at 6:30 p.m.
Nellie Stone Johnson Dinner – March 31, 2005:
The Board received a handout announcing the NSJ dinner on March 31, 2005. The IFO bought two tables (able to seat 16 people total). They are asking for donations for the silent auction.
MnSCU Board of Trustees Update:
Nancy Black gave an update on what has taken place at Board meetings since we last met.
The Citizen’s League Report was discussed. Nancy requested talking bullet points from Linda Baer which were received. If you have any feedback on this, please let Nancy know.
We will check out the Baldridge Award model awarded by the Department of Commerce to Stout faculty - Ruth Zietlow will look into this. The Q7 grant was also discussed but that did not produce business-worthy, “value added” results. Historically this merit based pay concept has not worked. Does the Board of Trustees know we already have a performance structure in place?
Executive Committee Update:
The Executive Committee met on November 11-12. Unapproved minutes were given to the Board for review. There was a conversation on letters of expectation.
Statewide Meet and Confer Update:
The Executive Committee had a meet and confer on November 12. From that, we created a log of meet and confer agenda items that we hope will help us keep better track of the issues. There was discussion on having a central note-taker.
The statewide meet and confer scheduled for December 10, was cancelled by the Office of the Chancellor. The Chancellor gave Nancy his word that they would not cancel again. The Board asked that we add the search for the Associate Vice Chancellor for EEOC to the agenda. We want to know that this AVC position will have an interest in GLBTA issues as well.
Summer Committee Meetings:
Please remind all faculty that they should not be attending MnSCU summer committee meetings. They are not compensated, and this is not in the contract so they should not be attending.
IFO Investment Policy:
The IFO Investment Policy was distributed to the IFO Board members for their review. According to the IFO Operating Procedures, this policy needs to be reviewed annually at the start of each calendar year. This will added to the Board agenda in January. Rich Gendreau, the IFO Treasurer, recommended we accept the policy as is.
Treasurer’s Report:
Rich Gendreau gave a report on the October and November financials. We will be investing $300K in a treasury account. We are almost at a break-even point with the condo. We will want to discuss the future of the condo. Wil Harri and Rich will be discussing this next week.
IRS Audit:
Nancy Black gave an update on the IRS audit.
Survey Expert:
John O’Brien from MnSCU has requested a faculty survey expert from the IFO and feedback. The first step is finding out what questions they want answered on IT. They may not even need a survey. Who will analyze the data? We would like to see a general list of questions they want answered, not the survey questions, but a paragraph on what they want to know. We are glad they are asking us. If they do a survey they will probably need two people, one to collect and another to analyze. Lynda Milne from MnSCU also made a similar request from the Center for Teaching and Learning.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Study Group (BPAC sub-group):
Wayne Alexander was appointed to serve on this committee and gave a report to the Board. Wayne started off by giving background information on the group. The goals of the first meeting were to deal with satisfactory academic progress, academic amnesty, repeating of courses, grading (i.e. grade shading). The IFO does not agree with BPAC or the SAPSG. Why do we need this? The state universities are unique and it works for us. Mike Lopez told Wayne that our differences are expensive. How expensive? We didn’t get an answer but said he’d find out. Mike said our differences are detrimentally affecting 3% students; how? They couldn’t say. What was said is that the Board of Trustees wants these changes. Wayne asked the Board for direction and if they want him to continue participating. The next meeting is Friday, December 10. The general sense of the Board was that they wanted Wayne and other IFO faculty to continue participating and to continue pushing MnSCU for information – proof that a problem exists. The Board also noted the importance of having one of our reps serving on this committee taking notes so we can stay informed. Wayne noted that little of his input at the first meeting was incorporated into the minutes (MnSCU took notes). Nancy sent additions to the minutes to Mike Lopez.
Joint IFO/MnSCU Committees:
The two Joint IFO/MnSCU committee meetings on salary and workload are having their first meeting on Friday, December 10. We will send you the roster and meeting dates. The final report from these committees is due May 1, 2005.
MnSCU Marketing and Communications Plan:
Becky Omdahl, Nancy Black, Manuel Lopez (MnSCU) and Chris Roberts met last week. The purpose of the meeting was to incorporate the state universities into the Plan. It is highly unlikely that they are going to change the Plan as it is currently written, but additional directives, like the memo presented to the Board of Directors today, are being considered. It was Nancy’s impression that Manuel and Chris were attentive to the IFO’s concerns and would make an effort to address them favorably.
According to an IFO Board member, their State University President and Administration were never consulted about the Plan. Another Board member informed the Board that an earlier Marketing and Communications study had been funded by MnSCU and conducted by another firm who reported that marketing MnSCU would not work. This report does not accurately reflect what faculty spend most of their time doing; we need to focus on students, research, growth and development.
Can’t MnSCU give more funds to the campuses to promote themselves locally? Could they come up with a way at the local campuses to solicit marketing intern students for promotional activities? We haven’t been able to convey to MnSCU what we are doing. We need to better outline what we do. If we sent them a list of every presentation paper and article, to whom will they be sent, retained and systematically used? All MnSCU needs to do is go to the campus libraries and do a search on the computer, they have the staff. This is a great example of liberal art skills – knowing how to find the information you are looking for!
We need to have each campus illustration what each of them are doing (i.e. student centers, faculty evaluations, our contract, accreditations, etc. – Article 22). Campus publications are a great way to research – go to the State University websites. Even our own faculty aren’t reading their own campus publications (newsletters). We turn information to newsletters and our colleges don’t do anything with them. Each Faculty Association President can come up with a list of our local editors, Fullbright Coordinators and other people responsible for publications and research.
The Board returned to the idea of having two or three ideas related to Liberal Arts and why our students benefit from having this education. It would be a good idea to give them a short list to illustrate to them what we mean by Liberal Arts. The Board of Trustees isn’t looking at us, the state universities, to provide Minnesota students with Liberal Arts. We will send them an article on liberal arts by Lee Shulman. Here are some examples:
ü Articles that would help MnSCU understand and articulate the value of Liberal Arts sciences.
ü An offer from Ruth Zietlow, expert librarian, to teach MnSCU how to access publications, achievements of faculty and institutions.
ü For each campus:
o Faculty Newsletter Editors (email address, copies of newsletters)
o Fullbright Coordinators
o Others who produce publications with points of pride (individual and institutions).
Manuel Lopez has indicated that Chris Roberts is the point person. We need to do a better job of self promoting.
Equity Report:
Patrice Arseneault gave a report. The Salary Equity letters went out on November 5, 2004, to faculty who were due to receive an increase to base pay as a result of the FY02 salary equity study. The faculty receiving the additional increase for equity received their adjustment with the November 26 paycheck. Annual reviews were completed by the Salary Review Committee on November 5. The committee will meet on January 14, 2005 to conduct annual reviews for FY04.
Anti-racism training for the IFO Board, staff, FIC and MIC is scheduled to take place on January 27, 2005, at the Holiday Inn North in Arden Hills. We will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will conclude at about 4:00 p.m. Participants are expected to stay for the entire duration of the training. If you will NOT be attending, please let Cindy Webber know ASAP. We will have to make room reservations for Wednesday night for many Board members. Thank you!
The FIC Committee is meeting tonight.
The GLBTA Committee met yesterday for the first time. The committee discussed establishing GLBTA centers (an actual location/space) on each campus. They also talked about campus climate issues. The committee adopted the goal of trying to get domestic partner benefits in our contract.
The MnSCU Associate Vice Chancellor position for EEOD in the past was not mindful of GLBTA issues. The committee wants to see that incorporated into the job description and have a GLBTA rep on the search committee. This will be conveyed to the Office of the Chancellor.
Voting Rights, Roster and Travel Funds:
Annette Schoenberger asked the Board what is done on each campus when a faculty member is serving 50% in two departments and entered once on the seniority roster. Can they vote for each department, which roster are they entered on, do they qualify for travel funds? Frank Conroy was present to answer the question based on the contract.
Article 29 LOU:
A motion was made to accept the LOU as written. After this is signed it will be posted on the IFO website.
PDP/PDR:
Last year there was a retreat at Mankato on this topic. In rare cases when departments want to consider non-renewal, departments didn’t know how to do that. Steve Bohnenblust provided information that was given to the Board. If this is not clear to our members, we do them a disservice. We want the person up for non-renewal to have their rights protected. Can a faculty member respond to the comments before they are forwarded to their dean? That was an issue at Mankato but no contract language was found that guarantees that. According to Frank Conroy, the local campuses set up the schedule. Frank Conroy will send Article 22 to the Board.
The Board also received a handout prepared by MnSCU on this issue. Frank offered to review the paper and respond at the next Board meeting.
Frank reminded the Board that at this year’s first Board meeting he offered to hold a workshop on the issue of Articles 22 and 25. So far three campuses have taken him up on his offer. MnSCU holds similar workshops for administration, but they have not allowed Frank to attend.
According to the contract the PDP does go back to the faculty member but the PDR does not. It would be helpful if Frank and Pat Arseneault collaborated on this matter. What if people make inappropriate comments?
A motion was made to let our staff work on this. Move we ask staff to evaluate non-renewal guidelines and develop an opinion relevant to our contract and come back to the Board meeting.
Benefits Equity Taskforce:
Pat agreed that the tabled motion on health care coalition positions be handled by the Benefits Equity Taskforce.
Grievance Report:
Frank Conroy gave a grievance report. Frank reminded the Board that if something is in your personnel file that you disagree with you need to address it immediately.
There was a discussion on communication with the Faculty Association Presidents and the Grievance Officers as it pertains to notifying them of grievances and arbitrations.
A motion was made to direct Frank Conroy to bring a written suggestion on how to handle this issue of communication to the next Board meeting in January.
GRC Report:
Paul Harris gave a GRC report. The GRC met yesterday and today. The GRC met with MSUSA’s new executive director Clayt Freed to discuss their position on freezing tuition.
Legislative Report:
The December state revenue forecast is dismal. Our taxes cannot support our programs. Healthcare was the biggest contributor to the deficit followed by enrollment growth in higher education. It will be very difficult to get additional appropriations for compensation inflation – that will probably have to be funded from tuition.
Two days after the election of the Senate, the DFL Caucus met and announced they would begin to hold hearings on the bonding bill that was defeated last session with the hopes of passing the bill in the first weeks of the January session. The Governor and Republican legislative leaders said they wanted to pass a small bonding bill in a one-day special session and then they would consider a larger bill later in the session.
Legislative Goals and Positions 2005:
Pensions/Retirement
Collective Bargaining
Other
A motion was made to approve the Legislative Goals.
Goal #5 (below) was separated from the group and has been tabled until the next Board Meeting.
Academic Affairs Report:
Debra Japp gave a report. The AAC met on December 2-3. A graduate education survey is being prepared by the committee as proposed by the IFO/MnSCU Joint Taskforce on Graduate Education. Debra asked the Board for their approval of the survey prior to the survey being created. A motion was made to approve the creation of the survey as approved by the faculty members of the Joint Taskforce on Graduate Education.
The AAC has prepared a response to the Citizen’s League Report and would like it to be printed in the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper and then have it published in other newspapers. The response will be sent to the IFO Board of Directors for their review. Between Debra, Nancy, Ruth and Russ they will decide how to move forward.
The AAC would like to take on the issue of transfer internally with state university faculty. They would like to compile an ad hoc committee to deal with the issue of upper division courses as it relates to state university transfer. The Board was generally supportive.
There was discussion on transferring D grades. Departments still have the right not to accept D grades. This has been a topic of discussion for two MnSCU committees over the last month (SAP Study Group and the MN Transfer Oversight Committee). The two year students want to be treated like native students but that means that their F grades will transfer too.
There was a discussion on MnSCU Policy 3.17 (degrees, diplomas and certificates): AA and AS degrees are transferable, AAS degrees are not transferable unless there is an articulation agreement. There was speculation that this may enter into the AA with named emphasis territory.
Announcement:
Winona State University will be showcased at the next Board of Trustees meeting.
Adjourn 3:00