IFO Board of Directors Minutes
December 6-7, 2007 APPROVED
Present: Nancy Black, Louise Mengelkoch, Elizabeth Dunn, David Bouchard, Valerie Geaither, Vicky Brockman, Jan Loft, Patricia Young, Derek Webb, Cathy Summa, Bill Ng, Tamara Berg, Judy Kilborn, Fred Hill, Patrice Arseneault, Cindy Finch (taking minutes), Donna Blake (Thursday only), Mike Ruth, Paul Harris (substituting for Cindy Phillips), Georgia Holmes (portion of Friday), Dave Warne, John Palmer, Wayne Alexander, Monte Bute (portion of Friday), Rod Henry (portion of Thursday and Friday)
Not Present: James Grabowska, Cindy Phillips (on speaker phone during Executive Session Thursday evening)
Additional Agenda Item
Request Concerning Process for Staff Replacement between IFO and IFOSA regarding SCSU staff temporary replacement added by Judy Kilborn.
November 8-9 Minutes
Alexander moved to approve, Hill seconded.
Error noted: Phrase “Mankato’s job description” should be deleted on page 5 of 11 because this was not discussed. Carried
Board of Trustees Update
Nancy reported on MnOnline discussed by the BOT.
The Trustees’ Advisory Council met this past Monday. Twelve of the positions are governor appointed and three are students. This year we are searching for four trustees. Three are district positions (7, 4 and 3) and the other is at-large. In particular the BOT needs diversity and educators. It requires about 40 hours per month. More detailed information will be distributed to the Board via Nancy. Inquiries are welcome. Nancy was unanimously nominated vice chair by the Council.
Meet and Confer Update
The Executive Committee attended a statewide meet and confer last Friday, November 30, 2007. The meet and confer agenda was reviewed by the Board. The EC was very organized because they had briefed more than normal. Failed search information was reviewed, especially the varying criteria used by different HR offices for the reason for failed searches. MnSCU said they would get back to us after an HR taskforce has reviewed this issue more closely.
The travel policy will be reviewed in greater detail with Donahue at MnSCU. The travel policies were distributed to the IFO Board of Directors at an earlier meeting. Cathy Summa expressed our serious concerns about the effect on field trips. She will follow-up.
The latest MnOnline meeting was cancelled. It is very difficult to have input. President Davenport said that the campus CIOs don’t know what’s happening with MnOnline. Several months ago we had asked for the name and number of those online courses that have counterparts in class and the aggregate of grades so we could plan how to proceed with MnOnline. When Nancy reminded Linda Baer about her request, she responded that because the MnSCU BOT also wants this data they will be working on it after the accountability study is finalized in about one year or so. We have repeatedly asked for more IFO representatives on the MnOnline Council. The MnOnline Council said we had enough representatives, but it could be discussed through the current five work groups. We don’t have any representatives assigned to the workgroups nor has our office ever received such a request from OIC.
Online tutoring was another topic at the meet and confer. MnSCU didn’t realize what they were proposing - according to St. Cloud’s data, 20-25 additional sections for those students. MnSCU said they had not considered that information concerning more sections.
Learning Objects Repositories (LOR) is a frustrating issue for us. We told MnSCU we are not interested in doing this, but MnSCU keeps moving forward. Request for proposals (RFPs) have been distributed, apparently up to five times. When Nancy met with Pat Opatz, Gary Langer, and Tim Price, she asked how many objects were in the LORs and Gary said only one from Rochester. A current RFP says they’ve hired a librarian for LORs. David Bouchard said these LORs are targeted more toward the community colleges (CC). Loadstar is a program in which you can also learn how to create LORs and this is being offered at CCs for all faculty – five currently being offered. Nancy asked MSCF President Mulcahy about the LORs. The CCs like LORs, they don’t have the same sense of IP rights as state university faculty. MnSCU’s Debra Proctor’s email was reviewed about MERLOT. Intellectual property is a major concern for the organization.
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For the CTL Steering Committee we asked for increased representatives because we believe all of the universities should have their CTL director serving on the CTLSC. Linda Milne forgot we asked. Nancy also called to her attention the full time appointment of a faculty member for a new position at CTL to administer the BOT Excellence in Teaching Award and IPESL projects. Linda Milne announced a faculty member had been hired as of January 2008. It turns out to be a retired faculty member who is being hired as a consultant.
We have repeatedly asked for a list of consultants who earn more than $5,000 on September 27. They said they will let us know how much that will cost us.
Negotiations Update
Rod Henry was present to give a report. A detailed Negotiations update was posted on our website today.
Membership Update
Cindy Finch was present to give a report.
Number of Approved Delegates
Cindy Finch prepared a handout with the total number of IFO members based on the membership data for the number of delegates per campus. A motion was made to accept the list of delegates. Alexander/Dunn Carried
Delegate Single Room Requests
Cindy Finch asked that each faculty association president let her know how they want to handle requests for single rooms. Each delegate is expected to have a delegate room-mate. Currently if a delegate wants to room alone, he/she is asked to pay for one half of the room at the time of registration. At the last Delegate Assembly some campuses covered the other half of the room paid by their campus budget. Please let Cindy Finch know what your campus decides.
Office Report
Donna Blake gave a report. The new IRS mileage rate of 50.5 cents goes into effect on January 1, 2008.
Cathy Summa, IFO Treasurer, reported on the October financials. We are on track with our expenses relative to our revenue.
The Treasurer’s Advisory Committee (TAC) met prior to the Board tonight. A motion was recommended as follows: The Treasury Committee recommends to the Board that we eliminate the terms/classifications Crisis Fund, Sabbatical Fund, and Early Retirement Fund that are listed on the Balance Sheet and reclassify these amounts as part of the Unrestricted Fund Balance account. Currently these accounts have the following balances in them:
Crisis Fund – $397,657
Sabbatical Fund – $1.00
Reserve for Early Retirement Fund - $150,000
Total Amount to Reclassify - $547,658
Operating Procedure language changes were prepared and presented by the TAC. A motion was made to accept the language changes as presented Loft/Dunn. Issue of statutory limitations on unrestricted funds and crisis funds was discussed by John Palmer and he asked if there were any PELRA or legal ramifications for removing this language as presented. Motion to table Ruth/Berg until January Carried
Request Concerning Process for Staff Replacement
Judy Kilborn reported that on January 18, a staff member at SCSU FA will be on leave. Alexander moved the agenda. This will be addressed tomorrow.
Executive Committee Update
The November 30 minutes were provided in the Board packet.
Legislative Report
Russ Stanton gave a report. He reported on the State of Minnesota’s budget shortfall and that there will probably be budget cuts during the next legislative session. If budget cuts have to be made, we want to make sure they are to the technology appropriations rather than the campus budgets.
Since the last Board meeting there has been considerable discussion and controversy over MnSCU’s spending on technology. MnSCU is proposing a 115% increase in one year. The Pioneer Press did an article on MnSCU’s technology spending; it was picked up by the Associated Press and ran in many regional papers. It was also heard on MPR.
We were surprised by an article that appeared in the Star Tribune regarding a desire by Anoka County to start a new university in the northern suburbs. This initiative was linked to a $500,000 request for planning money in the MnSCU bonding request that is to be used to plan facilities at North Hennepin College and Anoka Ramsey College to offer baccalaureate and graduate programs. Language was offered, “Support rider language to the ARCC/NHCC bonding project (priority #31 on the MnSCU Request) to limit the funding to planning facilities for upper division and graduate programs offered by current state universities.” Motion to approve the language as offered. Bouchard/Geaither. Carried
The Federal Higher Education Reauthorization Act was voted out of committee in the House on November 15th (H.R. 4137). The Senate passed its version of the bill last September (S. 1642). The bills will soon be in conference committee to iron out a compromise version of the bills. A motion was made by Dunn that we support academic integrity wherever we find it and strengthen it whenever we find it. Seconded by Larsson We can include the language of the Bill to say we support it and will take steps to ensure that the student who registers for a MnSCU course is the same student who is receiving the credit. Carried
Nancy will write Gary Langer a letter about the LORs (discussion with David Bouchard) regarding the budget.
Motion that any cuts the state legislature makes to the MnSCU budget should come from the budget of the MnSCU central budget, in particular the technology allocation with no charge backs to the campuses. Geaither/Palmer Carried
Move to go into Executive Session without staff Palmer/Alexander. 9 p.m.
Recessed 9:35 p.m. Thursday, December 6.
Reconvened 8:08 a.m. Friday, December 7.
Academic Affairs Coordinators Reports
Cathy Summa reported on several committees. COPE: ask about initiatives for STEM at M&C. How do university faculty find out about funding, especially RFPs? Credit Cap Taskforce and the Biosciences Work Group were also reviewed.
Louise Mengelkoch reported on several committees. IMS Advisory Council was a verbal report. A Transfer Oversight Committee update was given concerning the transfer of D grades and the DARS program. The Academic and Student Affairs Policy Meeting was discussed in which intellectual property issues will be discussed in the spring or fall of 2008. MnSCU does not want to review it, and we need to have it reviewed.
Dave Bouchard gave an update on IMS. D2L is not good at managing content or intellectual property issues. The D2L contract expires in 18 months and plans are being developed to deal with this. Help Desk issues (e.g. disclaimers on IP access) was discussed. Version 8.1.3 is relatively stable now. The quiz function is now stable. Alphabetical lists, memory on managing lists, actionable buttons that appear on the screen are disappearing or more mouse clicking is needed – these are some basic user friendly issues they are having. D2L hasn’t been very responsive to the issues when brought to their attention. There will be an RFP process when the current D2L contract expires. There is not a users guide to D2L (Julie Adams at the Bemidji campus put together a manual that is made available to faculty teaching on-line or on-line assisted courses). MnSCU paid some faculty members to do a video manual, but it is not complete yet.
IFO Presidential Nominating Proposal
Don Larsson prepared a handout as a result of the last Board discussion with language for the Operating Procedures for consideration. What is the role of the committee?
Nominating committee be instructed to solicit candidates for the election and work through the campus faculty association for this purpose. Peterson/Svingen Carried
This will be on the agenda again for next month.
Move we cap the total candidate election support at $10,000. Young/Dunn
Larsson amendment to be distributed in equal amounts to the candidates not to exceed $3,000 per candidate. Seconded by Webb Carried
Main motion carried with amendment.
Clarity was added that candidates are free to solicit additional funding on their own. Public background checks are part of today’s Board due diligence.
Go back to your campuses and spread the word if parties are interested in running for IFO president.
Action Update
John Palmer, Action Chair, gave a report. Wear your button! How do we communicate the problems and issues that create the difficulties we have at the bargaining table? Monte Bute and Rod Henry were present for the lengthy discussion. Salary equity, departmental budget cuts, three Ms (motivate, mobilize, march), blogs, wcco.com/unions, and polls were discussed.
There was discussion of an electronic update on negotiations that should be printed in hard copy and put in boxes: equity, process of enforcing the provisions of a contract i.e. arbitration, why would we want to consider any kind of merit pay, 9 months pay for 12 months work and salary increases. This message could be delivered to our members to let them know we are responding to their needs. We will need more information on blogging before proceeding.
Revisited issue with St. Cloud Leave
If the issue of support staff at St. Cloud requires an agreement through the IFOSA, an MOA will come to us through the IFOSA. St. Cloud will give us an opportunity to discuss their staff needs and we will review the contract. Donna would be involved since she knows payroll.
Staff Job Description
In a previous discussion, it was stated that the campus support staff are doing the same job as our support staff person in St. Paul. A handout on the Membership Coordinator & Administrative Assistant job description was distributed. The handout had a detailed description of the job description and Nancy stated that this position is different than the people on campus including the person at Mankato. We appreciate all our staff.
Delegate Assembly Guest Speakers
Russ Stanton thought it would be a good idea to invite Rep. Rukavina and Sen. Pappas to our March Delegate Assembly and possibly Marty Seifert. The Board thought it was a good idea to invite legislators who make an impact on our system. Higher Education Committee Chairs Rep. Rukavina and Sen. Pappas will be invited.
MnSCU Committee Volunteers
Don Larsson gave an update on the Textbook Pilot Project Taskforce. We still have one opening. A volunteer from Bemidji came forward - Lorraine Boyle has volunteered to serve on this committee. It was noted that on the charge for this Textbook Pilot Project Review Taskforce – that “additional faculty and staff may be invited.” Nancy will send a letter to MnSCU asking for clarification. Lorraine Boyle was appointed to serve.
A request for two faculty was sent out to the campuses this week to volunteer for the MnSCU Male Access and Success Study Group. The Study Group will have their first meeting on January 30, 2008. The next Board meeting is February 7-8, 2008. A motion was made (Palmer/Larsson) to give Nancy the authority to appoint two faculty that come through the Executive Committee to the Male Access and Success Study Group. Carried
Cari Kenner of St. Cloud volunteered for MnSCU Assessment for Course Placement Committee. A motion was made to appoint her. Berg/Larsson Carried
No volunteers have come forward yet for the MnSCU Resident Policy and Procedure Taskforce. Two volunteers are needed.
Electronic Voting Taskforce Volunteers
Bruce Svingen (Winona) and Judy Dorn (St. Cloud) volunteered to serve on this Committee. Nancy asked Bruce to contact Judy and get something together for the next Board/EC meeting.
Evaluation of Administrators
Deb Peterson (Bemidji) and Stephen Davis (Southwest) volunteered to serve on this Committee. Nancy asked Deb to contact Stephen. If they want more information from the campuses, they should go through the FA presidents.
Campus Reports (Written reports are attached to file copy.)
Mankato: A written report was distributed and saved in file. Congratulations on nursing and education doctoral degrees!
Winona: A written report was distributed and saved in file. Regarding Computrace ask them what version they are running and which features are enabled. FA Presidents should email Bruce information on GLBTA faculty/staff advocacy on their campuses.
St. Cloud: A written report was distributed and saved in file.
Moorhead: presidential search to replace Barden is underway chaired by Quistgaard, settled a college level committees grievance, taskforce on email is studying the email delivery problem.
Bemidji: A written report was distributed and saved in file.
Metro: Only twelve hours notice was given to the faculty meet with a consultant on the presidential search, vice provost consultation issues on the position description for the Dean of Graduate Studies that is now a support position. Rukavina is coming to the campus on Monday. No nominees for the Board of Trustees award have come forward. A new email policy was discussed.
Southwest: A written report was distributed and saved in file. The provost met with Jan Loft yesterday morning to discuss the budget shortfall and cutbacks.
Equity & Labor Relations Report
Pat Arseneault gave a report. An update on lawsuit on the strike plan information under the Data Practices Act was given. The AG moved to dismiss the lawsuit, the motion will be heard on December 18. Grievance logs were reviewed.
The MIC met on November 30, 2007. The Chair is Debra Leigh who will also be the rep for the BEC. Michael Cheng will continue as the MIC repo to the SEC/SRC. The MIC recommends that the Board host a 2 ½ day anti racism training for Board members, negotiators, and grievance officers every other year on the Thursday-Saturday in March of odd calendar years (during the same time of year as DA would be held during even number calendar years). The MIC further recommends that the scheduling of interim and follow-up anti racism training, including frequency and duration, should be decided by those involved in the training as per the assessment of the needs of the group.
The MIC confirmed its support for an IFO recommendation to the OOC that the MnSCU Board of Trustees attend anti racism training and that the OOC also endorses the recommendation for the BOPT anti racism training. This will be added to the next possible M&C agenda when Pat Arseneault is able to attend.
MIC delegates of color want to meet on Friday of the Delegate Assembly and have their own room to host a caucus luncheon. Additionally, on that Friday an informational meeting will be scheduled to discuss the status of antiracism initiatives on the campuses.
The FIC met on November 9. Laurie Blunsom was elected chair, Blanca Rivera was elected as the BEC rep, and David Urion was elected as the SEC/SRC rep. The FIC will be accepting nominations for the IFO awards to be presented at the Delegate Assembly. The forms are posted on the IFO website and the committee will meet on February 8 to review nominations. The Grant has been announced. Applications are due by February 4.
The GLBTA Committee will meet on February 29, 2008.
The Sibson consulting team completed their campus visits in mid November and the IFO office has received the seven campus PowerPoint presentations and system wide analysis from the consulting team. These presentations are posted on the IFO website. The joint IFO MnSCU Salary Review Committee is still in the process of reviewing the results of the study and discussing possible remedies.
Motion to Adjourn 1:20 Alexander, seconded by Larsson.