FIC meeting 10/3/03

Meeting called to order at 3:15 p.m.

Members present: Tamara Berg (Winona), Shannon Skarphol Kaml (Metropolitan), Blanca Rivera (Bemidji), Tracy Ore (St. Cloud), Ruthe Thompson (Southwest), Theresia Fisher (Board Liaison), Pat Arseneault (IFO Staff).

I. Administrative Business

The committee was visited by IFO President Jim Pehler

The committee held an election for Chair and Recording Secretary.

Shannon & Tamara were selected to serve as co-chairs for 2003-04.

Pat was selected to record minutes for the meeting.

As an introduction to new members, Pat gave a brief history of work of the committee.

Call for new agenda items & reordering:

New item “M” was added to the agenda – Equity Advocate’s role in member to member cross complaints of discrimination.

The committee voted to move to New Business Item M on the agenda for discussion.

III. New Business

M. EA Role in Member to Member Cross Complaints of Discrimination:

The committee discussed the EA’s role in processing faculty complaints of discrimination. The committee acknowledged that representation on the campus in processing discrimination complaints is a worthwhile service provided by the IFO and an appropriate use of the EA’s time. The one concern is where there is potentially an issue of dual representation, where each party has processed a discrimination complaint against the other. The committee discussed the EA’s role at that point. Committee members acknowledged that the EA could not be expected to “select” one member over the other to represent. It was noted that part of the issue is that access to the EA is not well defined or well communicated by the IFO, so one person may obtain representation for the sole reason that the person knew, and was first, to get in contact with the EA.

The committee discussed that one way to address these issues is to establish local equity advocate positions, which would be service (non-paid) positions, similar to a grievance officer. In situations where two individuals each had a cross complaint against the other, the campus representatives for each could consult with the EA when necessary. In that way, the IFO office would not be perceived as having chosen one side in the conflict.

The committee also discussed the fact that there is no one else in the union that is responsible for and capable of handling issues of equity. Faculty would then have equal access to local campus representatives, who would have particular expertise in discrimination issues.

The committee discussed the fact that some campuses may not be able to establish the positions for local equity representatives; some campuses have only one grievance officer. The committee discussed that a faculty member who could not obtain a local representative could / should be able to request the assistance of an equity rep from a different campus to assist them.

The committee was unclear about whether they desired to limit or restrict a faculty member’s access to the EA by a requirement that faculty use a local representative. The committee would like to continue this part of the discussion at a later date, but decided to request that the committee’s staff liaison make a proposal to the IFO Executive Committee to establish local equity representatives.

Proposal: One or more persons on a campus to be designated as the equity representative (name of position to be determined) to assist faculty in processing complaints of discrimination and in resolving other issues of equity. The IFO EA would arrange to meet with faculty interested in the position, and conduct training workshops for those selected by the campus.

The Feminist Issues Committee will continue to work on the issue of communication to the membership about the role of the Equity Advocate, and the potential role of newly established campus equity representatives.

II. Continuing Business

D. Salary Equity Study Update

Pat updated the committee on the status of the Salary Review Committee’s work to date.

E. Campus Reports

• Southwest – Some women are increasingly concerned about the status of the equity adjustments for women to correct the disparity in salaries identified by the Hay Group consultants.

• Mankato - Gender Equity Committee to begin study of the gender issues in the promotion analysis as reported by the Hay Group in March 2003.

III. New Business

The committee agreed to discuss items F, H, J and K together because they all relate to the budget.

F. FY04 Budget –The committee has $9278.

K. Safe Space Training – Last year, the committee discussed a concern about where GLBT issues might be addressed within the IFO structure. The committee decided to use some of its funding from last year to undergo safe space training as a way to begin the process of addressing this concern.

Shannon reported that she contacted a person on her campus who conducts the training, Anne Phipps. Ms. Phibbs advised that the training would require about 3 hours. The committee requested that Shannon propose meeting times to Anne Phibbs, to conduct the training for the committee.

The FIC agreed to pay a $300 stipend from its funds to Anne Phibbs to conduct safe space training with the FIC.

H. FI Grant Request – Ruthe Thompson was present to discuss her proposal, and her plans for continuing work on the proposal, including access to resources and a student assistant. Ruthe explained her intention to travel to campuses to interview faculty. She would film during the interview, but would not show faces with the voices. Ruthe only intends to show the faces of any experts in gender equity that she may interview for the film. Ruthe advised that she would like to interview female faculty, chairs and deans.

FIC approved releasing the remaining $1,000 from its funds to Ruthe Thompson for continuing the grant proposal.

Releasing an announcement for a new FI Grant was discussed. The committee believes we have enough funding to approve a $3000 grant, and the request for proposals would indicate that a person could get up to $3,000.

In reissuing the grant announcement, the committee would like to add a list of examples of approved grants. The committee discussed that the announcement might include suggestions of projects, but concluded that suggestions might serve to limit the responses. The committee desired to state in the grant announcement that it is intentionally an open call for proposals, to encourage the widest possible responses.

Pat will email a revised announcement draft to the chairs, and then to the committee. We hope to get the call out by November. Proposals would be due to the committee by January 20, 2004 (postmarked, emailed or faxed to the IFO office by that date).

J. 2004 DA (1) Awards

The committee reviewed and adopted a set of criteria for each Award for 2003-04, based on a 1999 draft. Criteria adopted for Outstanding Contributions to the IFO:

• A woman, an IFO member
• Significant committee or other service to IFO on the local and/or state level, including service in leadership capacities and advocating within IFO issues with substantial  impact on women faculty
• Contributes to IFO over several years, long term service
• Has not been recognized with this award before

Criteria adopted for Outstanding Contributions to Women’s Advancement in MnSCU:

• IFO member
• Improved the professional lives of MnSCU women on the local and/or state level through serving in leadership capacities as a change agent to create equity and opportunities for women, improving the system to more equitably recognize, hire, retain, tenure and promote women, working to improve the working conditions for professional women, advocating within the MnSCU system and beyond on issues with substantial impact on women faculty
• Has long-term service to MnSCU institutions
• Has not been recognized with this award before
• Given the public nature of our work, individuals honored with multiple nominations will be favored over individuals with a single outstanding nomination

Pat to email new Award nomination forms to chairs and then to the full committee for review.

The committee decided to change the procedure for return of the forms from the campus FI representative to Pat at the IFO in order to eliminate a few problems experienced in the past.

Awards call and nomination forms to be out by November 15, 2003 and to be returned by email, fax or postmarked by Jan 15, 2004 to the IFO.

J. 2004 DA continued

(2) The committee would like to conduct a review of past DA resolutions that were sponsored by the FIC, and determine what their status is.

One particular resolution that the committee would like to know the status of is the FIC sponsored resolution regarding mediation. (Pat will check on this.) The committee will take up proposals for new DA Resolutions at its next meeting.

(3) The committee will meet at DA, and will likely ask Grant Recipient Ruthe Thompson to present during the meeting. In addition, the committee may host a presidential candidate’s forum and / or reception. The specific plan for DA will be taken up at our next meeting.

G. Proposed Change IFO Operating Procedures

The committee reviewed the proposal to add new language to the OP that specifies when IFO meetings shall be conducted. The committee stated that it is their desire to encourage members’ participation in statewide committees, and in order to encourage faculty participation, committees need to be able to conduct meetings at a time that is convenient for faculty. Members discussed that they teach every day (even Saturdays) and therefore, the FIC has found it necessary to conduct its meetings from late afternoon to evening. In order to accommodate members who are too tired or otherwise not able to drive home safely late in the evening, the committee needs to allow for overnight hotel accommodations, and does so, within its meeting budget. Therefore the FIC opposes this addition to the OP, as it does not achieve the goal of encouraging membership participation in the FIC and other committees. The committee agreed to put forth a resolution to the IFO Board:

Whereas, the financial health of the IFO is in good standing and whereas there is no evidence of profligacy; and

Whereas, every proposed change in the Operating Procedure should identify the author and rationale for the change (as is the requirement for DA resolutions), and this proposal does not; and

Whereas this proposal does not achieve the goal of encouraging or enabling participation in statewide committees;

The FIC is resolved that the IFO rejects the addition of this language as part of the Operating Procedures.

I.  FIC webpage –FI Grant Announcement, Award nomination forms & due dates to be posted. Chair(s) to email committee for additional input.

L. Legislative Goals

The next meeting of the GRC is December 4-5. Pat will review prior legislative goals pertaining to equity that were unsuccessful in the last legislative session, and will email to the committee for its consideration via email. Pat will bring forward to the GRC at its December 4-5 meeting, any goals adopted by the FIC vial email.

IV. Next Meeting Dates Proposed by members present:

Jan 23

Feb 13

Feb 20

Feb 27

Chairs to email members absent; Shannon to check on date for safe space training.

Meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Patrice Arseneault, acting Recording Secretary