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March 20, 1992

  Commission on Faculty Affairs

 

  Minutes - 20 March 1992

 

  Present: T. Bonham (for R. Sorensen), D. deWolf, C. McDaniels, M.

           Murray, C. Schwertz, J. Wolfe (for F. Carlisle).

 

  Guests: K. Heidbreder, J. Stokes, T. Bourdon, J. Harvill and L. Plaut.

 

  1. The meeting was called to order at 1: 20PM

 

  2. The minutes of March 6, 1992 were approved as circulated.

 

  3. New Business: the meeting was devoted to discussion of the "Proposed

  Revisions to the Instructor Policy" dated March 17, 1992, for inclusion

  in the Faculty Handbook.

 

  The first discussion focused upon "Appointments are renewable

  annually." The Commission expressed the reservation that annual

  appointment was not in the spirit of the proposal's original intent.

  The Commission was aware that because of annual state funding, there is

  no true continuing appointments, even among tenured faculty. In order

  to preserve the proposal's orginial intent the following change in the

  language of sentence 2 of 2.4.2 was moved, seconded and passed.

  Sentence 2 of 2.4.2 was changed to: "Initial appointments are for 1

  year; subsequent appointments may be for a maximum of 2 years (subject

  to availability of General Assembly funding)" and are not subject to

  the limitations of the pre-tenure probationary period. "Changed matter"

 

  The second discussion was a consequence of changing 2.4.2. Changes in

  paragraph 2, section 2.7 were required because of possible 2 year

  appointments. It was pointed out that if a deadline for

  non-reappointment of an instructor holding a 2 year appointment was

  missed, an instructor might assume they held an additional 2 year

  appointment and that with the 1 year notification period for

  nonreappointment, they could serve a total of 3 years. Because of that

  concern and the commitment of the Commission to providing as much

  security as possible, the following motion was made, seconded and

  passed. Sentence 2 of paragraph 2 of Section 2.7 now reads: "Every

  effort will be made to furnish notice of reappointment of a least three

  months in the first year of appointment (by February 1 for academic

  year faculty or three months before the end of the employment year for

  calendar-year faculty), of at least six months in any subsequent one

  year appointment and one year for any two year appointment. In the

  event that notice of non-reappointment is not furnished by the

  appropriate date, the instructor is automatically awarded an additional

  one year appointment."

 

  Question was raised about the language of Section 2.3.1 concerning the

  promotion beyond Assistant Professor. Language will be added referring

  to the appropriate section Faculty Handbook.

 

  The Commission voted to forward the revised resolution on Instructors

  to the Provost's office for its final review (and incorporation of

  appropriate language to Section 2.3.1). A final draft will be sent to

  members of the Commission on Faculty Affairs for their approval. Any

  additions or corrections will be communicated ASAP to the Chair (Joe

  Falkinham, Biology, 1-931 or E-mail JOFTOPSM on vm1). If there are no

  changes of substance, he will forward the resolution to University

  Council for first and second reading (hopefully this semester).

 

  The Commission adjourned at 3:00 PM

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