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February 21, 1994

 

  Faculty Senate Cabinet Minutes

  21 February 1994

  Accepted by the Faculty Senate:  16 March 1994

 

  Present:  Don G. Creamer, David A. de Wolf, Marilyn L. Norstedt,

            Peter K. Shires, N. Larry Shumsky, Robert T. Sumichrast

 

  Guests:   Rosarie Lalik, President, College of Education Faculty Assoc.

            Thomas M. Sherman, Senator, College of Education

 

  President de Wolf reviewed events concerning proposed changes in the

  Reduction in Force (RIF) policy and events concerning the forced

  restructuring of the College of Education.  He said that today's meeting

  should focus on how such changes should be made in the future.  Various

  interpretations of recent events were discussed.

 

  Tom Sherman suggested that further funding cuts will occur and these

  cuts will cause more university positions to be lost.  He said the

  faculty should be involved in these decisions through the Faculty

  Senate.  Larry Shumsky suggested that the college faculty associations

  should be more involved with the Faculty Senate.  He also contrasted the

  current state of faculty representation in university affairs with truly

  representative faculty involvement.  Senator Sherman agreed that a need

  for more representative faculty involvement exists and proposed several

  mechanisms for obtaining it including, devoting some Senate Cabinet

  meetings entirely to re-organization issues, forming a faculty committee

  charged with re-organization issues, and educating faculty about issues

  with the intent of increasing interest and participation.  Senator

  Sherman expressed a desire to cooperate with the university

  administration and to suggest solutions rather than simply reacting to

  administrative proposals.

 

  President de Wolf reviewed the work of the University Commission on

  Faculty Affairs concerning the RIF policy.  Senator Shumsky clarified a

  problem which he perceives in applying procedures designed to protect

  faculty during programmatic changes when the driving force of the change

  is financial.

 

  President de Wolf further addressed Senator Sherman's ideas.  He

  explained the role of the ad hoc committee in protecting faculty rights

  when the RIF policy is invoked.  Dr. de Wolf reviewed events at the

  University of Maryland discussed in an article in ACADEME.  Dr. de Wolf

  used this as an example of what can occur when the faculty proposes

  major re-structuring.

 

  Senator Creamer expressed support for greater coordination among faculty

  association presidents.  He also noted his reservations about forming

  too many new committees.  Senator Shumsky suggested making faculty

  association presidents ex-officio members of the Senate Cabinet.

  President de Wolf agreed to invite faculty association presidents to

  relevant cabinet meetings.  He stated his reasons for preferring to work

  informally on this matter.

 

  The cabinet discussed the tendency of faculty to support the status quo.

  Reasons for this tendency, ways to change it, and possible consequence

  of changing it were addressed.  Actions which might increase faculty

  involvement were suggested, including better informing the faculty of

  issues and explaining how faculty might be affected by decisions being

  made.  The need to address some changes at a local level was also

  expressed.  There seemed to be a consensus that the faculty would be

  taken seriously if it asserted its concerns and provided the university

  administration with detailed suggestions.  It was noted that faculty

  need access to accurate information and, in some cases, financial

  targets, to generate meaningful suggestions.

 

  President de Wolf said the following actions would be taken.  He would

  ask presidents of the college faculty associations to meet with the

  Senate Officers Friday at 7:30 a.m.  The Senate Cabinet will meet again

  Wednesday, March 2, at 7:30 a.m.  Senator Shumsky invited Cabinet

  members to a convocation of the Arts and Sciences faculty.

 

 

  Respectfully submitted,

 

  Robert T. Sumichrast

  Secretary, Faculty Senate

 

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Last modified on: Tuesday, 25-Sep-2001 13:57:38 EDT