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Governance Minutes ArchiveApril 5, 1994
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes Approved: 19 April 1994 5 April 1994 7:00 p.m. 32 Pamplin Hall Senator Present: Anderson, Bambach, Barbeau, Beagle, Brown, Bunce, Carrig, Creamer, de Wolf, Wendy Jacobson (for Dyck), Ficenec, Foy, Giles, Greenberg, Gregoire, Hardell, Holtzman, Howard, Landgraf, Martin, McKenna, Norstedt, Olin, Pinder, Riley, Sanzone, Sherman, Shires, Shumsky, Sumichrast, Tze, Vinson, Williams Absent Armstrong, Badinelli, Benson, Burger, Cramer, Fern, Graham, Hult, Jones, Lambur, McDaniel, Mullins, O'Brien, Pierce, Richardson, Rojiani, Scigaj, Webb, Zhang Guests John Ashby, Editor of the Spectrum Wybe Kroontje, First Senate President;Founder of Warm Hearth Jim Shuler, Representative of the House of Delegates James Yardley, Incoming Faculty Senator 1. The meeting was called to order by President David de Wolf at 7:00 p.m. Visitors were welcomed. 2. The agenda was adopted after modifications proposed by President de Wolf. 3. Announcements: The Committee on Committees will meet briefly after the Senate meeting. The Committee on Credentials and Elections must supervise the April 19 Senate elections. Members of this committee are asked to be present. President de Wolf received follow-up information from Charles Steger's senate presentation. President de Wolf offered to make this report available to interested senators. 4. Program: a. President de Wolf introduced James Shuler, Representative of the House of Delegates for the 12th District. Dr. de Wolf listed several of Dr. Shuler's accomplishments and welcomed him to the Senate. Delegate Shuler offered to share some of his experiences as a freshman delegate in Richmond. He began his comments with a discussion of budget legislation affecting higher education. Dr. Shuler said that the legislators have begun to realize that a focus on education is necessary. The budget passed by the legislators includes additional funding for higher education and educational disparity issues. He commented that this was the first year since 1989 that the legislature did not cut funds for higher education. He also mentioned caps on tuition increases. Dr. Shuler cautioned that all bills passed by the General Assembly await the governor's signature. Changes are still possible through the next few weeks. Dr. Shuler provided his stance and legislative actions taken on several other issues. Included in his list was state support for The Disney project, welfare reform, tougher drinking and driving laws, and crime prevention and punishment. In general, Dr. Shuler was pleased with the results of legislative action on all of these issues. He explained that most of the controversial issues, related to crime, would be discussed in a special legislative session scheduled for September. This session will deal with all aspects of crime including those which may require additional state funding. Dr. Shuler summarized the legislative session by stating that legislators from both parties are willing to compromise and stop posturing on important issues. He reiterated positive aspects of funding for education and pointed out that it was possible to balance the budget. Dr. Shuler stated that the legislative process works in spite of impressions to the contrary. He gave a great deal of credit to Virginia Tech President Paul Torgersen in connection with his lobbying actions at the General Assembly. At this time, Dr. Shuler invited members of the senate to ask questions. Question: In four years of the Wilder administration, professors have felt under fire. How do legislators picture faculty? If their views are critical, what specific criticisms are made against faculty? Answer: Legislators do not believe some of the stories which recently appeared in newspapers (for example, professors work only six hours per week). Legislators sense that there are real needs for funding in higher education. Dr. Shuler went on to discuss the actions of President Torgersen in lobbying state legislators. He said President Torgersen did an excellent job in explaining what professors do. Dr. Shuler stated that good public relations is very important for adequate higher education funding. Question: We recognize that you personally receive many requests and questions. How can your constituents most effectively contact you with their ideas and questions? Answer: Dr. Shuler said that at the recent legislative session, he kept a list of important issues and people with him at all times. He found that it was more effective to contact people informally and between meetings than to simply present ideas in a speech. He went on to inform senators that specific requests may be hidden in legislation and go unnoticed. Question: In Governor Allen's campaign, he was very much in favor of eliminating parole. Is he persisting in moving towards no parole from our prison system? Answer: Yes, but the action will be different from what you heard in the campaign. Dr. Shuler said he thinks alternative and shorter sentencing will be part of the move to eliminate parole. Question: Given that the state has many hidden and many anticipated cost increases, is there a chance that taxes will be raised? Answer: Democrats want to avoid being labeled "tax and spend". Fees and other revenue raising measures will be seen as taxes. In the near future, it is unlikely that taxes will be raised. Question: Will proposed spending increases in crime result in cuts for higher education funding? Answer: Yes. The legislative sessions dealing with these issues will probably be contentious. Question: In the future, will profits from the Virginia Lottery be used more for its intended purpose? Answer: Yes, there will be an effort to get more of the profits to higher education. However, Dr. Shuler pointed out that profits from the lottery were not originally designated for higher education. Question: What is the status of the Virginia federal retirement issue? Answer: It is impossible to predict what will happen in the courts. Sentiment in the legislature is in favor of doing something about this issue. This year the legislature set aside $30 million in case courts require Virginia to pay the retirees or in case the state decides on a settlement. Question: What percent of the Virginia state budget goes to fund federally mandated programs? Answer: Dr. Shuler said he was unsure of this amount and would ask his aids to research it. Question: Is it still true that Virginia spends more on prisons than it does on education? Answer: Yes. Question: How will funds designated for "at risk" students be spent? Answer: Most funds will go to hire additional teachers to reduce the student/teacher ratios. Question: Recently, the state legislators put $22 million back into its budget for higher education. Most of these funds went to the instructional division. Is the legislature sending Virginia Tech a message? Answer: Research and Extension did not get much of the funding for which they asked. President Torgersen is a strong representative for Virginia Tech and is fighting for funds for research and extension. On behalf of the Faculty Senate, Dr. de Wolf thanked Dr. Shuler for his presentation. b. President de Wolf welcomed Wybe Kroontje, first President of the Faculty Senate and Founder of Warm Hearth. Briefly, President de Wolf listed Dr. Kroontje's credentials. He noted his service to Virginia Tech and his international experience. Dr. Kroontje expressed his pleasure at addressing the Faculty Senate. He contrasted the environment of 25 years ago with that of today. He emphasized the role that rapidly increasing funding for higher education had on the growth of Virginia Tech. He discussed changes such as the increased influence of the College of Arts and Sciences, changes within the Core of Cadets and the increased importance of research at Virginia Tech. Dr. Kroontje related this environment to the founding of the Faculty Senate. Dr. Kroontje said that one of the main issues to be resolved as the Faculty Senate was created, concerned the relative roles of administrators and faculty. He said that Virginia Tech has followed an unusual model which allows only faculty in the Senate yet has mixed representation on University Councils, Committees and Commissions. He discussed some of the obstacles to reaching agreement on the composition of the University Council. He said that, in the end, he believed all groups were happy with the constitution. Dr. Kroontje related some of the experiences which he had at Virginia Tech as the governance structure was created. He discussed events related to student protest during the Vietnam War era. He explained the positive influence the faculty had in mediating one of these events. Dr. Kroontje summarized by saying that it is clear that the concept of shared governance works. However, this can only be achieved if all participants in shared governance are active. He said that tremendous challenges still lie ahead. Dr. Kroontje also noted the importance of public perception and the effect of this perception on funding for higher education. President de Wolf thanked Dr. Kroontje for his presentation on the origins of the Faculty Senate. 5. Approval of Minutes: a. The Faculty Senate Minutes of 15 March 1994 were approved without modification. b. Senator Sumichrast read a statement by Patrick Liverpool pointing out minor errors in the Faculty Senate minutes of 15 February: "Please allow me to point out the need for some minor but pertinent modifications to the 2/15 Faculty Senate minutes: 1) In response to a question on the composition of the Advisory Council, I did say that the Advisory Council "will include business, political and community leaders and other influential individuals across the Commonwealth. 2) In response to the question on the European Study Centre, please note that Dr. Herbert Stoevener (not Ted Settle) provided the response to this question. Hope these observations are useful. Thanks. Patrick Liverpool, Vice Provost for Outreach and International Programs." 6. Council, Commission and Committee reports had been distributed electronically. 7. New Business a. New senate officers were elected by acclamation *President Neil L. Shumsky *Vice President William H. Williams *Secretary David R. Beagle b. Forms requesting nominations for senators on committees, commissions and boards had been distributed through campus mail and at the senate meeting. President de Wolf asked senators to nominate for the vacancies within 48 hours. Nominations should be returned to either President de Wolf or to Senator Sumichrast. Elections will be held in two weeks on April 19. c. Class Notes President de Wolf informed the Senate of a new note-taking program planned by the University Bookstore. The Bookstore plans to hire students to take notes in classes, package these notes, and sell them at the bookstore. President de Wolf noted that faculty members must be consulted before the professional note-taker is allowed in class and have the right to refuse. He invited questions and discussion from senators. Various senators offered views in favor of and against this note- taking service. Senators noted that the concept will not be practical in courses which change significantly from semester to semester. One senator wondered if allowing note-taking might have legal repercussions from students who buy the notes and fail the course. Other senators expressed the opinion that this would lead towards increasing passivity of students. In response to some of the concerns raised, Senator Sherman stated that research has shown that to be useful, notes must be accurate and must be reviewed by students. However, there is no evidence to suggest that taking notes personally is an advantage. Other senators noted similar practices at various universities and noted that another private organization is likely to take on this activity if the Bookstore doesn't. This matter was for information and discussion only. President de Wolf said he would report that the Senate had a variety of opinions expressed but took no action. 8. Adjournment There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Robert T. Sumichrast Secretary, Faculty Senate
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