NORTHEASTERN
STATE UNIVERSITY
Minutes of Faculty Council Meeting
Friday, November 7, 2003
[Revised and Approved December 5, 2003]
A. Introductions
The meeting began at 3:06 p.m. with President Wickham noting that three members of the Council had notified him that they must be absent from today's meeting (Andrew Vassar - at MLA conference in Chicago, Andre Marquis, and David Scott). Wickham welcomed Ben Kracht who will address the Council regarding NSU Undergraduate Research Day.
Council Members in attendance: Terri Baker (Arts & Letters), Michele Bither (for Jeff Miller, Optometry), Dan Glasgow (Education), Diana Mashburn (Math, Science & Nursing), Rick Matzen (Math, Science & Nursing), Latricia Pack (Optometry), Jackie Schumaker (Library), Lallie Scott (Social & Behavioral Sciences), Thomas Wier (Business & Technology), John Yeutter (for Grant Alexander, Business & Technology).
Council Officers in attendance: Gary Wickham (President), and Chuck Ziehr (Secretary/Treasurer).
Others in attendance: Ken Jones, Ben Kracht, Whitney Price, Julie Sawyer
B. Committees and Standing Reports
1. Minutes of October 3, 2003 meeting
A lengthy draft of the minutes of the October 3, 2003 meeting was distributed. Wickham asked for delegates to critique the minutes and return them to him so that a more thorough set of minutes could be acted upon at the next meeting. A motion to that effect was made by Matzen, seconded by Scott, and approved by the Council.
2. Treasurer's Report
President Wickham stated that the Council has a balance of $4,494 in its account.
3. Faculty Welfare Committee Report
There was no report since the chair of the committee, Vice President Vassar,
was away attending a conference in Chicago.
C. Old Business
1. Circle of Excellence
a. Bricks: Wickham noted that the bricks
for last year's winners had not yet been ordered. The name of the company
that engraves the bricks is still needed from Tom Carment.
b. Plaques: Travelling plaques are now
in the college office of last year's winner. Permanent plaques have
not yet been made.
c. Circle of Excellence Comittee for 2003-2004
academic year: Dana Eversole will chair the committee. A chair-designate
will be recruited to serve on the committee who will become next year's chair.
Wickham will appoint committee which will start its work on February
5. Wickham will serve as an ex-officio member of the committee.
2. Mementos for Past Faculty Council Presidents
With the help of the NSU Archivist a complete list of past Faculty Council Presidents has been compiled back to 1970 when the NSU Faculty Association was formed. Pack proposed a motion which was seconded by Bither to present a commemorative gavel to all living past presidents. The motion passed unanimously.
3. Health Insurance
A meeting was held on October 2, 2003 with Tim Foutch and Debbie Stover
to discuss the health insurance available to NSU employees. Several
members of the Council attended the meeting. It was noted that Health
Choice provided the best benefits compared to other options. Representatives
of Health Choice will meet with the Faculty Advisory Council (to the State
Regents) in Spring 2004 to discuss the services of Health Choice and Harrington
Benefits (the company which administers claims). Wickham noted that
faculty around the state share our concerns related to health insurance (high
costs and delayed claims). Chancellor Risser is reported to be open
to considering other insurers.
D. New Business
1. User IDs
Several faculty members met with Michael Gibbons (Director, Computing &
Telecommunications) and worked out a protocol to allow users to change their
NSUnet userid at the request of the NSU staff member. The Academic
Technology Committee will consider the protocol this fall.
2. NSU Undergraduate Research Day
Julie Sawyer reported on plans to host the second NSU Undergraduate
Research Day on Thursday, April 22. Applications are available online
through the Center for Teaching and Learning link on the NSU homepage. Each
college screens the applications of its own students. She noted that
funding includes $300 from each academic college ($1500 total). It
was noted that the Council provided $1500 in funding last year. It was
moved by Baker and seconded by Yeutter that the Council contribute $1500 again
this year in support of Undergraduate Research Day; the motion passed
unanimously. Wickham requested clear attribution for the Council's contribution.
Sawyer suggested that a letter and picture from the Council president
be included in the prnted program. This suggestion was well-received
by the Council.
3. Mission Statement for Faculty Council
Wickham recommended that the Council have a mission statement. He
appointed a committee to draft a mission statement which would be presented
for future consideration of the Council. Committee: Rick Matzen
(chair), Dan Glasgow, and Chuck Ziehr.
4. Survey of Faculty Attitudes about Current NSU Events
Wickham distributed a preliminary draft of a survey that could be sent
to the faculty requesting input regarding the budgetary concerns now facing
NSU and plans for addressing those concerns. He noted that he felt
the Council and Council Officers needed this information in order to better
represent the faculty particularly in communication with the administration
regarding these issues. He asked delegates to review the survey and
provide feedback to him within one week. There was limited discussion
regarding some of the survey items including concern regarding the wording
of the salary reduction item, how priority could be attributed to the responses,
the mentioning specific programs such as theatre and athletics, lumping Muskogee
and Broken Arrow together, and no tuition increase question.
5. Petition for a University-wide Faculty Meeting
Wickham noted that he had received a petition with over 40 names requesting
that he call a meeting of the Faculty Association. He noted that the
Council's constitution requires that such a petition contain the signatures
of at least 10% of the full-time faculty. According to the Office of
Academic Affairs there are currently 311 full-time faculty (excluding deans).
If a meeting of the Faculty Association is called a quorum of 156
faculty will need to be present to conduct any official business. Following
some discussion it was the consensus of the Council that the meeting of
the faculty called by President Williams for November 12 would suffice as
the meeting requested in the petition. Motion by Matzen, seconded
by Scott: The Faculty Council President will send a letter to all
faculty encouraging their attendance and participation in the November 12
meeting. The letter should request that faculty submit to the Council
president specific questions or requests for information concerning income
generation or cost reduction. A list of these questions will be submitted
to President Williams. The motion passed with nine yes votes and one
no vote. Yeutter requested that the meeting be set up as a videoconference
with the Muskogee and Broken Arrow campuses; Wickham will ask that this
be done.
E. Other Business
1. NCATE Visit
Wickham, Ziehr, Scott, and Glasgow have been asked to meet with members
of the NCATE visitation team as representatives of the Council. The
NCATE visitation team will be on campus November 7-13. The team may
interview students at random and in classes. Glasgow encouraged
the faculty to request student cooperation in our classes.
2. Floor Open for Attendees to Speak About Current Situation
Wickham praised the NSU faculty and noted several significant accomplishments
of the faculty. Matzen, as a member of last year's Circle of Excellence
Committee, noted the excellent quality of the nominees as further evidence
of the high quality of NSU faculty. Baker urged the faculty to stay
united and focused and follow through to ensure continued academic quality
at NSU. Ziehr expressed concern for when would final decisions be made
about plans for addressing the current budgetary problems. The discussion
pointed with hope that the November 12 general faculty meeting would provide
more information and possible answers.
F. Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 5:09 p.m.
Submitted by Chuck Ziehr, Secretary-Treasurer
12/3/03
Revised and approved by the Faculty Council, December 5, 2003.