NORTHEASTERN STATE UNIVERSITY
Minutes of Faculty Council Meeting
Friday, February 3, 2006

A.  Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by President John Yeutter in UC 228.  There was ITV access at Muskogee, Broken Arrow and Tahlequah.

Council Members in attendance: Terri Baker (Liberal Arts), Ernst Bekkering (Business & Technology), Harriett Hobbs (Library), Rick Matzen (Science & Health Professions), Alan McKee (Optometry), John Milbauer (Liberal Arts), Thomas Salmon (Optometry), David Scott (Liberal Arts), Lallie Scott (Liberal Arts),  Dan Sisk (Science & Health Professions), Robert Taylor (Education), Dawn Yonally (Education).

Council Members in attendance in Broken Arrow: Jon Shapiro (Business & Technology), Marilon Morgan (Education), Joan Wipf (Education).

Council Members in attendance in Muskogee: Joyce Van Nostrand (Muskogee).

Council Officers in attendance:  John Diamantopoulos (Vice President), Linda West (Secretary/Treasurer), John Yeutter (President).

Guest:  Diana Mashburn (Muskogee)

A. Committees and Standing Reports

[Council will set aside time at the first of each meeting to visit with President Williams, Interim VP Academic Affairs Bahr and/or VP Administration Cherry should they be able to attend.  No guests attended this meeting]

    1. Minutes of December 2, 2005.

    Dr. Milbauer moved that the minutes be approved.  Dr. Bekkering seconded the motion.  After discussion, the motion passed.

     2. Treasurer's Report

    The report will be posted to Dr. Yeutter's I drive this weekend.

    3. Faculty Welfare Committee Report

    There was no report.   Discussion during the approval of the minutes concerned the size of messages allowed at NSU and space on I and L for Faculty Council business.  This matter was refered to the Faculty Welfare Committee with a recommendation that it be passed to the Academic Technology Committee.

B. New Business

    1.  Circle of Excellence

    Lallie Scott and Tom Salmon are co-chairs of the committee.  Other members are: Carl Farinelli, Linda West, Deborah Carment, and Denise Deason-Toyne.  Documents for the committee are located on Dr. Matzen's I drive.  Dr. Yeutter will coordinate the nominations list.

C.  Old Business

    1.  WordPerfect/Quattro support

    There was a use survey of the products conducted by the Academic Technology Committee in 2002.  That is where the current plan was formulated.  The Deans, Department Chairs and Directors will be asked where support is needed for the products in the future.

    2.  Employee Fringe Benefits

    a. Faculty Lounge

    Due to the Science building renovations, extra space on campus will be at a premium in the near future.  BA representatives also reported that plans for the new buildings did not include Faculty lounge space because of cut backs.  Student space was given the priority.

    b.  Fitness Center Fees

    This item will be grouped with others to be taken to VP Cherry.

    c.  Tuition Waver

    Increasing this benefit would be a way to add low cost fringe benefits as an advantage in hiring new people.  After discussion of information presented about benefits at other campuses in Oklahoma, a motion was made.

    Motion: "We institute a tuition waver policy similar to two other sister institutions."

    (At two other schools, there is a 100% tuition waver for faculty, staff, immediate family and retirees)

    Dr. Baker made the motion, Dr. Mekkering seconded the motion and it was approved.  Dr. Yeutter will send the recommendation along to VP Cherry with details of the other institutions.

    d.  Insurance

    There was a survey recently from the Regents that faculty were asked to participate in.  There was discussion of the avenue of appeal for denials of coverage.  We need an advocate in Human Resources.  There was also discussion of the difficulty of dealing with our insurance when out of state.  There is an Insurance Committee that represents us with the Board of Regents.  Gary Wickham is our representative to that committee.  Dr. Yeutter will check with Barbara Abercrombie about who to talk to and how to appeal.

D. Other Business

    1.  OTRS - Funding/Speaker

    There was a report that the Governor is proposing a $100 million payment to OTRS.  This proposal still needs to go to the legislature.   There was a motion that we ask Dr. Bill White to come to campus and present his information about the OTRS system funding.  The motion was made by Dr. Baker and seconded by Ms. Hobbs.  The motion was approved.

    There was discussion of how to approach our legislators.  A suggestion was to invite Jim Wilson to a special session.  We could have this in the Net Auditorium for general faculty information.  It needs to be in the next three weeks and Tuesday and Thursday afternoons are best.

    2.  Parking Committee

    The committee is sending a list of unresolved issues to VP Cherry.  They will meet again soon and any additional issues should be sent to Dr. Matzen with Parking in the subject line.

F.  Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m.

Submitted by Linda West, Secretary-Treasurer
02/28/06