The Faculty Senate Executive Council
December 14, 2006 - 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Darden School, The Abbott Center
Meeting Minutes Present: Kenneth Schwartz, Ricardo Padron, Houston Wood, Harold Burbach, Alison Booth, Gweneth West, Marcia Childress, Edmund Kitch, Teresa Culver, Lawrence Phillips, Janet Herman, Reginald Garrett, Jennifer Harvey
Guests:
Leonard Sandridge, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
Milton Adams, Vice Provost for Academic Programs
Richard Kovatch, Associate Vice President for Business Operations
David Neuman, Architect for the University
Wynne Stuart, Associate Provost for Academic Support & Classroom Management
Rebecca White, Director, Department of Parking & Transportation
Kenneth Schwartz, Chair of the Faculty Senate, called the meeting to order.
University Retreat & the Provost's Quality Enhancement Proposal - Milton Adams
Milton Adams announced the All University Retreat, which will be held on January 26, 2006. The Retreat will include both faculty and students, and it will focus on quality enhancement, including enhanced engagement inside the classroom, outside the classroom, and undergraduate research.
Ricardo Padron, Chair-Elect of the Faculty Senate, asked the Council members to send him names of students that excel in their work so that these students can be invited to attend the Retreat. He also asked for names of potential faculty participants.
MS in Commerce Proposal - Reginald Garrett, Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee
The MS in Commerce proposal had been sent earlier to members of the Executive Council for review. The Academic Affairs Committee had a good discussion regarding the proposal, Mr. Garrett said. The Committee thoroughly reviewed the proposal and offered suggestions to enhance the proposal, and these suggestions were included in the final proposal from the Commerce School. The Academic Affairs Committee has unanimously approved the proposal. Mr. Garrett asked for the Executive Council's approval of the proposal. A motion was made for the Executive Council to approve the MS in Commerce Proposal, it was seconded, and it passed unanimously on December 14, 2006. The proposal will go before the full Senate for approval at the January 30th Faculty Senate meeting.
Faculty Senate Position on Board of Visitors Member - Marcia Day Childress, Chair of the Faculty Senate Development Committee
Kenneth Schwartz talked about the Faculty Senate's request to the Board of Visitors for the University of Virginia to have a non-voting faculty member on the Board. This issue has been discussed before (2003 by Michael Smith in an address to the BOV and more recently this past year by Houston Wood), but at this time there has been no apparent forward momentum. The Faculty Senate of Virginia will bring the issues forth again this year in Richmond and would like the University's support. Mr. Schwartz reported that Delegate David Toscano had called him regarding this issue recently. Mr. Schwartz explained the history, and Delegate Toscano has agreed to study the issue. Ken Schwartz and Houston Wood, Past Chair of the Faculty Senate, will draft a letter to the Rector and members of the BOV reminding them of past conversations on the issue and the Senate's continued interest.
Faculty Senate of Virginia & the Higher Education Advocacy Day - Ricardo Padron, Chair-Elect of the Faculty Senate and Harold Burbach, Secretary of the Faculty Senate
"Partnering with the Virginia Chapter of the AAUP, the Faculty Senate of Virginia will participate in the fifth Annual Higher Education Advocacy Day on January 11, 2007. Faculty members are encouraged to make appointments with their legislators to talk about issues they are interested in. The Executive Council asked Mr. Schwartz to send an email to all Faculty Senators informing them of this upcoming event.
In closing, Harold Burbach commented that he feels there needs to be better dialogue with the FSVA in thinking through issues that are being addressed. Ed Kitch, a member of the Faculty Senate suggested that a permanent Faculty Senate standing committee be created to address governmental relations. Another suggestion was to call it "The Committee on Outreach".
University Speech - Nancy Cantor (Faculty Senator co sponsorship with William Harvey, Vice President & Chief Officer for Diversity & Equity)
Kenneth Schwartz announced that William Harvey had contacted him and asked that the Faculty Senate co-sponsor a talk by Nancy Cantor, Chancellor of Syracuse University and a leader in diversity issues. The members of the Executive Council agreed that the Faculty Senate should co-sponsor the event.
Faculty Senate Recruitment, Retention, and Welfare Committee - Jennifer Harvey, Chair
Dr. Jennifer Harvey gave the Councilors an update on the work of the FRRW Committee, and she commented on the excellent and hard work of the group. Dr. Harvey reported that the Committee has met with Susan Carkeek, Director Human Resources, to discuss benefits at the University. The FRRW Committee will work closely with Ms. Carkeek in the future on faculty benefits and other human resources issues.
The Committee is working on developing a faculty survey that addresses faculty satisfaction and concerns. The survey is on target to be sent to all faculty members in January 2007. The survey is meant to be all-inclusive and a great deal of demographic data will be collected. The survey will be sent to the Executive Council for review, and then sent to the Faculty Senate. After Senate approval, the survey will be sent to George Stovall, Director of Institutional Assessment and Studies, to conduct the survey. The FRRW Committee should have access to the data, through the Office of the Provost, Dr. Harvey said. Houston Wood suggested that Dr. Harvey contact Alfred Weaver, Professor of Computer Engineering, to inquire about web-based survey software that he has, which may useful for the Committee's work. Dr. Harvey will report on the work of the Committee at the full Faculty Senate meeting on January 30. Kenneth Schwartz commented that information obtained from survey will be one of the agenda items for the March meeting of Senators. The exact date of that meeting will be determined in the near future, Mr. Schwartz said. In closing, Dr. Harvey said the FRRW Committee has discussed working closely with the Faculty Senate Development Committee on faculty enhancement issues.
Behavioral Health, Open Enrollment, Benefits Committee - Kenneth Schwartz
Kenneth Schwartz has spoken to Susan Carkeek regarding the recent behavioral health insurance benefit changes. He said Ms. Carkeek has been very helpful in giving him background information and explaining the changes. The University has a Benefits Committee and it was strongly suggested that a current Senator should serve on that committee and report regularly to the Faculty Senate. Apparently there are still problems in the move to a new provider.
Parking Issues - Leonard Sandridge, Richard Kovatch, David Neuman, and Rebecca White
Mr. Sandidge, Mr. Kovatch, Mr. Neuman, and Ms. White reported on parking issues in general and the unique parking issues the University faces during special events. The group discussed the following issues with the Executive Council:
1. Arts Ground Garage - December 2006 - January 2008
2. John Paul Jones Arena management issues - Summer of 2006 - present
3. Policies & Procedures related to Thursday night football games - ongoing
4. Actions taken by Parking & Transportation when multiple demands are placed upon parking resources
1. Capital Project Parking Policy
2. South Lawn scheduled start & associated parking
3. Hospital North Garage
4. Transportation Demand Management
Kenneth Schwartz noted concerns some faculty members have with special events parking and their displacement of parking spaces, especially for staff in the Medical School and others who park in the U-Hall lots. The Committee discussed some issues of concern that they have heard from their constituents. Ed Kitch commented that better communication is needed when parking is being displaced, citing the experience of students in the Law School during the circus. Mr. Sandridge acknowledged there was a breakdown in communications for that event. Mr. Sandridge said he has responded with a letter to those that he heard from that were impacted. Both Mr. Sandridge and Ms. White said such a situation will not occur again.
Kenneth Schwartz expressed support for the possibility that all Medical Center permit holders might be moved to the Ivy Garage, which would eliminate displacement during special events and would be closer to the Medical School.
Mr. Schwartz indicated that the Executive Council would consider the most appropriate way to present some of these issues to the full Senate perhaps at the January meeting.
Mr. Schwartz thanked the guests for attending the meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 2:15 p.m.
Submitted by Harold J. Burbach, Secretary of the Faculty Senate