General Faculty Council
University of Virginia

1. The meeting opened with a discussion about the scope of distribution for the agenda for the General Faculty Council (GFC) meetings. Currently the agenda for upcoming meetings is posted on the GFC web site. In order to increase awareness of the activities of the GFC, the agenda will from this point forward be e-mailed to the major-domo list of all general faculty members a week before each meeting.
   
2. The two new GFC members from the College of Arts and Sciences, Nancy Garlick (Music Department) and Betsy Tucker (Drama Department), were introduced and welcomed. Nancy, Betsy, and the third GFC representative from the College of Arts and Sciences, Donal Day, will meet soon to discuss how to divide the representation of the Arts and Sciences constituency amongst themselves.
   
3. Bylaw revision. There were a number of suggestions from members of the general faculty about the proposed revision of the GFC Bylaws. All suggestions were discussed and a number of changes were made to the proposed revision of the GFC Bylaws. The revised Bylaws were approved unanimously by the GFC.
   
   By late-January the final draft (Draft 4) of the proposed revision of the GFC Bylaws will be available on the GFC web site at http://www.virginia.edu/genfac/bylawsnew.html The next step will be for all members of the general faculty to vote on the revised Bylaws. Ideally the vote will have been held and tallied by the next GFC meeting on February 9. Donal Day, head of the Bylaws Committee, will receive and tally the votes. Adoption of changes to the Bylaws require an affirmative vote by two-thirds of the members returning ballots.
   
4. Donal Day presented a draft resolution concerning the issue of a living wage for the lowest-paid employees of the University of Virginia. The draft resolution was discussed and revised to read:
   
   "The General Faculty Council of the University of Virginia has adopted the following resolution.
   
   We call on the administration of the University to make sincere and vigorous efforts to increase the wages of the lowest paid employees of the University. It is critical that the University remains active in protecting the interests of all their employees.
   
   We are encouraged by the dialog that the University has undertaken with groups such as the Campaign for a Living Wage, with members of the General Assembly and with officials in state government around this issue. We believe that the leadership shown by the University to eliminate poverty level wages for state employees is critical to the welfare of our community."
   
   The GFC approved the resolution. It will be sent to the President’s Council with the enclosed cover letter:
   
5. Jane Penner reported that there has been no news from the Provost’s Office on the proposed revisions to the University’s Policy on the General Faculty. The GFC will investigate what the exact procedure is for approving the proposed revisions. Is the Faculty Senate involved and if it so why is it involved? Joyce Pastors will send an e-mail to Ed Ayers, chair of the Faculty Senate, asking for a statement of the Faculty Senate’s understanding of its relationship to the GFC.
   
6. The proposed GFC-Women Faculty and Professional Association (WFPA) General Faculty Forum was discussed. Tentative dates were discussed for this event and the GFC felt that March would be the earliest we would like to hold the forum. Members of the GFC felt this would be a good opportunity to discuss the proposed revisions to the University’s Policy on the General Faculty and salary equity issues.
   
7. Salary equity issues will be discussed at the February GFC meeting.
   
8. Next Meetings:
   Tuesday, February 9: 12:30-2:00 pm, in 379 Newcomb Hall (Board Room)
   Tuesday, March 9: 12:30-2:00 pm, in 389 Newcomb Hall
   Tuesday, April 13: 12:30-2:00 pm, in 389 Newcomb Hall
   Tuesday, May 11: 12:30-2:00 pm, in 389 Newcomb Hall
   
   Respectfully submitted,
   Tom Dowd, Secretary
   General Faculty Council
   January 27, 1999