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University Council Agenda
February 28, 2012
MEMORANDUM
TO: UNIVERSITY COUNCIL
FROM: UNIVERSITY COUNCIL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
SUBJECT: MEETING OF FEBRUARY 28, 2012
The next University Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 28, 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. in the Dan Rather Room. The agenda follows:
February 28, 2012:
- Approval of minutes from meeting of February 14, 2012 (Attachment A)
- University Council Membership and Proposal from Staff Affairs Council (Attachment B) (Kathi Ray)
- Update on budget assumptions (President Schrum)
- Distribution of hypothetical funds for raises
- Timeline for UC consultation in budgeting process
- New business
Future Meeting Dates: March 27; April 10; April 24
Future Agenda Items:
March 27
- Institutional Technology Advisory Committee (Todd Watson)
- Football Impact
- Bylaws
Possible Future Items:
CIO/Library Search update/impact
Proposal from Languages re: German need for faculty lines
Clarity/Transparency of Business Office policy and procedures
DEC Update (April 10)
Talloires
Fringe Benefits
Council process
Attachment A
DRAFT – NOT YET APPROVED
UNIVERSITY COUNCIL
February 14, 2012
Present: J. Kilfoyle, J. Ore, K. Ray, J. Hunt, R. Swain, C. Daniels, T. O’Neill, M. Johnson, T. Shelton, J. Brody, R. Anderson, D. Early, P. Gaffney, D. Voskuil, J. Cowley, S. Cook
Guests: J. McCann, G. Logan, T. Watson, D. Gaines, A. Gaunder, S. Varner, L. Hopkins, K. Smith, E. O’Neil, L. Fellers
The meeting was called to order at 1:17 p.m. by Vice-chair Johnson. The minutes were approved as amended.
Johnson drew the membership’s attention to the future meeting dates of the Council as noted on the agenda. She also provided updates on previously mentioned agenda items that the UC executive committee suggests be forwarded to other bodies for consideration:
• proposal by Star Varner regarding a one-month consideration window of “significant” issues by the faculty – referred to the FAC
• student involvement with the admission process – referred to the Admission Committee
As a correction to the agenda, “receipts/currency exchange to Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Academic Assessment” should have read “procurement and reimbursement policies” and will be discussed at a future UC meeting.
In response to a new SACSCOC requirement, Hunt and Swain presented a draft Substantive Change Policy for Southwestern University. It was noted that the University has not been required to report any substantive changes to the SACSCOC during the last 10 years because we have not had any. Concerns were expressed about the proposed Masters in Translational Medicine and how it fits within this policy. Hunt affirmed that moving forward conversations and decisions of such magnitude will follow the policies set forward in this document. The following amendments were suggested:
• adjust the language in the first paragraph regarding who does the consulting (the Senior Advisor to the President for Strategic Planning and Assessment)
• under Procedures for Southwestern University Curricular Changes , add text noting that the President will consult with the SACSCOC liaison to determine if a change is a substantive change and delete the text that details how changes of this type are instituted.
The motion to approve the Substantive Change Policy as amended was approved unanimously. The revised/approved version is included with these minutes.
McCann provided an update on the University’s QEP work and presented the QEP budget in an effort to confirm that we have the funding to support the project. The budget summary includes running both programs simultaneously for a while, estimating and $9 million endowment for the Paideia Program and anticipating the $500,000 gift from the Mellon Foundation. McCann noted that we are in good shape from a budget perspective with enough in just the Paideia Program budget to provide a bit of cushion. The anticipated Mellon funding provides further relief and potential carry-over that will be put to good use. Several questions/issues were raised including transfer student accessibility, cost of living increases for staff lines, the study abroad assistance fund being flat and the possible use of the carry-over for additional funding, and the fact that the Paideia operations budget as presented is based on 100% retention. The budget is based on a 1400 student FTE and models have been done using larger FTE figures. It was noted that building in faculty replacement costs may indicate the program is an add-on or a side thought and that this should be kept in mind. Following discussion, the budget was approved unanimously and will be forwarded to the faculty for consideration.
Varner asked for further clarification on the referral of her proposal to FAC. Kilfoyle, the FAC rep, responded that the FAC declined to act on the proposal at this time due to lack of sufficient interest among the Council membership. Johnson reported that was no interest expressed from the Social Sciences Division. Hunt offered that historically there hasn’t been enough consistent communication from the various Council representatives to their constituencies and that maybe it would help to put his in writing. He will draft some language and bring it back to the UC for consideration.
As an update, Johnson reported that the Religious Diversity Statement is currently going through the Council review process again as a result of the four-word change last fall.
Theme of the meeting: “Everything moves too fast or too slow!”
Adjourned at 2:18 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Julie Cowley
Associate Vice President for Academic Administration
Attachment B
Proposal to University Council from Staff Affairs Council
February 14, 2012
The Staff Affairs Council (SFC) is requesting that University Council (UC) allow three (3) additional staff representatives be added to the University Council membership.
These representatives will be appointed by SFC for two-year terms. Representatives will be chosen from physical plant, support/service, and administrative staff classifications.
The Chair of Staff Affairs Council will continue to serve as a representative to UC.
