MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY FACULTY SENATE March 3, 1998

The Faculty Senate of Murray State University met in regular session on Tuesday, March 3, 1998, in the Barkley Room of the Curris Center. Thirty-six senators were present. Dr. Stephen White replaces Dr. James Stuart as departmental representative from biology. Senators Campbell and Gray were absent. The minutes of February 3, 1998, were approved.

REPORTS

Board of Regents--Regent France talked by phone with Dr. Alexander on Monday, March 2. She spoke to him about the relationships between health care issues and salaries. Mercer, health- care consultants, will come to campus to investigate all possible options. Dr. Alexander noted preliminary figures that show Murray spending more per employee on healthcare than the other state institutions. Dr. Alexander says that the university will be kept fully informedwith ample open discussions. Dr. France asked faculty to let her know if they are not getting enough information. The majority of the increase is due to increased costs. Faculty will have salary increases this year; but he did not give her an amount. Future salary increases are contingent on lower healthcare costs. The state appropriation is not specifically designated for salaries; allocation is done internally.

Senator Jones (mathematics) noted that what was budgeted for healthcare in 1997-98 was less than what was spent in 1996-97. Regent France responded that the president has always under budgeted for healthcare. Senator Gulotta and Senator Jacobs, members of the insurance and benefits committee, however, question the amount.

Regent France has also focused on continued quality of healthcare when reviewing new plans and has talked about limited access to medical services. However, some kind of managed care will probably happen. Senator Jacobs found it interesting that Mercer will meet with groups on campus. He believed that their market analysis would be the beginning point of the insurance and benefits work. No one has been in touch with him. Senator Maxwell asked if they would consider meeting with the senate.

Faculty in some departments are concerned that they are not being allowed to fill open faculty positions and asked if these were being froze to fill new slots for the program of distinction. Vice President Call told the senate that no programs have yet been accepted by the state. Regent France believes the senate should look at the number of positions not being filled. She continues to stress that the academic departments need more money; that previous increases in some cases have not filtered down to the departments. She has told the staff and student regents that having faculty to teach must remain our priority. Dr. Alexander is committed to faculty salaries; but, she reminds him that you must have enough faculty to teach to retain the integrity of our academic program. The executive committee continues to look at salary and benefit differentiations. Senator Powell asked if the university will continue to subsidize dependent coverage. Dr. Alexander wants to retain this coverage but may not be able to. Senator Horwood suggested that there is enough faculty expertise on campus to counter balance the administration's assumptions about healthcare and salaries. Regent France believes that the administration will closely monitor Mercer's work so that in the future the university will not have to rely on outside consultants. President Landini added the importance of attendance of faculty representatives to the insurance and benefits committee to give input from each of the colleges. Faculty from the Department of Economics and Finance have offered to do an outside analysis of figures for the committee on behalf of the senate. Regent France and committee member Gulotta agreed that more faculty input and expertise could only be beneficial.

Regent France informed the senate that she missed the February board meeting but had been apprised of issues before the meeting.

Academic Policies--No report.

Finance--Chair Guin reported that Dr. Booth's office has said that a cap on summer school salaries is not under active consideration for this year but has not been discarded. He and Dr. Booth will talk further.

The committee will meet after break to go over the audit figures. He is reconciling differences and reviewing accounting procedures.

Governmental Affairs--COSFL held another teleconference on February 21and passed a resolution in support of a possible bill to amend KTRS permitting all faculty the right to select an optional retirement plan. State Senator Jackson is aware of this and plans to pursue this matter.

The post tenure review bill has been withdrawn replaced with a resolution encouraging institutions to continue their own policies.

COSFL will meet again on March 7 and may discuss HB760, Collective Bargaining by State Employees. Chair Wattier introduced Dr. Winfield Rose, who had offered to explain the bill and its possible consequences for university faculty. Dr. Rose's expertise is labor law. Dr. Rose explained that it is a constitutional right and an option for faculty to form a union; however, the administration is not obligated to participate in collective bargaining. This bill would require public employers engage in collective bargaining if employees voted to do so. A bargaining unit could be more than one community of interest; but, could not mix professional and non-professional employees in the same unit without the majority vote of the faculty. If a dispute occurs, the bill establishes a state employees' relations board to conduct elections. The bill sets up an agency shop that does not require someone to belong to the union but would require a fair share payment to support the union for the purpose of collective bargaining to not exceed union dues. Striking would be prohibited.

Procedures for impass resolution requires bargaining in good faith; does not require that you come to an agreement. The bill provides for mediation and fact finding. The bill places the chief executive officer of the public institutions as arbitrator. The CEO makes recommendation to the governing body for settlement of dispute. The board would take action deemed to be in the public interest. Dr. Rose believes this bill will prove to be deficit in the future and will require amendment. Collective bargaining requires a lot of time and work by a lot of people and is not always found to be worth that, according to Dr. Rose.

President Landini added that this bill is opposed by city and county government as well as higher education administrators and management personnel.

Chair Wattier told the senate that this was on COSFL's last agenda but was not discussed. He asked for direction from the senate in case of a vote. Vice President Call sees no benefit and urged him to oppose it. Senator Maxwell, on the other hand, felt that in the future faculty might want to exercise a right and that this might prove beneficial over the long term. Regent France worried that collective bargaining does not produce a lot of positive results and might actually become adversarial for the university. Her point was well taken by Senator Maxwell; but, emphasized that just because faculty have the right to organize they would not have to. He still sees a possible future need and feels that if it is not passed by the state legislator this time it will be introduced again. Senator Bell noted, however, that we might not have a governor campaigning for reelection. The senate voted 21/6 to support this bill on the floor of COSFL. Senator Bell noted he voted for the option not that he would vote for a union.

Chair Wattier noted another bill to be considered by COSFL, establishing Commonwealth Merit Scholarships. Tuition would be earned each year in relation to GPAs. This is an attempt to earmark some lottery money for education. It was noted that a similar plan in Georgia led to grade inflation. President Landini commented that there is no grade inflation in Kentucky high schools due to KERA. Support for the bill was defeated 7/13.

Handbook & Personnel--No report.

Rules, Elections, & Bylaws--Vice President Call reported that the call for nominations is open for various committee positions and the Faculty Regent. Nominations are due April 7 in writing. Information will be posted to the Faculty Senate Website @

http://campus.murraystate.edu/org/FacSenate/index.htm

A forum for candidates for Faculty Regent will be held on Tuesday, April 14 in the Barkley Room. Elections will be held on April 21. Balloting may be done by mail. If needed, a run off for Faculty Regent will be held on April 28.

Administrative evaluations will be mailed to senators during spring break. Senators are asked to collect them and be responsible for getting them returned. Vice President Call cautioned that a poor return rate works against having a voice with the administration. The deadline for return is April l. President Landini added a strong return would be effective. Interim positions will not be evaluated.

Academic Council

Undergraduate Studies--No report.

Graduate Studies--Chair Muscio reported several issues that are before the council.

1)Approved creation of technology programs of the new Center for Business and Industry 2)International Studies and admissions requirements are still circulating through Academic Council. The graduate studies committee recommendation to change admission requirements into graduate programs was approved by the council. The principle change is a TOEFL of 600 or completion of ELI Level 6 and a screening process by the department.

3)The Faculty Senate request that the Academic Council examine the proposal for a new Institute of International Studies was taken to the executive committee of the council. Faculty recommended that the proposal be brought before the council before final action by the Board of Regents. Provost Booth took this under advisement. The last item at the Regents' meeting was employment of an executive director of the new institute.

There was no real discussion of the proposal by the Academic Council. According to Dr. Booth, there is no structure in place until a director is hired. He says that the final structure would be brought before the Academic Council.

Library and Academic Support--Chair Gulotta reported that Dean Bryan has said that posting of final grades on line is not secure; but, that faculty can post interim grades with a signed release of information and an instructor/student agreed signon. This is optional for both faculty and students.

Insurance and Benefits--Chair Jacobs told the senate that Vice President Denton has forwarded a written recommendation to President Alexander to include unused sick leave as service credit in KTRS. The primary focus of the committee for the remainder of the year will be disucssion and budget review of salaries and health insurance coverage. The committee met on February 13 and requested that VP Denton provide information to faculty and staff in writing. To facilitate better communication, an objective of the committee, Mr. Denton has distributed Personnel Matters. The committee will meet again on March 27 from 2-4 p.m. to focus on an insurance update. The committee will discuss Mercer's involvement with Ms. Gordon and Mr. Denton per Regent France's discussions with Dr. Alexander.

Residential Colleges--Senator Horwood handed out an outline of college activities for March. All colleges need faculty and staff expertise with academic activities. Senator Horwood has also responded to some misconceptions about the residential colleges by both faculty and students in a monthly newsletter.

Executive--President Landini publicly thanked Dr. Alexander for letting the board know that the structure of the Institute for International Studies would have to be reviewed by the Academic Council.

Faculty Senate committee heads have been invited to a breakfast at Oakhurst on March 4.

Discussion at the last meeting of the senate leadership with Dr. Alexander was centered on Roads' Scholars. They reported to him that the Faculty Senate has emphasized that participation by faculty be used for consideration as service for promotion and tenure and that participation be voluntary. Money was approved by the board in the 1997-98 budget to compensate faculty. Former Faculty Senate President Willis had met periodically with Dr. Alexander to discuss ways to reward participation and other groups were consulted by the President, including a committee of administrators, to look at rewarding participation in the program. There was no discussion at the board meeting of how this money would be distributed or how participation might count as service. President Landini and Vice President Call have forwarded concerns of variances in the monetary compensation, problems in quantifying service, and that faculty service in other areas remains unrewarded. A formula was developed after an in-depth analysis of data from participants. Dr. Russ Wall developed criteria to be used in the formula. Dr. Alexander has singled out this particular program for merit and would like this to continue. He will continue to ask the board to include money for participation and hopes that other forms of service could be compensated in the future. Senator Maxwell said that the senate's role in this should be commended and that the senate should continue to monitor the Roads' Scholars Program as a worthwhile program. Chair Wattier asked if there has been discussion of service in other areas. President Landini sees the possibility of service to the residential colleges being looked at. President Alexander hopes to establish ties of service to retention efforts in promotion and tenure decisions. Senator Jones sees the rewarding of participation in the Roads' Scholars Program as a departure from policy by the university. Normally, the chairs and deans make decisions on service. President Landini told the senate that the chairs and deans have been asked to include Roads' Scholars as a service item and that Dr. Alexander has been the only one pushing for monetary compensation. Senator Jones noted the difficulties in scheduling visits and asked if the administration sees this as more important than conducting classes. The senate leadership has asked Dr. Alexander. The Faculty Senate will continue to emphasize this service component and the executive committee will look at a proposal to define service in relation to promotion and tenure. Senator Dressler suggested that the senate might resurrect the idea of role differentiation in redefining service.

New business--Senator Beasley on behalf of Dr. Bill Schell moved that the Faculty Senate invite the American Federation of Teachers to discuss unionization. The federation already represents public school employees. Senator Maxwell seconded the motion. During discussion, Senator Flynn asked if it was the purpose of the senate to investigate this issue. President Landini responded that the senate may sponsor forums of topics affecting faculty. Vice President Call asked if there would be a cost associated with this visit. Dr. Beasley doesn't think so. He also added that in general he opposes how union representatives propose interests in the affairs of its constituency; but, feels that with little or no raises being proposed and a higher insurance bill for faculty that it may be time to look at other possibilities. Senator Horwood does not believe that unions are needed at the university faculty level. Senator Maxwell noted that faculty need the right to vote for or against. Senator Flynn called for the question. The vote was tied at 13/13. President Landini cast the deciding vote to invite the federation to campus noting that she personally opposes unions but is a proponent of free speech. Senator Horwood asked if a quorum was present at the time of the vote. A senate quorum for the transaction of business is 19.

The meeting adjourned at 5:20 p.m.