MSU-BOZEMAN FACULTY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
January 26, 2000
PRESENT: Hatfield, Sherwood, McDermott, Kommers, Neff, Leech, Benham,
Howard, Larsen, Jost, Harkin, Nehrir, Mooney, Amend, Locke,
Lansverk, Levy, Dockery for Bogar, Bond, Jelinski, Francis,
McKinsey, Fisher, Prawdzienski, Butterfield, Scott.
ABSENT: Ag Econ, O'Neill, Burgess, Anderson, Peed, Duncan, Weaver,
Lynch, Griffith, Carlstrom.
The meeting was called to order at 4:10 PM by John Amend, Chair. It
was determined a quorum was present. The minutes of the January 13,
2000, Faculty Council meeting were approved as distributed.
Chair's report - John Amend.
- The Board of Regents meeting was held in Helena, January19-21.
- The conversation on tenure took place Wednesday afternoon
with faculty and administrators from throughout the Montana
University System and regents participating.
- The discussion was worthwhile and resulted in regents
having a better understanding of faculty evaluation and
tenure. Also, the faculty better understand retention
and review procedures used at other campuses.
- Regents asked that the report be expanded to include
policies at the various campuses and to perhaps propose
a list of "best practices".
- A shorter version of the conversation on tenure
document will be prepared for the regents to distribute
to legislators.
- It was suggested another topic of system-wide
interest be chosen for a similar conversation.
- A report from the regents' task force on student fees was
presented and discussed.
- The task force agreed some course fee uses are not
appropriate (to pay faculty or teaching assistant
salaries, for example), and that some course fees are
appropriate (to pay for transportation to ski classes,
for example).
- Their proposal to combine all course fees into one
instructional materials fee for students was found by
the regents to be problematic and was not accepted.
- Super tuition was discussed, and it was suggested
requirements for charging super tuition be that the
program is a high cost program with a high value degree
upon graduation.
- Program fees were discussed, but it appeared there
was little difference between a program fee and super
tuition.
- There was discussion of whether tuition should be
averaged across programs (the current method), or
whether tuition should vary according to program costs.
Regents indicated support of the current policy.
- The task force will continue to discuss course fees,
based on the input.
- Regents are concerned about course fees because
students don't know how much they are when they compare
institutions, and course fees can add a significant
amount to tuition costs.
- It was suggested during Faculty Council discussion
that lists of course fees, which are already available
in Banner, be printed at a web site so prospective
students and parents would be able to determine the
total cost of tuition and course fees.
- During discussion by Faculty Council, it was pointed out
that the regents are aware that student computing fees used
for Banner and other purposes will have to be replaced with
other revenue or continue to be used for non-student
computing needs as hardware and software become obsolete.
- MUS budget percentages for specific items (state dollars
only) were distributed at the regents' meeting. UM is
facing a $2.5 million shortfall next year, and a shortfall
for MSU-Bozeman will possibly be from $600,000 to $1.2
million.
- Other.
- Dr. Terry Roark, interim president, will be here tomorrow.
A reception for him is planned on Tuesday, February 1, from
3-5 PM.
- Dr. Joyce Scott, Deputy Commissioner of Higher Education,
will chair the search committee for the new MSU president.
She will meet with UGC Steering Committee tomorrow. It is
hoped she will meet with Faculty Council at a later date.
Faculty Affairs Committee report - Jack Jelinski.
- The Faculty Affairs Committee will meet tomorrow.
Proposed Faculty Handbook Change - Section 440.01 B (Conflict of
Interest).
- A paragraph will be added to the existing policy. It will
state that faculty will not profit as a result of recommending a
specific vendor for textbooks or course materials, whether
on-line or from other sources.
- The proposed change will be announced to the faculty through
the STAFF BULLETIN. - The change is found at the website
http://www.coe.montana.edu/che/FacCouncil/.
Proposed changes for the MSU Benefits Committee.
- Jack Jelinski moved proposed changes to "Membership" (adding
the words active or retired after "two faculty" and adding the
immediate past Chair of the Benefits Committee to the ex officio
membership of the committee) and a proposed change to "Chair"
(The Chair may be retired) be forwarded to VPAF Tom Stump, as the
MSU Benefits Committee is advisory to him. The motion was
seconded.
- During discussion, there was agreement that as the procedures
for the committee are now written, retired faculty are not ruled
out as nominees for positions. Also, nominations are approved by
Faculty Council (and contract professional nominees are approved
by Professional Council), so the two councils have control over
nominations.
- Don Mathre is willing to be nominated for the position of
Chair. There was no objection voiced to submitting his name to
the President's Office as a nominee.
- The motion to change the wording was withdrawn. Issues
involved with changes to the Benefits Committee will be discussed
more thoroughly at a later meeting.
As there was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:00 PM.
Joann Amend, Faculty Council Secretary