University of Minnesota, Morris

Campus Assembly Minutes

 

April 4, 2005

 

 

The Campus Assembly met on Monday, April 4 at 4:30 p.m. in the Science Auditorium. 

 

I.             Elections.

 

Elections were held for the 2005-2006 Executive Committee, Parliamentarian, and Consultative Committee.

 

Executive Committee (1 year term, no limitations on terms)

Vice Chair – Jeff Ratliff-Crain

Secretary – Tracey Anderson

Faculty/P&A – Aida Martinez

Faculty/P&A – James Wojtaszek

USA – tba

Student elections are pending

 

Parliamentarian (1 year term, no limitations on terms)

Rich Heyman

 

Consultative Committee (2 year term, 3 consecutive terms maximum)

Margaret Kuchenreuther

Gretchen Murphy

 

II.           ChancellorÕs Remarks.

 

Chancellor Schuman reported on three topics:

 

  1. He has met with President Bruininks regarding several issues, including that we have a cooperation with Crookston in management areas, e.g., occasionally used but necessary facilities equipment or admissions cross-training; that we move non-face-to-face offices to Morris (and Crookston), e.g., purchasing audit office or logo monitoring; and that any student who registers for the proposed Honors College, spend one semester at UMM.
  2. After discussions with CRPC, International Program Committee, CIP and others, he is pushing for an exchange program and student recruitment in China.  Jennifer Falzerano and Schuman are planning to visit in April, and another delegation are going in August, including James Morales and Fritz Schwaller.
  3. He and the dean, after discussion with the division chairs and administrative leadership team, have proposed the following salary enhancement endowment.  He will take a large sum - $200,000 – which has been cleared with donors (and the University Human Resource Office), and create an endowment at the Foundation named the FounderÕs Fund, with a specific designated purpose that each year approximately 5% will be harvested, as per University policy to be distributed as a one time, non-base annual bonus to all non-bargaining unit employees at UMM, except the ChancellorÕs Leadership Team.  He will make the fiscal transfer shortly, so that in a year from now we can spend the first yearÕs income.  He will ask appropriate committees (CRPC, FAC, and Consultative) to propose a mechanism of distribution.  It could be a standard lump sum to everyone over 1/2 time or it could be based on longevity.  He hopes it will not be based on percentage.  This endowment will grow in two ways.  Some income will be reinvested (all over 5%) and it will be an attractive giving opportunity, which he will market assertively.  It is not legal to do this with bargaining unit employees, but what he can do and intends to do is make a substantial, 5 figure, contribution to the Staff Development Fund and/or the annual USA awards.  He will consult with USA for advice on this.  He realizes this is not a solution to the salary disparity problem, and for the first few years will not be a substantial amelioration.  He and the dean remain committed to looking for every possible way to raise the salaries of all UMM employees.  It is his conviction that if we are to be helped in this area, we are not going to be relieved in the foreseeable future by anyone other than ourselves, not the legislature nor the central administration).  

 

III.         USA Nominations for 2005-2006 were approved as presented.

 

IV.         Minutes from February 22, 2005 meeting were approved as presented.

 

V.           From the Curriculum Committee.  Course changes/additions were approved as presented.

 

Division of Science and Math:

Chemistry

1 new course

Chem 1001

Computer Science

4 new courses

CSci 1101

CSci 4408

CSci 4455

CSci 4456

Natural Science

1 new course

Nsci 1060

Social Science:

1 new course

Hist 3607

 

VI.         From the Scholastic Committee.  GPA Required for graduation.

 

Nic McPhee reported that the Scholastic Committee recommend that UMM come into compliance with the University policy:  The cumulative GPA required for graduation shall be 2.0 and shall include all, and only, University of Minnesota coursework.  This will become effective for new students enrolling at UMM for the first time in fall 2005.  Reason for change:  UMM has based its calculations for graduation on slightly different wording:  A student must earn at least a C (2.00) average in all course work that is applied to the B.A. degree and in the major or area of concentration (catalog, p. 63).  All work has been interpreted as included transfer work.  The committee reviewed the Senate position together with our practice and voted to discontinue including transfer credits in the calculations for graduation. 

 

The Scholastic Committee suggests inserting the above Senate statement into the on-line catalog to reflect this clarification.

 

Since the Senate policy does not specify a GPA requirement in the major and UMM does, we request that the following statement be inserted in the description of the major or area of concentration (p. 62):  In all majors, students must attain a minimum GPA of 2.0 (or higher as indicated by the discipline) in order to graduate.

 

VII.       From the Functions & Awards Committee.  Scholar of the College nominations were approved as presented.

 

VIII.      For Information.  From the Executive Committee.  Updated personnel, office and committee titles on the Constitution and By-Laws.

 

Schuman said he consulted with the Parliamentarian for a ruling on how this should be presented and Roland Guyotte said the Executive Committee could bring this forward as an information item.  Greg Thorson pointed out that there is no such thing as friendly amendments in Roberts Rules of Order and if the Executive Committee wants to recommend changes, it should be done the correct way, not by back-dooring it.  He believes this is a substantive issue and commented on the problems we face in trying to change the constitution or by-laws. Schuman said the Executive Committee understands there is a problem with the process for making changes to the constitutions and by-laws and will discuss this issue next year.   Greg Thorson made a motion to challenge the ruling of the chair.   So moved.  Schuman asked assembly members to vote explaining that a yes vote means they agree the changes are editorial and they endorse the ruling of the chair and a no vote means they wish to overturn the ruling of the chair.  Motion passes – 48 yes votes, 36 no votes.

 

IX.         For Information.  Web Templates Rollout Plan.

 

James Morales reported that over the last several months, a subcommittee of the UMM Web Advisory Group has worked to create a new design or template for UMMÕs official web pages.  The subcommittee, chaired by James, includes Andy Lopez, Pam Gades, Nancy Helsper, Bryan Herrmann, Rebecca Webb and Mike Cihak.  The subcommittee was asked to design a Web template to improve the navigability of UMMÕs official Web pages and to give them a much-needed, consistent look and feel.

 

The new Web template will be rolled out during spring semester to the UMM websites that receive the most number of hits over the preceding 12-month period.  These include the UMM home page, all unit home pages, and their secondary pages.  Resources will be made available to ensure a successful migration to the new design.  The new template will not apply to personal, individual faculty, or student organization Web pages unless these page owners choose to use it. 

 

The need for a new, common Web template is supported by the increase in visits to our websites by students, legislators, donors, faculty, staff, and many of our other key external and internal constituents.  In October 2004, our websites received 125,888 visitors compared by October 2001 when we received 76,883 visitors, an increase of 41.3%. 

 

Following a brief power-point presentation, Engin Sungur expressed concern about being told how the statistics web page should look and what information should be there.  Both James and Fritz Schwaller reaffirmed that all disciplines will be able to choose whether or not they want to adopt the new web page.  Tim Lindberg stated that from a prospective student point-of-view, he thought it was a good idea.

 

X.           SenatorsÕ Reports.

 

none

 

XI.          Old Business.

 

Bert Ahern commented that the FAC proposal failed by one vote and pointed out that 67 assembly members did not vote.  He expressed his frustration about the process for making changes to the constitution and by-laws.  He also commented that UMM faculty salaries, based on figures that were recently distributed, falls below the ranks.  Schuman explained that each campus of the University is mandated on how to use the allocation given by central administration and that no campus has figured out some way to get more money from the legislators or central administration.  He, too, agreed that the figures were disturbing. He has pointed out that disparity repeatedly to central administration.  He believes raising money is our best hope because we canÕt try to twist the arm of central or go around them.   He also mentioned that his predecessor, as dean, recently remarked to him that when our enrollment was over 2000 students, we had 85 faculty members.  Now our enrollment is 1840 and we have 125 faculty members.  At that time a decision was made to keep class sizes small.  Now we have tuition income coming from a small student population.  He believes the solution is to recruit more students, not lower the number of faculty.

 

XII.        New Business.

 

Margaret Kuchenreuther reminded the assembly members that there will be a Faculty Forum to discuss the Strategic Plan on Monday, April 11.  She encouraged faculty members to attend.  Sam Schuman added that President Bruininks plans to visit UMM on April 8 and has requested a meeting with faculty members also to discuss the Strategic Plan.

 

Adjourned at 5:50 p.m.