University Faculty Senate
Administrative Affairs Committee
2007- 2008 Minutes
INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
Administrative Affairs Committee
2007-2008
February 8, 2008
AAC #7
Approved
January 18, 2008, Minutes
Indiana State University
Faculty Senate 2007-08
Time:
3:00 pm
Place: College of Technology, TC 101E
Present: S. Frey T. Harris, R.
Ivaturi, M. Lewandowski, R. Lotspeich, G. Minty, K. Wilkinson.
Absent: B. Evans, S.
Davis.
I.
Open time: R. Lotspeich
introduced four concerns and M. Lewandowski introduced one:
1) Registrar: R. Lotspeich noted that after early
registration, there’s a one-week blackout period in which registration
closes. The concern is that this practice might not be student friendly.
G. Minty had asked Bob English about this. B. English will call Sharon
Glick for further information.
2) FROPA: R.
Lotspeich noted that the process of filling out the online forms is
frustrating and confusing. K. Wilkinson and S. Frey voiced concerns that
the software generates inaccurate vitae and annual reports. Discussion
ensued: If this system will be used for accreditation, promotion, and
merit then these problems should be addressed. G. Minty will ask
Kevin Snyder to visit
AAC to discuss this issue.
3) Summer: R. Lotspeich noted that if class
enrollment for summer classes does not meet the minimum of 15, the class
is cancelled. Why is this so? Is this a student-friendly policy? M.
Lewandowski said that there is inconsistency in what minimum class
enrollment is between the departments. G. Minty said he thought it was
the deans’ decision to cancel summer classes based on enrollment and
that the deans have latitudes in making their determinations. G. Minty
will talk with the provost’s office for more information on this issue.
4) Websites:
R. Lotspeich asked why there is not more campus support for
maintaining departmental websites. He noted that departmental personnel
do not have the skills necessary and faculty are constrained in
performing their work. They should not have this responsibility as it
takes them away from core tasks of teaching and scholarship. R. Ivaturi
said that faculty do maintain the website in his department. The
possibility of having TA’s from computer science perform this task was
discussed. G. Minty will contact Ed Kinley concerning this issue.
5) Grant: M. Lewandowski voiced concern over how he
was paid for an internal grant he was awarded last summer. The stipend
was distributed on the regular pay date and this put him in a higher tax
bracket. He asked why he could not have been paid the stipend
separately. Discussion ensured over the handling of taxes and stipends.
II.
Minutes approved:
R. Ivaturi moved to
accept the minutes. T. Harris
seconded. The minutes of the January 18, 2008 meeting were approved.
III.
Progress report of faculty/administration count:
G.
Minty provided background: AAC has been looking at the decline in
faculty numbers and the increase in administrative positions. These
numbers have been generated in two different ways. Under Greg
Floyd’s direction a new method was established.
R. Lotspeich
explained that the old method only looked at the operating and auxiliary
budgets and that the new method (which begins with 2006 data) includes
everything. Comparing data collected under the two accounting
practices raises problems of consistency.
R. Lotspeich
aggregated the data collected under both methods into a table comparing
ISU faculty and AEP positions from 1995 to 2007.
Data using the old method runs
from 1995 to 2005; the new method runs from 2006 to 2007. Referring to
the table, he noted that what looks like an increase in administrative
positions from 2005 to 2006 could be the result of how the data are
collected under the new method. He also noted that many people
categorized as professionals are in fact working in direct support of
teaching and should not be grouped with executive and administrative
personnel, as was the practice with past comparisons. Because of this he
suggested that the committee also separately compare the EXEC/ADMIN
category to the faculty category. R. Ivaturi asked if the
committee could see a breakdown in the Academic Affairs budget and R.
Lotspeich said that he would look into this. M. Lewandowski asked if the
tables include student associates and R. Lotspeich said he believes that
they are not included here, as they are categorized as students.
Discussion ensued on what the committee should do with this information.
G. Minty announced that AAC has collected and compiled this data
annually and made it available to the faculty through the Faculty
Senate. K. Wilkinson said that this data should be provided to the
current ISU presidential candidates. The search committee might want to
ask the candidates for input on the issue of EAP and. faculty position
counts. R. Lotspeich announced that he intends to provide more
aggregates for the committee.
IV.
Old Business:
-
Committee on budgetary
recommendations:
R. Lotspeich has contacted SCUBA (special committee on
university budgetary affairs)members. Members are: College of Arts
and Sciences: Rick Lotspeich, College
of Education: Kevin
Bolinger, College of Business:
Tarek Zaher, Cunningham Library: Marsha Miller, College of Technology:
Greg Schwab. He plans to hold the first meeting in the next few
weeks. T. Harris asked what the term of service will be, suggesting
that next fall might be beneficial. G. Minty suggested
SCUBA members attend the
upcoming March budgetary meetings. R. Lotspeich advised that the
committee be established as a standing
committee, as is the practice in other universities. G. Minty
suggested that this be a good issue for SCUBA to discuss. R.
Lotspeich asked AAC for a formal charge.
The charge reads:
Attend the
upcoming March budgetary meetings, react to the meetings by expressing
any concerns or questions they may have, and provide suggestions for
future work that the committee can undertake. K. Wilkinson moved
to approve. T. Harris seconded. Charge approved.
-
Other:
G. Minty
explained that he invited Kevin Runion to meet with AAC to discuss the
status of the Master Plan. Kevin said although he would be willing to
meet he did not, yet, have much detailed information to share. After
discussion it was decided that G. Minty will contact the provost’s
office to see if someone can talk to the AAC about their contribution to
the master plan.
T. Harris
moved to adjourn. K. Wilkinson
seconded. The meeting adjourned at 4:55 pm.
Respectfully
submitted,
S. Frey,
Secretary of the Day
back to top