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Faculty Senate Minutes

University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Roll Call

Absent: Byington (Fac Wel), Clark (Business), Clements (Psychology), Denny (Soc. Wrk), Dodd (Finan. Aid), Earney (Acct.), Feng (Math), Grindlay (Earth Sci), Hines (Student Af.), Howe (Mgt.), Hunt (Mgt.), Huntsman (Budget), Mintzes (Biology), Moore (A/T, UCC), Mory (Cur. St.), Sizemore (Evaluation), Tyndall (IT), Usilton (History), Walker (Cur. St.), White (Cr. Wrtng), Wilson (P&R)

Approval of Minutes

The December minutes were approved.

Individual Reports:

1. Chancellor Leutze spoke on three main issues: inclusion and committee participation; significant UNCW tuition increases; and the role of the Building and Grounds Committee in relation to University planning:

• Inclusion and committee participation: UNCW is committed to an inclusive system of governance; to make this work, we need to have members of university committees, e.g. the bookstore committee or a committee to examine tuition increases, attend all meetings and participate actively
• Tuition increases: In response to the BOG decision allowing individual universities to put together five year plans which include tuition & fee increases, UNCW plans to propose a significant increase in tuition to the BOT and BOG
  • Why will  UNCW propose significant tuition increases over the next five years?
    • there has been a signficant decline in state funding for higher education: it now stands at 40% of the total, a decrease from 60% in 1980
    • the amount of money from the state budget dedicated to higher education has decreased in this time from 15% of the total to 12% (there is more given now to K-12 education and health and human services)
    • in the near term, the state does not have the money to support the the state universities: there will probably be a $700M shortfall
    • UNCW is chronically underfunded, as compared to other comprehensive universities in the system [at this point, the Chancellor called on Provost Cavanaugh to provide detailed information]:
      • If UNCW received the average amount of money the other schools receive per FTE student, we would have $11M more
      • If UNCW received in addition the other subsidies linked to that funding, we would have $14M more
    • Because UNCW does not get this $, we have:
      • many parttime where we might have fulltime instructors
      • limited course offerings, e.g. in foreign languages
      • case load in Financial Aid of 1100+ students (office turnover last year: 110%)
      • an average advising load in the General College of 350+ students
      • one professional counselor per 1600 students
      • one housekeeper per 25,000 square feet
  • The Chancellor and Provost answered several questions from faculty:
    • Of the five schools which were granted tuition increases last time, UNCW raised faculty salaries only 20%, whereas UNC-Ch raised faculty salaries 66%, and no other university raised faculty salaries less than 33%; how come? Provost: Those schools, esp. UNC-Ch, have significant endowments, which cover financial aid increases and operating budgets for departments; we have to cover those matters first; afterward, we raise salaries as much as possible.
    • What will the effect of large tuition increases be on recruitment? Chancellor: Probably not much. The Virginia system saw tuition double recently, and had no losses. UNCW starts out at a much lower level: $2500/yr. vs. $3096 Old Dominion, $4094 James Madison, $4,780 Wm & Mary, $5290 Delaware system, $3780 College of Charleston.
    • Given that salaries are not being raised, might we hope for a break for faculty children? Chancellor: we have asked for it, but the Legislature probably will not extend benefits to one segment of state employees
    • Doesn't this approach shift the burden from the UNC system, which should give us our fair share, to the tuition providers? Chancellor: We have fought this battle for years; the problem is, for us to get more, the other universities have to agree to get less, and they won't do it. The long-run question for us is, will UNCW accept mediocrity, or have the funds needed for excellence? That's why we need the increase.
    • What will the total be, about $1000+? Chancellor: Yes, but don't forget that is spread over several years. Note, however, that this increase will be in addition to whatever increases the BOG approves
• Building and Grounds Committe and University planning:
  • the Building and Grounds Committee was not sufficiently consulted in relation to the FIne Arts building
  • the University will re-examine the long-range plan, in conjunction with the B&G Cmte
  • in the future, when it comes time to place a new building, the University will consult with the B&G Cmte

2. President of the Senate Noland

• the Ad Hoc Committee on Foreign Languages has been appointed
• reminded departments to coordinate Senate elections with course scheduling for next fall/year
• reminded the Senate that motions need not come from committees, but can come from departments or individual Senators

3. SACS Self-Study Director Spackman

• 200 copies of the SACS report have been printed
• the report is online, at the SACS Self-Study page
• SACS has itself completed a review of its own accreditation process, and changes to simplify the process are scheduled for implementation beginning in 2004
• Dr. Gloria Raines, head of the SACS visiting team, will visit campus 1/16 and have a full day of meetings concerning the visit. The roster of the team is not complete, but will involve people  from the Fine Arts, History, Science, Social Science, Business, Education, Nursing, and Computer Science

4. Faculty Assembly Chair Veit

• the Faculty Assembly will not meet this month
• the BOG is expected to approve a Faculty Assembly motion to allow universities to make the minimum length of the semester 14 weeks + exam  rather than the current 15 + exam (this returns to what it had been; the increase to 15 was imposed under President Spangler)

Committee Reports:

1. The following motion from the University Curriculum Committee was passed (02-5-19):

a. Basic Studies/ Computer Competency issues. That the following course be approved as a Basic Studies course in area D, Fine Arts:

FST 225 (crosslisted THR 225): History and Appreciation of Film: Silent (3). Survey of the development of motion picture from its primitive beginnings to the advent of sound film. A visual illustration of the basic aesthetic principles controlling film as art. 

b. Honors Course change. That the following changes to HON 120, as proposed by the Honors Council, be approved (additions)

HON 120. Honors Enrichment (1) Prerequisite: Formal enrollment in the Honors Scholars Program or consent of the director. Students attend a variety of visual/performing/cultural events study a specialty topic and participate in a variety of related enrichment activities on the campus and in the community. By direct contact, students have the opportunity to broaden their educational experience in both traditional and contemporary forums. Discussion and brief written assignments. May be repeated for a maximum of two semester hours. under different subtitles, for a maximum of three semester hours.

2. The following motion from the Ad Hoc Faculty Handbook Committee was passed (motion 02-5-20):

a. That a Faculty Handbook Committee be established as a standing committee of the Faculty Senate to oversee the Faculty Handbook.

b. That a one-time comprehensive revision of the Faculty Handbook be undertaken at an early opportunity.

• That the revision make the Handbook accurate and up to date
• That the Handbook be revised in design and organization according to principles most appropriate for a web document rather than a printed document
• That, wherever possible, material subject to revision be documented through links to outside pages
• That a comprehensive list be established of such links and the persons responsible for maintaining the links and keeping information current; that maintaining these pages and keeping the links active be assigned duties of the university personnel responsible for their maintenance
• That a faculty member be appointed by the Steering Committee of the Faculty Senate as interim Handbook editor, with the responsibility for undertaking the organization of the Handbook, in consultation with and under the supervision of the Faculty Handbook Committee and the Office of Academic Affairs
• That the faculty editor be given at least a two-course teaching reduction, or equivalent, for one semester to accomplish the revision
• That the comprehensive revision be subject to approval by the Faculty Senate and the Office of Academic Affairs

c. That, following the comprehensive revision, ongoing revisions be undertaken on a continuous basis by the Faculty Handbook Committee whose duties and membership shall be described in Article V.C of the Faculty Senate Bylaws as follows:

Faculty Handbook Committee:

i.  Duties.  To provide continuous review to and oversight of the Faculty Handbook.    To review any material submitted for the Handbook for relevance and editorial consistency.  To update the Handbook as required with substantive changes subject to the review and approval of the Faculty Senate and Academic Affairs.

ii.  Membership.  Five faculty members, including at least one from each voting division of the Faculty.  At least one member must have expertise in website management. The vice chancellor for Academic Affairs or a designee shall be  an ex officio non-voting member.

d. That future minor factual and editorial revisions be subject to approval of the Faculty Handbook Committee.

e. That substantive revisions be subject to approval of the Faculty Senate and Academic Affairs.

Old Business

There was no new business.

New Business

1. The following motion from Provost Cavanaugh and the Office of Academic Affairs was passed (motion 02-5-21):  

That UNC Wilmington follow Office of Management and Budget guidelines (Cost Principles for Educational Institutions, Section J.8.d.(1)-(4) Salary Rates for Faculty Members OMB Circular A-21 [revised 8/8/00] url = http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a021/a021.html ) for the types and amounts of supplemental compensation that faculty are eligible to earn from grants and contracts during the summer, the regular academic year, and for consulting services paid through UNC Wilmington.

Note: This motion only affects money for grants or consulting work that is paid to faculty through the University; it does not apply to money that comes from another party.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:55 p.m.