MSU-BOZEMAN FACULTY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES February 23, 2000 PRESENT: Sherwood, McDermott, Burgess, Kommers, Peed, Neff, Leech, Benham, Larsen, Jost, Harkin, Nehrir, Mooney, Amend, Locke, Lansverk, Levy, Bogar, Bond, Jelinski, Francis, Lynch, Prawdzienski, Butterfield, Carlstrom. ABSENT: Ag Econ, Hatfield, O'Neill, Anderson, Howard, Duncan, Weaver, McKinsey, Fisher, Scott, Griffith. The meeting was called to order at 4:10 PM by Chair John Amend. It was determined a quorum was present. The minutes of the February 16, 2000, meeting were approved with the following correction to Discussion with President Terry Roark - change wording from "In response to a question, Dr. Roark stated..." to "In addition, Dr. Roark stated ...", because his response was not to the question as asked. As clarification of a statement under the same heading, Interim Provost Dooley, who was in attendance, stated that there is no freeze on filling faculty positions, as reported in the bullet "During discussion, it was pointed out by faculty that there currently is a freeze on filling tenure-track positions." According to the Provost, deans have been asked to hold requests for searches beginning Fall Semester 2000 for 2001 hires until the entire university budget for the coming fiscal year has been discussed. Chair's report - John Amend. - The Strategic Planning Committee will meet with the President's Executive Council and Deans' Council at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 25, in SUB 275. The meeting is open, although because of limited time, there may not be opportunity for people other than those from the three listed groups to comment. The purpose of the meeting is to get all budget items out on the table for discussion. - The budget shortfall appears to be between $600,000 and $2,500,000. Budget items include faculty raises ($1.24 million), contract professional raises ($0.28 million), sabbaticals ($0.23 million), and classified raises ($0.784 million). Deans' Council has discussed removing delays for classified raises from the list of items under discussion. - It was asked what the amount is for administrative raises. - Steering Committee proposes Dorothy Bradley, a candidate for Lieutenant Governor, not be invited to Council until at least after the primary election. - During discussion by the Council, there seemed to be agreement that Faculty Council sponsorship of a forum for candidates might be appropriate before the general election. This could be an opportunity to present the university's point of view to candidates. - The Chair stated that regents have attempted to inform candidates of university-related issues before general elections. After the general election has taken place, the elected individuals are busy preparing for the legislative session and have less time for discussion with constituents. Faculty Affairs Committee report - Jack Jelinski. - The committee will bring some issues to Council next week. One topic that will be discussed at tomorrow's Faculty Affairs meeting proposes some representation from Faculty Council nominations for the Computer Fee Allocation Committee and the Affirmative Action Advisory Board. Faculty Handbook Section 440.01 B (Conflict of Interest). - Jack Jelinski moved approval to add new language (see agenda) to Faculty Handbook Section 440.01 B. After brief discussion, the motion was seconded and carried Faculty Handbook Section 1100.00 (Compensation in Excess of Contracted Salary). - After discussion, Marvin Lansverk moved removing the 20% limit on retention incentives as stated in Section 1124.04. The motion was seconded and carried. - Jack Jelinski moved approval of proposed changes to Faculty Handbook Section 1100, as amended by removing the 20% cap on retention incentives (and references to it in Sections 1124 and 1130). The motion was seconded and carried. Other. - Bill Locke presented a motion to dissolve Faculty Council. No action was taken. - Michael Peed expressed concern that sabbatical funding has been put on hold. According to Jack Jelinski, Billy Smith (History and Philosophy) has prepared a petition that faculty be on record as being in favor of removing sabbaticals from budget items on the table. Faculty may contact Billy Smith regarding the petition. - Provost Dooley stated that the sabbatical pool is a line item in the Provost's Office budget, and notification of sabbaticals is being withheld until March 15 so all budget items can be considered, beginning with the February 25 meeting. The purpose of Friday's joint SPBC-PEC-Deans' Council meeting is to present all estimated revenues and expenditures. No decisions about the budget will be made until after that time. - According to Peter Kommers, the faculty proposal for budgeting made in 1998 has been distributed at SPBC. Faculty Council representatives on SPBC have met to develop the recommendations further. The meeting was adjourned at 5:10 PM. Joann Amend, Secretary