MSU-BOZEMAN FACULTY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
                           October 29, 2003
                                   
Members Present: Gipp, Stringam for Weaver, Monaco, Leech, Taylor,
Howard, Christopher, Jones, Becker, Bradley, Taper, Lansverk, Levy,
Cherry, Kevane, Pratt, Neeley, Lynes-Hayes, Prawdzienski, Coon.

Members Absent: Ag Econ, Giroux, Engel, Schmidt, Jackson, Kommers,
Schlotzhauer, Seymour, Yoo, Conant, Chem, Ashley, Bond, Idzerda,
Lynch, Knight, Hoffman.

Others Present: Fedock, McCleod, Bandyopadhyay.

The meeting was called to order at 4:10 PM by Chair Warren Jones.  A
quorum was present.  The minutes of the October 22, 2003, meeting were
approved as distributed.

Chair's report - Warren Jones.
     - Chair Jones attended an October 23 Board of Regents (BOR)
     workshop in Helena.
          - A five-year plan for the BOR was discussed.
          - Regents' priorities and procedures during the next 12-18
          months were outlined.
          - Participants toured the National Guard facility, where the
          workshop was held.
     - The presidents of the MSU and UM student bodies have been
     discussing "+" and "-" grades, which are not uniformly used at
     MSU.  Scott McCarthy, ASMSU President, will attend Faculty
     Council later in the semester to discuss the issue.
     - The Short-term Professional Development Program has been
     announced.  More than one submission date has been included, as
     requested during discussion by Faculty Council.
     - It is anticipated the administrative review will be available
     on-line within the next week or two.
     - At next week's Faculty Council meeting, discussion will
     continue regarding Faculty Council's role in new academic program
     review.
     - Promotion and tenure deadlines are also to be discussed further
     at next week's meeting, if there is opportunity.  The Faculty
     Affairs Committee will make a recommendation regarding the
     deadlines.
     - Don Mathre, Chair of the MSU Benefits Committee, will attend
     University Governance Council November 12 to discuss benefits
     issues.
     - Richard Roehm a member of the Montana Board of Regents and a
     past Chair of the Regents, was introduced.  He is known as an
     advocate for the university system, the students and the faculty.

Discussion with Regent Richard Roehm.
     - In response to a question, Regent Roehm stated that one of the
     highest priorities of the Regents is to build communication
     bridges and partnerships with legislators, campus personnel, and
     the public.  An understanding that the Montana University System
     (MUS) contributes to all citizens needs to be developed.  The
     Regents are working with gubernatorial candidates, encouraging
     them to incorporate into their campaigns the message that the
     university system makes a huge contribution to the state, not
     only in educational endeavors but also in research and economic
     development.
     - The Regents want to get out the message that higher education
     in Montana is accessible and of high quality, and keeping the
     cost as low as possible is a priority.
     - Other current issues for the Regents include:
          - Improving the university-system budgeting process so
          Regents are involved earlier.
          - Making the 2-year higher education programs in the state
          function in a more cohesive, organized way.
          - Looking at nursing program issues.
          - Gathering and using data for discussion of curriculum and
          assessment issues within the system.
          - Increasing interaction between the Board of Regents and
          the Board of Education in areas of planning and budgeting.
          The MUS needs to work more closely with K-12 to develop a
          more comprehensive education plan in Montana.
     - The Regents are sensitive to rapidly-increasing tuition and the
     difficulties it presents in a poor state like Montana.  Regent
     Roehm plans to call for a study of salaries on all campuses, with
     the intent of developing a coherent approach to salaries and
     bonuses.
     - During discussion, it was pointed out that MSU is developing
     its 5-year plan now, which appears to be ahead of the university
     system's 5-year plan.  How will the plans mesh?
     - Montana's policy is that no qualified Montanan will be denied
     access to higher education, and the goal is for every Montanan to
     have at least two years of higher education.  There need to be
     standards of "qualification".  They may not necessarily be the
     same at every institution.
     - There are no longer role and scope statements for each campus,
     but campuses are allowed to move in new directions.  Rather than
     being prescriptive, the BOR has moved toward setting broad goals
     for the system and allowing units to be responsive to
     constituencies.
     - The Board of Regents has asked Commissioner Stearns to organize
     a cohesive effort to meet with all legislators before the next
     legislative session.  In response to a question about what
     Faculty Council can do to help get the word out that MSU offers a
     great education for the price, Regents Roehm replied that the
     time to talk with legislators is now, before the election and
     before the next legislative session begins.

Regent Roehm was thanked for his willingness to meet with the Council.

As there was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:00 PM.


Joann Amend, Secretary         Warren Jones, Chair