Minutes of the University Committee
for March 4, 2003

Call to Order - The meeting was called to order at 11:10 AM by Prof Peggy James, Chair. Present in addition were J. Buenker, J. Kinchen, D. Kummings, G. Mayer, and G. Wood; Chancellor Jack Keating, Provost Rebecca Martin, Vice Chancellor Bill Streeter, and Walter Feldt, Secretary of the Faculty.

Business - Proposed Academic Reorganization

Chancellor Keating, Provost Martin and Vice Chancellor Streeter described a plan to reorganize the academic administration. Highlights included ...

• The budgetary function report to the Provost. Dave Holle would thus report to Provost Martin instead of Vice Chancellor Streeter.

• The Controller, Catherine Jameson, would report to Vice Chancellor Streeter directly. Business Services would report to Ms Jameson.

• The Special Assistant to the Provost position, currently held by Jerry Greenfield, would be eliminated, and the Associate Vice Chancellor (AVP) position, currently held by Gene Goodman, would be restructured. Additional budgetary responsibilities would be given to the deans. An internal search would be conducted for the Associate Vice Chancellor position. A draft position description for the revised AVP position was distributed and discussed.

Affirmative Action Officer

The Committee, the Chancellor and the Provost briefly discussed the term of the current interim Affirmative Action Officer. The Chancellor said that Bridgette Johnson would occupy the postion for a year or two.

At this point, Chancellor Keating left the meeting.

Nonrenewal of Lecturers / Academic Budget Reductions

The Committee asked the Provost why some Lecturers had been nonrenewed, apparently by surprise, in recent weeks. The Provost replied that these actions were prompted by the current budgetary crisis and notice provisions. She said that she would have preferred to have a lengthier consultative process, but this was not possible in the current climate.

With lesser time contraints, she continued, there will be a consultative process involving the Committee on Academic Planning (CAP). This process, beginning this spring, and based on the program appraisal framework, may result in program reductions, staff reductions and reassignments. CAP will be considering the data to be provided by the administration when formulating its recommendations.

The composition of this data set was discussed by the CAP the UC and the administration. The data set for each department will be shared with the chair for review and comment.

In response to a question, the Provost stated that the principles of affirmative action would continue to be used in the approved faculty searches now underway. She also said that she was sensitive to the prospect that layoffs, to the extent that they are based on seniority, might disproportionately affect minorities and that she would attempt to minimize this.

Adjournment - The meeting adjourned at 12:05 PM.

Respectfully submitted,
Walter T Feldt
Secretary of the Faculty