FACULTY SENATE MINUTES
FOR DECEMBER 8, 1998-EXECUTIVE SESSION
(Vol. xxviii, No. 13)

The Faculty Senate went into executive session at 3:25 p.m. on Tuesday, December 8, 1998, to discuss VPAA Abebe's proposal to change the title of the position of Coordinator of Curriculum Development to Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs. This title would more accurately reflect Mary Herrington-Perry's current duties and abilities.

Chair James Tidwell discussed the situation with Cynthia Nichols, Director of Civil Rights, Affirmative Action, and Diversity yesterday. This would be a reclassified position. The duties are the same. There is a letter on file of Dr. Abebe's rationale for the reclassification, and there is precedence for this type of action. Reclassification is not a promotion, just a change in title.

Currently, the structure in the VPAA's office includes the Provost and VPAA, the Associate Vice President, two assistant vice presidents, and a coordinator of curriculum. In addition, there is a vacant assistant vice president position, formerly held by Cynthia Nichols, which will not be filled. VPAA Abebe explained to the senators his reasons for reclassifying the position currently held by Mary Herrington-Perry:

1. To show that he is trying to gain some efficiencies in the office,

2. To align the responsibilities to the work,

3. To bring about coherence and symmetry to the responsibilities

4. To serve the faculty and the university better

5. To use available talents within the institution and provide equal opportunity for competent people who are proven performers in office

6. To be accountable for the resources devoted to his office in the same way he holds the deans accountable.

He also explained that he communicated to the Senate in the manner he did because this is a personnel matter. He has the responsibility to protect the Senate and the university from charges that could be leveled against those bodies and to protect the employees of his office. There is no procedure to handle such matters other than to ask the Senate Chair for advice. He asked for the Senate's help to discuss how to talk about such personnel matters.

VPAA Abebe also assured the senate that, in carrying out his responsibilities, he (1) will always consult with the Senate, (2) will listen to the Senate, (3) will make adjustments to his position if warranted, and (4) will be candid with the Senate. While he values the senators as individuals and as an entity, he will not delegate to the Senate the responsibility conferred on him for decisions for which he is accountable.

Charles Evans has resigned from his position; that position and two others (curriculum coordinator and Cynthia Nichols's former position) will not be filled. However, these positions will not be eliminated at this time. This will create the following structure in the VPAA's office: Provost and VPAA, Associate VPAA, and two assistant VPAA's (Jeanne Simpson and Mary Herrington-Perry). The job responsibilities will be as follows:

Jeff Cross, Associate VPAA, will be responsible for budget development and management, policy development, instructional technology, instructional facilities, contract management and support, and strategic planning, staffing, and operations.

Jeanne Simpson, Assistant VPAA, will be responsible for contract management activities, summer school, assessment, and responding to student and parent issues.

Mary Herrington-Perry, Assistant VPAA, will be the liaison with the IBHE, in charge of IAI, curriculum development and coordinator, North-Central accreditation, general education issues, curriculum planning, freshmen seminars, liaison with women's Advisory Council, review of graduate education, and writing across the curriculum.

When Terry Weidner left the office, each person in the VPAA's office was evaluated. In Mary Herrington-Perry's evaluation he made the statement that her position should be reclassified. She is a performer. For equal work done, her title should be realigned.

Some senators stated that they would have preferred going into executive session rather than receiving a confidential memo. VPAA Abebe responded that he told the Senate's executive committee in confidence he was thinking about this. He still thinks that the way it was handled was exactly right because it gave the Senate a chance to study this and to know why the Senate was going into closed session.

In response to questions Abebe said that Herrington-Perry will receive an increase in salary. When asked when the decision was made, he responded that it had not been made yet.

Some senators, although pleased with the way the situation was handled in today's closed session, were unhappy with the manner in which things were handled at last week's (December 1) meeting. There were circumstances last week that were unfortunate; one of them was the shortness of time.

Others said they did not have any problems with the manner in which things were handled. They preferred having time to think about the issue before meeting.

During the discussion the following points were made:

Concerns were expressed about fair play and affirmative action. Jobs should be posted and people should apply for them.

We should put ourselves in that position. How do we say, "you are doing a great job, but we're going to hire someone else."

The governing documents require consultation with the appropriate bodies; however, they are silent about how that consultation should be done. This is a reclassification-not a new position.

Is there a gap in the governing procedures? One of the things the new president will do is to examine the governing procedures and determine if changes need to be made.

The Faculty Senate also has a responsibility to communicate with the campus.

Abebe's letter and the manner in which he shared it with the Senate is a model for the campus.

The Senate's job is to ask questions; this is a constructive approach. People who ask questions should not be blamed for doing their job.

Irwin/Eberly moved that the Senate leave the executive session at 4:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Nancy D. Marlow, Recorder