October Minutes, Faculty Senate

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MINUTES

Second Meeting
Academic Year 1997-1998
Faculty Senate of Villanova
University in the Cinema Room
Connelly Center, Monday, October 6, 1997
at 4:00 PM.

PRESENT: Professors John D.Caputo; Walter E.Conn; Rick Eckstein, {Vice-Chair}; Trudi Graves; Lowell Gustafson, Masako Hamada; Karyn Hollis; Edward Kresch; Kenneth Kroos; Michael L.Levitan, {Executive Secretary}; Howard Lurie; Harry Strack; Robert Styer, {Treasurer}; Joyce Willens, and Margaret King, Recording Secretary.

ABSENT: Professors Cheryl Asher, William J.Barnhurst, Victor Brooks, Linda Copel, William Fitzpatrick, Michael Hones, and Virginia Powers.

AGENDA:

The minutes of the April 14, 1997 meeting were unanimously approved.

Announcements and Correspondence

Professor Karyn Hollis is the newly appointed Senator from Arts.

Professor Masako Hamada reported that Friday, May 1, 1998 is the only available date for the Faculty Evening Social. The date was accepted.

Professor Gustafson suggested that the format for the Minutes of Faculty Senate meetings be revised to report the results of the meetings, eliminating much of the discussion reported in the past. Substantive background materials would be included in the minutes when appropriate. The change was accepted.

Professor Gustafson reported that the Board of Trustees is meeting on Friday, October 10 to consider changing the status of the football program to Division 1A. After some discussion, the following motion was moved by Professor Strack:

In the spirit of shared governance, the President is requested to ask the Board of Trustees to consult representative bodies of all constituencies on campus before making a final decision to move Villanova University to a higher division of football.
The motion carried, 11 in favor, 2 opposed with 1 abstaining.

Proposed Revision of Faculty Handbook Statement

The Faculty Handbook is currently being revised. At present, it states:

FACULTY COUNCIL

Faculty Council is a proportional representative body constituted by the full-time faculty of the University for the purpose of discussing all matters affecting the faculty and, when appropriate, passing resolutions expressing the faculty's consensus on such matters. Council consists of 20 full-time faculty representatives and one part-time faculty representative elected for three-year terms. Standing committees reporting to Council are the Executive Committee, the Salary and Benefits Committee, and the Elections Committee. Various ad hoc committees are formed as needed to study faculty-related matters and present reports to Council. The Faculty Council provides a direct link between the faculty and the administration on issues.

Professor Lurie moved to modify the description of the Faculty Council as follows:

Prior to voting on Professor Lurie's motion, an amendment was made to reinstate the sentence struck by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, modified with the appropriate name change:

The Faculty Senate provides a direct link between the faculty and the administration on issues of faculty concern." The amendment carried, 13 in favor, 0 opposed with 1 abstaining. After further discussion, Professor Lurie moved the following:

FACULTY SENATE
The Faculty Senate is a proportional representative body established by the full-time faculty of the University for the purpose of discussing all matters affecting the faculty and, when appropriate, passing resolutions expressing its views on such matters. The Faculty Senate consists of 20 full-time faculty representatives and one part-time faculty representative elected for three-year terms. Standing committees reporting to the Faculty Senate are the Executive Committee, the Salary and Benefits Committee, and the Elections Committee. Various ad hoc committees are formed as needed. The Faculty Senate provides a direct link between the faculty and the administration on issues of faculty concern.
The motion carried unanimously.

Preliminary Faculty Workload Report

Professor Eckstein reported on his research on faculty workload at Villanova.

His analysis of a sample of faculty mebers' workloads from Arts and Sciences appeared to validate an administrative report that the average workload was approximately 3 courses per semester. It is important to note that this average was computed by including, in the definition of faculty, chairs and people with administrative reductions. Clearly, this would have a depressing effect on the average. One way around this complication would be to separate out those faculty whose responsibilities have a significant non-teaching component. It was suggested that an alternative analysis be considered, whereby histograms of faculty workload would be created for each department, and faculty with non-research reductions be considered separately. This would be more useful in detailing the distribution of workload throughout the university rather than finding an average across the university as a whole. Subsequently, a discussion ensued regarding the questionable appropriateness of Villanova's charging faculty $11 monthly for home computer connection to Falvey Library's new FLASH system.

Preliminary Benefits Report

Professor Edward V.McAssey, Chair of the University Benefits Committee, gave a report on the current status of benefits. He stated that the Board of Trustees is focusing its attention on this area. Hewitt Associates, a consulting group, was hired to study the entire benefits package. They submitted a preliminary report in September. The benefits package consists of: Social Security, tuition remission, the pension plan, health care and miscellaneous coverage (life insurance, disability coverage, etc.).

An analysis of health care found that Villanova, relative to our peer group, is low in medical coverage while it is high in dental coverage.

Tuition remission and tuition exchange represent significant benefits to employees at Villanova. However, given that student recipients of these benefits are permitted to reside in on-campus housing, they deprive Villanova of the income derived from tuition-paying students who would normally live in that housing. At present, Villanova is reporting an imbalance of imports over exports in the tuition exchange program. A discussion ensued concerning various ways to remedy this situation. The program of tuition grants has yet to be decided upon.

At present, the Board of Trustees is considering the issue of early retirement.

Issues dealing with maternity leave and child care have yet to be resolved.

It was noted that retirement benefits are low relative to our peer institutions.

Subsequent discussion focused on issues of benefit equity for employees. For example, the same level of medical coverage for two employees having chosen different carriers may require a different level of university contribution for each employee.

Professor Gustafson thanked Professor McAssey for his excellent report.

Motion for adjournment was carried at 5:45 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Michael L.Levitan

Executive Secretary