“Item A”
The teaching load for all full-time members of the faculty is 21 hours per academic year until the load is uniformly reduced to 18 hours per academic year for all full-time faculty.
A discussion of process brought out four options for the Senate: to send this back to the Committee on Academic Relations, Policies, and Procedures (ARPP), to uphold the vetoes, to vote to override them, or to negotiate changes in the Handbook on these issues right away. Some expressed concern that the faculty not ignore the voice of the faculty on these important issues that have been before us for two years and that there is value in sending this expression of dissatisfaction to the Trustees. Others felt it pointless to ask the Trustees to overrule the AVP on this. It was suggested that once they say no, the door will be closed.
Motion: C. Donn moved that the officers of the senate enter into negotiations with the administration to come to a mutual resolution. B. Blaszak seconded the motion. The motion carried by a vote of 26 - 3 - 7.
“Item D”
A member of the faculty shall be granted a one-course reduction from the teaching load described above, upon request, if the total enrollment in her/his courses during the previous academic year (exclusive of compensated overloads) exceeded 175 students.
Item D was approved with reservations by AVP Ryan last year. With the change in AVPs and the failure of the College to put into practice this policy, it was asked if this does not make AVP Geisinger’s subsequent veto of Item D null and void. The procedural timeline came into question. It was recalled that Fr. Ryan was given further time to respond initially to the referendum and then asked for time to gather data. Regardless, “Item D” was approved by Fr. Ryan as AVP.
AVP Geisinger responded that he vetoed Item D because the College is early in a process of looking at faculty/student ratio and course loads and that this is not the time to make changes on this issue of productivity. It remains unclear that we can get to 15 to 1 ratio with the 175 cap. When you look at the reverse of whether faculty would be willing to add to their load if they taught less than this number of students, it shows that Item D is flawed. The AVP would not speak to the issue of whether or not he was authorized to veto Item D. He made a decision when asked to do so.
In response, the faculty pointed out that, indeed, D is flawed without the documentation and data on what the practice has been. Procedurally this entire matter is flawed.
Motion: C. Donn moved and V. Hevern seconded the following resolution. The veto of Item D as expressed in the September 12, 1997 memo from the AVP should be considered null and void as a violation of the Faculty Senate Constitution. The motion passed with none opposed and one abstention.
It was clarified at this point that C. Donn’s first motion on entering negotiations with the administration was not meant to be inclusive of all the other items.
“Item B”
The teaching load for chairs of departments is 12 hours per academic year.
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Motion: E. Hayes moved that the Senate authorize its officers and department chairs to enter into negotiations with the administration to come to a mutual resolution on Item B by March 1, 1998. A. Vetrano seconded the motion. The motion carried by a vote of 30 - 1 - 3.
“Item G”
A member of the faculty may be granted reductions in her/his teaching load, upon request, in recognition of service such as Director of a Program, Chair of the Committee on Rank and Tenure, Chair of the Health Professions Advisory Committee, or other such activities in service to the College requiring similar effort, as agreed upon by the Academic Dean and the appropriate Department Chair. Such a reduction may be made in advance, if the activity can be predicted or in recognition of past service. All such reductions shall be publicly announced.
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Motion: I. Barnello moved that the Senate authorize the Senate officers and department chairs to enter into negotiations with the administration to come to a mutual resolution on Item G by March 1, 1998. R. Bucko seconded the motion. It passed 21 - 0 - 1.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:20 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Inga H. Barnello
Secretary/Treasurer
October 9, 1997
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Created: 10/9/97 by I.Barnello Updated: 10/9/97