Minutes - 2/7/2002

Missouri Western State College
Faculty Senate Minutes
February 7, 2002

Call to order:

The meeting was called to order at 4:11 p.m. by Robert Klostermeyer, Faculty Senate President.

Senators present:

Brenda Blessing, Mike Cadden, Ben Caldwell, Bill Church, Steven Greiert, Marilyn Hunt, Robert Klostermeyer, Mark Mikkelsen, Barry Nelson, Evan Noynaert, Keith Rhodes, John Tapia, Kelly Williams, Carolyn Windsor

Senators absent:
Larry Andrews, Sally Radmacher, Mike Smith

Ex-officio members present:

James Scanlon, Missouri Western State College President
James Roever, Vice President for Academic Affairs

Guests present:

Phil Mullins, Cynthia Heider

Approval of minutes:

The minutes of the previous meeting of January 24, 2002 were approved as submitted (Blessing).

Approval of agenda:

The agenda for today's meeting was approved as proposed (Greiert).

Report from college president:

President Scanlon reported that he is just back from Jefferson City, where he has spent eight days during the past two weeks dealing principally with serious financial issues for Missouri higher education including Missouri Western budget appropriations. Governor Holden has proposed a ten percent core budget cut for all Missouri state institutions of higher education, in addition to the normal three percent funds withholding provision. If passed by the state legislature, this would bring higher education in Missouri back to funding level seen in fiscal year 1999, or back to fiscal year 1997 if inflationary adjustments are considered. With these cuts, higher education would take approximately five years to gain back to the funding level of July 1, 2001. President Scanlon, along with other Missouri state college and university presidents, had the opportunity to meet with Governor Holden to discuss these proposals and their implications. Among the discussions was a suggestion by Scanlon that the higher education presidents need to meet with the governor on some regular basis. At that meeting, the governor informed those present that the funding cuts would be "at least ten percent," with the final outcome depending on the action of the state legislature. It was recommended by the higher education presidents that the ten percent cut be considered "withholding" rather than as a "core budget cut." Some of the rationale for the proposed cuts are the requirements from various state agencies requiring additional (new) revenue, including Missouri K-12 public education and Missouri mental health; Scanlon indicated that there is a possibility that the legislature will not buy into those additional new revenue recommendations. Furthermore, Governor Holden indicated that the state "Rainy Day" fund will likely be drawn upon as needed.

Scanlon then turned his attention to the higher education funding equity issue, indicating that various state legislators (in addition to our local legislators) are beginning to understand and possibly accept the needed changes in equity funding for higher education, although the funds to implement these changes are just not available at the present time. Scanlon has recommended to them that when the resources do become available that this equity problem should be a firm issue.

Scanlon reported that we are developing a plan for Missouri Western to accommodate the impending $2.2 million core cut. Other issues affect our accommodations planning, such as the likely rise in health insurance costs for next year. He has requested that James Roever, vice president for academic affairs, work specifically on a contingency plan for academics to meet these cuts. Scanlon indicated that we would be able to keep all full-time permanent faculty positions during this budget crunch, but part-time and temporary positions may have to be cut.

President Scanlon had also met with Kayla Stroup, the Missouri Commissioner of Higher Education, in which she affirmed that the Missouri Western equity funding issue is now a high priority with her, second only to the impeding budget cuts.

Scanlon announced that U.S. Senator Christopher Bond will visit Missouri Western on Monday, February 12, to announce that Western will receive a $250 thousand federal grant to begin the process of renovating the science and math building. The meeting will be held at 12:00 noon in room S/M 312.

Some discussion followed President Scanlon's report, centered around the matters just presented.

Report from vice president for academic affairs:

James Roever, vice president for academic affairs, reported that he has been meeting with his cabinet in an effort to target the proposed budget cuts. He indicated that approximately 62 to 64 percent of the total $2 million cut will come from adjustments to academics; this approximates to $1.250 - $1.300 million. Possible areas for cutting would be M.O.A.'s, temporary positions, and current faculty vacancies. The intention is NOT (Roever's emphasis) to cut any academic programs. The cabinet will meet again on Monday, February 12 in order to finalize their strategy, after which, President Scanlon will compile a summary report from the contingency plans from the contributing vice presidents.

Some discussion followed regarding these strategies and possibilities.

Report from Faculty Senate executive committee:

Robert Klostermeyer, Faculty Senate president, invited Phil Mullins to distribute the Ad Hoc Grievance Review Committee Final Report (Attachment A), and encouraged senators to review it subsequent to the February 21 senate meeting, at which time the report shall be discussed.

Klostermeyer praised the lines of communication that have been established between the senate executive committee and the college president, and expressed the hopes that such open communication will continue as the norm. He then encouraged any senators or faculty members who have concerns that need consideration or discussion to express those concerns to any member of the senate executive committee (Klostermeyer, Greiert, or Nelson) for possible presentation to President Scanlon.

Preliminary general studies report:

Cynthia Heider, chairperson of the general studies committee, reported that the committee has been actively and heavily involved in "competency assessment review" for every general studies course, a study of student profiles in general studies courses, a review of general studies course syllabi, and curriculum committee matters involving general studies courses. She then distributed copies of the committee's General Education Status Report (Attachment B), indicating that there are differences from the older version. She also distributed copies of the two pages from the current Missouri Western State College Catalog which describe the current published philosophy of Missouri Western's four-year general studies program (Attachment C) so that senators could compare the committee's newly proposed general studies philosophy with the existing philosophy.

In addition, Heider request that the faculty senate accept or act upon the forty-two hour signatory clause/report as required by the state general education guidelines.

Some discussion followed Heider's report.

New business:

Senator Cadden distributed an informational report entitled Report to Faculty Senate; Fringe Benefits Committee (Attachment D) offered as an addendum to the preliminary informational report provided on December 6, 2001.

Adjournment:

The meeting was adjourned at 5:35 p.m. (Blessing)



G. Barry Nelson
Faculty Senate Secretary