Minutes of 26 March 2007

Circulated:  26 March 2007

Approved:  2 April 2007

THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs

6048 Fleming Administration Building

Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1340

Phone: (734) 764-0303

Fax: (734) 764-6564

Internet Address:  http://www.umich.edu/~sacua/

Approved minutes:  http://www.umich.edu/~sacua/sacmin/sacuaminutes.html

MINUTES OF THE SACUA MEETING OF 26 MARCH 2007

Present: Frier, Giordani, MacAdam, Meerkov, Potter, Riles, Seabury, Smith (chair); Lehman; Carr, Schneider

Absent:  Combi

Guests:  K. Brown

MATERIALS DISTRIBUTED:

1. Draft agenda

2. Draft minutes of 12 March 2007

3. Draft minutes of 19 March 2007

4. Diversity Blueprints Final Report, dated 15 March 2007

5. SACUA Retreat Issues List, dated 26 June 2007

6. SACUA/Senate Assembly Planning Schedule, updated 22 March 2007

Chair Smith convened the meeting at 2:30 P.M.  The proposed agenda was approved.

CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES

The minutes of 12 March 2007 were provisionally approved as submitted pending receipt of any corrections from the provost regarding the substance of her visit.  The minutes of 19 March 2007 were approved as submitted.

ANNOUNCEMENTS/UPDATES

1. The president's reception for SACUA will be on 9 April at Inglis House. 
2. The chair and Professor Potter will have a regularly scheduled meeting with the president on 28 March.
3. The chair and Professor Lehman will have a regularly scheduled meeting with the provost on 2 April.
4. Professor Potter will draft the April Regents' Faculty Governance Update, which is due on 5 April. 
5. On 10 May, Professor Mary Steinhart from UT-Austin will address the UM-AAUP Annual Chapter Meeting about faculty grievance procedures at her campus.

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ACTION OF SACUA 032607-1

Professor Potter moved that SACUA will join with AAUP to co-sponsor a 10 May 2007 forum on faculty grievance procedures (multiple seconds).

The action was approved by unanimous vote.

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6. On 14 April, the U-M provost will deliver the keynote address at the State Conference of AAUP in Lansing.  The topic is faculty governance.
7. Future Senate Assembly Meetings - The Athletic Director has offered to address the Senate Assembly on 14 May 2007.  The CESF has planned to deliver its annual report that same day.
8. The Michigan Healthy Community Advisory Committee has been formed.  It is widely community based, and includes representatives from collective bargaining units as well as students.  They are in the process of creating subcommittees for various purposes.
9. Diversity Blueprints Report- -The content of the report was presented to Senate Assembly by the provost last week.  The report contained relatively few specific details.  Plans for implementation of report recommendations have not been announced.
10. Search Committees - (1) the initial review committee met to review candidates for central ombuds.  At least one candidate has been notified that he/she would be interviewed by D. Sharphorn and J. Frumkin prior to 30-minute interviews with search committee members.  Leading candidates will subsequently be considered by SACUA.  (2) the search for dean of the Medical School has proceeded to the point of three-day on-campus visits by five candidates. 

UM FACULTY UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP

The chair pointed out that the Senate's new initiative must be called "scholarship" rather than "fellowship" because of tax implications.  The deadline for making donations that will be matched by the president is 31 December 2007.  A minimum of $13,000 is still required.  Professor Meerkov urged the chair to send a message to the entire faculty as soon as possible, and well before the end of the term.  Professor Riles recommended that donors be provided a token gift of acknowledgement for their contributions.

SACUA RETREAT

On 2 April SACUA will review its progress on the issues it identified during its 2006 retreat.

LIAISON REPORTS

AAAC-
Professor Riles reported that at its March 14 meeting AAAC met briefly with the Registrar, Paul Robinson, and reasserted its request that instructors be notified of any and all grade changes. Retroactive withdrawals requested by college administrators were of particular concern.

            A subcommittee charged to write an advisory report to the Provost on responding to the Spellings Report (chaired by Ben van der Pluijm) circulated a mature draft, which was discussed and endorsed by AAAC. The draft report suggests a variety of ways to establish that learning does take place among undergraduates.

            Similarly, a subcommittee charged to respond to the McDonald-Weiss report chaired by Professor David Potter circulated a mature report draft, which too was discussed and endorsed by AAAC. The draft report stresses the absence of hard data to support the original McDonald-Weiss rationales for changing the tenure process.

            The committee also discussed the issue of changes to final exam dates, as requested by the Provost. Although there was considerable diversity of opinion on how best to implement final exams, there was strong agreement that the instructor should offer students the option of taking an exam at the official time even if giving the exam at an alternative time to most students.

Medical Affairs Advisory-

Professor Seabury reported that the committee met and discussed patient care issues in the medical center.  Structures are highly fragmented and inter-unit communications are poor.  There are also problems with the operation and efficiency of the emergency room.  However, most chairs on the committee testify that they receive excellent care in the emergency room.  EVPMA Kelch told the committee that about 40 additional beds would be added to the acute care division.

Communications-

Professor Giordani reported that the committee learned about coordination among the three research universities in the Research Corridor.  There will be a number of initiatives to promote increased communication.

CESF-

Professor Smith reported that the CESF met with several administrators last week. There was an unresolved question about a letter asking participants in TIAA-CREF long-term care insurance to change their benefits.

Budget Study-

The committee met and discussed uncertainties in the data it had received.  However, top administrative officers have experienced greater salary appreciation than any other group.  The lowest salary increases are correlated with associate chairs. 

Unit Shared Governance-

Professor Meerkov reported that the College of Engineering will be voting on a proposal to change its rules regarding election of executive committee members.

UMPA-

Professor Meerkov reported that the faculty working group has been working on a plan for the U-M Pre-College Academy, and that vice-provost Monts has reacted positively.

OLD/NEW BUSINESS

There was no other business.

The meeting adjourned at 4:37 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

John Lehman

Senate Secretary

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University of Michigan Bylaws of the Board of Regents, Sec. 5.02: 

Governing Bodies in Schools and Colleges