As usual, I invited corrections to the unofficial minutes posted below.
This is done to keep the entire campus aware of events in a timely manner.
The corrected minutes will accompany the next announcement of our meeting
on April 20th at 10:15 A.M.


The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Faculty Minutes
January 22, 2004

Faculty Senate President Marvin Ernst called the third regular faculty
meeting of 2003-2004 year  to order at 3:15 P.M.

First item was approval of the minutes of September 9 and September 11.
Professor Leroy Fanning moved approval, seconded by Prof. Bill Wright. The
minutes were approved. The meeting of November 12, 2003, was not an
official meeting due to lack of a quorum, so the minutes do not require
approval. They are, however, included in the archives.

Second item was election of Faculty Senate President. Profs. Joe Dumas and
Richard Rice were nominated. The election was won by Prof. Rice.

Third item was election of the Faculty Secretary. Prof. Marcia Noe was
nominated and elected by acclamation.

Fourth item was the report from Chancellor Stacy. He is continuing to talk
with Governor  Bredesen and the legislature about leaving higher education
out of the 5% cut in the state budget. We have cut 25% already. There is no
more room for cuts; we are down 22 faculty members since 2000, and there is
no flexibility.  K-12 is off the cut list.

Fifth item was a report from the Executive Committee by Prof. Ernst. They
have suggested a Priorities Advisory Committee be created to have a regular
and meaningful role for the faculty. There are other universities that have
done so. These models will be explored.

The Committee on Research Incentives is working on new incentives. The 120
hours rule is being discussed in the Senate. A confidential report on
administrative salaries is being examined with aid of Profs. Sompayrac and
Prevost.

Prof. Ernst urged faculty to attend the university Budget Committee
meetings. He looks forward to an upcoming report on the Summer School
budget by Vice Chancellor Brown.

A revision in the numbers to constitute a quorum at these meetings is being
discussed.

Fifth item was a report from Provost Friedl. He announced some events. The
budget cycle is beginning in February, and he is seeking input on what the
priorities should be. The Academic Affairs website will have a spread sheet
revision of possible budget additions,for suggestions. Some are mandatory
and others are urgent, but no specific priorities have been made at this
point. Deans and Department heads will be discussing this over the next few
weeks.

The THEC meeting soon will consider approval of the Ph.D. in Education and
Computational Engineering. We will apply to SACS after these are approved.

We have an articulation agreement with Cleveland State: Associate Degree
students can carry their General Education here without deficiencies as
Juniors. We are working with Chattanooga State for a similar agreement. A
single common articulation agreement for all regent schools is being
discussed by three Faculty Senate Committees.

Provost Friedl said the Freshman Seminar is being revised and perhaps
transformed into a more academic experience.

Prof. Ware: Will articulation permit transfers of D grades?

Provost Friedl: No, they will have to have at least a C grade for credit
transfer.

Prof. Russell: Last year summer school was coupled with regular pay
resulting in higher withholding taxes. Has any attention been given to this?

Vice-Chancellor Brown: We are still looking into it to decouple the pay
periods. It is a matter of  detail, there is no opposition.

Prof. Rice, representing the Faculty Federation, made a PowerPoint
presentation highlighting faculty concerns. He said 60 faculties were
members of the Federation, with over 800 years of service to UTC, including
former Department Heads, Presidents of the Faculty, and other leadership
positions.

Their goals are equitable salaries, complete budget transparency, faculty
involvement in mission decisions and major issues,and higher priority to
Academic Affairs. He then pointed out visually that the UT system has
suffered major image damage by problems with system Presidents. This means
that there is little immediate hope for state funding increases.

He then shared information obtained in official records in the UTC Library:
in 14 years (1989-2003) average faculty salaries increased 42% (some less)
while cost of living increased 45%,  so the actual standard of living for
most actually decreased. The administration says we are 97% of the average
of peers, but Faculty Senate Committee research using the same data base
suggests 83% is more realistic, although more analysis is needed.

Top administrative salaries increased from 1989-2003 on average 88%
(68%-100%), more than double the faculty increase. This is expected:
administrators deserve good pay, but so do faculty.

Prof. Rice then listed some of Chancellor Stacys accomplishments: he is a
charismatic leader with proven fund-raising ability. Campus construction is
notable, and there has been an enrollment increase. However, many faculty
feel they have been neglected among the many constituencies that the
Chancellor has to accommodate. Priorities in funding need to be changed or
we will lose even more younger faculty. The academic quality and mission of
UTC is threatened; our students deserve the best education possible.

Prof. Rice concluded by thanking Chancellor Stacy for promising to make the
budget process clear, complete, and open to debate. He finished with a
cartoon of a mendicant professor.

There was no other business.

Prof. Rice announced the first speaker in the Lupton Globalization Lecture
Series, Philippe Legrain, would speak Monday, January 26, at 7:00 P.M. in
the Raccoon Mountain Room of the UC Center. He will cover issues in his new
book, Open World: The Truth About Globalization.

A member of the audience thanked Prof. Ernst for his service (which will
continue to the end of the academic year) as Senate President. There was
profuse and prolonged applause.

Prof. Ernst thanked the faculty for their support of faculty governance.

Prof. Nancy Fell (Physical Therapy) won the door prize, a $25 gift
certificate to Mia Cucina: The Cooking Place located on Market Street just
north of the bridge.

Prof. Ernst announced adjournment at 4:04 P.M.

Respectfully Submitted,

Richard Rice
Faculty Secretary

_______________________________________________________________________________________________
  The fourth and final meeting of the 2003-2004 year will be April 20th at
10:15 A.M. Please mark your calendars now.