Tuesday, 20 September 2005
Meeting 2006-01

Roll Call

Absent:
Departmental senators: Badarinathi (ISOM), Berry ( PAR), Bushman (ENG), Ciner (BUS), Dworkin (PSY), Gwinn (ISOM) He (ISOM), Hurdle (Social Work), Mahar, Steve (ISOM), Messer (CRW), Monohan (FST)

Committee chairs: Frierson (Information Technology), Hanerfeld (Bookstore), Roscher (Financial Aid), Sweeney (Library), Veit (Handbook)

Approval of minutes

September minutes were approved as posted.

Individual reports

1. Chancellor DePaolo asked Provost Hosier to report on faculty pay raises. A total of close to 3% is available to each UNCW college, apportioned by the number of positions on Budget Document 119. Each individual faculty member must get at least $850; the remaining money will be pooled and distributed by merit. Departmental chairs may choose to give any unfilled positions in their department $850 or add that money to filled positions. Provost Hosier assured the Senate that administrators are keenly aware of the ongoing need to augment faculty salaries. Chancellor DePaolo added that a committee of the UNC Board of Governors is looking at campus-based tuition in toto, including the its relation to salaries. Moreover, the Office of the President's peer institution plan will give UNCW bases of comparison for salaries.
   
   Sharon Boyd, Associate Vice-chancellor for Business Affairs, reported that, since UNCW is now at its parking capacity, we need to expand parking resources. Her office is trying to encourage alternate methods of coming to campus, including shuttle buses, bicycles and feet. UNCW will try to keep surface lots out of the campus core, moving them to the periphery. Since we are promoting a pedestrian campus core with peripheral parking, the site near Trask Coliseum was chosen for the parking deck; UNCW can also realize special events revenue at that location. Building this deck will cost approximately $12 million for 600 spaces; funding this cost has lead to an increase in faculty parking fees of between $110 and $120, phased in over two years. In the face of bracingly high costs, Business Affairs is actively looking for other parking options. On a related topic, a surface parking lot will be built near the Cultural Arts Building. The subject of parking occasioned polite but vexed exchanges about the location of lots, which existing lots might be devoted to "higher uses," whether or not and how much faculty should pay for added parking or for parking at all. Associate VC Boyd agreed to meet with the Faculty Welfare Committee to discuss these issues and will address the Faculty Senate before any final decisions, as long as that is feasible.
   
2. Senate President Mark Spaulding reported that any Honorary Degree nominations should be sent to the Academic Standards Committee. The ad hoc Basic Studies Review Committee approaches the end of its work and may send some piece of its recommendations to the Senate for the October meeting. Andy Jackson (Psychology) will chair an ad hoc committee on standards and processes for promoting Research Faculty. The University High School Committee will have its report to the University Curriculum Committee in time for it to submit a report at the October Senate meeting. In a surprise to no one, UNC faculty members will not be seated on the system's Presidential Search Committee. The NC General assembly will allow an investigation into alternatives to the State Health Care Plan, but UNC faculty will not be separated from other State employees.

Committee reports

1. Buildings and Grounds chair Steve Emslie (Biology) reported that the campus Master Planners have not chosen the planning option preferred by the Buildings and Grounds committee, one incorporating reduced on-campus parking to allow for more habitat conservation. B&G member Cara Cilano (English) added that the B&G Committee is really interested in a plan that would reduce parking on campus and increasing alternative transportation, since according to projections we will be adding between 3500 and 4500 new spaces over the next ten years. Emslie reported that many species of interest are even now living in the back of campus and that the new student housing being built does not follow the Green Dorm concept. B&G member Gregory Chandler (Biology) added that the environmental study done at the behest of the Master Plan consultants was not very informed or thorough. More animated discussion followed, resulting in Emslie offering a motion from the Buildings and Grounds Committee. The Senate suspended its rules (vote 31-12) to consider the following motion, which had not appeared on the agenda for today's meeting [Motion 2006-01-01: Master Plan Revision]:
   
   Given that the UNCW Faculty Senate recognizes our role as a university in being a leader in the local community and a
   model for good environmental stewardship in a rapidly expanding urban region,
   
   Given the acknowledgement that UNCW has promoted itself as an "arboretum" campus,
   
   And given that our Mission Statement includes the premise that UNCW seeks to "study and protect the environment of
   the coastal region in which it is located":
   
   The Faculty Senate is opposed to any Master Plan design for growth at UNCW that does not include a significant reduction of cars allowed on campus and a sound plan to prevent further loss of the many natural habitats remaining on our campus. To these ends, we fully support the recommendations by the Building & Grounds Committee to phase out undergraduate parking on campus over several years, site all new buildings on existing parking lots, and design new housing units following a more "green" concept.
   
   More animated discussion ensued, after which the Senate voted to return the motion to the Buildings and Grounds Committee with the
   understanding that the Provost and other knowledgeable parties would confer with B&G before the October Senate meeting.

Old Business

President Spaulding reported that the Senate Steering Committee will decide on the specific procedures for deciding on Veit Award
recipients [include link to motion in April minutes here] and that Chancellor DePaolo and Provost Hosier have added a one-time stipend of $1000 to the boundless esteem any such recipient would reap.

Adjournment

President Spaulding adjourned the meeting at 4:02 pm.

Minutes by Dan Noland, Senate Secretary