ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FACULTY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

Date: 16 April 1984 )
10% James LeRoy Smith, Chair of the Faculty
From: Jone J. Ryan, Chair

Marsha Ironsmith, Secretary

Membership of the committee:

Conner Atkeson, History

Anne Briley, Library Services

Meta Downes, Allied Health

Rosalie Haritun, Music (alternate)
Carlton Heckrotte, Biology

Bob Hursey, Math

Marsha Ironsmith, Psychology, secretary
Ione Ryan, Counseling Center, chair
Sylvene Spickerman, Nursing (alternate)
Jerry Tester, Technology, vice chair
James LeRoy Smith, Chair of the Faculty
Chancellor John Howell

Committee meetings and members absent:
September 19 (Haritun)

October 3 (Tester)

October 24 (Atkeson)

October 31 (Downes)

November 14 (Atkeson)

November 17

November 22 (Spickerman)

December 5 (Atkeson, Haritun, Tester)

January 23 (Haritun, Tester)

February 13 (Briley, Hursey, Spickerman, Tester)
March 27 (Atkeson, Spickerman)

April 9

April 17 (Atkeson, Briley, Spickerman, Tester)
Two open hearings were held as well:

November 29 (Atkeson)

January 17 (Atkeson)

Date of reports to Faculty Senate:
February 21, March 27, April 17, 1984

The committee was 1) mandated to "study the possibility of removing the
restriction on non-tenure track positions which limits their length of
appointment to six years," and 2) requested to consider the issue of
emeritus status for faculty.

The Faculty Affairs functioned as a whole for the most part, relative
to issue #1 (see Section V). Two public hearings were held by the FAC
at which 10 faculty members presented their views on the issue. Two
subcommittees wrote and edited the report to the Senate relative to the
study of fixed-term appointments.

 
A subcommittee worked: on the issue of -granting emeritus status to
faculty. A recommendation, sent to the Senate Agenda Committee, for
possible placement on the Senate agenda in April, was re-referred to
the FAC for clarification. This matter was returned to the
subcommittee for reconsideration in 1984-85.

The FAC devoted the academic year to the study of the issue mandated to
it by the Senate in 1983. After extensive and exhaustive deliberation,
the FAC completed its study of non-tenure-track positions and: strongly
recommended that the Senate voice to the Administration a reaffirmation
of its belief on the impropriety of appointing faculty to non-tenure~
track, non-probationary positions which are: needed for longer than six
years. The Senate, unfortunately, failed to take a position on the
matter; instead, the Senate referred the issue to an ad hoc Task Force
for study, which the FAC felt was a disfranchisement of a duly-
appointed Senate committee. When this was brought to the attention of
the Senate, they rescinded their action and re-referred the matter to
the FAC. The FAC hopes that the Senate's re-referral of the issues to
the committee will prove significant in furthering effective Senate
committee functioning in the future.

None

Evaluation of the committee:

A. Structure: excellent

B. Duties: appropriate, as spelled out.

C. Functions: The committee functioned and performed its duties
exceptionally well. The committee felt that the Senate's decision
to refer the non-tenure~track appointment issue to a Task Force
constituted a disservice to all Senate committees and threatened to
undermine the Senate committee system. The committee commends the
Senate's action in rescinding this motion and re-referring the issue
to the FAC.

D. Personnel: Outstanding. The FAC members were diligent, committed
and gave unstintingly of their time and effort.

Suggestions for improving the effectiveness of the committee:

Within the committee, nothing. To improve committee service, the FAC
believes that all Senate committees' recommendations to the Senate
should either be passed, rejected or re-referred. The FAC would also
like to see broader input into committees from other units within the
University. Committee morale is weakened when issues are not brought
to the attention of the committees in spite of repeated circulation of
recommendations and open hearings. Issues which are not brought out
until a recommendation reaches the Senate floor can rarely be clarified
on the Senate floor.