Vicki L. Tate
Faculty Senate Chair’s Report
For Sept. 19, 2007 Faculty Senate Meeting
Budget Council Meeting, Aug. 2 & 3, 2007
The proposed budgets for the various entities in the University were presented. For FY 07/08 the State appropriation increase will be $17.7 million, which includes earmarks for Mitchell Cancer Institute and Center for Prevention of Birth Defects. After all of the necessary expenses are cover, there is a good possibility that the University will be able to include an approximate 5% salary increase for University employees in the next fiscal year.
College of Nursing had a special request to fund 3 new faculty lines by O & M budget, in addition to 6 new lines funded through self-supporting or grant funds. The new faculty positions would ensure the implementation of the new Doctor of Nursing Practice that began this year. The Council approved the increase in faculty positions.
College of Engineering will have an increase of one continuing faculty line in Electrical and Computer, as well as 2 one-year-only positions and another one-year-only in Mechanical Engineering. Arts & Sciences has added one continuing position in Communications and another continuing position in Meteorology, as well as a one-year-only position in Chemistry.
The Office of Development and Alumni Affairs requested 3 new positions. The Campaign USA is doing well which warrants additional people to keep track of the increased activity in gift giving. The Council approved the increase in administrative positions.
College of Medicine will have two new faculty lines in the coming year. There will also be changes in the Psychiatry Department, due to retirements in the department. The University will be contracting with Mobile Health Services to provide oversight of the clinical program.
USA Fringe Benefits Committee, Aug. 7, 2007
A special lunch meeting was hosted by Alabama Blue Cross and Blue Shield to present their campaign for BeHealthy.com. By signing on through CustomerAccess, (http://www.bcbsal.org), it allows you access to your claim statements (which gives you a history of your medical visits) and your Rx claim history. There are several assessment tools you can utilize, such as HealthQuotient, and consumer information regarding health issues. To encourage employees to take advantage of the incentive activities, there is a BeHealthy Rewards program, which the University is considering.
University Press Conference, Aug. 28, 2007
Pres. Moulton announced that USA has now topped the 14,000 student level. This is an increase of over 700 students over last year’s level. Graduate students also reached a record level with 2,810 students, which is a 2.86% increase. The number of Undergraduate student has increased by 6.07%, with a record Freshman Class of 1,671 students. The disciplines with the largest increase in students were Engineering (with a 17.5% increase) and the health-related programs, which now represent 30 percent of USA’s total enrollment.
Faculty Senate Executive Committee meeting, Sept. 5, 2007
The question of the status of equity pay, as outlined by the “External Equity Adjustment Recommendations” that was passed by the Senate in Sept. 2007, was discussed. The Salary & Fringe Benefits Committee had some questions which they requested be put to the University Administration.
The Late Course Withdrawal Policy proposal was discussed. A revised proposal will be brought to the next senate meeting.
There have been no volunteers for chairing the University Planning and Development Committee. John Sachs has agreed to be interim Chair, until a permanent chair can be determined, so the committee can convene.
The proposed “Responsibilities of Faculty Officers and Caucus Leaders” were approved by the committee and will be posted on the Faculty Senate website.
Plans are going forward for the Faculty Senate-sponsored Town Meetings.
FS Executive Committee meeting with President Moulton, Sept. 12, 2007
The Executive Committee brought to the Administration some questions that were requested by the Faculty Senate Salary & Fringe Benefits Committee. The Administration is planning on looking at another round of equity/merit pay increases based on data for 2007 year. The information should be available in March 2008. They will be conducting a study similar to the ones done previously to see of the current status of USA faculty salaries compared to peer institutions. In previous studies, UAB and Southern Miss have not been included because neither institution participates in College and University Professional Association (CUPA) study. If they ever decide to participate, then they will be included in our peer institution list. The one question that the CUPA study does not address is how merit and equity pay are awarded at the various institutions—it only report earnings by discipline and rank, and not how the increases are determined.
Also, the University Administration is actively pursuing plans for a University Club and hope to have something to announce in the near future.
USA Foundation Board of Trustees, Sept., 17, 2007
The Board reported that the investments of the Foundation, including both stocks and timber sales, have done well for the past year. The Foundation has received gifts of over $6.2 million, their stock portfolio had a yield of over 20%, and their timber sales netted $5.8 million. Because of the successful growth in their assets, the Board has decided to give the University double the amount of their annual committee to the Mitchell Cancer Institute, for a total of $3 million, for this year. The Foundation has in the past already given $6 million in direct funding for the MCI, plus $5.6 million in chair endowments.
The Foundation will receive over $160,000 from the Driskell-Calhoun Foundation to fund the Daphne Driskell Calhoun Cancer Research Fund, which the Foundation will match in funds and manage.
The Foundation also presented to Dr. Glenn Sebastian, former chair of the Earth Science Department, a resolution honoring his 40 years of service to the University.
University of South Alabama - Faculty Senate - Mobile, AL 36688-0002
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Last date changed: October 24 , 2007
URL: http://www.usouthal.edu/usa/fsenate/records/reports/ChairReport_091907.html