Wednesday,
January 8, 2003
Husky Hut, Gorham
I.
ATTENDANCE: The meeting was called to order at 9:37 am by Senate Vice
Chair, Eric James.
Present: Julie Archibald, Dan Axford, Donna Bird, Norma Charette, Robin
Day, Dana Gray, Eric James, Pat Marston, Michael Mullett, Kathleen Pease, Kerry
Sullivan, Nolan Thompson, Lisa Yaeger
Excused: Casandra Fitzherbert, Kim-Marie Martin, Susan Martin, Rodney
Mondor, Pamela Roy, Colleen White
Absent: Elaine O’Reilly
II. ACCEPTANCE OF DECEMBER 11, 2002 MINUTES: Minutes were accepted as written.
III. PRESIDENT’S OFFICE REPORT: Rosa Redonnett reported that all UMS campuses were going through budget hearings with the Chancellor and his staff. USM’s meeting was on January 6 and lasted for 6 hours. Items discussed included academic program growth, hopes and objectives for USM, and the looming budget situation. UMS was hit with a $1.85 million budget cut; USM’s share is $450,000. Growth in spring enrollment may offset most, or at least some, of the cut. Deposits in general are up 14% (transfer deposits up 23% within that); enrollment thus far is up about 4% (credit hours). The current winter session is very strong and admissions for fall 2003 has begun. The next biennium will be very difficult for the System. It depends on what happens with the legislature given the state’s $1B deficit. The review of Bailey Hall by HL Turner is underway. The consulting firm will meet again with the occupants of the building with their preliminary findings from the one-on- one interviews later this month.
PARKING: Thanks to Rosa’s reminder of the upcoming parking situation in the spring semester in Portland, the Senate unanimously voted to suspend By-Laws §III.F.1. which requires the Senate to meet alternately in Portland and Gorham. Additionally, meeting once in Augusta and once at LAC in the spring were discussed as options. The next Senate meeting will be held on February 12 from 2:30-4:30 in Gorham, location TBD. Later locations and times will be determined at February’s meeting.
IV.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Elections Committee: Donna Bird reported the following status for the
upcoming elections: term ends in 2004 (not up for reelection this year): Archibald,
Axford, Bird, Charette, Fitzherbert, Marston, Pease, Roy, White. Term ends in
2003, eligible for reelection (but must run for the seat): Day, Gray, James,
Martin (Kim-Marie), Mondor, Mullett, O'Reilly, Thompson. Term ends in 2003,
not eligible for reelection (term limited out for now): Martin (Susan), Sullivan,
Yaeger. There will be eleven total vacant seats to fill. Our by-laws specify
that we can serve two consecutive terms as Senators. If (for whatever reason)
one of the terms is less than two years long, it still counts as a full term.
If and when we start thinking actively about by-laws revisions, we can debate
the utility of these provisions. Former Senators have (and hopefully will) run
for Senate seats after sitting out for a year. According to our by- laws, we
are supposed to have three representatives from each of USM's five divisions,
and five at-large representatives. Right now we have 4 from Academic Affairs
(one of whom, Eric, thinks he is at-large), 1 from Administration, none from
Advancement, 2 from Enrollment Management, 3 from Student and University Life
(our by-laws still call it Student Development), and 10 at-large. In part, this
is a function of the way some of us chose to run for our seats. For example,
Norma decided to run for an at-large seat, but could have run for an Enrollment
Management seat. We have talked about changing our by-laws so that the distribution
of divisional seats reflects differences in the number of professional staff
in each division. Again, this is something that needs to be debated as part
of an overall revision of by-laws. With Rosa's counsel, we also came to understand
that the Senate should reflect the different perspectives on being a professional
staff member at USM we bring from our respective divisions. In that respect,
all divisions are reasonably well-covered EXCEPT Advancement. If you see any
professional staff on that list whom you know and/or think would be good Senators,
talk to them about running for a seat. Donna will send an e-mail to Beth Shorr
to let her know of our interest and ask for her support. Based on the by-laws,
here is the plan for listing the vacancies we will have available for the 2003
election: Academic Affairs- 1 two-year term, 1 one-year term (Academic Affairs
is supposed to elect two of its three seats in even-numbered years); Administration-
2 two-year terms (Administration is supposed to elect two of its three seats
in odd-numbered years); Advancement- 1 two-year term, 1 one- year term (Advancement
is also supposed to elect two of its three seats in even-numbered years); Enrollment
Management- 2 two-year terms (Enrollment Management is supposed to elect two
of its three seats in odd-numbered years); Student and University Life- 2 two-year
terms (Student and University Life is supposed to elect two of its three seats
in odd-numbered years); At-Large 1 two-year term.
Judiciary Committee: As discovered in the first Judiciary Committee meeting in December 2002, the representatives from the Professional Staff Senate and Faculty Senate were not elected as the USM Governance Constitution mandates. The committee elected Lisa Yaeger to fill the seat; Kerry Sullivan had originally been elected, but she had a conflict with the meeting times.
Emerging Professional Staff Award Committee: Kathleen Bouchard is requesting a professional staff member to serve on this selection committee. It is a 2 year term, with the possibility of a third year renewable: must be a professional ineligible for the award (more than 5 years of service), and for this appointment, should not be a member of the Division of Student and University Life. The reason for this is that the committee wants to assure some diversity on the selection committee, and presently, all the members (past recipients from the last 4 years) are from that Division. The first meeting will be held the first week of February; three meetings total are required each year. Please call Kathleen if you are interested.
Divisional Excellence Committee: Kim-Marie Martin called for Senators to serve on this committee. Colleen White and Dan Axford have signed up; Robin Day, Kathleen Pease and Kerry Sullivan expressed interest.
VI. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:
Treasurer’s Report- Eric reported that $629.31 is our current
account balance. He is waiting for an invoice from Aramark for the luncheon
last May that the President’s Office agreed to pay for. Donna Bird mentioned
that she will have photocopy charges related to the elections ballots. The $250
IDT for Employee Development Day is not reflected in that balance.
VII. COMMITTEE REPORTS/UPDATES:
The Classified Staff Senate meeting was cancelled.
No report from the Faculty Senate.
Kathleen Pease reported that Benjamin Nickeljohn was selected as the Board of Trustees non-voting student representative for USM.
VIII. OLD BUSINESS: The Goals and Objectives breakout session was tabled until February.
IX. OPEN
FORUM:
Nolan Thompson discussed the Many and One Rally in Lewiston this weekend. Please
contact him for more information.
UMPSA negotiations have gone to mediation. Please contact Kerry Sullivan for more information.
For the beginning of spring semester, Parking Services will have staff in the lots giving information on where to park. Enforcement is an issue that needs to be addressed. Pat Marston suggested putting up sketches of how the completed facility will look in the student center. Mike Mullett will contact DFM.
X. MEETING ADJOURNED at 10:45 am by Senate Vice Chair, Eric James.
Next meeting: February 12, 2003, 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., 301 Bailey
Hall, Gorham
Reported by: Lisa Yaeger, Co-Secretary
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