UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CRUZ

AS/SCM266

 

M I N U T E S
A Regular Meeting of the Santa Cruz Division
November 7, 2001

Meeting

A regular meeting of the Santa Cruz Division of the Academic Senate was held Wednesday, November 7, 2001 in Earth and Marine Sciences B206. With Secretary David Belanger present, Chair George Blumenthal called the meeting to order at 3:06 p.m.

 

1. Approval of Minutes (none)

 

2. Announcements

a) Chair Blumenthal

Chair Blumenthal noted that the State University System announced today that there is now an agreement between University of California and the State Universities to offer a joint Ed.D. Degree.

 

The Office of the President has issued a report on the relationship between grade point averages of freshmen and Sat I and SAT II exams and predictability of academic success. Please direct comments to Karen McNally, UCSC BOARS representative.

 

There will be a special forum on the proposed Merit Equity Review process on Friday, November 9, at 2:00 in the Bay Tree Bookstore. This is an opportunity for faculty to comment on this new process before it becomes finalized.

 

b) Chancellor Greenwood

Chancellor Greenwood was unable to attend the meeting, as she was attending the Council of Chancellors meeting.

 

c) Campus Provost/EVC Simpson

Campus Provost Simpson gave an update on the State budget situation. There is a deficit this year and a substantially larger deficit is projected for next year, which could be as high as $14 billion. The University of California, as with all state agencies, will have a mid-year budget cut although the size of the cut is unknown at this time. More significantly, a cut of substantial magnitude is anticipated beginning with the 2002-03 budget cycle.

 

UCSC has implemented a hiring freeze as recommended by Governor Davis. This freeze will cover all positions, with the exception of academic, health and safety positions, and positions that are funded from federal contracts and grants. EVC Simpson encourages every Dean and Vice Chancellor to scrutinize recruitments, recognizing there will be a very constrained budgetary environment for the next few years. Careful consideration should also be given to all expenditures.  While finishing the planning process, Deans and Vice Chancellors will need to think about their plans in the context of the present and future budget.

 

Answering a question from the floor about the availability of start up funds, EVC Simpson stated there is no simple answer concerning startup costs and articulated several possible strategies such as using opportunity funds from indirect costs and delaying the rate at which positions are allocated.  UCOP, is hopeful that UCOP will provide some one-time money. Also, hiring of faculty will continue, especially replacement positions and those created as a consequence of growth.

 

Answering a question from the floor about the present thinking regarding the major capital improvement bond issue, Simpson responded that the amount of the bond is in the vicinity of $350 million. The Governor and his administration are now considering using lease revenue bonds, in addition to the normal general obligation bonds, to provide funding in a limited way to the University of California for projects that increase economic development.

 

Answering a final question from the floor about whether the budget situation will result in postponing the expansion of summer session and whether it will still go forward in 2001-02, EVC Simpson stated that state funding for summer session will most likely be delayed for one or more years.

 

 

3.  Report of the Representative to the Assembly

Professor Susan Schwartz reported on the UC system-wide Academic Assembly meeting, which met on October 31, 2001. BOARS presented a proposal to implement a comprehensive review of applicants for undergraduate admission to the University of California.  This system would replace the two-tiered admission policy required by the Regents. The Assembly passed the BOARS proposal and it will now go to the Regents for approval.

 

The Assembly also passed revisions to the Academic Personnel Manual, APM Section 015, and a new section, APM 016.

 

4.  Special Orders:  Annual Reports

a) Committee on Academic Personnel:  Annual Report (AS/SCP/1322)

 

CAP Chair Leta Miller presented a graph of CAP's case flow which appeared in the report showing a spike in workload for the month of May and a huge load of 26 cases in the first week of June.  17 cases were delayed, almost entirely due to ongoing ad hoc processes. 

 

CAP made an extraordinary effort last year to complete as many cases as possible. However, it would like to see the workload evened out over the course of the year and requests that files be sent to them, whenever possible, earlier. CAP is appealing for expeditious conclusions of ad hoc processes.  CAP is currently working with Academic Human Resources to find ways to expedite this cumbersome process.  Faculty need to be aware that delay in responding to a request to serve on an ad hoc committee adds to the length of the process.

 

The annual report addresses assessment of the quality of faculty teaching.  The ability to assess is affected by the number of evaluations returned, discrepancies between the department's reporting of the evals and the actual evals, and any other information in the department letter about the quality of teaching.

 

A letter from CAP was sent to departmental chairs emphasizing what CAP is looking for in the department letter.  It explained the most efficient way of organizing the information such as how to contextualize the publication record and how to record department votes. It is difficult to get information efficiently from extremely long department letters.  Last year Chair Miller met with department Chairs from two divisions (Humanities and Arts) which proved helpful.

 

Professor Shelly Errington stated that we must, as a university, create an atmosphere in which faculty understand that their work has value in the personnel review. She noted that of the instances of disagreement between CAP and the administration, it was the administration which recommended more salary or greater advancement than CAP.  Chair Miller stated that there was agreement with 91% of the CAP cases. For the disagreements, some are appointments which involve salary negotiations in which CAP is not very involved.  The disagreements are frequently slight and/or come from cases where CAP itself was split.  EVC Simpson stated there is very good agreement between his judgment and the information that CAP sends to him.

 

Professor Murray Baumgarten inquired whether there might be some consideration given to informing the members of the ad hoc committees of the results of the cases on which they deliberated. Chair Miller stated the information cannot be revealed due to considerations of confidentiality. 

 

Professor Carolyn Martin-Shaw made a friendly amendment that the report change "Chair's letter" to "Department's letter" on pages 4 and 5. Chair Miller was happy to accept the change.

 

Responding to a comment from Professor Mark Traugott, Chair Miller noted that CAP would like more information regarding split votes for candidates, in order to assess how strong the departmental support is.  Professor Tanner commented that the question that was put to vote should also be clearly stated in the letter.

 

 

b) Committee on the Education Abroad Program (AS/SCP/1326)

The report was received without comment.

 

c) Committee on the Library (AS/SCP/1333)

The report was received without comment.

 

d) Committee on Research (AS/SCP/1318)

The report was received without comment.

 

5.  Reports of Special Committees

a) Special Advisory Committee on Affordable Housing: 2000-01 Report (AS/SCP/1334)

SACAH Chair Pat Mantey reported that the committee met several times over the summer gathering background data and information about how other UC campuses deal with the problem of faculty housing. They have met with representatives of the administration and have had extensive discussions with Mark Traugott and the Faculty Welfare Committee.

 

The committee's primary goal is to develop a range of options for meeting the needs of faculty for affordable housing in and around the Santa Cruz campus. The primary constituency consists of faculty who do not own a home in the Santa Cruz area, either on or off campus. They are secondarily concerned with families who own homes they have outgrown.

 

The committee is encouraged by the changes being made by the administration in the housing allocation and the management of the housing list. They are also pleased with the increase in the number of units in Inclusion Area D. A questionnaire has been distributed to faculty in order to obtain more information regarding the issues of affordable housing so that the committee can make better recommendations.

 

6.  Reports of Standing Committees

a. Committee on Committees: Proposed Change to Santa Cruz Bylaw 13.11 (AS/SCP/1332)

COC Chair Shelly Errington moved adoption of the legislation as printed in the CALL and explained that the intent of this bylaw change is to add as many as two members to CAFA. The workload of the committee has increased radically during this academic year and this past summer. The two additional members will be nominated by COC in those years deemed heavy in workload, which will be determined by consulting the Chair of CAFA.

 

There are no fewer than seven and no more than nine Santa Cruz Division members and no more than three student representatives. The Committee on Committees nominates a member to serve on the Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools.

 

 

The motion was seconded and passed by voice vote.

 

7. Report of the Student Union Assembly Chair (none)

 

8. Report of the Graduate Student Association President (none)

 

9. Petitions of Students (none)

 

10. Unfinished Business (none)

 

11. University and Faculty Welfare (none)

 

12. New Business

P&T Chair Carolyn Martin-Shaw noted that there is now a time limit for bringing grievances to the committee on Privilege and Tenure. The time limit is three years from the time that you knew about or should have known about the grievance or what the violation was.  She will provide more information on the web and make a note of sites where additional information can be found.

 

 

The meeting was adjourned at 4:00 p.m.

 

ATTEST:

 

Dave Belanger

Secretary

February 14, 2002

 

 

 

 

Recording Secretary: Mary-Beth Harhen