Faculty Senate Minutes
June 19, 2008
Call to Order:
Call to order: 4:20 pm; Riggle Room; ADUC.
Senators Absent: Ali Ahmadi, Gabriel Alungbe, Ann Andaloro, Ned Breschel, Glen Colburn, Marcia Cooper, Lynda Donathan, Teresa Ferguson, Cary Feria, Diana Haleman, Michael Harford, Shari Kidwell, Karen Lafferty, Jennifer Little, Sam Nataraj, Granuaile O’Flanagan, Charles Patrick, Greg Penner, Brent Rogers, David Smith, Randall Swain, Paul Taylor, Brenda Wilburn, Greg Wing, Scott Wymer
Visitors: President Wayne D. Andrews, James Shaw, Vice President for Development
Chair Thomas turned the meeting over to Dr. Andrews.
Dr. Andrews provided the members with information on three items; the University’s budget, parking fee increase, and the Presidents’ pay raise. He then answered questions from the members.
Budget:
Dr. Andrews provided a review of the events leading up to the need for the Cabinet to prepare for a possible 15% cut of state funding to the University. At their first meeting the Cabinet determined the most important things to consider in planning for a budget deficit were:
- People come first
- Vision of being the best regional university in the south
- Primary mission of educating students
The President provided the following information regarding the budget.
- The President provided information to faculty and staff during the budget review process via email, video clips and sharing with the Senate
- How would faculty or staff be terminated if necessary?
- Reviewed the policy related to staff reduction in case of financial exigency – determined policy had been updated recently
- Reviewed and revised PG-55 related to faculty reduction
- 6% reduction in budget was passed by General Assembly
- Reduced operating budget of University by $2.7 million
- No across the board budget cuts
- Eliminated 24 staff positions – 4 were filled
- Eliminated 13 faculty positions; 5 tenure track, 8 fixed term temporary – none of those were filled
- Invested $2 million in salary increases
- Suspended faculty evaluation process for one year
- Funded $1000 across the board increase for all full time faculty and staff at cost of $1,300,000
- Funded $350,000 for the second year of the three year plan for classified employees
- Funded $400,000 for promotions and educational achievement bonuses, etc.
- Funded 10% increase in retirement and health benefit
- Funded $250,000 increase in mandatory KRS benefits
- 60% of the dollars in the new budget are going to people
- More money into student financial aid
- Funded $650,000 for high school dual credit and high school waivers
- Funded increase of $1,000 for graduate assistantships
- Funded increase in utility costs
Investments in capital projects:
- Received state funds for 5.7 million dollars for capital project to rebuild environmental pollution control system at power plant and update the boilers in order to burn coal
- Will break ground during this academic year for the student recreation center
- Renovate Alumni Tower
- Spend $250,000 to renovate classrooms in Rader and begin renovations on classrooms in Ginger
- Matched $600,000 from the state for capital maintenance (repairs to buildings)
Revenue changes:
- Charge application fee
- Revised the tuition model (remains the lowest tuition in the state)
Parking Increase:
- Must continue to move the University forward
- Parking has always been a problem
- State will not fund parking garages, student recreation centers, wellness centers, athletic facilities, etc.
- University has limited flat space for parking
- Campus master plan includes the concept of parking garages
- A 500 unit garage would cost $10 million dollars
- University has to generate revenue to fund parking garages
- The first parking garage would be built in the vicinity of the new student recreation center and the second would be built on the other end of campus somewhere behind Lappin Hall
- Lot across the bypass increased from $50 to $60 for anyone to park in, one new shuttle bus will be purchased in order to increase shuttle service
- $120 on the campus side of the bypass
- $360 for a reserved space on the boulevard in front of Howell-McDowell or the lot behind Lappin
- There will continue to be designated zones for employees and students at the $120 rate
A member suggested that the length of time the $360 reserved spaces are actually reserved be extended to later in the evening to accommodate faculty who teach evening classes. The member also asked how the $360 reserved spaces will be enforced. The President stated that enforcement will be increased and violators will be towed.
A member suggested increasing bike racks and motorcycle parking spaces.
The President provided more detail on the salary distribution methodology:
- Must recognize the good work of people
- Wide diversity of salary
- Some employees making about $8.00 per hour
- Number of employees under $30,000
- Fund second phase of Segal Plan which indicated that the classification system is 23% below market in this region
- Recognize advancements
- $1000 across the board increase for all full time employees resulting in:
- average increase of 3.7% for employees in classified positions with entry level salaries below $30,000
o average increase of 1.65% for staff employees classified in position with entry level salaries greater than $30,000
o average increase of 1.72% for faculty
- Taking into account the across the board increases, career ladder adjustments, promotions and the second year of Segal Plan the percentages are:
- average increase of 5.5% for employees classified in positions with entry level salaries less than $30,000
- average increase of 2.45% for staff employees classified in positions entry level salaries greater than $30,000
- average increase of 1.94% for faculty
- Northern KY University 2% merit pool - 1% across the board not added to base
- Eastern KY University 1.5% base adjustment plus $500
- University of Louisville $500 lump sum not added to base
- Western KY University $500 per employee added to base
- University of Kentucky nothing
- Murray State University nothing
- Kentucky State nothing
A member asked about the status of proposed revisions to PAc-35. The President reviewed and appreciated the good suggestions by the Senate but felt PAc-35 still needed work and asked the Provost to convene a group of faculty and administrators to continue review of the policy.
The President provided the following information on MSU faculty salaries with respect to statewide peers for 07-08:
- Professor at MSU is 95.3% of the average of the KY regional universities
- Associate Professor at MSU is 94.9% of the average of the KY regional universities
- Assistant Professor at MSU is 94.9% of the average of the KY regional universities
- Tenure ranks at MSU is 95.1% of the average of the KY regional universities
- Instructor ranks at MSU is 86.6% of the average of the KY regional universities
- Will emphasize moving salaries forward by trying to hire new faculty at CUPA average and increase the amount of money going into promotions and deal with compression issues
A member asked about the range of salaries within a department and the distribution of merit based on shares. The President stated that there will be a new evaluation system in place next year and the faculty will have the opportunity to redesign the system. The Provost stated that the PBSI system is being reviewed and the new evaluation system will be available to faculty.
President’s Salary:
The President provided the following points regarding his salary:
- He applied for the job because it was a good opportunity at a fine University with a mission that he was passionate about.
- He asked two questions when he was offered the job: (1) is the salary for the position comparable to the salary of the presidents of the other KY regional universities? (2) Is the salary comparable to the national average for salaries at universities like Morehead State?
- He told BOR Chair Booth when they met that he would never ask any member of the Board anything about further compensation.
- The President stated that he has never asked for a pay raise or a bonus structure, that is the work of the Board.
- The President’s salary was discussed after the budget was approved by the Board of Regents.
- The Board of Regents asked the President to develop a set of goals with performance measurements. The Board approved the goals.
- The Board met with the President to review his performance and the outcomes to the goals. All questions were about performance, nothing about salary.
- The Board made their decision regarding the President’s salary.
- The President stated that the Board was very generous and he appreciated it.
Regent Irons stated that the Board has implemented three initiatives in order to make a competitive package for the position of President of Morehead State University.
- Increase supplemental term life insurance
- Create deferred compensation as an annuity
- Proposed the concept of a bonus based on a performance evaluation
A member stated that when the announcement was made regarding the President’s salary and bonus it was not clear what criteria the President had to meet to receive the bonus and it was not clear that the President’s salary did not affect the budget.
The members discussed the changes being proposed for the retirement plan.
A member asked about the status of PAc-27 proposal regarding tenure. The President stated that it had not been reviewed at this time.
Reports:
Provosts Report:
The Provost provided the members with an update on the curriculum audit.
- Provost and Deans are meeting and reviewing the college reports
- Presentations have been made by the respective Deans
- A listserve is set up for progress reports to the faculty
- Provost will begin writing her report in July
- There will be a draft of report completed in August
- Recommendations will be made to the Cabinet and the Board of Regents
- A plan of transition will be made with a time frame and faculty involvement
- The Provost stated that she was very impressed with the quality of the work by the faculty and chairs and the amount of effort put into the audit reports
A member asked if searches will be conducted for interim positions or will searches be held up until the outcome of the audit is known. The Provost stated that she is trying not to make fulltime permanent hires until the results of the audit are known. The Provost stated that she is hiring fixed term positions to complete special projects.
Regents Report:
Board of Regents:
- Approved promotions
- Approved land swap to trade the Cowden Building (where Support Services is) with the county for land behind the current Court House
- Authorized acquisition of 92 acres of land behind the softball court to prevent logging of the land
Announcements:
Chair Thomas will reinstitute the Faculty Senate retreat. Information will be provided in July.
Chair Thomas does not anticipate a July meeting.
Adjournment: 6:00 pm.
