UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA
Faculty Senate
Approved Minutes
11 February 1998
1 and 2. Call to Order and of Roll
The regular meeting was called to order by Suzanne McGill,
Chair, at 3:00 p.m. in Library 5. The Secretary called the roll:
Present: Allison, Arata, Aucoin, Ballard, Chryslee,
Daughenbaugh, Davidson-Shivers, Dilsaver,
Engebretson, Frederick, Hain, Hamm, Haywick,
Honkanen, Labbe, Lally/ Langan, LeDoux, Matthews,
McGill, Moak, Moore, Mulekar, Sauer, Swint,
Sylvestre, Thurston, Van Haneghan, Vetroky, Vinson,
C. Wilson, G. Wilson, Zhang
Absent (excused): Ardell, Bell, Brandon, Broadus, Cromwell,
Donovan, Dorman, Douglass, Evans, Foster, Fruh,
Honkanen, Isom, Izenburg, Kulkarni, Martin,
McAfee, McIver, Parker, Rodgers, Simpson, Sweet,
Tucker, Weston, Yeoman
3. Completion of Pending Business
Minutes of the regular meetings of 12 November 1997 and 14 January 1998
will be reviewed for approval at the next special meeting on 25 February
1998.
4. Report from the Chair
Suzanne McGill reported on seven recent administrative promotions and
concomitant 15% raises: one associate vice president, five assistant vice
presidents, and one director. McGill invited John Filer, special assistant
to the president, to address this issue. Filer reported about the most
recent four such personnel actions, all in the area of services and
planning. Filer reported that a memorandum from the vice president
responsible for that area had been sent to the president and approved on or
about 19 December 1997. The raise was not specified in the memo, but 15%
has been standard for such promotions. Filer said that all the vice
presidents are interested in rewarding the administrators reporting to them
when they have been doing a good job, and especially when they have
competing offers from other institutions, as was the case with two of the
four most recent personnel actions. In this way, the vice presidents are
all competing for presidential approval.
A lengthy general discussion focused on the four most recent
promotions/raises, with interest expressed about the following issues among
others: whether or not the president had specifically approved the 15%
raises and/or signed the personnel action forms; on the lack of and the
desirability for a rigorous promotion review process for administrators
analogous to that for faculty promotions; on the perceived inequity of 15%
administrative promotion raises when a policy for 10% faculty promotion
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raises proposed by the senate had been recently considered and rejected; on
the lack of a policy for dealing with "competing offers" and whether or not
allowing administrators to take such offers may provide the institution
with an opportunity to hire in fresh new talent.
The senate suspended its rules to deal with this personnel matter as
reported below.
Filer was invited to address topics of interest to the senate. The
"buy-out" arrangement for the retirement of George Smith, director of
public relations, was explained in terms of leaving the position vacant for
a few months and using the lapsed salary for Smith's reported $40,000+
buy-out. Filer then turned to the topic of football, reporting that UAB is
losing three million dollars a year on its new program. Football being the
religion of the state and region, losing programs are not acceptable, and
once a program is initiated, it is very expensive; nationally, only a
handful of programs pay their own way and even fewer produce a positive
revenue flow. Filer said the president prefers to invest in academic
excellence rather than in football. McGill asked if the alumni association
planned on presenting a resolution to the trustees in favor of football in
March.
McGill reported that the windfall from the new accounting procedures used
in the retirement, plus a four million dollar increase in funding, would
not generate sufficient funds for an 8.5% raise at USA. McGill reminded
senators of the recent senate resolution noting that a 15% increase in
state funding is needed for an 8.5% raise at USA. The university of
Alabama, and perhaps Auburn University also, has committed the windfall to
a salary increase. McGill felt USA should commit the windfall to salaries;
otherwise, the money might be "recalled" in a few years if the windfall
disappears. McGill has attended budget hearings on Montgomery to represent
the faculty.
McGill urged all faculty to attend the presentations of the candidates for
senior vice president for academic affairs.
5. Reports of Senate Standing Committees
Deferred until next meeting.
6. Reports of Caucus Leaders
Deferred until next meeting.
7. Old Business
Deferred until next meeting.
8. New Business
McGill proposed that the rules be suspended so the senate could consider resolutions
regarding the administrative personnel actions discussed above. Following discussion,
Douglas Haywick agreed to draft a resolution regarding the need for a policy
on administrative promotions and raises, and to forward this draft to the appropriate
senate standing committees for review and action. McGill and Tim Lally agreed
to draft a resolution with regard to the circumstances of the specific cases
discussed today, and to present it to the senate for consideration at the special
meeting called by McGill for Wednesday, 25 February 1998, at 3:00 p.m. in Library
5.
9. Communications from the President
No communications were reported.
9. Adjournment
McGill adjourned the meeting at 4:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
T. Lally, Secretary
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Approved for distribution to the University Faculty at the regular meeting 8
April 1998.