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Council of University System Faculty

CUSF Meeting of February 15, 2007

Minutes
CUSF Meeting
UMB
February 15, 2007
Present: David Parker (Chair, SU), Martha Siegel (Past Chair, TU), E. William Chapin (Vice Chair, UMES), John Collins (Secretary, UMBI), Bill Stuart (At-Large, UMCP), Patricia Alt (At-Large, TU), Marymal Holmes (BSU), Alcott Arthur (CSU), Kim Rotruck (FSU), Rahim Ashkeboussi (FSU), R. Michael Garner (SU), Paul Flexner (SU), Bobbi Adams (SU), Lee Richardson (UB), Stephen Jacobs (UMB), Elizabeth Mulroy (UMB), Mary Johantgen (UMB), Joyce Tenney (UMBC), Dennis Coates (UMBC), Zane Berge (UMBC), J. Court Stevenson (UMCES), Vincent Brannigan (UMCP), Patricia Cossard (UMCP), Denny Gulick (UMCP), Emmanuel Onyeozili (UMES), Joyce Shirazi (UMUC), John Gustafson (UMUC), A. Delores James (UMUC).

Guests: Irwin Goldstein, Senior Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs (USM), Joseph Vivona, Vice Chancellor, Administration and Finance (USM), Teri Hollander, Associate Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs (USM), James Sansbury, Associate Vice Chancellor, Financial Affairs (USM), Elena Langill, Office of the Attorney General, Julie Zito, UMB Senate Chair.

Dr. Parker called the meeting to order at approximately 10:10am. He asked Mr. Sansbury to present USM's new proposal for the definition of a dependent with regard to tuition remission. Dr. Brannigan objected to certain provisions of this proposal. Dr. Parker both moderated and took part in a lively discussion which continued until 10:50am. Mr. Sansbury, Mr. Vivona and Ms. Langill left the meeting at this point.

Dr. Mulroy introduced Dr. Zito, UMB Senate Chair, who welcomed the group..

Dr. Goldstein presented the System report. He said that the current legislative session was a very difficult one, and it’s impossible to know how things will work out for USM. The USM tuition freeze issue has become very public. The Governor and the General Assembly disagree on some issues. The capital budget is under great pressure, largely due to increasing construction costs. The bill on duplication of academic programs is causing great anxiety. Senator Hogan has started a commission to investigate how to achieve stable funding for higher education in Maryland. Dr. Goldstein concluded his report at 11:20am, then answered a few questions on various topics before leaving the meeting.

The minutes of the January 16 CUSF meeting were approved.

Dr. Parker presented a tentative list of dates for the 2007-2008 CUSF meetings. He asked whether we should have another joint meeting with CUSS, hosted by UMCP. Dr. James said that UMUC would be happy to host such a meeting. Dr. Collins suggested that we also have a joint meeting with the USM Student Council. This suggestion was well received.

Ms. Tenney reported enthusiastically on the success of the January 25 Student Research Day. She said that she was glad to have taken charge of this event for the past three years, but someone else would have to do it in the future. She had some suggestions for changes. She was applauded by the group for her excellent work.

At noon, Dr. Collins spoke about the upcoming elections for the next CUSF Executive Committee. He said that he and Dr. Chapin must recuse themselves from the election process, since they (along with Dr. Parker) are candidates for Chair. Dr. Chapin disagreed, saying that we could proceed largely as we did last year. They and several other delegates engaged in a lively debate.

The group broke for lunch at 12:10pm and returned at 12:50pm to conclude the discussion of election procedures. It was unanimously agreed that the elections will be conducted by an impartial committee of CUSF delegates who are not candidates for office. The members of this committee will be Alcott Arthur (chair), Zane Berge, Vince Brannigan, Patti Cossard and Joyce Tenney. A motion by Dr. Jacobs that the elections for Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and At-Large positions all take place at the April 17 CUSF meeting (at UB) was unanimously approved. Drs. Parker, Chapin and Collins were recognized as candidates to be the next Chair. Candidates for the other offices were not identified.

Dr. Siegel led a discussion of USM's annual new Chair's workshop, which was not held this year because there were too few registrants. Dr. Brannigan led a further discussion on tuition remission. Dr. Parker spoke passionately about benefits for full-time, non-tenure-track faculty. Dr. Siegel said that an AAAC subcommittee had prepared a draft policy on flexible tenure, which she would shortly forward to CUSF.

The meeting adjourned at 1:40 pm.

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