THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AT CHATTANOOGA
FACULTY COUNCIL MINUTES

April 17, 1997
Signal Mountain Room
University Center

Elected Members Present: Ralph Anderson,Tatiana Bilgildeyeva, Martha Butterfield, Prakash Damshala, Robert Duffy, Joe Dumas, Fritz Efaw, Gene Ezell, Marvin Ernst, Leroy Fanning, Jim Hiestand, Bruce Hutchinson, Tom Kozubowski, Craig Laing, Renee Lorraine, Bob Marlowe, Gail Meyer, Judy Miler, Greg O'Dea, John Phillips, Verbie Prevost, Bill Prince, Farhad Raiszadeh, Barbara Ray, Mike Russell, David Shepherd, Joyce Smith, Kristin Switala, Larry Tillman, John Trimpey, Margaret Trimpey, Shela Van Ness, Bruce Wallace

Elected Members Absent: Deborah McAllister, Laurie Prather, Jim Stroud

Ex-Officio Members Present: Sheila Delacroix, Jane Harbaugh, Fred Obear, George Ross, Tim Summerlin

Among the Guests Present: Laura Baker, Debbie Bell, Marilyn Benson, Brenda Davis, Tom Bibler, Richard Brown, Herb Burhenn, Betsy Darken,Jim Henry, Nick Honerkamp , Lanny Janeksela, Mark Mendenhall, Carolyn Mitchell, Ralph Moser, Mary Tanner, Sally Young

Important Actions and Announcements
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*Several final committee reports were received and acted upon, and a new General Education proposal was tabled until the second Faculty Council meeting in September. The full faculty will soon be receiving the Gen Ed report in campus mail., and is encouraged to consider it carefully and to discuss it with colleagues and with the Gen Ed Committee.
*Final budget deliberations for this year should be completed by May 6.
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Processional flute music was performed by music major Allie Chandler.

Call to Order
President Gene Ezell called the meeting to order at 3:15 p. m.

Approval of Minutes
Professors Leroy Fanning and Larry Tillman moved and seconded approval of the minutes of April 3. Professor Gail Meyer indicated that there are not 25 "groups" who meet with each candidate for Chancellor (p. 7, 6 lines from bottom). Professor Meyer did not remember exactly what was said, but no candidate has met with 25 groups. The minutes were approved as amended by voice vote. (Thanks to Professor Sally Young for graciously agreeing to prepare these minutes. Note: In the e-mail to the UTC faculty from Secretary Lorraine dated April 17, "November 22" should be read as "April 22." The Secretary gets these months mixed up. Thanks to the alert readers who pointed out this error.

Committee Reports
Executive Committee
President Gene Ezell reported that a new interactive classroom in the Challenger Center is almost on line, and will raise the number of interactive classrooms on campus to four. He noted that some individuals object to the use of "smart" for these classrooms because it implies that other, less-interactive classrooms are less smart. He also reported that Chamberlain field will henceforth be available for academic as well as athletic purposes. He announced that the Counselors to the President had met for the second time this year, and that one of the topics discussed was the increased interaction in cyberspace between professors and students that has been facilitated by student technology fees. President Ezell then invited all faculty to a special lunch following the next full faculty meeting. This lunch will be very special. He announced that Division Elections should be held immediately after the full faculty meeting and before the special lunch, and that those elected should be announced at the Faculty Council meeting immediately following the special lunch. Secretary Lorraine announced that the ballots for at-large Faculty Council members for next year may be delayed, and asked for the faculty's indulgence in getting nominations to her by Wednesday, April 23.

Committee on Committees
Chair Verbie Prevost reported that the Committee was still searching for individuals to chair certain Council committees, and that next year's committee list would be distributed soon. She indicated that 85% of faculty had been assigned their first choice of committees. First choices were denied mainly when 2 or 3 members from the same department indicated interest in the same committee, or when faculty members had already served 3 years on the same committee. Professor Prevost stated that she plans to be safely out of town when the list is distributed, but will return in May to hear comments about said list.

Budget and Economic Status Committee
Committee Chair Tom Payne found himself in Boston, and will give his report at the final Council meeting.

Departmental Honors Committee
After distributing an addendum, Committee Chair Jim Henry moved approval of his final report. The motion passed unanimously by voice vote.

Other Committees
President Ezell received reports from several other standing Committees which from which there were no action items.

General Education Committee
Committee Chair Betsy Darken moved approval of the Committee's lengthy and impressive recommendations for a new general education curriculum at UTC. In a spirited address to the Council, Professor Darken indicated that the Committee had worked very hard and had gone to tremendous lengths to communicate with UTC faculty members outside the Committee. (Over a hundred were consulted.) She stated that it was the Committee's intent to produce an educated elite knowledgeable of what the human race has accomplished, what it has pondered, where it has been and where it is going. Among other things, she discussed the importance to education of thinking and writing. She stressed her belief that it was the responsibility of the Administration and the Board of Trustees, and not the Council, to consider what the recommended Gen Ed changes would cost. Professor Mike Russell moved and Professor Larry Tillman seconded the motion that the General Education proposal be tabled until next Fall. He indicated that he had not had enough time to examine the proposal and to consult with his colleagues about it, and that it might be best to consider the changes with the new Chancellor on board. Professor Bruce Hutchinson applauded the Committee for its hard work and openness but supported Professor Russell's motion, stating that the changes recommended were so numerous and major that 48 hours had not been sufficient time to consider them. He also recommended that the general education document be considered by the entire faculty so that it could be widely discussed before the Council considered it. Professor Prakash Damshala added that it is a tribute to the Committee that the document will require such careful reflection. Professor Darken and Professor Laura Baker indicated that the Committee was following traditional procedure in sending the document to the Council before it reached the full faculty, but several Council members agreed with Professor Hutchinson that in this case the full faculty should have an opportunity to view the document before the Council made its recommendations. Dean Herb Burhenn indicated he would like more time to consider staffing and cost assessments for the new proposal, and expressed hope that there would extensive interaction with more of the administration before the proposal was formally considered. Professor Darken relayed that the Chancellor and Provost had agreed that an implementation committee could be appointed to look closely at fiscal issues related to the Committee's recommendations. Professor John Trimpey noted that we should keep in mind that increased enrollments will translate into more general education students.

Professor Darken stated that if the motion were to be tabled, it would be important to have a specific plan of action and to move expeditiously on that plan early next Fall. The question was called, and passed 23-2-4; the original motion to table then passed unanimously by voice vote. In response to Professor Darken's request, it was decided that the general education documents would be distributed to the full faculty this spring (with some sort of "alert" indicating the importance of the document), and that the Faculty Council will consider the document the third Thursday in September. A document passed by the Council would then need two readings at full faculty meetings and could be considered by the Board of Trustees at their meeting in January. A special meeting of the full faculty will be called if necessary. Professor Ernst recommended that Council members should seek out advice and input from their Divisions. President Ezell charged Council members to do so. Professor Meyer reminded the body that there would be new Gen Ed and new Council members next year, and Professor Kristin Switala advised those rotating off the Council to discuss the Gen Ed recommendations with their replacements. Questions or comments may also be directed to Professor Darken or other members of the Gen Ed Committee. Associate Provost Harbaugh indicated that new faculty could be apprised of the new recommendations at orientation. Professor Harbaugh also advised that when the document is eventually considered, Council members should be cautious about making new amendments from the floor. The full ramifications of such amendments may not be immediately apprehended, and could then cause problems for the program and for our students.

Administrative Reports
Budget Report: Acting Provost Tim Summerlin
Provost Summerlin stated that work on the budget has been forthcoming and is still in process.
All units have made priorities within the 5% of their budgets that could be in jeopardy; these priorities have been ranked in four different categories ranging from "this should be cut" to "this should definitely not be cut." The University can capture permanent salary savings by not filling certain positions that have been vacated, can replace some state funding with grant funding, and can reduce equipment, subscription and computing costs in the Provosts' account. CECA has also been singled out to have cuts. Cuts will be higher in various administrative areas in those run by academic deans. A few unoccupied lines (not necessarily faculty lines) will be cut. Various special projects or timelines for projects have been reassigned. There will be some elimination of concentrations and courses not essential to degree programs. President Ezell asked if the Provost could provide a written budget report by April 29, and the Provost answered affirmatively. The Chancellor noted, however, that the budget report for the University at large will not be complete until May 6. Professor Prevost asked how it is determined which vacated positions will not be filled. The Provost replied that search processes in progress for this year are continuing and will be completed.

Budget Report: Vice Chancellor George Ross
Vice Chancellor Ross reported that he had hoped to have more definitive budget information at this time, but that the budget committee still has $3.5 million to "figure out." (Presumably, "figure out" has pejorative connotations in this context.) There will be a meeting of the Budget Committee on April 28, and the Vice Chancellor expressed his hope that the Arts and Sciences report will be available for that meeting. More specific budget information will be available after May 6. Professor Russell asked if cuts in Athletics will be commensurate with cuts in other areas. The Chancellor responded that all divisions or units are being asked to designate 5% that could be cut from their general fund budgets. Professor Russell had heard that Athletics is less dependent than other units on State funds due do the ample gift money it receives. Assistant Vice Chancellor Moser responded that gift monies are already built in to the Athletics budget. Professor John Trimpey asked why everyone keeps talking about 5% cuts when the imposed cuts actually amount to around 4.28%. The Chancellor responded that the 4.28 cuts will not be across the board; some units will be hit harder than others, and provisions need to be made for those hit hardest.

Facilities Report: Assistant Vice Chancellor Richard Brown
Assistant Vice Chancellor Brown reported that Fletcher is 70% complete and should be finished by the end of September and ready for classes in 1998. The Parking Garage should be complete in about a month. New design documents are coming in for Metropolitan Hospital, and will be considered and/or implemented starting this summer. Professor Fanning asked when the campus, and Maclellan in particular, will be completely wired. The Vice Chancellor responded that Maclellan is in the "present phase" of the wiring process, but that a date cannot be set for completion at this time. Professor Butterfield asked if concern should be aroused about the walls being braced up in the parking garage; the Vice Chancellor assured Professor Butterfield that the walls are secure. When asked if the campus is still recycling, Mr. Brown answered that we are.
Old and New Business
Professor Butterfield indicated that the faculty needs to be involved in the process of determining whether or when e-mail should not be completely private, and President Ezell responded that this will be added to a future Faculty Council agenda. Professor Bruce Wallace expressed his strong concern that Macintosh computers are not being adequately funded on campus. President Ezell, who was sympathetic to Professor Wallace's concern but had a 5:30 class, promised that this problem would be also be considered at a later date. Professor Fanning, who had been attempting to make a motion for several minutes, managed to cut to the chase, and the meeting was adjourned at 5:11 PM.

Cartoons dedicated to Political Science Department

Respectfully submitted,

Renee Cox Lorraine