Topic

Discussion

Action

Call to order; adopt agenda

IV. ACTION ITEMS

IV. A. Constitution and Operating Procedures task force. Was ad-hoc. Make standing committee? Membership?

MOTION: Library supports creating a standing FA Constitution and Operating Procedures committee. Requests that one member of Exec. continue to be a member.

IV. B. Committee / Council rosters. Still openings. See links in packet.

Noted.

IV. C. Minnesota Transfer Curriculum reps needed

Noted.

IV. D and E. Surveys. Links in packet. Take by Sept. 30.

Noted.

IV. F. Motion:  IFO requests that the administration direct the head of campus safety and security determine a manner to issue weekly reports of all safety and security incidents occurring on the St. Paul campus to faculty, staff, and students.

Security had previously proposed a campus “dashboard” for safety incidents. We’re interested in the status of this.

MOTION: Library supports weekly reports of safety and security incidents to the university community.

IV. G. Operating procedures 1st reading, proposed changes. See packet for language and rationales. Four changes: meeting location, VP duties, Web coordinator duties, Web coordinator appointment.

Noted.

IV. H. FA budget. See packet for full language, info, motions, and rationales.

1. Amend or approve draft FA 22-23 budget. Links to past and current budget in packet.

2. Seeking volunteers and approval of workgroup creation to create process for emergency fund for faculty.

3. Approve $500 budget to hire parliamentarian consult for FA.

4. Grant Exec power to expend up to $400 without Council approval

1. How is the $10,000 carryover shown here? The net income from FY21 is $6.9k.

2. Is there a budget line item for this emergency fund?

3. We hope the amount budgeted for a parliamentarian consultant is enough, and hope that additional funds may be requested for more training if recommended.

4. Is Exec. asking for the freedom to expend $400 annually? Or by item? Why the amount of $400?

2. MOTION. That any process created for an emergency fund for faculty be vetted and approved by Faculty Council and be written into the FA operating procedures. PASSED.

Rationale: Recording such a process in operating procedures ensures ability to find process later. It is also important for clarity, consistency, and transparency.

3. MOTION. Library supports the $500 budgeted for a parliamentarian consultant. PASSED

4. MOTION: Library supports Exec.’s request, with the assumption that this is $400/year, not per item, and with the expectation that Exec. will report out to Council those expenses in the next month’s packet after they occur. PASSED

IV. I. Committee appointment terms.

Motion: That constitution and operating procedures committee clarifies the circumstances under which faculty may be appointed to terms exceeding one year on committees or councils.

Rationale: There has been some confusion as to whether or not our union operating procedures allow 2 year terms for university committees and councils. This confusion is based upon the motions pasted below from council in May 2021 citing our operating procedures

Packet includes relevant text from FA Council minutes last year, and the operating procedures.

CLA MOTION (from August): All University Council and Committee appointments should be a one-year term not two years. This affirms a decision already made by Council in Spring 2021

MOTION: Library supports the motion that the Constitution and Operating Procedures committee clarifies appointment terms, and proposes that faculty appointments to university councils align with their terms of service. PASSED.

Rationale: Due to the training required for some committees, and the benefit of institutional knowledge and continuity for much committee/council work, we support appointments to multi-year terms. Faculty reps may always be removed by Council, and faculty are always free to resign from a term.  

V. Carryover motions

CLA New Motion (May council packet IX 6): Direct the FA Constitution and Operating Procedures Committee to draft a proposal for the FA operating procedures that would require Metro delegates to Delegate Assembly to vote for the resolutions that are approved by the FA council when attending Delegate Assembly as representatives of our FA.

MOTION: Library strongly opposes. PASSED.

Rationale: This requirement would be against the deliberative spirit and process of Delegate Assembly.

VI. NEW BUSINESS

VI. A.

Use of Bookings software:

CCSPA Motion: CCSPA adamantly opposes synced shared calendars. Seconded. Motion Carries.

(Background info from FA pres in packet.)

MOTION: Library opposes the CCSPA motion. PASSED.

Rationale: Access to us by our students is important. 

VI. B.

Convocations

CCSPA Motion: CCSPA requests that future convocation topics/themes (including title) be more efficiently communicated to all faculty, prior to faculty going off-contract in May. This communication should occur before the decision on convocation topics/themes has been made.

CCSPA Motion: CCSPA repudiates the requirement, irrespective of content, for faculty to participate in convocation events and campus-wide trainings, without first following the process of shared governance.

MOTION: Library opposes CCSPA motion about convocation topics. PASSED.

Rationale: It is Admin’s prerogative to establish themes for its convocations and to communicate its priorities for the year.

MOTION: That administration reconsider requiring attendance at live events, especially since we teach most of our students asynchronously online. Live events are not inclusive. PASSED.

VI. C.

Accessibility

LIB Motion: In the spirit of this year's university theme of "Radical Inclusivity," the FA encourages administration to provide tablets, styluses, and high-quality microphones to all employees to support highly accessible online courses and university meetings.

LIB Motion: Ask Admin to liberalize the interpretation of use of 19B funds so that faculty may purchase technology to assist with equity, inclusivity, and accessibility, such as tablets, styluses, and high-quality microphones.

MOTION: Library supports these two motions. PASSED.

Rationale: One of the Convocation Passport sessions discussed technologies that enhance accessibility in online environments. These technologies are not routinely provided to faculty by IT.  Admin has also resisted or restricted use of 19B funds to purchase some of the technologies mentioned that can enhance accessibility.

VI. D.

Syllabus template language

LIB Motion:  That the Faculty Issues Committee reviews the Provost’s 8-15-2022 email syllabus information, and the D2L syllabus template, to find ways to simplify and ensure consistency in syllabus guideline information.

MOTION: Library supports. PASSED.

VI. E.

Committee structure

CF Caucus Motion: Administration should add 2 CF to the Equity by Design Team.

Noted. The motion needs a rationale.

VII. REFERRALS TO COMMITTEES FROM PREVIOUS CYCLES

Thank you, Exec, for these reminders.

VII. A. Reminder to Faculty Issues (From May VII 2) Motions about PDP and PDR deadlines; see packet.

VII. B. Reminder to calendar committee (from May X 2c) Business about summer calendar aligning with community colleges.

VIII. INFORMATION ITEMS

A. PDG Deadline September 9th

Noted.

B. D2L issues

Noted.

C. Parking Declaration Notice. Packet includes correct link to form.

Noted.

D. Faculty Personnel Matters

Packet includes link to the document, which can also be found in MyMetro

Noted.

E. Grievance Committee/Officers info

Noted.

F. Faculty Issues Committee developed an “optional Department Policy and Procedure Agreements template”

Noted.

G. “Faculty pages.” How to edit your faculty information.

Noted.

H. University budget information. Packet links to reports given over the summer, relating to budget and deficit.

Noted.

I. Travel and reimbursement changes. Link to info in packet.

MOTION: That administration provide live and on-demand training for current travel and reimbursement processes. PASSED.

MOTION: The FA requests clarity about which parts of these travel and reimbursement processes are mandatory, and which are opt-in. PASSED.

J. IFO retirement workshops

Noted.

K. IFO FA Calendar 22-23

Link in packet.

Noted.

L. FA website

Updated.

Noted.

IX. IFO announcements. Link to contract info.

Noted.

X. Important FA and personnel dates

Noted.

Adjournment

12:04pm