2007 RECOMMENDATIONS
Meeting 1 January 8, 2007
(Organizational – No recommendations)
Meeting 2 May 4-5, 2007
1. Campus List Servers
Each campus of the University of Tennessee system should continue to have a list serve on each campus that is moderated by faculty without filtering by the University administration.
2. Ombudsperson
Each campus of the University of Tennessee system should have an ombudsperson, or faculty mediator or mediator group, who advocates for fairness and due process.
3. Communication
Communication between the University of Tennessee system and UT faculty needs to improve in terms of its style, content, and frequency.
4. Direct Communication from the President
Communications from the President to the faculty should be received directly, and not filtered and forwarded through campus officers.
5. Email System
In order to improve system campus communications, the centralized email system plan for all campuses should be reconsidered, and the implementation of these systems as well as issues of campus autonomy should be re-evaluated and reconsidered.
6. Faculty Raises
All full-time UT faculty and staff should receive at least 3% cost of living raises, before considerations of merit.
7. Faculty Raises
All full-time UT faculty and staff should receive a minimum raise of $1,000.
8. Salary Data
Salary data should be available on all campuses to facilitate analysis of faculty and staff salaries for studies of disparities, equity, and aspirations.
9. State Legislators
The role of UT faculty and staff should be expanded in representing the University to Tennessee state legislators.
10. State E&G Allocation Variability
The UT system should explain the variability of allocations of state E & G appropriations to every campus and university unit.
11. Payroll Deduction
The UT System should make explicit the criteria for, and facilitate, payroll deduction for faculty and staff advocacy organizations.
12. Faculty Trustee
The University of Tennessee Board of Trustees should be encouraged to follow their current bylaws as well as historical precedent, by replacing any faculty trustees with another faculty member from the same campus.
Meeting 3 September 5, 2007
(None)
2008 RECOMMENDATIONS
Meeting 4 January 8, 2008
1. Institutional Planning & Decision-Making
President Petersen should be encouraged to stress the importance of involving the University Faculty Council in institutional planning and decision-making. The principle should apply to system level task forces and standing committees.
2. Task Forces
System Vice-Presidents should be sent an annual letter from the UFC Task Force Coordinator at the beginning of each fiscal year inviting them to use the University Faculty Council as a resource.
3. Council Web Site
The University Faculty Council should establish a web site to enhance communications and initiatives that include a listing of faculty on system-level task forces and committees.
4. Faculty & Board of Trustees
A voting faculty trustee should always be on the agenda of the Board of Trustees Academic Affairs and Student Life Committee to give a report on concerns from the University Faculty Council on faculty matters.
5. Improved Communication
The Council requests that it meet with President Petersen at its next meeting to discuss the need for improved communication between the trustees and campus leaders
6. UT Scorecard
The Council requests that it meet with President Petersen at its next meeting to discuss the nature of the UT scorecard.
7. Entrepreneurial Research
The Council requests that it meet with President Petersen at its next meeting to discuss the risks/benefits associated with entrepreneurial research, and a projection for return on entrepreneurial investments to support the academic mission.
8. UT Budget
The Council requests that it meet with President Petersen at its next meeting to discuss UT budget transparency and accountability.
9. Merit Pay
The Council affirms its prior recommendation to address the cost of living before merit pay is awarded.
10. IT & Communication Issues
The Council requests that President Petersen should provide the Council with a follow-up report on the status of IT and communication issues.
11. Appeal Process
The UT Faculty Council will work with President Petersen and the General Council’s Office to create a task force to review the appeal policies in all Faculty Handbooks and to determine whether there are fair and timely processes on each campus as well as at the system level.
12. UT Library System
UT faculty members should have better access to library resources across the system and the UT Library system should move toward campus-wide access modeled after the Georgia and North Carolina state university system.
13. Council Meetings
Whenever possible, and for convenience and cost, the Council will plan a meeting time and location in association with meetings of the Board of Trustees. A portion of the agenda for the Council meeting will include discussions only among the faculty Council members, while a portion will include discussions directly with the President and any administrative staff present.
14. Campus & Task Force Reports
The Council members agreed that campus and task force reports should be sent in writing (electronically) in advance of Council meetings to allow the Council members to digest the material, and to focus on discussion, action plans, and faculty recommendations at its face-to-face meetings.
Meeting 5 March 10-11, 2008
(None)
Meeting 6 June 19-20, 2008
(TBA)
