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Faculty Assembly

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PRESIDENT'S REPORT TO THE REP ASSEMBLY, DEC 1999 MEETING
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First, let me welcome Connie Pendleton, the new administrative assistant for the Faculty Assembly, replacing Diana Cook. Stop by the office at CH105 and introduce yourselves. We are anxiously waiting for a computer network account for Connie, as a significant portion of her duties for us involve email. Because Diana took the portion of her job that involved Student Success with her, we now only have to share Connie with Affirmative Action.

Also, let me welcome Tom Hutton, new Director of University Relations, who resides in CH 103. Tom and I have discussed various campus needs, and among other things I have suggested the resurrection of the internal communications committee. As part of my personal goal of using technology to improve communications and participation, I want to pursue the recommendation of the previous committee of having a single web page where people can view a calendar of all campus activities, including locations, and be able to examine room availability to plan for future activities. At some point that would also mean a handful of information kiosks at key locations, possibly paid for by advertising.

Other issues I have been involved with in the last month include the grade appeal process, intercampus transfer policy, campus masterplan (I will be issuing an executive summary to the faculty), the salary grievance process, online FCQs, and summer school funding. Most of these topics will be covered in committee chair reports.

On the system level I have been involved with the Regents desire to better define the purpose of the FCQ. So far polls of faculty leaders from the different campuses are evenly split on every question asked about the FCQ.  I understand from the Presidential Search Committee that they are hiring a search firm to tell them the appropriate salary range and begin the recruitment. I have participated in discussions on the compensation principles, the system budget allocation formula, and hiring an outside legal consultant for the P&T committee. I am a beta tester for the online faculty handbook, something that I consider VERY important to faculty, as it will be comprehensive and continually updated, replacing the latest 10 year old excerpts of the Laws of the Regents now given to faculty. Finally, I have been part of briefings on the new faculty resource database, the CPP (lots of complaints about incompetent external trainers), and a request for restoration of funding for the Silver and Gold withdrawn during the Albino presidency. Some of these topics will probably be covered in the report from reps on the Faculty Council. 

Finally, at the state level various faculty leaders have met with the CU and CSU legislative liaisons, and will be meeting with Tim Foster of the CCHE this coming week. Unfortunately I have to give a final exam at that time, but I have talked with Tim before and anticipate nothing new.

My own emphasis at the state level is trying to start a movement to change the method of State funding for higher education from direct appropriation to tuition assistance. The primary advantage would be to get CCHE out of the job of micromanagement and promote program diversity. I have talked to Chancellor Bunnell Shade and VP Bliss about it, and will present my ideas at the system-wide budget meeting in February. Everyone agrees that such a change would represent a major shift in paradigm and not likely to happen in the near future, but the conditions to at least consider the change have never been more optimal. VP Bliss tells me that CU would not suffer.

Respectfully submitted,
Richard Blade
President, Faculty Assembly