August 27, 2013
Executive Summary
1. Call to Order
Chair Zonderman called the first meeting of the sixtieth session of the NC State Faculty Senate to order at 3 p.m.
2. Introductory Remarks
Chair Zonderman presented the immediate Past Chair of the Faculty, Hans Kellner, with an engraved gavel to express appreciation for his services to the faculty over the past two years.
Chair Zonderman remarked on the theme of the engaged faculty and the engaged Faculty Senate. He stated that the following three basic points will, hopefully, guide him and everyone on the Senate.
- The Faculty should be involved in all decisions that impact their work as researchers, scholars, and teachers , whether they are department, college, or university level,
- The faculty should engage in curriculum, academic programs, RPT policies and procedures and academic personnel issues, both in committees and as a Senate.
- The university has a conjunction of a Chancellor and Provost that are doing their best, despite the budget cuts, to really move this university forward.
3. Approval of the Minutes, Meeting No. 14, April 16, 2013
A motion passed to approve the minutes as presented.
4. Remarks from Chancellor Woodson
Chancellor Woodson remarked on the legislative outcomes and how to move forward in this environment.
Chancellor Woodson reported that the fiscal year ended with the most amazing fund raising year in the university’s history. The university raised $200 million this year, with the previous record being $110 million. The Chancellor invited members of the faculty to attend a big announcement on September 27
th that contributed to the $200 million figure.
Chancellor Woodson announced that Neven Kessler, Vice Chancellor for Advancement, will be leaving the university to go to Rutgers, and that Kevin Howell will serve in the interim capacity. They have launched a search committee to replace Neven with Dr. Mike Mullen, Vice Chancellor for the Division of Academic and Student Affairs, chairing that committee.
Chancellor Woodson reported that the university came off of a very challenging year with the federal government in terms of research funding. We lost ground this year with our awards dropping about 10 percent over last year’s previous record. The good news is that the government delayed funding a number of projects, so July and August have been record months in terms of federal grants coming into the university.
Chancellor Woodson stated that both he and Kevin Howell spent a lot of time on Jones Street with the Legislature this summer and part of the spring. When the Legislature finally settled on the State’s budget, the university got excluded from a 12.3% tuition increase that a number of other institutions received, which was good in terms of their lobbying success.
Chancellor Woodson reported that the universities received about a $90 million budget cut overall and $21 million of that was assigned to NC State, which was actually the largest numerical cut largely because we have the largest budget. The university did receive some enrollment growth funding and it received allocations in R&R funds that will help with some of the massive deferred maintenance, which is only a drop in the bucket compared to the three and four hundred million dollars that campuses experience now.
5. Remarks from the Provost
Provost Arden reported that NC State’s share of the budget cut is $21 million, which amounts to about a 4.5 percent cut to the appropriated budget of the university. All units have been asked to plan for a 5 percent cut, which is $23 million because there is another 1 to 1.5% budget cut coming in the second year of the biennium.
Provost Arden stated that at the recent University Council Retreat, he threw out the concept of going forward. The message that he was trying to send is if you look at the change in the funding environment of public higher education at the national level and if you look at specifically what is happening in North Carolina right now, that North Carolina is actually emerging from its budgetary difficulties with revenues being about 7 or 8 percent above projections this year.
Provost Arden reported that we have a strategic plan to continue to implement, and this is where he would like everyone to put their focus. He stated that we are now two years into what he believes is a very good strategic plan and we have together as a university achieved a lot in the last two years. There are some things that are going to change this university for a long time like the Faculty Excellence Hiring Program where last year we hired 24 outstanding interdisciplinary faculty into the university and most of them are on campus this fall.
Provost Arden stated that he would like to have the faculty’s input as they formulate some ideas and present them to the Chancellor, because he feels this is the time to make great decisions here.
6. Discussion of Issues for 2013-2014 Faculty Senate
Chair Zonderman compiled a list of issues and other items that have come before the Senate. He stated that while in discussion with the Executive Committee some additional items were added to the list. The Senators were asked to rank the issues 1-4 to help give the Senate some guidance on issues to address this academic year. The ranked list of issues will be presented and discussed at the next meeting.
7. Old/New Business
Revisions to the Faculty Senate Bylaws (Faculty Meetings)
The Governance Committee proposed amendments to (Article I, Section 4; Article III) the Faculty Senate bylaws.
A motion passed with unanimous consent to accept the amendments to the bylaws.
8. Issues of Concern
Senator Nfah-Abbbenyi inquired about the Supreme Court “Fisher” decision.
9. Adjourn
A motion passed to adjourn the meeting at 4:27 p.m
Meeting Minutes
1. Call to Order
Chair Zonderman called the first meeting of the sixtieth session of the NC State Faculty Senate to order at 3 p.m.
2. Introductory Remarks
Chair Zonderman presented the immediate Past Chair of the Faculty, Hans Kellner, with an engraved gavel to express appreciation for his services to the faculty over the past two years.
Chair Zonderman remarked on the theme of the engaged faculty and the engaged Faculty Senate. He stated that the following three basic points will, hopefully, guide him and everyone on the Senate.
- The Faculty should be involved in all decisions that impact their work as researchers, scholars, and teachers , whether they are department, college, or university level,
- The faculty should engage in curriculum, academic programs, RPT policies and procedures and academic personnel issues, both in committees and as a Senate.
- The university has a conjunction of a Chancellor and Provost that are doing their best, despite the budget cuts, to really move this university forward.
3. Approval of the Minutes, Meeting No. 14, April 16, 2013
A motion passed to approve the minutes as presented.
4. Remarks from Chancellor Woodson
Chancellor Woodson remarked on the legislative outcomes and how to move forward in this environment.
Chancellor Woodson reported that the fiscal year ended with the most amazing fund raising year in the university’s history. The university raised $200 million this year, with the previous record being $110 million. The Chancellor invited members of the faculty to attend a big announcement on September 27
th that contributed to the $200 million figure.
Chancellor Woodson announced that Neven Kessler, Vice Chancellor for Advancement, will be leaving the university to go to Rutgers, and that Kevin Howell will serve in the interim capacity. They have launched a search committee to replace Neven with Dr. Mike Mullen, Vice Chancellor for the Division of Academic and Student Affairs, chairing that committee.
Chancellor Woodson reported that the university came off of a very challenging year with the federal government in terms of research funding. We lost ground this year with our awards dropping about 10 percent over last year’s previous record. The good news is that the government delayed funding a number of projects, so July and August have been record months in terms of federal grants coming into the university.
Chancellor Woodson stated that both he and Kevin Howell spent a lot of time on Jones Street with the Legislature this summer and part of the spring. When the Legislature finally settled on the State’s budget, the university got excluded from a 12.3% tuition increase that a number of other institutions received, which was good in terms of their lobbying success.
Chancellor Woodson reported that the universities received about a $90 million budget cut overall and $21 million of that was assigned to NC State, which was actually the largest numerical cut largely because we have the largest budget. The university did receive some enrollment growth funding and it received allocations in R&R funds that will help with some of the massive deferred maintenance, which is only a drop in the bucket compared to the three and four hundred million dollars that campuses experience now.
5. Remarks from the Provost
Provost Arden reported that NC State’s share of the budget cut is $21 million, which amounts to about a 4.5 percent cut to the appropriated budget of the university. All units have been asked to plan for a 5 percent cut, which is $23 million because there is another 1 to 1.5% budget cut coming in the second year of the biennium.
Provost Arden stated that at the recent University Council Retreat, he threw out the concept of going forward. The message that he was trying to send is if you look at the change in the funding environment of public higher education at the national level and if you look at specifically what is happening in North Carolina right now, that North Carolina is actually emerging from its budgetary difficulties with revenues being about 7 or 8 percent above projections this year.
Provost Arden reported that we have a strategic plan to continue to implement, and this is where he would like everyone to put their focus. He stated that we are now two years into what he believes is a very good strategic plan and we have together as a university achieved a lot in the last two years. There are some things that are going to change this university for a long time like the Faculty Excellence Hiring Program where last year we hired 24 outstanding interdisciplinary faculty into the university and most of them are on campus this fall.
Provost Arden stated that he would like to have the faculty’s input as they formulate some ideas and present them to the Chancellor, because he feels this is the time to make great decisions here.
6. Discussion of Issues for 2013-2014 Faculty Senate
Chair Zonderman compiled a list of issues and other items that have come before the Senate. He stated that while in discussion with the Executive Committee some additional items were added to the list. The Senators were asked to rank the issues 1-4 to help give the Senate some guidance on issues to address this academic year. The ranked list of issues will be presented and discussed at the next meeting.
7. Old/New Business
Revisions to the Faculty Senate Bylaws (Faculty Meetings)
The Governance Committee proposed amendments to (Article I, Section 4; Article III) the Faculty Senate bylaws.
A motion passed with unanimous consent to accept the amendments to the bylaws.
8. Issues of Concern
Senator Nfah-Abbbenyi inquired about the Supreme Court “Fisher” decision.
9. Adjourn
A motion passed to adjourn the meeting at 4:27 p.m
