January 21, 2014

Executive Summary

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1. Call to Order

Chair Zonderman called the ninth meeting of the sixtieth session of the NC State Faculty Senate to order at 3 p.m.

2. Remarks and Announcements

Chair Zonderman updated the Senate on four issues. 1) Research Misconduct:   This issue is being reviewed by the Personnel Policy Committee. 2) Eligibility to serve on the Faculty Senate: The question of eligibility to be a Senator will be discussed in the Executive Committee. 3) Faculty Athletics Representative – Dr. Sam Pardue will complete his term as Faculty Athletics Representative at the end of this academic year.  The Athletic Council bylaws state that the Chancellor will select the FAR in consultation with the Faculty Senate. 4) President Obama’s Visit – The President announced that NC State will be receiving the Department of Energy Award ($140 million project).

3. Approval of the Minutes, Meeting No. 8, January 7, 2014.

A motion passed to approve the amended minutes.

4. Remarks from Chancellor Woodson

Chancellor Woodson informed the Senate that the university has a policy that was adhered to closely and directly to investigate the allegation of research misconduct.  The investigation concluded around 2008 and the institution is bound by the policy to confidentiality because of the people involved and the attempt to protect careers and also to protect the ability of the outstanding scientists both from NC State and other institutions that served on the investigative panel. Chancellor Woodson updated the Senate on the President’s visit.  The President made an announcement for a very competitive grant that faculty from NC State led with colleagues around the country to bring one of the national networks of manufacturing innovation to this campus. Chancellor Woodson provided an update on the tuition issues.  The Board of Governors is trying to understand how tuition is calculated, how it is set, and what their role is in the process.  The Chancellors are working hard to get the Board of Governors to really “own” tuition and get it out of the State Legislature. Chancellor Woodson stressed the importance of the Faculty Athletics Representative position and the work that it involves. Chancellor Woodson announced that the Founders Day celebration will be March 3.

5. Questions and Comments for Provost Arden

Provost Arden took questions from the Senate. Provost Arden announced that the university will be operating on Status 3 during the expected inclement weather.

6. Presentation – Ben Jenkins, Chair of the Board of Trustees

Chair Jenkins provided a list of personal goals that he hopes to achieve for the university within a seven to ten year period.  He also shared work streams that he feels are important in achieving those goals. The goals include:

• NC State being ranked as a top 25 public university in the country
• Achieving AAU membership
• STEM related colleges and departments would be ranked in the top ten against their peers
• NC State would be ranked in the top ten for federally funded research grants
• NC State’s academic story would be well known and respected throughout the country.

7. Old / New Business

Resolution on Transfer of Tuition Waivers for Dependents of Faculty and Staff The second reading of the resolution was postponed until the next meeting. Chair Zonderman announced that Susan Nutter, Vice Provost and Director of Libraries will present at the February 4^th meeting.

8. Adjourn

A motion passed to adjourn the meeting at 4:20 p.m.

Meeting Minutes

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Present:

Chair Zonderman, Immediate Past Chair Kellner, Secretary Daley, Provost Arden; Parliamentarian Weiner; Senators   Aday, Bernhard, Bird,  Borden, Bourham, Devetsikiotis, Heitmann, Holden, Knopp, Knowles, Krause, Laffitte, J. Moore, Morgado, Penrose, Rucker, Tyler, Williams  

Excused:

Senators Aspnes, Bartlett, Bradley, Edwards, Fleisher, Funkhouser, Lunardi, Nfah-Abbenyi, Spontak

Absent:

Senators, Ade, Allaire, Baumer, Fuentes, Lucia, Marks, M. Moore, Sztajn

Guests:

Chancellor Woodson; Justine Hollingshead, Director, GLBT Center; P. J. Teal, Chancellor’s Office; Eileen Goldgeier, Office of General Counsel; Ben Jenkins, Chair of the Board of Trustees

1. Call to Order

Chair Zonderman called the ninth meeting of the sixtieth session of the NC State Faculty Senate to order at 3 p.m.

2. Remarks and Announcements

Chair Zonderman updated the Senate on four issues.

1) Research Conduct in the Chemistry Department:  The faculty sent an issue of concern to the Executive Committee in the fall on the larger question of the university policy regarding how misconduct is investigated and dealt with.  That issue is now being reviewed by the Personnel Policy Committee. 2) Eligibility to serve on the Faculty Senate:   The Executive Committee has decided to interpret the issue broadly and say that the question of eligibility to be a Senator will be discussed in the Executive Committee. 3) Faculty Athletics Representative:  Dr. Sam Pardue will complete his term as Faculty Athletics Representative at the end of this academic year and the Athletic Council bylaws state that the Chancellor selects the FAR in consultation with the Faculty Senate.  The Chancellor is open to the idea of the Senate forming a screening committee to select candidates for him to choose from.  The Executive Committee will serve as the screening committee and will send three candidates to the Chancellor for him to make a selection.

Chair Zonderman offered congratulations for last week’s events of having the President of the United States on campus and the announcement that the university is going to be receiving a $140 million project.  He thinks it’s a win for the citizens of the state and a win for graduates and students.

3. Approval of the Minutes, Meeting No. 8, January 7, 2014

A motion passed to approve the amended minutes.

4. Remarks from Chancellor Woodson

Chancellor Woodson informed the Senate that the university has a policy and it is a policy that was adhered to closely and directly to investigate the allegation of research misconduct.  That investigation concluded around 2008 and the institution is bound by the policy to confidentiality.  The assurance of confidentiality is because of the people involved and the attempt to try to protect careers and also to try to protect the ability of the outstanding scientists both from NC State and other institutions that served on the investigative panel.  Unfortunately that report was released to the N&O and is available online for anyone who would like to read it. Chancellor Woodson stated that they are going to adhere to the university’s policy which requires confidentiality.  The report has been turned over to the inspector general of the National Science Foundation.  The NSF has not acted on it in any formal way, but as a result of that, the institution is still bound to confidentiality. Chancellor Woodson provided an update on President Obama’s visit.  He considers it an honor to have the President of the United States on NC State’s campus.  The President made an announcement for a very competitive grant that NC State’s faculty led with colleagues around the country to bring one of the national networks of manufacturing innovation to the university.  The Federal Government was funding three, one from the Department of Energy and two from the Department of Defense.  NC State won the Department of Energy award, which included $70 million from DOE and a matching $70 million from the private partners that are a part of the institute including $10 million from the State of North Carolina. Chancellor Woodson reported that the most challenging issue they are dealing with now is the tuition issue.  The Board of Governors is trying to understand how tuition is calculated, how it is set, and what their role is in the process.  The Chancellors are working hard to get the Board of Governors to really “own” tuition and to get it out of the State Legislature, to get it separated from appropriation.  If the state legislation gives campuses the appropriation that they feel is appropriate, then the Board of Governors can set tuition based on market and based on the needs of each of the campuses.  The current policy is essentially that tuition is an off set of state appropriations. Chancellor Woodson feels that the long term solution for more predictability in our financing is to separate the two funding streams and to keep tuition in control of the university system and the Board that has been elected by the General Assembly. Chancellor Woodson announced that the next meeting of the Board of Trustees has been moved because of scheduling conflicts. Chancellor Woodson stated that the Faculty Athletics Representative is a very important position.  The FAR is involved in a lot of work across the university and is the face of the academic part of athletics to the conference.  He feels that it is important to select a FAR that respects the values of this institution, understands the critical role athletics can play in the institution, and understands the critical need of representing NC State to the broader ACC community. Chancellor Woodson announced that the Founders Day celebration will be March 3.

5. Questions and Comments for Provost Arden

A faculty member stated that it has been discussed in the Senate and in the Executive Committee that some of the one- time personnel anomalies that come up in the change from PAMS to COS and the movement of people between CALS and the COS.  He noted that these one- time anomalies arise in other places as well and it has been his impression that we have generally decided to be flexible, figuring that there is no clear solution to the problem of who is where when they have gone through a six year period and one college moving to another.  Would you comment and confirm that sense. Provost Arden stated that there are some issues that have to be dealt with.  Most importantly are the issues of promotion and tenure, a concern all along has been that they didn’t want faculty being disadvantaged and so they are being very liberal with respect to tenure clocks.  He thinks it is important when looking at that situation to really give every benefit of the doubt to untenured Assistant/ Associate Professors. Provost Arden announced that because of the expected inclement weather, classes and events scheduled after 5 p.m. this evening and before 10 a.m. tomorrow are canceled.  The university will be operating on Status 3.

6. Presentation – Ben Jenkins, Chair of the Board of Trustees

Chair Jenkins stated that he is thrilled and honored to be Chair of the Board of Trustees and noted that he served four years as a member of the Board prior to serving as chair. Chair Jenkins stated that he thinks higher education is different from business but sees a lot of similarities.  Higher education and baseball are all about people, talent, and teamwork and NC State has them all.  Teamwork is driving NC State to the destination of being a great institution.  The Board of Trustees and the Board of Visitors enjoy supporting that transition effort and the Boards of the various colleges are proud and enjoy the work to support the move from being very good to being great. Chair Jenkins highlighted 5 goals that he has personally set for the university with a time frame of seven to ten years. .

• The first goal is to be ranked as a top 25 public university in this country
• To achieve AAU membership status
• Within the STEM related colleges and departments that each college and department would be ranked in the top ten against their peers.
• Within the world of non-medical schools and universities that NC State would be in the top ten in other groupings for federally funded research grants.
• NC State’s academic story is well known and well respected throughout this entire country, that it is no longer the best kept secret in higher education.

Chair Jenkins is confident that NC State can achieve these goals.  He shared the following work streams that he feels are important in achieving them.

• The Chancellor, Provost, Deans, and Faculty strategic plan, which is the basis for moving the university.
• Holding on to top leaders and faculty is very important.  Having a good understanding of what makes up competitive compensation.
• For NC State to be in the top 50 of all institutions of higher education in this country, public and private and performance area that here fore if you go back ten years that we have not been h3 in, which is private fundraising.

Chair Jenkins stated that it is almost a perfect correlation between a history of great fundraising and great academic performance.  If you want to be a great university, private fundraising can lead to great academic success. Chair Jenkins stated that Vice Chancellor for Advancement Nevin Kessler previously did a great job and built a well thought out and designed program with h3 infrastructure and good strategy.   We will now have a new Vice Chancellor for Advancement, probably with different skills.  For the first time ever, NC State in 2012 and 2013 was among the top 50 of all institutions, public and private for private fund raising.  Our current endowment is in the $750 to 800 million levels and that will fund about 21,000 per student. Chair Jenkins stated that if NC State can maintain fundraising at the 2012-2013 level for the next ten years and have the same investments, which should equate an endowment of a little more than $2 billion, which is money that can be used to further attract students, money that can be used to attract good faculty and it can also be used to invest in important and game changing infrastructure.

• Building an enterprise wide risk management and compliance system.  All universities have hiccups and missteps and mistakes.  The trick is to be able to identify them quickly and get them corrected.
• To build a brand identity that people can recognize throughout the country.

Chair Jenkins stated that he wants people all over the world to understand NC State and to associate it with excellence and have great respect for it, so building that brand identity is not a one or two year  plan, it is more like a ten year plan. Chair Jenkins stated that he thinks NC State is uniquely positioned as a university to be able to make that move.   “We have a superb leadership and faculty and I believe this is one set of goals that we will reach. The foundation is perfectly set to make that move from being good to being great. “ Chair Jenkins stated that the work streams that he mentioned are in place now and good progress is being made on them.   He is encouraged that those goals can be met within a seven to ten year period.

Questions and Comments

What is the distinction between the Board of Trustees and the Board of Governors? Chair Jenkins stated that the Board of Trustees is charged with the responsibility of how things work in the university.  Up to a certain point the decision making goes to the Board of Governors. Over this ten year period how high would you be comfortable with the tuition going to be able to achieve some of the goals that the Legislature would not provide the money for? Chair Jenkins stated that he has not spent a lot of time thinking about that.  He believes that what we are seeing is what we are likely to get for a while.  You have to think ahead in terms of it is not going to change a lot and try to be able to plan for a redistribution of the budget to live within that. Chair Zonderman stated that he thinks many of the Board’s goals are great.  Can you think of other ways in which we as the Faculty Senate can work more with the board to help reach those goals? Chair Jenkins stated that he thinks what they are doing is managing change and the great thing about the Chancellor is he’s building to manage change, picking the right change and doing it the right place.  For the faculty it needs to be the same.  It needs to be, what do we need to change to be better?  How can we be more effective?  Do we have all we need?  Do we need to recruit more people?  Chair Jenkins stated that it can’t be a top down where ten people are making all the decisions.  He thinks the faculty has to re-craft itself. A faculty member stated that he has been here twenty - nine years and to look at the goal, you want to be a top 25 university and a member of AAU.  You cannot do that without putting resources in the colleges like CHASS, Management, and Education.  You cannot just have top ranked STEM departments and be in the top 25 universities.  I would like some assurance from someone in authority that we on this campus matter, that we are important to the mission of this university and not just there to provide a service function to Engineering students. Chair Jenkins stated that he doesn’t know enough to assure the faculty member, but he thinks great STEM universities that are nationally known for that work have wonderful Humanites, Liberal Arts, and Design schools and they make better the STEM disciplines.  He thinks the university’s reputation is likely to be for greatness somewhere around the STEM disciplines.

7. Old / New Business

Resolution on Transfer of Tuition Waivers for Dependents of Faculty and Staff The second reading of the resolution was postponed until the next meeting. Chair Zonderman announced that Susan Nutter, Vice Provost and Director of Libraries will present at the next meeting.

8. Adjourn

A motion passed to adjourn the meeting at 4:20 p.m