Approved Minutes for February 18, 2019          Approved February 25, 2019 

UC members present: Amasino (chair), Campagnola, Bowers, Ventura, Warfield, Wolf

Others present (in addition to below): S. Smith, J. Richard, J. Smith, H. Daniels, C. Springer, M. Mayrl

Chair Rick Amasino called the meeting to order at 1:15 p.m. The University Committee discussed adding a deadline to FPP for submission of discipline appeals (agreement that this can go to the Senate for a vote), as well as the rest of the Senate agenda. The minutes of the meeting of February 11, 2019, were approved.

The UC and Vice Provost for Faculty and Staff Michael Bernard-Donals discussed best practices as regards joint appointments. Bernard-Donals agrees with the Secretary of the Faculty that FPP does not allow for split tenure homes. However, they do still occur on campus and the UC will consider modifying FPP to make this more explicit. The role of the appointment letter is critical in defining lead unit, review and mentor committee compositions, annual review responsibilities, sequencing and weight of votes, and so on. Perhaps even more than FPP changes, guidance on appointment letters to deans would be helpful. Collecting all appointment letters seems untenable, so guidance and templates is definitely the best approach. Similarly, more detailed information on best practices and templates for tenure guidelines and the like should be pursued. All agree that whatever is put in place, especially in terms of FPP changes, must not dampen collaboration across and between departments. All present also indicated support for a group to look into adding guidance on promotion to full into FPP.

Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Laurent Heller commended the student art in the room. The bulk of Heller’s time was spent on the graduate student segregated fees matter, although at the end Heller also reported on the recent BoR meeting (good conversations about deferred maintenance and operations funding and support for the project to replace financial and HR systems) and recent weather-related events (campus closed and 30 buildings were affected by flooding). Discussion on the seg fee issue was extensive, summarizing the recent discussion on the same topic with the Budget Committee, looking at financial and policy implications of different ways of covering these fees, and exploration of alternatives such as coverage through aid/scholarship.

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Lori Reesor updated the UC on efforts around mental health, including communications with student leadership and the creation of a mental health task force. Thie group will include faculty and students and will present priorities to the chancellor for immediate strategies as well as longer-term approaches. Discussion was extensive. Reesor also reported that an external review is being conducted of fraternity/sorority life.