Approved Minutes for April 8, 2019          Approved with one copyedit April 15, 2019 

UC members present: Amasino (chair), Bowers, Campagnola, Ventura (arr. 1:05), Warfield, Wolf

Others present (in addition to those noted below): S. Smith, J. Richard, J. Smith, H. Daniels, A. Cool

Chair Rick Amasino called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. Brief discussion of upcoming meeting schedule. The minutes of the meeting of April 1, 2019, were approved pending the correction of one spelling error. PROFS lobbyist Jack O’Meara reported on the previous week’s forum and meetings with legislators and others about the state budget and the Mark Cook bill, which is back on track. Lobby Day at the Capitol is this week and a number of faculty are speaking.

The UC discussed at length the April Faculty Senate uncompleted items and prepared for the May Faculty Senate meeting. After considering several options on the Professor of Practice resolution, which was postponed to the May meeting, Amasino and Secretary of the Faculty Steve Smith will meet with the author of the amendments to that resolution to explore a motion to reconsider. Failing that, the UC opts for indefinite postponement. On the CDCC membership resolution that was not taken up in April, the UC agrees that it can come up straight for a vote in May without a first reading. The final item that was not taken up in April—changes to FPP in relation to joint appointments—on the other hand does require a first reading and so will be moved to the fall. UC asked Smith, potentially in collaboration with VPFS Bernard-Donals, to consider sending a memo to departments about the context of this motion and noting that this will be taken up again in the fall.

Amasino briefed the UC on possibility of Cooperative Extension not being voted on in April by UAPC. UC discussed the ramifications of this on the May Senate agenda, on the Extension faculty, and on the overall merger process. Agreement that objections to Extension UAPC proposal are almost all outside intended purpose and scope of document. Not clear that there is anything for UC to act on at this point at least.

CURAFA co-chairs Nick Hillman and Tracy Mores presented and discussed that committee’s annual report. General discussion about CURAFA concerns and topics, including among other things how to make pitch for new members.

Provost Sarah Mangelsdorf and the UC briefly debriefed the Senate meeting, which she had chaired, and then discussed the Extension UAPC proposal at great length.

Dean of the Graduate School Bill Karpus updated the UC on ad hoc faculty working group charged with assessing how grad programs are structured and how students are funded. This is an informational survey of the status quo rather than a policy recommendation group, but if the group determines that programs are not working optimally, campus would consider funding changes and other things. Karpus also discussed possible changes to the membership and appointment process for GFEC in light of continued difficulty in finding faculty to stand for election. GFEC’s workload is such that reducing the size of the committee is not practicable, especially in light of sabbaticals. Other possibilities that the UC will consider in the fall for eventual Senate deliberation include: appointing rather than electing all or part of the membership, reduction in term length from 4 years to 3, slates approved via election as opposed to individual seat elections. Karpus also updated the UC on the status of the GAPP document, which will incorporate former contract language into policy. After much back and forth with different offices (notably OLA, but also provost, VCFA, etc.), RA’s will not be included in the initial version of this document. By end of this week, Karpus expects to have TA/PA document ready to announce to campus.

Amasino adjourned the meeting at 3:00 p.m.