The University of Northern Iowa Faculty Agent and Advocate
for over a Quarter of a Century
Official Minutes of the
Executive Board/Central Committee
March 2006
March 3, 2006
Mauker Union, College Eye Room
3:30-5:00 p.m.
- Call to order
Roll (X=present):
Executive Board Committee Chairs
X Frank Thompson, President X Jesse Swan, Negotiations
X Jeffrey Funderburk, Vice President Paul Siddens, Membership and Past President
X Becky Hawbaker, Secretary Dean Kruckeberg, Communications
X Hans Isakson, Treasurer XX Swan and Thompson, Academic Freedom
X Karen Couch Breitbach, At-Large
X Jesse Swan, At-Large
Barbara Lounsberry, At-Large
Central Committee Constituency Representatives
X Barbara Cutter, History Katherine VanWormer, CSBS
X Jeffrey Funderburk, Art/Music X Russ Campbell, CNS
X Susan Rochette-Cawley, English X Jolene Tagtow, Price Lab School
X Melissa Beall, Communications Studies Kurt Meredith, Curr.&Inst/OSFE
X Dan Power, CBA John Henning, Ed Psych/HPELS/Ed.Leadership
X Chris Neuhaus, Library X Bob Krueger, Philosophy, Religion, Languages
Ex-Officio
X Chuck Quirk, Executive Director
Other Members and Guests Present:
- Call to Order/Announcements: Thompson reported on developing proposal at Iowa State to link budget decisions to student enrollment. Thompson announced an upcoming conference and asked if there were members who wished to attend.
- Membership Update and Upcoming Events. Quirk reported that the membership newsletter would go out after spring break. The membership numbers stand the same as last month except that the member who was not current with dues has now paid.
- Presentation and Approval of the Minutes: The minutes of the February 3rd meeting were approved with no changes.
- Treasurer’s Report. Isakson distributed a Profit & Loss statement and Balance Sheet as well as the recommendations of the Dues and Budget Committee (see VI. A). Isakson interpreted the reports and explained accounting practices and terms in response to members’ questions.
- Grievance Reports: There are no formal grievances to report at this time.
- Old Business
- Budget Recommendations for Next Year: Isakson and Power presented the recommendations of the Dues and Budgeting Committee, which include recommendation for a dues increase for full-time faculty and a decrease for entrant/joint/retired and part-time faculty, in order to offset increases in National AAUP dues from the last two years and to prepare for the next round of negotiations. Swan questioned the need to raise dues and asked if saving revenue from this year could suffice. Isakson replied that the dues increase is based on a desire to break even without dipping into reserves. Power replied that if we believe that the dues increase will result in significant loss of membership, other options can be considered. Swan asked about the benefit of national AAUP membership. Isakson responded that the national AAUP lends an additional layer of prestige and that losing the national affiliation could also lead to loss of membership. There was further discussion on the value of national AAUP. Cutter questioned why the committee recommended a reduction for entrant/joint/retired members, and Power replied that it is to help attract new members. Cutter observed that an $8 per year reduction is unlikely to do this. Several members asked about the amount budgeted for legal expenses and the office expenses category.
Rochette Cawley/Breitbach moved to accept the recommendation to increase dues ($430 for full time faculty, $217 for entrant/joint/retired. The motion failed.
Swan moved to keep the dues structure as is. The motion failed for lack of a second.
Power/Campbell moved to increase dues to $400 for full time faculty, $225 for entrant/join/retired, $100 for part time faculty. The motion passed.
Isakson/Breitbach moved to adopt the budget recommendations. In response to several questions, Isakson explained that the budget recommendation is based on projections but is not a commitment to spend that amount. Thompson added that the Executive Board and Central Committee have the power to alter or change a budget at any time.
- Isaskson distributed a recommendation from the Academic Freedom Committee.
Swan/Isakson moved to endorse the commendation of the Academic Freedom Committee (i.e., “The Academic Freedom Committee commends the President of United Faculty for his vigorous and passionate defense of faculty rights at the University of Northern Iowa, and we recommend that the Central Committee endorse this commendation”). The motion passed with one abstention
- Presidential Search—Governance Committee Report. Power and Hawbaker reported the status of the Presidential search and responded to questions.
- President Koob’s Campus Survey: Not addressed due to time.
- Creation of Collective Bargaining Team for Negotiations
Thompson/Isakson moved to nominate Chuck Quirk as the Chief Negotiator. The motion passed
Thompson related the importance of Quirk’s historical experience and vast knowledge of the master contract in negotiations. The following members were nominated to serve on the team: Dan Power, Karen Couch Breitbach, Hans Isakson, Joe Gorton, Barbara Cutter, Chris Neuhaus, Bob Krueger, Kurt Meredith, Jesse Swan. The negotiation team was approved.
- Elections Committee: Hawbaker reported that a call for nominations has gone out by email and that the Executive Board election will take place on MyUniverse this year.
- New Business
- Contract Issues—Clinical Instructors, W-2 Forms, Workload, UNI Budget in Relation to Administrative Salaries and Enterprise Deficits. Thompson briefly related budget information regarding deficits in areas such as athletics, Wellness Center, Gallagher Bluedorn.
- Union Approval of Administrative Proposals. Not addressed due to time.
- Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 5:05 p.m.