BFA Minutes Archive

Boulder Faculty Assembly
Minutes
April 29, 1999
Approved September 2, 1999

Present: BFA Officers: Chair John W. Daily presiding, Vice Chair Robert Schulzinger, Secretary Barbara Bintliff, At-large reps Cathy Comstock and John Cooper. BFA Standing Committee Chairs and BFA members: William Atkinson, Frank Beer, Sanjai Bhagat, Steve Bruns, Greg Carey, Ira Chernus, Claudio Cioffi, Donald Darnell, Fred Denny, Oliver Ellsworth, Wayne Gazur, Thomas Geers, Gerard Hauser, Thomas Hollweck, Chonin Horno-Delgado, Hon-Yim Ko, Carol Krismann, Paul Levitt, James Palmer, Janice Peck, Michael Preston, Martha Jo Sani, Kayann Short, Martin Walter, Rita Weiss

UCSU Academic Affairs Student Representative Trey Lyons
Department of Human Resources Representative Rich Loose
Media: Jeff Dodge from the Silver and Gold Record
Guests: CU Faculty Ombuds Bob Fink and Jack Kelso

Absent: John Cary, Ruben Donato, Robert Eaton, Carla Farsi, John Garnand, Ken Howe, Stephen Leeds, Yolanda Maloney, Michael McCamish, Jana Milford, Cortlandt Pierpont, Eckart Schutrumpf, James White

Excused Absent: Uriel Nauenberg, Robert Regoli, Ted Snow

A meeting of the Boulder Faculty Assembly was held on Thursday, April 29, 1999, in the School of Law, room 157. Chair John W. Daily presided. The meeting convened at 4:00 p.m. and adjourned at 5:15 p.m.

A. Approval of Minutes

Moved by Oliver Ellsworth and seconded by Donald Darnell that the minutes of the April 1, 1999 BFA meeting be approved. The motion carried.

B. Chair Report

Health Care
Chair John Daily pointed out an article in today's Silver and Gold Record, updating the campus on CU health care issues. Daily reported that all the bids are in for next year's health, dental, and life insurance packages and that UBAB's evaluation of the bids is moving forward. Daily further reported that two committees have been finalized to approach the problem of this year's health care deficit: the Financial Oversight Committee will look at how health plans are funded; and the Funding Options Advisory Committee (a short term committee) will address how to cover this year's deficit. Daily noted that the chairs of CU's four faculty assemblies are on the Funding Options Committee.

Special Mentions
Daily congratulated Kayann Short on receiving the Dorothy Martin Woman Faculty Service Award; and Cathy Comstock on being appointed chair the new CU-Boulder Outreach Committee.

Farewell Remarks
Daily reflected on the excellence of CU-Boulder's faculty and noted that the BFA has worked hard in recent years to gain credibility, with success in many areas. Daily pointed out that with the establishment of the Campus Executive Committee and of the Academic Affairs Budget Advisory Committee, along with the recent reorganization of the BFA, the BFA is perfectly positioned. Daily thanked the assembly for the opportunity to serve them and reported that he will be serving as interim chair of his department next year. Barbara Bintliff presented Daily with a plaque of appreciation, acknowledging his contributions to the BFA as Chair.

C. Special Reports

Commencement Commencement committee representative Rita Weiss reported that commencement will occur Friday, May 14, that that processional will begin at 9:00 a.m. in the Norlin Quadrangle, and that Professor Dennis Van Gerven will provide the commencement address.

Faculty Ombuds Bob Fink reported that in 1997 - 1998, the first year of the Faculty Ombuds program, he and Jack Kelso met with 60 people (mostly faculty); and that in 1998 - 1999 they met with 95 people (again mostly faculty). Fink noted that 35 - 40% of their time was spent with units looking for help in certain areas. Fink reported that, in general, issues under discussion included the salary appeal process; questions on the process of promotion and tenure; appointments and termination; collegiality and interpersonal communication; and retirement policies and procedures.

D. BFA Election

John Daily turned the floor over to Barbara Bintliff, BFA Secretary and Elections Committee Chair, to conduct the election.

For today's election, Bintliff asked the assembly to refer to the lists detailing the outcome of the Spring election; the positions to be filled at today's election; and a list of late nominees to BFA Standing Committees; all included in today's agenda packets.

Bintliff reported that, of the 51 ballots cast in the Spring election, 42 were valid, and that after counting the valid ballots, it was determined that the invalid ballots would not have affected the outcome of the election. Bintliff also reported that the late ballots would not have affected the outcome of the election. Bintliff reported that the late ballots did, however, include a number of write-in candidates for BFA Standing Committees. Bintliff reported that the Executive Committee has agreed to nominate these late write-in candidates for positions on the standing committees, and asked the assembly to elect by voice vote those candidates who appear on the list.

Election of BFA Officers -

Moved by Paul Levitt that the absentee ballots that have so far been received be accepted and counted in this election. Moved by Michael Preston and seconded by Paul Levitt to suspend the bylaws that currently do not allow the BFA to accept absentee ballots. Bintliff noted that a two-thirds majority is required for suspension of the bylaws. Discussion followed. 13 were in favor and 12 were opposed to the motion to suspend the bylaws.

The motion did not carry.

Results of the election are as follows:

Frank Beer was elected Chair with none opposed. Robert Schulzinger was re-elected Vice-Chair with none opposed. Gerard Hauser was elected Secretary with none opposed. Cathy Comstock and John Cooper were re-elected at-large to the Executive Committee with none opposed.

Election of BFA Representatives to BFA standing committees -

Results of the election are as follows:

Uriel Nauenberg was re-elected to the Budget and Planning Committee with none opposed. Michael Preston was elected to the Faculty Benefits and Compensation Committee with none opposed. Cathy Comstock and Jim Palmer were elected to the Communications Committee with none opposed. None were elected to the Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Affairs Committee. William Atkinson was re-elected to the Minority Affairs Committee with none opposed. None were elected to the Committee on Women. Steven Epstein and Fred Denny were elected to the Faculty Affairs Committee with none opposed. Bruce Henderson was elected, and Greg Carey agreed to switch from Arts and Science Representative to BFA Representative to the Academic Technology committee, with none opposed. John Cary was elected to the Administrative Services Committee with none opposed. Martin Walter was elected to the Student Affairs Committee with none opposed. None were elected to the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee.

Chair John Daily noted that vacant seats on BFA Committees may be filled at the first meeting of the BFA in the fall. Barbara Bintliff turned the floor over to Chair John Daily for the remainder of the meeting.

E. Discussion

Academic Calendar Changes

Paul Levitt requested that the issue of Academic Calendar changes be left open for further deliberation next year, as some concerns regarding the changes have not been resolved. Bob Schulzinger reported that Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Bill Kaempfer has reported to the BFA Executive Committee that implementation of any and all changes to the calendar have been postponed. Schulzinger stated his support for the proposed changes. Rita Weiss reported that the Commencement Committee does not support the changes because the proposed calendar changes negatively impact the planning of commencements, particularly that of the spring 2000 commencement. Tom Geers suggested that CU's large commencement ceremonies be abandoned in favor of smaller, diversified commencements. John Daily stated that the proposed changes require that CU include exam time in instruction time; that many institutions of CU's stature and type around the nation have semesters that include a shortened exam period and fewer class days per semester; and that to implement this plan, finals must be included in instruction time, creating a semester of 14 weeks and 4 days. Oliver Ellsworth reported that College of Music faculty are unanimous in wanting to cut the schedule back to exactly what the CCHE requires.

F. Next Meeting

The next regular meeting of the Boulder Faculty Assembly will be announced.

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