Oregon Institute of Technology
Friday, October 6
1:30 PM The meeting was called to order.
Senators Present:
2:00 PM Shawn Hempel, ASOIT president and member of the State Board of Higher Education, was introduced. He spoke to senators about his experience as a Board member. He mentioned that it takes a student some time to "get up to speed" regarding Board business, but he felt they do need and appreciate student input. He also mentioned the Board is in the process of redefining their role. In answer to a question regarding distance education, he mentioned that place-bound students like it, but students on campus do not want to be forced into web-based instruction.
2:30 PM The two candidates for Senate District 30 were introduced. Steve Harper, the Republican candidate, said he feels the primary job of a legislator is to balance the budget. Consequently, he is in favor of anything that makes this easier. This includes supporting Ballot Measure 8, keeping the business share of taxes low, and privatizing agencies such as Parks, DMV, and OLCC. Debra James, the Democratic candidate, said she feels that too many jobs in Oregon are low wage and the way to change that is through education. Both candidates agreed that they would support a small school initiative for OIT and both would oppose Ballot Measure 91.
3:45 PM The two candidates for the House District 53 were introduced. Bill Garrard, the Republican candidate and a county commissioner, stated that running the county like a business was working. He has experience in the area of human services and is concerned about the level of funding for human services and the Oregon Health Plan. He is also concerned about the level of partisanship in the legislature and promised he would work with both sides of the aisle.
Wayne Snoozy, the Democratic candidate, has been involved in education in the Klamath Falls area for many years. He is concerned that there be adequate funding for all levels of education, K through Higher Education (including support for full funding of the budget model). He too promised to work toward a spirit of bipartisanship.
Both candidates were in agreement in supporting OIT and opposing ballot measures 8 and 91.
4:25 PM The meeting was adjourned and the senators were given a tour of the Medical Imaging/Sonography/Vascular Technology facilities at OIT.
8:50 AM The meeting was called to order.
Senators Present:
The minutes of the June meeting were approved. In the future, a draft version of the minutes will be sent to the web site one week after the Secretary sends it to the senators via email.
Reports: State Board Meetings
Gary Tiedeman reported on the June, July, and September meetings of the State Board of Higher Education. The full text of his remarks to the Board can be found at the IFS web site (http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~ifs/ifs.html).
The Board discussed the funding levels for initiatives for engineering and biotechnology (approximately 70 million) and for the new campus in Bend (approximately 7 million). There was a discussion of the newly adopted policy extending reduced tuition benefits to dependents for a maximum of ten credits. If this maximum is to be increased, it will require a change in the governing statute since the new policy is an extension of the one already available to employees.
The July meeting was the last one for outgoing Vice Chancellor for Finance, William Anslow. He indicated that implementation of the model at the local level need not be enrollment driven.
Reports: Academic Council
Paul Simonds reported via email on the September Academic Council meeting. Highlights included a discussion of the OUS indicators (how to convince the legislature they are being met, whether to set them high and fall short or low and surpass them, retention is a problem), a discussion of the model adjustment for small schools, review of the new budget model by the Legislative fiscal office, and problems with the Office of Degree Authorization.
Reports: Institutions
Each campus was given an opportunity to report on news from their own campus that might be of interest to IFS.
OHSU: Kirsten Lampi reported the Oregon Graduate Institute will become part of OHSU. The sabbatical policy is becoming more restrictive.
SOU: Bill Danley reported a presidential search is underway. There is continuing concern regarding funding under the new model. Southern has voted to join both the Workers Rights Consortium (WRC) and the Fail Labor Association (FLA).
UO: Ann Tedards reported there is still concern over the WRC-FLA issue. A special committee is looking into the situation.
WOU: Bob Turner reported on the PT3 grant and mentioned there are concerns regarding the use of distance education technology.
OSU: Gary Tiedeman reported OSU's proposal for the Bend campus is going forward.
PSU: Craig Wollner reported on the new Urban Center. Social science received a large grant ($21 million). The University Studies program is being reorganized.
OIT: Elaine Deutschman reported a reexamination of general education and student evaluations was taking place. She also mentioned there were concerns regarding responsibility for external programs (development of on-line courses and approval of faculty) and regarding the hiring of faculty on fixed term rather than tenure track appointments.
11:20 AM Action Item: After a final discussion of the revisions to the IFS constitution and bylaws, it was moved (Wollner) and seconded (Danley) to approve the changes in the constitution and bylaws. The motion passed unanimously.
Jack Cooper reported on the Save Our Oregon efforts to defeat ballot measures 8 and 91.
Senators were asked to report on two items at the December meeting: 1) the results of the Bender visit and 2) distance education policies for their campus (e.g., responsibility for on-line courses, approval of distance faculty). Ann Tedards reported she will not be able serve as the next IFS president due to new administrative responsibilities at the University of Oregon.
A calender for the 2001 meetings was adopted.
Respectfully Submitted,
Robert Brandon, Secretary