Present: Elizabeth Boretz (EOU), Mina Carson
(OSU History), Nels Carlson (OHSU School of Medicine), Duncan Carter (PSU
Liberal Arts and Sciences), Bill Danley (SOU Special Education), Elaine
Deutschman (OIT Mathematics), James Earl (UO English), Dan Edge (OSU Fisheries
& Wildlife), Peter Gilkey (UO Mathematics), Marye Hefty (OIT
Communications), Solveig Holmquist (WOU Creative Arts/Music), Laura Jones (SOU
Health and PE), Jim Lundy (OSU Transportation Engineering), Marny Rivera (SOU
Criminology), Bob Turner (WOU Biology).
Absent: Scott Burns (PSU Geology), Dick Fairley
(OHSU Computer Science and Engineering), Robert Mercer (PSU Liberal Arts and
Sciences), Steve Teich (OHSU Library), Jim Tooke (EOU Mathematics Education),
Craig Wollner (PSU Social Science), Robert Zimmerman (UO Physics).
A. Treated to sacred Native American drumming and singing by an SOU Native American intertribal group.
A. Stated the “two most painful issues” as 1) salary freezes and lack of compensation for faculty and staff and 2) student tuition and fee increases.
B. Mentioned excitement about SOU being positioned at a national level as a Liberal Arts University.
C. Talked about the international activities with SOU’s sister city in Mexico.
D. Praised Bill Danley for his articulate messages at board meetings
III. Opening Remarks by Bill Danley
A. Praised Chancellor Jarvis and the OUS Board for unprecedented support of higher education.
IV. Opening Remarks by Chancellor Jarvis
(See http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~ifs/IFS-Oct03-Chan/IFS-CJ-3Oct.html for the powerpoint slides used by the Chancellor).
A. Noted that the governor will be appointing several new board members, one of which could be a faculty member to replace Geri Richmond. Therefore, the chancellor would like us to have faculty names ready to give the governor.
B. Stated that it is a time of extraordinary change for the board with several new members in the next year.
C. Stated that the governor is very interested in higher education, especially related to affordability and need-based financial aid.
D. Mentioned that education could be a legacy issue with the governor and that we should work to move education up on his priority list. The problem is lack of money not lack of interest in education.
V.
Senator Lenn Hannon
A. Stated that he is “deeply troubled” by some of his colleagues in the last session who believe that government is corrupt and in trying to tame it are actually destroying it. Extreme views are being presented to tame and slash government.
B. Praised Chancellor Jarvis for the work he has done supporting higher education. “He rolled up his sleeves and fought hard for higher education.”
C. Stressed that we have lost Oregon’s vision for affordable and accessible education.
D. Stated that higher education is not for sale in the state and that it belongs to the citizens.
E. Clarified that funding for K-12, community colleges, universities, and health is tied to the revenue enhancements, and if these enhancements are repealed in a February election then K-12 will face $250M more in reductions and higher education $26M in reductions.
F. Stated that a problem is the ultra right wing conservatives in office who want to cut, slash, and burn government.
G. Stressed that we must stop the insanity of raising fees, tuition, and fines
H. Charged the faculty to organize (to join together at all levels) to demand the best, expect the best, and expect nothing less. Collectively we can make a difference and individually we cannot.
I. Stated that a big part of our funding solution is finding a funding solution for K-12. We must get K-12 out of the state general fund.
J. Again, charged students, faculty, administration, and presidents to join together and demand reasonable tax reform to get K-12 removed from the general fund.
K. Explained that this “organizing” can be done by forming a Political Action Committee.”
L. Explained that K-12 has received its funding by supporting candidates financially. “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” We need to mobilize our alumni and others for support.
VI.
Chancellor Richard Jarvis: View from the Chancellor’s Office
A. A summary of the Chancellor’s presentation is located at www…
VII.
Representative Alan Bates: View from the House
A. Reminded us that Oregon has the biggest deficit in state history and the biggest of all states in relation to size and population.
B. Expressed that the February recall vote has him extremely concerned. The early polling in the public is not good. Our job right now is to prevent the 50,000 signatures required to get the vote on the ballot. If the vote goes through (resulting in a cut), then K-12, higher education, and the Oregon Health Plan will be hit with cuts again. If this happens, we should let the consequences happen to enable the voters to understand what these cuts will mean.
C. Summarized why we have such a problem in Oregon. We have managed to elect a group of people (25 to 30 individuals) who have a mindset that is extreme right. They believe that government is bad, public institutions are bad, private institutions are good, and raising taxes is always bad.
D. Mentioned the solution to the problem—recruit and elect reasonable, moderate candidates. Also, we have an incredibly bad system of taxation. We will be one of the last states pulling out of the recession.
E. Addressed Chancellor Jarvis about the need for ETIC and about starting on ETIC on day 1 right after the election.
F. Stressed the need for K-12, community colleges, and universities to work together for a solution.
G. Stated that constituents from each university need to speak with senators and representatives face to face every five to six weeks to form the personal relationships needed to make change.
Present: Elizabeth Boretz (EOU), Scott Burns (PSU
Geology), Mina Carson (OSU History), Nels Carlson (OHSU School of Medicine),
Duncan Carter (PSU Liberal Arts and Sciences), Bill Danley (SOU Special
Education), Elaine Deutschman (OIT Mathematics), James Earl (UO English), Dan
Edge (OSU Fisheries & Wildlife), Peter Gilkey (UO Mathematics), Marye Hefty
(OIT Communications), Solveig Holmquist (WOU Creative Arts/Music), Laura Jones
(SOU Health and PE), Jim Lundy (OSU Transportation Engineering), Marny Rivera
(SOU Criminology), Bob Turner (WOU Biology).
Absent: Dick Fairley (OHSU Computer Science and Engineering), Robert Mercer (PSU Liberal Arts and Sciences), Steve Teich (OHSU Library), Jim Tooke (EOU Mathematics Education), Craig Wollner (PSU Social Science), and Robert Zimmerman (UO Physics).
I.
Review of Friday Presentations
A. Discussed how the Association of University Faculties (AOF) can act as the Political Action Committee for Oregon colleges and universities.
B. Discussed the value of getting organized when state support for higher education is dwindling and this trend is not expected to change. Do we get better at making our money through grants, gifts, and self-support? Bob Turner and others expressed dismay at the increasing inclination to avoid investing in the infrastructure of this state.
C. Action Item: Peter Gilkey agreed to contact the Chancellor about how we plan to implement a new legislative strategy that the Chancellor discussed in general terms at University of Oregon. This general strategy is to establish personal and long-term contact with every legislator in Oregon. Gilkey will discuss with Chancellor Jarvis the specific details discussed at this IFS meeting about how IFS can coordinate this effort. If the Chancellor agrees with the IFS proposal or suggests modifications, then Gilkey will contact each of us with the next steps.
II.
Academic Council Report—Dan Edge
A. Reported about two phone interviews since the last IFS meeting.
B. Mentioned discussion of admissions standards (e.g., SIM, CAM, PASS), including for the fall of 2006 looking at “evidence of competency” as a complement to the admissions requirements.
C. Reported the work to link system-wide planning in the strategic planning process at each campus.
D. Mentioned as not high the U.S. News & World Report rankings of Oregon schools.
III.
Board Meeting Report—Bill Danley
A. Reported on three budget notes
1. Hiring—avoid filling vacant positions whenever plausible
2. Compensation—The adopted budget does not support any increases in salaries, wages, or benefits for the employees during the 2003-05 biennium.
3. Fee remission—The adopted budget supports programmatic fee remissions equal to 8 percent of gross tuition revenue.
B. Introduced the new board member Henry Lorenzen and the two new student board members.
C. Discussed the results of the IFS editorial writing initiative from last FY.
D. Stressed the spectacular opportunity for a new faculty member on the OUS board (to replace Geri Richmond). Stressed that this needs to be someone with strong academic credentials and credible Democratic Party connections. IFS should make a specific recommendation, and IFS members should take this information back to campuses for campus nominations.
IV. PEBB and PERS Discussion
A. Discussed the current bills being challenged in the courts. If these bills are allowed to stand as constitutional, then the current estimate for retirees now and in the future is a 30% lose in retirement benefits.
B. Discussed the ”draconian” budget cuts that could occur if the income tax surcharge is repealed. Agreed that we must take action as private citizens because we cannot act as an IFS unit in this battle.
C. Mentioned the federal initiative to put limits on tuition at a federal level.
V.
Campus News
Oregon State University
· Ed Ray is the new president (from Ohio State). He is already involved in the school’s strategic planning process. He gave up his inauguration money to provide for a student scholarship.
· Concerned about some faculty in the extension service who are not being eliminated but are receiving reductions in service (less than full time contracts).
Oregon Health Sciences
University
· Lots of new construction including a 14-story outpatient new research building and office space. The transportation tram is still being considered.
Eastern Oregon University
· The interim president is well respected, and a committee is working on finding the new president.
· The new science building is complete.
· The new union negotiated all summer. So far, we are seeing lots of work and not much progress
Portland State University
· The new dorm is complete, which is a totally “green” (environmentally operated) building. The Native American Center will open soon.
· Right now about 24,000 to 24,500 students, with 5000 as graduate students. There is a 10% increase in first-time freshman.
· In the middle of a major capital raising campaign (our first one). Madeline Albright is the speaker at one of our dinners that is part of this campaign.
· Meetings are taking place to discuss how to use space more effectively (with more students and no new rooms). PSU has gained 42 hundred extra seats through this process.
· With the budget shortfall, cuts are being made by not replacing tenure faculty. Exigency should be considered as an option in making budget decisions instead of the current “cherry picking” approach based on retiring faculty.
Western Oregon University
· The new president is on board. He has started a new strategic planning process with the same company that completed the old process, and this has some faculty who worked on the old plan (and didn’t see it implemented) a little concerned.
· WOU is looking as how to use room space more effectively because of the enrollment increases.
· New student week was energizing. The president interacts well with students.
University of Oregon
· The budget is a dominating issue. We have a great freshman class, but it includes 300 fewer students than expected.
· Private money is funding a new building.
· The provost envisions a new kind of university in planning for the tax surcharge failure (as a possibility). We are not sure what this university will look like, but it involves reconfiguring the school to operate with less money.
· We are in the middle of a $600 capital campaign. A concern involves how much of this money is going to athletic building. For example, a $100M basketball arena is about to break ground and the school already has a basketball arena.
Oregon Institute of
Technology
· OIT is calling this the Year of the Alumni and is working on securing donations and support from alumni.
· The school is seeking private funds for a Center for Applied Health Technologies.
· We have a new provost.
Southern Oregon University
· Dr. Potter is the new provost. He is outcome based in his approach. Right now he is involved in strategic planning.
· The new $122M library is coming along beautifully.
· The freshman class numbers are up 12%.
· SOU is a new member of the Council of Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC)
VI.
Nominating Committee
A. The following nominating committee formed to replace the outgoing positions (president, secretary, and academic council): Elizabeth Boretz (EOU), Nels Carlson (OHSU School of Medicine), Duncan Carter (PSU Liberal Arts and Sciences), Bill Danley (SOU Special Education), Elaine Deutschman (OIT Mathematics), Jim Lundy (OSU Transportation Engineering).
VII. The Next Meeting
A. Discussed plans for the December meeting at PSU.