Fellow members of the UO Senate 12 May 2004

It was an astonishing period last week. The resignation of former Governor Goldschmidt from the State Board altered the political landscape completely at that meeting. And the announcement Saturday that Governor Kulongowski will replace him as presiding officer has altered it yet again!

At the meeting in LaGrande I had extensive informal conversations with several state board members, with several of the Presidents of the OUS institutions, and with a majority of the OUS Provosts. On the basis of those discussions, I departed from my prepared remarks at the Board meeting Friday to announce:

• 1. During October 2004 the IFS, in conjunction with the Senates of the various OUS Institutions, will hold meetings on each of the OUS campuses as a "faculty driven process" concerning a "Transfer General Education Certificate" and related issues.
• 2. Friday June 4 after the State Board meeting concludes and after the IFS meeting with the State Board, the IFS will invite appropriate people to meet with the IFS about this.
• 3. The IFS President will attend the next MBF (More Better Faster) task group meeting 11 June 2004 at Chemekta CC to firm up details involved.

• a) Critical Issues identified by the OUS Faculty - presented to State Board. These deal primarily with compensation issues and with curricular issues (these relate mostly to the MBF initiatives). I urge you to read this to bring yourself up to speed on these issues.
• b) Compensation comparisons among peers for the OUS institutions.
• c) Proposed OUS Agency Request Budget Policy Package Proposals. Pages 36-38 of Board Docket
• d) Legislative "place holders" passed by the State Board 15 April 2004. Pages 44-46 of Board Docket
• e) OSA Fact sheet concerning tuition plateaus. Page 14
• f) Organizational Chart for the OUS Chancelloršs office presented to State Board and made available to the public Thursday May 6. Not finalized - pending further consideration.

I solicit your help. To make the curricular discussion the board envisions a truly "faculty driven process", the faculty must be engaged from the beginning. I have written to Academic Vice President Davis, to the leadership of the Senate, and to others on our campus to help plan and organize the process. But we must act now - before the June Board meeting. We must establish the time frame for the meeting(s) in October. And in October, we must proceed expeditiously!