OSU

Faculty Council Meeting

250 Student Union February 10, 1998

President Halligan called the meeting to order with the following members present: Ackerson, Bice, Bierman, Buchanan, Cole, Dawson, Edgley, Farr, Finn, Gedra, Horn, Hsu, Kimbrell, Krenzer, Lawry, Locy, Martin, Miller, Moder, Montgomery, Richards, Schwarz, Scott, Sisson, Smith, Warde, and Wilkinson. Also present: Bantle, Bateson, Birdwell, Clark, Dahl, Greene, Greer, Grischkowsky, Gularte, Holmes, Hyle, Knottnerus, Matoy, Mills, Mitchell, Najd, Waits, and Watkins. Absent: Arquitt, Bertholf, and Robinson

HIGHLIGHTS

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Dr. Kimbrell moved acceptance of the January 13, 1998, Minutes. Dr. Moder seconded the motion. The Minutes were approved. Dr. Bierman moved acceptance of the, February 10, 1998, Agenda. Dr. Krenzer seconded. The Agenda was approved. SPECIAL REPORT: Compensation Committee — Mary Anne Gularte
Dr. Moder, as Faculty Council representative on the committee, introduced Mary Anne Gularte. Ms. Gularte, using President Halligan's mission statement as an example, said that the committee proceeded on the belief that OSU's most important asset is people and that the compensation system should recognize performance. It is generally recognized that the staff compensation system at OSU is broken. A 1995 survey showed problems such as: 1) inconsistent classification; 2) unavailability of position descriptions to departments; 3) pay that is too low for quality, expectation, and educational requirements; 4) a lack of flexibility; 5) salary compression; and 6) a system which is not fair and which is misused. In 1995 a broad-based commission comprised of over 50 members was formed. The Faculty Council was represented by Don Peters, David Buchanan, and Martin Wallen. A report was given to Dr. Halligan in January 1997 and the recommendations were supported. In July 1997 Dr. Birdwell appointed a Compensation Committee to carry forward the Commission recommendations. The Compensation Commission recommendations were to restructure the staff compensation system to accomplish several objectives: 1) increase flexibility; 2) improve efficiency and effectiveness of the organization by reducing the number of job titles from 525; 3) develop a more skilled work force; 4) improve communication and 5) be legally sound, be simple and fair, be responsive to the OSU mission, and be market based and performance driven. The Compensation Committee charge is to design systems and implement changes to meet compensation objectives as determined by the Commission, to recommend policies and procedures to ensure the objectives are maintained on a continual basis and to create a reporting mechanism that will enable management to monitor the objectives including means of monitoring whether any of the university departments misuse the flexibility the new system will provide. A framework for a revised staff compensation structure has been adopted called broadbanding. The committee has talked with representatives of other institutions that use broadbanding and have adopted the best of what has been learned from these talks. Interim recommendations have been discussed with the Budget Committee, VP Birdwell and EVP Keener and will involve broadening pay bands and increasing minimum pay. Please share any comments you have with members of the Compensation Committee. Dr. Moder said that when this system is fully implemented it will have a big affect on faculty's ability to recruit, train and maintain support staff. It will require that people in supervisory positions learn how to use the system in order to get the best employees. Dr. Horn said that he had attended the recent training sessions for faculty and did not remember hearing about demonstrated proficiency increases. Ms. Gularte replied that in Agriculture, after the support staff has been in place 3 to 4 months they can be given a demonstrated proficiency increase. Dr. Horn added that to him it is inexcusable that position descriptions are not available to the departments. Ms. Gularte said that this complaint may have arisen because of the procedures in a college or division. The Personnel Office will provide position descriptions to anyone who asks, but at one time position descriptions were not to be shared. Dr. Horn said that the university is constantly changing as are many of the staff needs, so how are the generic job descriptions being generated to allow for the idiosyncrasies of particular department needs. Ms. Gularte replied that the method is still under construction but Personnel Services staff have been looking at current job descriptions for common elements. This will also be discussed in the focus groups, with Faculty Council, Staff Advisory Council and with administration. Dr. Horn asked about some of the special skills and time constraints needed in positions such as the Herdsmen positions in the Animal Science Department. Ms. Gularte replied that by reviewing the list of job descriptions the researcher can choose one that fits most of the needs then other items can be added that are important to her/him. The unit can make the position as detailed as they like but there is no need for all positions to contain as much detail as they do today. The added detail would not add a requirement of a higher or lower pay scale. Dr. Edgley said that by broadening the bands and increasing the minimums the average compensation will also be increased. Has the budget been increased to cover this? Dr. Birdwell replied that the intention is to provide greater flexibility to the operating units in managing their budgets to meet their needs. President Halligan added that this is the key issue. Many times a researcher has the money but only needs the right to hire the correct person to complete the job. A very rigid system makes a professor play games in order to hire such a person. Dr. Birdwell said that the Executive Group and Dean's were concerned about the inequities that could be generated from department to department or college to college. Some monitoring will be needed but the decisions are to be made at the unit level. It will, in the long run, have some fiscal impact but initially it will not since there is no plan to give units more money just because they have more flexibility. The other recommendation to move the ranges up can be met by allocating approximately $100K. Dr. Halligan added that the departments may be able to spend their money more wisely with the added flexibility. Dr. Finn said the process of creatively writing a job description can be an important in thinking through a job and in the subsequent evaluation of the employee. Dr. Gedra asked how many titles will be discontinued. Ms. Gularte said there really has not been a lot of discussion on how many titles/positions, there will be ultimately. Dr. Moder said that they hoped for 7 to 9 bands but several different paths within the bands. Dr. Wilkinson said that she did not see how this was going to help her. The staff person in her department should be paid more but there is not more money in the budget to increase her salary. Dr. Lawry added that it is possible that the dean's office could say you can hire a new person in this salary range and you do not have that much money in you budget. Mr. Greer replied that department heads will have to have serious discussions with their deans. Dr. Moder said that there will have to be changes made in the dean's budgeting process to allow these changes to take place. Dr. Bantle said that the college had tried to put equity money into some staff positions but there was not enough money to solve all the problems. REPORT OF STATUS OF FACULTY COUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONS:
President Halligan, Executive Vice President and Vice Presidents

94-12-01-SALRComposition of Future Information Technology Committee:

Under review. Some input regarding committee charge and membership has been received from the Deans, and Drs. Moretti and Buchanan. Final draft is being prepared for final reviews. Hope to have this resolved by next time.

96-12-04-FACChanges in Appendix D:

Under review. Dr. Keener will work with Legal Counsel to draft wording changes to more clearly delineate the role of Ombuds and provide additional specifics regarding membership to the Informal Review Committee. Requires Board approval. President Halligan will not add another position.

97-02-02-ADHOCPatent Policy 1-0202:

Pending review by Faculty Council committee. Draft including incorporated changes from initial reviews is currently being reviewed by Faculty Council committee. Following their review, document will pass to Research Council, Dean’s Council and Legal Counsel. Requires Board approval.

97-04-03-ASPGuidelines for Scheduling Common Evening and Final Exams:

Administration agrees in principle, but defers decision awaiting new computer system. Dr. Vitek has coordinated this review with the Registrar and the Faculty Council committee. Draft revisions are being considered. Because of the extensive computer reprogramming involved, CIS must postpone until new computer system is operating.

97-09-01-FACPolicy and Procedure Letter on Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure:

Under review. Dr. Keener is coordinating review of the draft P&P letter, to include Dean’s Council. Recommend referring to a special review group including representatives of Faculty Council, Deans, and Board of Regents. A memo from EVP Keener to President Halligan states that, "The deans are unanimously against the recommendations that: 1. reduce their voice and that of the EVP in the RPT process, and 2. provide the candidate the opportunity to rebut the recommendations made at various points in the review process. I also support the deans in their views. Since it is clear that members of the Faculty Committee of the Faculty Council feel very strongly about this matter, I suggest we consider asking the Council to identify a representative group of Council leaders (perhaps four individuals) who would meet with a group of deans and perhaps members of the Board to discuss this matter." President Halligan added that the Regents are interested and he will schedule a meeting at his home in the near future. Dr. Buchanan asked Faculty Council members who have a particular interest in this to tell him.

97-09-02-FAC

Return of Policy and Procedure Letter on Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure to Faculty Council Before Action by the President: Pending review of draft P&P Letter.

98-01-01-ASP

Change in University Academic Regulation 1.6 entitled "Scholastic Requirements for Continuing Enrollment of a Student Under Academic Probation in an Undergraduate College": Approved as recommended. Dr. Keener will revise written policy and make appropriate notifications. Dean’s Council and Student Academic Service Directors have approved this proposed modification.

98-02-01-ASP

OSU Alternative Admission (8%) Program: To President Halligan.

98-02-02-FAC

"Faculty Perceptions of the Appraisal and Development Process" Recommendations: To President Halligan.

98-02-03-FAC

Timing of the A&D Process: To President Halligan.

98-02-05-SALR

Course Syllabi Availability: To President Halligan.

VICE CHAIR NOMINATIONS — Gene Krenzer
Dr. Krenzer asked that no one nominate a person who was not in the room without prior approval from the person. Nominations were made by secret ballot and voting continued on these nominations until there were two names who had 75% approval of the members present. The faculty can also nominate other candidates by getting the signatures of 50 voting members on a petition. It took two nominating rounds to get three people, Marcia Tilley, Bill Warde, and Bruce Ackerson, willing to serve. Marcia Tilley and Bruce Ackerson were nominated on the next ballot.

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