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Presidents Response to Faculty Senate
MEMORANDUM
TO: Eric Herzik, Faculty Senate Chair
FROM: Marc Johnson, President
SUBJECT: Curricular Review Decisions
Thank you for your memo of May 5 reporting recommendations of the Faculty Senate regarding the current Curricular Review Proposals. I appreciate the considerations of the units proposed for downsizing, closure and reorganization, the respective colleges, the Faculty Senate Curricular Review Committee, the Faculty Senate, and the Faculty Budget Advisory Committee. My decisions largely accept the recommendations of the Faculty Senate as described below:
University of Nevada Cooperative Extension:
Recommendation of the Faculty Senate: ". . . approve the adoption of Alternative Proposal A prepared by University of Nevada Cooperative Extension (labeled as Plan 2 in the UNCE Response) with the exception of its proposal to move UNCE to the NSHE system level."
President Johnson: I accept this recommendation. Beginning FY'12 funding on the Extension budget will be $2.2 million plus enough funds to cover O&M expenses. UNCE will fund 15 county extension educators to maintain cooperative agreements with each county. UNCE will have sufficient state funds to match federal funding requiring matching funds. A number of specialist positions will be selected to fit the allocated budget as augmented by county funds.
Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology:
Recommendation of the Faculty Senate: ". . . approve the adoption of the Provost's proposal to reorganize and downsize the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology."
President Johnson: I accept this recommendation. Beginning FY'12 funding for the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology will be $1,000,000. The faculty will become part of the Department of Geological Science and Engineering and the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology will remain identifiable with the Director of the Bureau/State Geologist reporting directly to the Dean of Science in similar fashion as the Nevada Seismological Center.
Department of Theater and Dance:
Recommendation of the Faculty Senate: ". . . accept the department proposal saving dance and allowing a reduction in FTE rather than voluntary pay cuts for Dance faculty."
President Johnson: I accept this recommendation in principle with a caveat. I accept all elements of the departmental proposal with exception of the pay cuts or reduction in FTE for the Dance faculty. Following the principles set forth by the CLA planning committee, curricular review should not be an avenue to obtain voluntary salary reductions, unless there is an opportunity and expectation that portions of regular salaries are to be covered by grant funds. While the BFA in theater will go on hiatus, students at the University will have the opportunity to participate in existing theater and dance majors and minors.
French:
Recommendation of the Faculty Senate: ". . . approve the adoption of the proposal of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, except without the voluntary salary reductions and without the M. A. program."
President Johnson: I accept this recommendation in principle. The French BA major and minor will continue with staffing to include two tenured faculty at their current compensation and rank and three RCUF/lecturers at appropriate compensation similar to precedent. Participation of French in the Master of FLL will cease in FY'12.
Special Collections and University Archives Department:
Recommendation of the Faculty Senate: ". . . endorse the MOA between the Provost and the Dean of Libraries."
President Johnson: I accept this recommendation.
Additional Recommendation 1:
Recommendation of the Faculty Senate: "Laid-off tenured faculty should have priority over untenured faculty for other positions for which they are equally qualified, with some accommodation for the need to retool when changing job responsibilities."
President Johnson: I accept this recommendation as a matter of principle going forward with emphasis on the phrase "equally qualified."
Additional Recommendation 2:
Recommendation of the Faculty Senate: "In general, non-tenured faculty positions should not replace tenured or tenure-track faculty positions as a way of achieving cost savings, unless an academic program is being significantly downsized or reduced to a service capacity only."
President Johnson: I accept this recommendation. This principle is in concert with recommendations of the Faculty Budget Advisory Committee as tenure-earning positions have full university responsibilities for teaching, scholarship and service, fundamental to the full responsibilities of a research university.
Additional Recommendation 3:
Recommendation of the Faculty Senate: "All faculty in programs affected by curricular review should be informed of the possibility of voluntary separation packages and those proposals by specific individuals should be accepted if they are mutually beneficial."
President Johnson: I cannot accept this as a general principle because accreditation requires that students in degree programs must be afforded the opportunity to finish their degree programs. If it became standard that individuals in closing or downsizing programs were to be given early or incentivized separation agreements, staff availability to fulfill the obligations of the university might not be available. In two previous curricular review alternative proposals, specific requests for incentivized separation agreements were honored as ways to facilitate the implementation process. Individual unit proposals for voluntary separation agreements will be considered as they are proposed.
