UPPAC Meeting Minutes
July 27, 2010
Attending:
UIUC: Kingsley Allan, Jim Endress, Tom Korder, Deb Stone (for Elyne Cole)
UIC: Holly Burt, Jill Davis, Marietta Giovannelli
UIS: Barbara Cass, Tammy Craig, Tyler Tanaka, Natalie Taylor
UA: Cory Holt, Marilyn Marshall, Katie Ross
Not attending: Rick Atterberry, Elyne Cole, John Loya, Ed Wojckcki
Attending Elect: Kostas Yfantis (UIUC), Jacquleine Berger (UIC), Margaret Moser (UIC),
Michael Moss (UIC), Deidre Rush (UIC),
Attending Guests: Michael Hogan, Lisa Troyer, Maureen Parks (UA), Jerry Burkhart (UIS),
Rose Schweikhart (UIS), Dick Schuldt (UIS)
- The meeting was called to order by Jim Endress at 11:10 am. Members introduced themselves.
- Agenda was approved.
- Minutes for April 27, 2010 meeting were approved.
- UPPAC Background
This face-to-face meeting of UPPAC is a historic meeting as newly elected members were invited to participate. Discussion started with a brief background on UPPAC. The University Professional Personnel Advisory Committee meets quarterly and serves the interests of full-time, part-time, visiting, and retired academic professionals by:
· providing formal and informal communication between academic professionals, the President and other administrative officers of the University,
· drafting and reviewing University-wide policies affecting academic professionals,
· coordinating communications between campuses affecting academic professionals,
· interviewing candidates for key University administrative positions.
Leadership transitions annually with the start of the each academic year. UIS will assume leadership for the 2010-2011. The Chair will be announced after UIS has their APAC elections, scheduled for August 13, 2010.
Moss states time concerns regarding the objectives laid before UPPAC. The committee must be willing to provide the resources in order to accomplish the objectives. Burt suggested changing UPPAC meetings from quarterly to bimonthly in order to remain a current and viable entity for the University. Consensus was made that this issue be raised when new leadership takes control.
- Protocol for meeting with the President
Endress opens by saying it is an honor to meet with the new President and we want to be cautious about focusing on criticisms of the past. President Hogan is still learning about the University and setting his agenda for the academic year. President Hogan received a copy of the original questions; however, he did not receive the additional questions submitted by Chicago. Marshall informally met with Hogan and stated that he seemed receptive towards this meeting with UPPAC. Cass recommended laying out APs concerns and how APs can use UPPAC take their issues to the President.
UPPAC should be used to help find solutions. Impress that there is a two line communication.
Burt and Endress concurred that it would be easier to persuade at the campus level if it was to come from the Presidential level.
Consensus was made to leave a positive impression and to help establish UPPAC as an advisory group and a useful University resource.
- Group Discussion
a. Old Business
ARR/HR Report
Giovannelli attended the Board meeting where Walter Knorr was supposed to report on the progress of the Administrative Review Report, however, it did not happen during the open Board session. She states that it is a possibility that the discussion was held during the lunch committee session where the public is not invited.
b. AP Representation on UIUC Senate
Proposed amendments to the Senate Constitution and Bylaws which will add 7 AP Senators to the UICU Senate have passed. Work continues to finalize the method of electing these AP Senators and ultimately getting them seated in the Senate. AP Vera Mainz has worked long and hard championing this cause and helping the Senate draft appropriate language.
c. Status of AP/Civil Service Audits
Group briefly began to discuss the status of the Chicago Civil Service audit but was interrupted when President Hogan arrived.
d. New Business
President Hogan
After introductions, Burkhart read the main objectives of UPPAC to President Hogan. President Hogan stated that he was willing to meet with group prior to the start of each semester, as his schedule allows, to discuss concerns and issues facing APs. He stated that in the future he would be looking to UPPAC as a resource to stay in touch with AP concerns.
Endress brought up the lack of budgeted resources for UPPAC contrasted with the need to meet more frequently in order to stay current on AP issues. Hogan will entertain the notion of subsidizing a budget for UPPAC. Marshall will confer with Hogan to discuss a permanent financial support for the group.
The group discussed the financial condition of the State and its affect on the University. Hogan noted that this is the third or fourth financial crisis he has weathered in his career. The problem is not only about coping with this current financial crisis, but also about operating under a steady decline of general support for public universities. Further, the cost of regulation is substantial. The University has received more financial support in dollars than it did 25 years ago; however, the University mission has expanded while state support is at only a fraction of the portion it formerly filled.
Hogan plans to protect the best of the University programs and resources by re-establishing the core mission and addressing the top priorities. He does not mean that the University will not seek additional funding from the State; however, Hogan is looking ahead at the 2012 budget problem, for which we are 18 months behind in planning. Hogan stated that we have to be practical and look at other avenues, such as cost savings. Everyone will be asked to sacrifice and the challenge is to ensure the sacrifice is evenly distributed? Faculty have tenure protection; however, faculty are currently under a hiring freeze so are facing decreasing numbers. Civil Service has a union; however, unions do not protect them from layoffs. APs must accept a proportionate share of the sacrifice and the University employs a large number of APs. However, faculty cannot effectively do their jobs without APs; the University cannot run without APs. Hogan stressed the need to view the University as a whole and asked for support from APs as citizens of the University and not just as APs in an employment group. Hogan stated that he describes this committee as “Peak Association” and intends to use this committee as much as he possibly can.
Hogan was asked about his goals for the University. His philosophy is “thinking big is thinking small.” He plans to look at what has made the University of Illinois great and what should emerge from the financial crisis still intact. His legacy for the University will be to leave a smaller footprint than his predecessors; he is leading in “an age of scarcity.”
Hogan was asked about the changes in policy he would consider in order to reduce personnel costs. Hogan asserted that the Administrative Review and Restructuring process would include discussion , collaboration, and priority setting by the Chancellors. Moser stated that APs would be able to help with the “nuts and bolts” of department budgets especially in the knowledge of where cuts can be made without hurting or hindering the department.
Hogan wants to develop an overall human capital strategy to work on implementing policies that will affect the University globally. The civil service audit in Chicago is not going well, but he will continue to look for UPPAC to engage in these issues for feedback on AP Pay structure, career ladder, etc. Part of the issue is that AP numbers have increased while the number of civil service positions has decreased.
Yfantis asked about changes to the makeup of the student body, specifically about admitting more international students. Hogan stated that a college campus should have a worldview and we need to create a more comfortable environment for international students. International and out of state students pay for 100% of their education and so increasing their numbers can be a positive means of revenue growth.
Marshall inquired about Hogan’s preference in how UPPAC members should access members of the University Board of Trustees. He stressed that if UPPAC has issues they would like communicated to the BOT, it needs to work through the President’s Office. The group can request time at the BOT meeting in the Public Comment section if it would like to address the BOT directly. The last Board and its administration were hampered when communication was not coordinated.
Moss asked about policies of furloughs, hiring freeze, salary increases and the like with respect to balancing the budget. Hogan stated that mandating furloughs is disaster but even in the face of decreasing revenues, we must have salary increases this year. Hogan stated he would be forthright in looking for solutions even if the answers are not going to be what we want to hear.
- Campus Reports
a. UIC
Executive Committee (2010 Goals – Outreach, Partnership & Communications)
· Michael – Will Focus on Outreach
· Jen Rowan – Will Focus on Partnership
· Jill Davis – Will Focus on Communications
· New Treasurer Role; Virginia Buglio Will Define Role & Processes
Events (Events in RED= 100 to 150+ in Attendance)
· Civil Service Audit, Sept 24, 2009
· CAPE, Nov 10, 2009
· Campus Safety, Nov 17, 2009
· Civil Service Audit Part II, Nov 18, 2009
· SURS, Jan 20, 2010
· Speed Networking, Mar 4, 2010
· Will My Retirement Income Be Reduced, Mar 12, 2010
· Budget Town Hall with Walter Knorr, May 6, 2010
· Chancellor’s Committees & APAC Ice Cream Social, May 18, 2010
· Introduction to 21st Century Networking, May 19, 2010
Communications
· Newsletter
· Website
· Archive
Representation
· Vice Chancellor for Research Search Committee
· President Search Committee
· Provost Search Committee
· Conflict of Interest Policy Committee
· Faculty Senate
· Established Formal, Campus-Wide Election Process for Search Committee Candidates
Survey
· Sponsored by Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, EAVP Business & Finance
· Contracted SRL
· Online Now
· 3,800 Invitations, +/- 1,000 Currently Completed
b. UIS
· UIS Chancellor Search
Lorena Johnson, Training Coordinator in the Institute for Legal, Legislative, & Policy Studies Committee was selected as the AP representative to the UIS Chancellor Search Committee. The goal for this search is the selection of a successful candidate who will begin service as Chancellor beginning on January 16, 2011 or as soon after as possible.
· Tammy Craig, APAC vice-chair, met with Chancellor Search Firm to provide the search firm with information about the UIS organization, the challenges facing the new chancellor, and AP views about the future of UIS and the position of chancellor. Tammy reported that she was impressed with the search firm: they listened and heard AP comments and concerns and are proactively seeking and encouraging qualified applicants for the position.
· APAC Elections
APAC elections for the upcoming year occurred in June. Four positions were open, and four valid petitions were submitted. In keeping with past APAC actions when there were unopposed candidates, the petitioners were appointed to the positions.
Elections of new officers will occur at the August 12 meeting
· Compensation Review Committee
Representatives from our Compensation Review Committee (CRC) met again with campus HR to further discuss gaining access to some of the information gathered from exit interviews. CRC suggested a couple of changes to the Exit Interview form, which were well received and which will be considered. Summary results from the Exit Interview form will be shared with CRC at least annually. APAC will create a letter, to be included in the Exit Packet that will, among other things, direct the exiting AP to a web query, which will permit the AP to share additional information about the reasons for leaving UIS.
· UIS Special Events
UIS will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary beginning with the August 2010 Convocation and lasting through the Employee of the Year event on January 11, 2011. Many special events are planned and a website with pictures, stories, and a complete history can be found at
http://www.uis.edu/about/history/40years/
· CAPE Awards
The Chancellor’s Academic Professional Excellence (CAPE) Award reception was held on April 28. The recipient of the 2010 CAPE Award is Munindra Khaund, Associate Director of Web Services.
c. UIUC
· Guests – CAP continued its tradition of inviting guests to the monthly meeting, including the Interim Chancellor, the Interim Provost, the Chair of the Staff Advisory Council, the Director of the Center for Training & Professional Development, and the Associate Provost for Budget & Research Planning. We had issues with scheduling the Provost, Chancellor, and President due to resignations and scheduling conflicts while dealing with the admissions scandal. We need to make a concerted effort to schedule the permanent successors in these positions as they begin their service.
· Academic Professional Development Fund – Budget challenges forced the Academic Professional Development Funds to be frozen mid-way through the last academic year. With those budget challenges persisting and worsening, the Academic Professional Development Funds have remained frozen through this academic year. Restoring professional development funds for academic professionals needs to be addressed as soon as financially feasible.
· CAPE Awards – The CAPE committee solicited an impressive group of nominees for review. The Chancellor presented 2010 CAPE Awards to: Angella L. Anderson; Maimouna Barro; Kimberly Collins; Danny Erickson; Mary Ellen O’Shaughnessey; and Robert D. Palinkas.
· AP Senators – Proposed amendments to the Senate Constitution and Bylaws which will add 7 AP Senators to the UICU Senate have passed. Work continues to finalize the method of electing these AP Senators and ultimately getting them seated in the Senate. AP Vera Mainz has worked long and hard championing this cause and helping the Senate draft appropriate language.
· Worked with UPPAC to secure recognized AP representative at Board of Trustees meetings -- CAP representatives working with their colleagues at the Chicago and Springfield campuses have achieved “Recognized” status for one AP representative at future Board of Trustees meeting.
· AP Representation on campus-wide Committees – CAP has also been successful at raising awareness of APs among upper levels of campus administration. As such, AP representatives are now being more routinely included on campus-wide committees.