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Vol. XXVII No. 28Aug. 27, 1997
http://www.umn.edu/urelate/brief/1997-08-27.html
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Editor: Maureen Smith (612) 624-2801

Tentative agreement was reached Aug. 12 between the U and representatives of AFSCME to raise the pay of about 3,000 clerical and technical employees on all campuses of the U. AFSCME members will vote on the contract during the first week in September, and the U will submit it to the regents for approval at the September meeting. Proposed contract calls for a 2.75% increase effective July 1, 1997, a 2% step increase for employees within the salary range, and a new step added to the top of the salary range, with similar increases next year. Step increases would be given on anniversary date for clerical employees, on Oct. 1 for technical employees.

Civil Service Committee (CSC) voted without dissent Aug. 21 to ask for an across-the-board increase of 5% for all civil service staff members. Discussions between the committee and central administration stalled earlier with the CSC asking for 3% and the administration holding to 2.5%.

Budget allocations have already been made to the units, and salary increases of 2.5% are included. AFSCME contract calls for more than that, and CSC is asking for more. Units will have to find the money somewhere in their budgets, because central administration doesn't have the money, associate VP Richard Pfutzenreuter told the CSC. "There will be layoffs, or supply budgets will be squeezed, or positions won't be filled," he said.

President Yudof met with the CSC for the 3rd time and plans to meet with the committee once a quarter. He said he is happy to "meet with the people who get the real work of the University done."

Yudof's management style has been described as "chain of command," CSC chair Sue Weinberg said, and she asked him to respond. "There are different rumors going around the institution, all of which are true," he quipped. In some ways he sees his style as less hierarchical than President Hasselmo's, because more people report to him. But he said decisions made in central administration need to be taken seriously and not treated as tentative or as the first in a series of trial balloons. If he makes a mistake, he wants to be told, Yudof said, but administrators who lose policy arguments should not turn around and try to line up votes of 7 regents.

Implementing the Denny report will be the first priority for the VP for human resources, Yudof said, and Chuck Denny has been named to the search committee. Acting VP Carol Carrier "does great work and she's obviously a viable candidate," he said, but because of the importance of the job he wanted to do a full search. One reason for naming a VP is symbolic, he said. "I like the symbolism. People are important." Also, he said, many key decisions are made in meetings of VPs, and "I wanted someone who would speak up for the employees."

Yudof outlined plans for improving the TC campus. North and south mall would be declared a historic district, and the south mall would be opened to the river. "We would go around, over, or through Coffman Union, which shouldn't be where it is." Plans include "looking at tunnel systems, which are very important, and signage, which I think is even more important since I can't find any of the tunnels." Bill would be $700 million. "We're just going to have to do a full-court press. The president is never more powerful than in the first 6 months."

Yudof was asked about status of the enterprise project (new computer systems with PeopleSoft as the provider). "I'm having some difficulties with this project," he said. "I don't like the bill. I think it's too big. I don't like the tax on the colleges. This is like a plan for a Rolls Royce, but we're not getting a Rolls Royce. I'm worried that there will be cost overruns." Yudof said he and Provost Bruininks talked about the project that morning, and he has "not yet reached a level of confidence" to bring the proposal to the regents.

Another question was about review of sexual harassment policy. Nobody in central administration is in favor of sexual harassment or in favor of romantic relationships between supervisors and employees or faculty and students, Yudof said. "It's a terrible idea. I used to send out a memo every year. It's bad for 90 different reasons." Disagreements are about "what is the remedy when someone violates the policy" and what kind of investigation is conducted when a 3rd party makes a complaint. He said he believes the differences can be resolved.

Take Pride in U project Web page is at http://www.umn.edu/urelate/pride, or call (612) 624-6868 for more information. Beautiful U Day Oct. 13 will be a day set aside for faculty, staff, and students on the TC campus to clean house.

CROOKSTON--Many events are planned for the first week of September, leading up to the start of classes Sept. 8. Campuswide welcome breakfast will be Sept. 2, 7:30 a.m., in Brown Dining Room, with a talk by Burks Oakley II from the U of Illinois on "The Internet and Higher Education." Division and program meetings, club advisers' meeting, orientation for new faculty and P&A staff, and faculty technology presentations will be Sept. 3.

Talks and workshops during the week: "Student 2000 Project: Student Systems for the 21st Century" by associate VP Bob Kvavik Sept. 4, workshop on "Sexism, Gender Roles, and Assault Awareness" by author and former police officer Bill Nelson Sept. 5, and "New Beginnings" by humorist and motivational speaker Duane Dumas Sept. 5.

Events Sept. 7 include new student orientation community service projects in Crookston and welcome picnic at 5 p.m. on UMC mall sponsored by the Crookston Chamber of Commerce and the Crookston Retail Merchants Association.

DULUTH--Tweed Museum of Art features the first major exhibit of works by Aristide Pappas (1914-91) through Sept. 25. The exhibition includes most of the artist's remaining canvas paintings, watercolors, and drawings, which he donated and personally chose for the Tweed display.

Mary Ann Soleim has been appointed acting director of University relations and development. She has been associate director of development for the past 5 years. Diane Skomars left the position Aug. 15. A search is under way for a permanent director.

Alan Roline, assistant professor of business law, and Rajiv Vaidyanathan, assistant professor of marketing, recently wrote a book, Surfing for Success in Business Law 1997. The book is intended for use by business law faculty to acquaint students with the Internet and provide Internet exercises related to business law.

MORRIS--The GenEdWeb program facilitated through U College-Morris campus, with assistance from the Distance Education Council, Program Innovation Fund, and UMM dean's office, will offer courses on the Web beginning Oct. 6 that fulfill general education requirements or electives for undergraduate degree programs.

In a reorganization of the alumni relations and fund development offices, Maddy Maxeiner has assumed the position of director of fund development in addition to her current position as assistant to the chancellor for external affairs. Vivian Heltemes is the director of alumni relations and associate director of fund development.

TWIN CITIES--Proposed contract between men's athletics and Grainbelt Brewery has not been approved, VP Boston said Friday. If an agreement is reached, it will be similar in scope to the U's current contract with Miller Brewing, allowing for signs in athletic venues and product ads in game programs. "It is not and has never been our intent to allow any vendor to use University marks such as Goldy Gopher in connection with the vendor's external advertising," Boston said.

Goldstein Gallery makes its state fair debut this year with an exhibit of everyday objects made or embellished by hand. Some are on display for the first time, from the museum's permanent collections of costumes, textiles, and decorative arts. Exhibit can be seen in the northwest corner of the Creative Activities Building during fair hours.

Wolfgang Taraba, professor of German who retired in June 1996, died Aug. 16 in his hometown of Werne, Germany.

Lisa Freeman, director of U Press for the past 7 years, has resigned to pursue other professional interests. Beverly Kaemmer has accepted the position of acting director while a national search is conducted.

Disability Services and the Global Campus have received $259,786 from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education to implement a 3-year project to enhance study abroad opportunities for students with disabilities. Financial assistance will be available for eligible students. For more information, contact Betty Aune at (612) 624-6884 or Heidi Soneson, 625-2571, project codirectors.

EdFest, an open house for adult and part-time students sponsored by U College, is Sept. 11, 5-8 p.m., in Nolte Center.

Announcements: Level 3 of East River Road Ramp is now contract parking only. Temporary contracts, sold on a quarterly basis, are available to students, staff, and faculty on a first-come first-served basis at 300 Transportation and Safety Building, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. M-F. Contracts for the current quarter are available now and will be prorated. Contracts for Oct. 1-Dec. 31 will be sold beginning Sept. 15. For information call (612) 626-7275.U Card Office (40 Coffman Union) requests that all faculty and staff who need to get new or replacement U Cards between now and Sept. 24 do so from 8:30 to 10 a.m. More than 8,000 orientation students will be issued cards between those dates, and lines can be long. After Sept. 25, normal office hours of 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. M-F will resume. Call 626-9900 with questions.U Toastmasters meet Wednesdays, 12:05-1 p.m., 306 Coffman Union, e-mail toastmas@tc.umn.edu or call 623-7754.U Stores will have an open house Sept. 9, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., at the Radisson Hotel Metrodome.