January 19, 1999

Minutes of the Meeting

PRESENT: Muriel Bebeau (chair), David Hamilton, Timothy Wiedmann, Patricia Ferrieri, Kathleen Krichbaum, Carole Bland

REGRETS: Judith Garrard, Stephanie Valberg

ABSENT: Fred Hafferty

[In these minutes: Committee Goals; Consultative Process; Communication; Subcommittees]

The minutes of the December 15^th meeting were approved.

Professor Ferrieri inquired whether the AHC FCC planned to address the issue regarding the removal of the title "clinical" in front of Associate and Full Professor. Professor Bebeau responded that indeed it would and then proceeded to outline the committee's accomplishments and future goals.

COMMITTEE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• The AHC FCC was established in 1996 under the provostial structure
• The change in presidents and new administrative structure resulted in the recommendation (based on a Senate Task Force) to eliminate the provostial committees, however, the AHC successfully lobbied to continue.
• Typically, elections are held during Spring Quarter, but due to the fallout from the Task Force report, elections to replace AHC FCC members whose terms had expired were delayed until late Fall Quarter. Currently, another election is underway to replace three members of the AHC whose terms expire June, 99. The current election is being conducted in conjunction with the University Senate Committee on Committee's process.
• Met as a group, at least monthly, to discuss matters of concern to the faculty.
• Met monthly with the vice president and other academic officers to represent the viewpoints of the faculty.
• Met periodically with the chair of the Student Consultative Committee to discuss issues of concerns to both faculty and students. On one occasion the two committees met jointly to discuss issues relative to the consultative process.
• Attended meetings of the Dean's Council of the AHC to represent the faculty in that forum.
• Reported each quarter to the AHC Faculty Assembly the activities of the FCC.
• Established subcommittees including committees on Finance and Planning (chaired by Daniel Feeney) and Faculty Affairs (chaired by Carole Bland).

Professor Bebeau reported that she met with VP Cerra to discuss future goals and came to the agreement that they want enhance and improve the consultative process.

A document titled "The Process of Consultation" forwarded by Gary Engstrand, Senate Office was distributed to members for review. Professor Bebeau asked members to take a few minutes and review the six points.

FUTURE GOALS

• To be more proactive in soliciting concerns of faculty within respective units and bringing these to the attention of the vice president.
• Develop a list (and frequently update it) of issues for consultation. This should give FCC members an opportunity to solicit perspectives of the unit they represent, rather than to simply articulate a personal viewpoint on the matter.
• Engage in periodic review as to how faculty consultation was taken into account in decision making and, if not, why not. Reports should be made to the AHC Faculty Assembly.

Members then talked about the positive impact the AHC FCC had on the decision regarding the RSO (Research Service Organization). This is one of several items the vice president has consulted with the FCC on. It was noted that the area of consulting that is weak has to do with the outcomes of the decisions made. Members also talked about attending dean's council meetings. Members plan to talk to the vice president about the executive sessions during these meetings. It was also noted that the FCC member attending the meeting is responsible for providing a summary of the meeting to the rest of the FCC. Members, who have served on the committee previously, acknowledged that they had not been particularly good about doing this.

The chair was encouraged to meet with the vice president between meetings.

Professor Bebeau then continued to report on her meeting with the vice president. With respect to the AHC FCC goals, he indicated he would:

• Get the agenda for the dean's council meeting on the WEB together with a list of issues for future meetings. Send out materials ahead of time, and get minutes of the meeting out within the week.
• Do internal priority setting. Each member of the team in his office should have 10 major areas that have been prioritized, and the priorities of the office should be on the website and form a workplan that would be circulated to the AHC FCC. This would form a plan for items for consultation.
• Engage in periodic review as to how faculty consultation was taken into account in decision making and, if not, why not. Dr. Cerra will provide such reports at AHC Faculty Assembly meetings.

ISSUES REQUIRING AN UPDATE

• The Dean's Performance Review (Nursing) and future reviews
• AHC administered grants
• The tobacco proposal
• Status of the ESO
• Status of Post-tenure Review

Dr. Cerra mentioned the need to develop a checklist related to governance issues for the deans. He also mentioned that Keith Dunder could help the School of Dentistry with the bylaws if a committee was established. The School of Dentistry has a constitution but no bylaws.

CONSULTATION

• The consultative process does not seem to move through the unit down to the division or departmental level.
• AHC FCC should reinforce the importance of consultation in its discussions with the vice president.
• AHC FCC has the opportunity to write information pieces for the AHC Community News and/or the CAPSULE. As one member pointed out, this is a time consuming project and when members engaged in this activity a year or so ago, they found that they didn't have the time.

CITIZENSHIP

Professor Bebeau talked briefly about what it means to be a member of the AHC FCC and described it as good citizenship. What are the responsibilities and obligations of being a committee member? A number of points were raised:

• Members should be more effective in identifying issues in their respective schools.
• AHC FCC members can't be all things to all people.
• How does the committee engage clinical faculty in governance?
• Faculty come to the University to do teaching, research, and service. Service does not mean committee work; it means service to your discipline and your community. Consultation is necessary because you don't have good administrators. A truly good administrator will make decisions because they know what faculty want. In the end, faculties don't want to spend time in meetings; they just want the administrators to make the right decisions. It's not just clinical faculty, it's all faculty.
• People typically become engaged when there's a problem.
• Respond to email regarding meetings, minutes, feedback, etc.

COMMUNICATION

There are a number of issues relative to communicate to the broader AHC faculty. Vickie Courtney reported that she has been working with AHC Communications to send out committee minutes to all AHC faculties. She also asked members if they would consider approving minutes before the next meeting so that she could get them out expeditiously. A motion was then made that committee members will be given seven days after receiving the minutes to respond. Professor Bebeau will ultimately be responsible for approving the minutes. Motion was passed.

Additionally, members were encouraged to send information out to faculty in their respective areas. Professor Hamilton will provide listserves for those committee members who don't have access to such lists. Members will let faculty in their areas know who their representative is and the kinds of issues the committee is addressing.

The AHC FCC needs to be more proactive on a number of issues.

• AHC administrative structure - there is the perception that the administration is getting bigger. It was pointed out that while this may be perception it may not actually be true. Faculties are inadequately apprised of the needs prior to posting of positions and administrative structure.
• Committee should have information about the compacts.
• Perception about centralization of authority (specifically space and money.

SUBCOMMITTEE ON FACULTY AFFAIRS AND FINANCE & PLANNING

Carole Bland, Chair of Faculty Affairs Subcommittee provided a brief overview of the work of the subcommittee.

• Subcommittee was established last year
• Kent Bales, Chair of the University Senate Committee on Faculty Affairs, met with the subcommittee.
• The subcommittee identified issues that were solely AHC (last year)
• Full time clinical track in the Medical School
• Career Honoring Transition Award
• Post-tenure Review
• Faculty raises
• Sabbatical leaves

Professor Bland said that she had not yet pulled the Subcommittee on Faculty Affairs together because she was not clear what the AHC FCC wanted the group to address. Professor Bland also serves on the University SCFA. Professor Bland suggested that the subcommittee look into morale issues. There is a perception in some areas that "trouble is brewing," and there are unhappy faculties who are expressing negative feelings about this institution. Professor Bebeau thought the FCC might consider what the Faculty Affairs Subcommittee might do to address what is perceived to be a morale issue. Professor Bebeau then reported that Sara Evans, Chair of the University FCC and Fred Morrison, Vice Chair, have talked about doing a workshop on consultation with the Deans. It is their thought that if there were a better consultative process within each of the AHC units and departments, it would address some of those morale issues. Perhaps, Bebeau said, the AHC Faculty Affairs Subcommittee could work collaboratively with the U FCC on this.

A number of points were made:

• It is discouraging because there is not enough time to be scholarly or have the freedom to think. The freedom to think used to be the great preserve of being an academician and that has eroded.
• Identify issues that are barriers.
• Morale carries a negative connotation - the AHC has undergone phenomenal changes in the last few years. How can the FCC get a handle on what the issues are and what to do to make things better?
• There needs to be a proactive assessment and long-term planning with respect to replacing those who will be leaving in the year 2010.
• AHC FCC should focus on the vision for the AHC - there is no collective movement in a direction as to where the AHC is going.
• AHC FCC needs to continue discussions regarding this issue with Dr. Cerra before determining specific action.
• A true state of the AHC description that includes faculty morale is needed. We need to face up to where we are; the areas we are falling down in and what we are going to do to reach our goals and visions. Are we on the right track?
• The AHC FCC needs to push for shared governance.

THE FINANCE AND PLANNING SUBCOMMITTEE

Professor Daniel Feeney, Chair, was unable to attend the meeting but it was noted that the subcommittee has been very active. Vickie Courtney will contact Professor Feeney about attending an upcoming meeting to provide a report.

Chairs of the two subcommittees serve as ex officio membership of the AHC FCC.

Vickie Courtney distributed copies of the duties and responsibilities of each of the subcommittees.

FUTURE AHC FCC MEETINGS

February 9

April 13

May 11

June 8

Agenda items for the meeting with Dr. Cerra include:

• Reporting to the AHC Faculty Assembly regarding ways to enhance the consultative process
• Update on administrative decisions
• List of future issues for consultation
• IMG units

OTHER ISSUES

Dr. Cerra and Professor Bebeau agreed updates need to be provided on the following:

• Dean's performance review from Nursing
• AHC administered grants
• Tobacco
• Status of ESO (Educational Service Organization)
• Status of Post-tenure review

Professor Bebeau adjourned the meeting at 4:15 p.m.

Vickie Courtney

University of Minnesota

AHC