PACIFIC LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY

Tacoma, WA 98447

Minutes of the Meeting of the Faculty Assembly

Friday, February 9, 2001, 4:00 p.m.

Leraas Auditorium

Call to Order - Norris Peterson, faculty president, called the meeting to order at 4:10 p.m.

Opening Prayer - Sam Torvend, Religion, offered the opening prayer.

Motion to Allow a Guest - Patricia Killen, Religion, made a motion to allow Dr. Kathi Breazeale as a guest at today’s meeting. The motion PASSED.

Approval of Minutes - The minutes of the December 8, 2000 meeting were approved as submitted.

Announcements and Communications - Susan Brown Carlton, English, and Kit Spicer, Communication, offered a report from the 2010 Academic Distinction Commission. Faculty are invited to a meeting on Friday, February 23 in CK West intended to encourage “outside the box” thinking and jump-start the dialog. Throughout the spring, the Commission will be visiting various academic units across the campus.

Diane Harney, Communications, reported that the Teaching Awards from The Center for Teaching and Learning. Six awards will be made, three fro tenured faculty and three for non-tenured faculty. Nominations are to be submitted to Jan Lewis, Education, by March 2, 2001

Doug Oakman, Religion, announced that guest speakers speaking about religious studies will include Robert M. Bellah on September 25 in the fall.

The Ad Hoc Task Force on Energy Conservation needs interested persons to serve on it. Interested parties should contact Sheri Tonn via her e-mail address. This group intends to help PLU achieve a 10 % reduction in its energy consumption.

Norris Peterson, faulty Chair, offered comments regarding the Board of Regents meeting: a 5.5% increase in tuition has been approved for the 2001-2002 school year; the design phase for the Center for Teaching and Learning has been authorized; and the Budget and finance Committee reported that our endowment funds’ financial performance out-performed 90% of our peer institutions’ funds.

Louise Kaplan, Nursing, and Chair of the Faculty Affairs Committee, related that the recent focus of the committee has been on faculty salaries and PLU budget issues. Several conversations have been held with President Anderson and Provost Menzel. The objective of the committee is to consider what changes in the University might be made in the intermediate-term to better assure its long-term financial future.

Susan Mann, Director, Human Resources services, identified that new health insurance rates will be in effect June 1, 2001. Information will be shared with university personnel in the next month or two. Those with an interest to knowmore are invited to attend meetings of the FAC held on alternate Wednesdays from 12:30 – 1:30 P.M.

Question and Answer Period – President.

Old Business – The motion of the Governance Committee “To include the Registrar as a permanent Advisory Member to the Educational Policies Committee” was voted on and PASSED.

New Business – Chris Moon, Psychology, offered a motion from the Educational Policies Committee: “That the University award an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters to Ms. Lois Capp ’59 at the May 27, 2001 Commencement.” Motion PASSED.
Norris Peterson stepped down form his Chair position in order to make a motion for acceptance of a resolution. He was replaced by Michele Crayton, Vice Chair. The resolution extending the faculty’s appreciation to the FAC and its work with the Administration about budget savings and salary increases (see meeting agenda) PASSED. In the discussion following, Norris Peterson and Provost Menzel offered some views about the next year budget and the process of effection savings: about $600,000 of the sought $1,950,000 savings is to come from the academic units; there will be no cutting of tenure-track positions; there will be some reduction in FTE faculty, however; there will be a lean sabbatical replacement budget; and the changes to be made are with only the 2001-2001 budget in mind. Further, the budget makes provision for approximately a 3.4% increase in the salary pool ($920,000) and an additional 0.6% amount ($160,000).
President Anderson remarked that faculty need to be particularly attentive to students at risk of prematurely leaving PLU. With the University on such “fine margins”, retention becomes especially important. Current Frosh-to-Soph retention is 81% (verses an objective of 85%).

Adjournment—Michele Crayton adjourned the fairly full gathering (thanks to the refreshments provided by the Registrar’s and Provost’s offices) at 5:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Faculty Secretary
Steven Thrasher, School of Business