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Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes January 17, 2024

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Faculty Senate
Draft Minutes, Wednesday, January 17, 2023, Zoom Meeting
Presiding: President Philip Auter, Secretary Kelly Robinson

I. Call to Order

3:59 pm

II. Quorum Call

25 senators needed; 27 senators present; quorum met

III. Meeting Agenda Approved

25 yes, 2 abstain

IV. Executive Report
 

by Philip Auter

  • Faculty Handbook updated after the November 2023 meeting to restructure and remove outdated sections
  • Dianne Olivier and Travis volunteered to go through the Faculty Handbook and look for outdated information, technical errors, grammatical errors, etc.
    • Once completed, they will provide the senate with a tracked changes and clean copy to allow the senate to review. Senate can determine if they want changes to proceed.
  • February 2024: Faculty Senator Executive Committee present an amendment to remove 3 sections of the Faculty Handbook that are about general information about the university rather than specific to the faculty
    • Section 1: history of the university
    • Section 7: educational services
    • Section 8: library services
  • Grievance Process revision in Faculty Handbook
    • Lack of information about the mediation step in the Faculty Handbook; currently, not explicitly discussed in the handbook
    • Aim to present the amendment in February 2024
  • Tenure and Promotion
    • Almost ready for Faculty Senate to review. Deans had it reviewed by Department Heads, etc. Now in the Provost Office.
    • Confident Executive Committee will receive it before the February meeting
  • Two near committee chairs
    • Martin Margolo: Ways and Means Committee
    • Toby Daspit: Committee on Committees
  • Senate elections this in March 2024 for terms expiring in August 2024
  • Learning Management System (LMS): Canvas
    • Alpha and beta test canvas
    • Assess pro and cons of moving to Canvas vs. Moodle.
  • Improved committee structure at the university level
    • Provost Jaime Hebert created “Advancement Committee” consists of all dept. heads, administrators, to move more quickly on address campus-wide issues
  • State Priorities
  • Kelly briefly described what will happen with Spring 2024 elections.
V. Approval of November 2023 Faculty Senate Meeting Meetings
  • 3 abstain; 25 approve; 0 nay
  • Minutes approved
VI. Senate Committee Reports
  • Fall 2023 SEI reports will be Dean and Dept. Heads by tomorrow (Jan. 18, 2024); sent to Faculty next Wednesday.
  • No other reports
VII. Old Business

None

VIII. New Business​
​
  • Resolution – Paid Parental Leave
    • Pass resolution gratitude to UL System
      • Abstain 2; 33 yes: 1 no
        • Motion carries
      • Send to Rick Gallow and President Savoie
  • ULL Faculty Senate Resolution 05b – Faculty Senate offers support LSU Faculty and Staff Senates resolution 05a titled “To Pursue Legislative Changes that Remove the Irrevocability of Optional Retirement Plan Enrollment”
    • Jason Maloy (discussion?)
      • Why the asymmetry for only allowing for the switch from ORP to pension plan? Why not allow for a both ways, one-time switch?
  • Kelly described the issue with the unfunded gap, where ORP contributors do not see a portion of the employer match because it is allocated to the pension
  • Lucian Dinu
    • I think TRSL contributors can switch to ORP; need to check.
  • Emilie Montagnet
    • HR encouraged me to join ORP rather than TRSL at 50% teaching load.
  • Emily Blosser
    • How likely for the legislature to pass this given they cannot meet the obligations of the TRSL pension currently?
  • Lucian Dinu
    • More solvent if more contributors?
  • Phil: Call the question
    • 3 abstain; 1 no; 28 yes
    • Motion Carries
  • Resolution 05b
    • 3 abstain; 3 no; 26 yes
    • Motion Carries
  • Matthew Green
    • None of pay into social security. Options around fixing that. LSU Faculty Senate has dealt with this issue. Maybe ask them?
  • Albertaeve Abington-Pitre
    • Louisiana considers drawing Social Security and TRSL as double-dipping
  • Anita Hazelwood
    • Only US Congress can make the change. Not the state of Louisiana. This year it got out of committee.
  • Emily Blosser
    • Is it worth having more information more available to prospective faculty members? Particularly true for international applicants not familiar at all with American retirement system.
  • Phil – pass a resolution that HR properly and fully informs applicants. Emily to contact HR.
  • Jason Maloy
  • Phil asked Jason to work with Emily to get with HR and make some movement.
IX. Announcements
  • Next meeting February 3, 2024.
  • Scheduling rap sessions, including Kiwana McClung and Advancement Committee.
X. Adjournment

4:50 pm


Submitted by Philip Auter
April 17, 2024