ABSENT (SUBSTITUTE): W. Alderman (J. Jahera), T. Tidwell (M. Bryant), M. Williams (W. Clark), C. Sox (V. Unger), C. Hendrix (K. Nusbaum), G. Swanson (J. Hanson), D. Teem (R. Muntifering), R. Webb (R. Horton), J. Wilmoth (J. Yoakum), B. Smith (S. Spain), M. Jensen (C. Hudson), E. Moran (R. Lien).
Chair Kent Fields called the meeting to order at 3:10 p.m. and mentioned there would be changes to the agenda. Minutes of the August 8, 1995, meeting were approved as distributed.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
A. President's Office: William V. Muse
President Muse welcomed Senators who were attending the first meeting of their 1995-98 terms. He said Fall Quarter enrollment has reached a new high of approximately 22,117 students; and he acknowledged that, with the number of faculty positions eliminated due to decreased funding, many faculty members will be working especially hard this fall. He expressed appreciation for that effort, and emphasized, "The first priority is to respond to the needs of our students." Muse announced that the Athletic Department has entered into a 5-year contract with Russell Corporation to provide uniforms for A.U. athletic teams. He commended Athletic Director David Housel for negotiating an agreement with Russell that was fully competitive with the proposal submitted by Nike. He also thanked Coach Terry Bowden for his cooperation and for understanding the importance of Auburn's relationship with Russell. Finally, Muse invited everyone to attend next Tuesday's general faculty meeting, adding that he looked forward to addressing the faculty in more detail at that time.
Jim Hansen (PS) asked President Muse if he knew the status of the journal cancellations discussed at the August meeting. Muse said he did not, and Provost Parks said he had heard nothing else about it except that the process was still being reviewed. Bobby Holloway (Acting Dean of Libraries) interjected that approximately 600 serial subscriptions had been cancelled, resulting in savings of $310,000 to $320,000; the list of cancelled titles is available on the A.U. network.
John Grover (Chair-elect) asked whether the newly appointed members of the A.U. Board of Trustees would be attending the Board meeting on October 5. Muse cited a 1992 Attorney General's opinion that an incumbent board member continues to serve until a successor has been both appointed and confirmed. Therefore, Mr. McDonald and Mr. Richardson cannot be seated until they have been confirmed by the Senate; but Mr. Spina can be seated prior to his confirmation because the position to which he was appointed is vacant.
Yvonne Kozlowski (Past-chair) asked about the source of the $350,000 that A.U. has been ordered to give to Alabama A & M. Muse responded that the funds must come from the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, because the monies are designated to support agricultural research.
B. Senate Chair: Kent Fields
Fields announced the following changes to today's agenda: reports by Van Muse and Michael Moriarty will be presented at a later meeting; but Sherida Downer will give an unscheduled report on changes in the health insurance policy for employees and retirees. Fields also reported that, in response to a petition by faculty members, the general faculty meeting on October 10 will be devoted largely to the issue of a faculty referendum on the proposed change to a semester calendar.
UNIVERSITY BUSINESS:
A. Report on parking regulations for Oct. 5 football game: V.P. James Ferguson
Dr. Ferguson emphasized that the parking plan for the October 5 game was the same as that used for last year's Thursday-night football game. In reference to a Plainsman editorial advocating cancellation of classes, he recalled that the Athletic Director, the Chair of the University Senate, and the President of the S.G.A. all had opposed cancelling classes last year. He then described the parking plan, referring to a map that was distributed before his presentation.
Ulrich Albrecht (MH) asked why the University doesn't charge football fans for parking on campus. Ferguson said parking fees had been considered, but access to campus would be difficult to control, and the "culture" at Auburn implies that game-day parking is free and uncontrolled. Albrecht then asked why parking regulations were not enforced during the regular workweek. Ferguson replied that parking attendants have been placed at 3 of the "problem" lots, but funding for enforcement is limited.
Ferguson announced that results of a Parking Improvements Feasibility Study would be presented on October 30 in the auditorium of the A.U. Hotel and Conference Center at 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. He emphasized this was still a study, and would not be an "action plan" until a consensus was reached and funding was identified.
David Himelrick (HF) complained about drivers who park illegally in the lot near Funchess Hall but rarely receive tickets, even though a parking attendant is stationed across the street. He asked if work-study students could be used to enforce parking regulations. Ferguson reiterated that there was a funding problem, and added that students might have difficulty "policing their own." He said the attendants currently stationed at critical sites are retirees, and he suggested that additional questions be referred to the Traffic and Parking Committee.
Kent Fields announced availability of updated Senate rosters and he requested that corrections be referred to Cindy Brunner, Senate Secretary.
B. Report on A.U. Environmental Scanning Team: Van Muse [report postponed]
C. Report on Articulation and General Studies Committee deliberations: Provost Paul Parks
Provost Parks reviewed the history of the Articulation and General Studies Agreement, which ordered establishment of a state-wide general studies curriculum and stipulated the composition of the committee charged with implementing that curriculum. He said an Articulation and General Studies Committee has been working for 13-14 months. The two goals originally established by the committee were to permit as much flexibility among institutions as possible while fulfilling the requirements of the general studies part of the mandate; and to avoid increasing the credit-hour requirements for degree programs.
The committee met its goal to have a working document outlining a general studies curriculum prepared by June 30, 1995. The document establishes 4 areas of study that would be required of a student engaged in freshman/sophomore work at Alabama institutions: written composition; humanities and fine arts; natural sciences and mathematics; and history, social, and behavioral sciences. A fifth area was "pre-professional major and elective courses."
Ten quarter-hours of written composition would be required in the first 2 years; this poses a problem because the writing requirement at A.U. is distributed throughout the baccalaureate degree program. The distribution of the 20 quarter-hours required in the second category, humanities and fine arts, would not conflict with A.U. core requirements. However, A.U. would have to accept courses that other institutions categorize as humanities and fine arts electives, possibly including speech and foreign languages. In the third area, 5 hours of math and 10 hours of laboratory-based science would be required. Auburn has insisted that the math requirement be kept at the pre-calculus and trigonometry level, but many institutions want to lower it to pre-calculus algebra. A 2-course sequence was retained in the history, social sciences, and behavioral sciences group, but this allowance is under "heavy attack." Parks said Auburn has argued that a general studies curriculum should offer depth as well as breadth, such as sequenced courses which require a greater time commitment. The pre-professional major and elective category includes additional courses taken at a junior college that would be transferable to a 4-year institution.
The Articulation and General Studies Committee has begun to solicit opinions from deans, and, once those sessions are concluded, there will be a meeting with all the chief academic officers of institutions in Alabama. It is anticipated that a vote on the document will take place on December 15, 1995; so there is still time for additional input. After the vote, state-wide disciplinary committees will be created and charged with approving courses offered in the 5 study areas.
Ken Easterday (CT) asked for distinction between "credit hours" and "courses", and Parks said the committee was referring primarily to 5-hour courses. Ulrich Albrecht pointed out that Math 140 is a high school-level course that should not be considered acceptable. Parks assured him that lowering the level of the math requirement would be resisted strongly. David Martin (PO) recommended that the presidents of academic organizations in Alabama be consulted when naming the disciplinary committees. Parks replied that a process for establishing those committees had not yet been adopted.
Glenn Howze (AEC/RSY) asked whether ACHE had drafted the articulation and general studies legislation, but Parks replied that he thought it came from legislators. Parks said there had been concern about articulation in Alabama, and if articulation can be improved, the effort will have been worthwhile. However, he warned, well-conceived instructional programs should not be dismantled just to meet the articulation requirements, and the quality of programs should not be diminished. Howze recalled that the articulation issue arose 25 years ago, and he argued that, given the funding situation for higher education in Alabama, it was premature to deal with articulation now.
Richard Penaskovic (Steering Comm.) asked if the committee had discussed standardizing academic calendars to a semester system. Parks admitted the whole issue would be less complicated if all institutions were on the same academic calendar.
Ulrich Albrecht questioned whether the level of preparation offered in junior colleges was adequate for transition to a 4-year university. Parks argued that if A.U. can influence the development of a general studies curriculum, we can have an impact on the courses that will be offered. Jim Hansen asked if A.U. might be forced to allow transfer credit for courses that do not meet its standards, and he wondered whether A.U. had a "constitutional right" to say that we won't go below certain academic standards. Parks did not think things had reached that point. He added that if Auburn withdrew from the process, there would be a great loss in quality. Gordon Bond (Liberal Arts) remarked that community colleges seem to be dictating the content of Auburn's baccalaureate degree. Parks said the committee probably would agree to tailoring the requirements for certain disciplines.
Parks concluded his report by announcing establishment of an Instructional Media group within ETV which will offer courses for faculty members interested in the use of information technology.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
A. Research Grant-in-Aid: Revision of Grant Review Process--V.P Michael Moriarty [report postponed]
B. Academic Computing Committee: Proposed INTERNET Access and Application Policy-- Carl Hudson, Chair (Proposal was distributed with the agenda for this meeting.)
A copy of the proposed policy was mailed with the agenda. Kent Fields remarked that the policy was developed by the administration and sent to the Academic Computing Committee for review and presentation to the Senate. He asked Senators to act on the proposal after its presentation by Dr. Hudson. Hudson explained that the purpose of the policy was to provide "cover" for the University against lawsuits. The guidelines inform people using Auburn's connection to the INTERNET that they must follow existing laws--use of the Web is a privilege of their association with Auburn, not a right.
David Martin (PO) quoted a statement indicating that the policy applied to "all persons accessing the INTERNET through Auburn University resources," and asked whether that included the "AU Access" now provided to Auburn employees by MCI. Bruce Lewis said the statement referred to use of A.U. resources or access to the A.U. system, but not to Web access from home computers via MCI resources. Hudson cited the example of a student or an employee who has an account on Mallard and has set up a personal home page, and he said the concern is with material posted on that Web page. He added that the policy allows Auburn University to enter the user's account to determine if there was a violation.
Yvonne Kozlowski cited Article IV of the Bill of Rights and advised that cases of suspected illegal use of the INTERNET should be referred to the police. She pointed out that access to other personal communications is permitted only by subpoena. Agreeing with Kozlowski, Glenn Howze questioned who would define "responsible use" and suggested that privacy protection be included in the guidelines.
Steve Dobson (ZY) asked whether the University attorney had examined the policy; Provost Parks said the administration had talked to the University attornies about it. Parks stressed that the AU computing systems should be used only for instructional, research, and outreach purposes, and any use of those systems should comply with A.U. policy and otherwise be legal. Parks admitted that INTERNET access and use poses a problem for attornies because there is no existing law in this area. He reiterated the importance of guidelines, mentioning there had already been cases at Auburn where guidelines were needed. Jim Hansen (Physics) cited situations in which examination of INTERNET accounts by an administrator would be necessary and appropriate, such as investigating the dissemination of a computer virus or the posting of a document that presents a copyright violation. He pointed out that INTERNET administrators are already able to read employees' e-mail.
Cindy Brunner (Secretary) said most Senators had not had sufficient time to consider this proposal; she moved that it be referred back to the Academic Computing Committee for review and rewriting, with assistance from concerned faculty members. John Grover seconded the motion.
Hudson offered his e-mail address for submission of additional comments (chudson@COB- 1.business.auburn.edu), and asked that the "subject" line of such correspondence state "INTERNET policy." Bruce Lewis asked Kozlowski which specific areas of the policy concerned her, and she cited several terms, including "harassment" and "personal gain," that she considered ambiguous. She said the guidelines were too loosely written. Ida Reed (TE) remarked that the policy actually dealt with two separate issues: providing guidance and enforcement.
Herb Rotfeld (MT) pointed out that, although the policy might have been developed out of concern for the University's liability, it might have the effect of creating liability. Hudson agreed, mentioning the care that had been taken to emphasize that every item on the Web would not be reviewed. Rotfeld asserted that a "policy" differs from an "exhortation to follow good practices."
Kent Fields called for the question, and the motion to refer the INTERNET policy back to the committee for revision passed by a show of hands.
C. Insurance and Benefits Committee: Proposed changes in health insurance policy--Sherida Downer, Past-chair
Fields briefly reviewed issues pertaining to health insurance coverage for A.U. retirees, and then introduced Sherida Downer, stressing that Downer would not recommend changes in the health insurance plan without Senate input.
Downer began by explaining that the retirees had rejected the committee's original proposal, so the committee drafted a new proposal. She said the committee wanted everyone to be paying approximately the same amount for their insurance coverage, and there was special concern that low-paid staff members were subsidizing health insurance for retirees who had been higher-paid faculty members.
As part of its new proposal, the committee voted not to raise premiums in 1996, because sufficient reserve funds are available.
The second item the committee considered was to reevaluate both the premiums and the "payout" for retirees who are eligible for Medicare. The committee recommended that retirees' premiums be calculated as the difference between the current A.U. employees' premium and the amount paid to Medicare. Also, Downer said, the committee considered having retirees pay 20% of that part of their bill that is not covered by Medicare. They decided instead to adopt the approach PEEHIP uses, which requires retirees to pay $100 deductible toward the bill and the insurance policy pays the rest. Ulrich Albrecht asked for clarification about the $100 deductible, and Downer said it is paid "one time a year for up to 3 people in a family." Cindy Brunner asked if there was also a deductible with Medicare coverage. Ron Herring (Employee Benefits Office) explained that the A.U. policy currently pays 100% of whatever Medicare doesn't pay.
The committee's third recommendation was to adopt a $5/$15 pharmacy card plan. At the point of sale, a generic drug would cost $5 and a nongeneric drug would cost $15; the pharmacist, rather than the patient, would file the insurance claim. Downer said PEEHIP and "almost all of the other Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans" have instituted such a pharmacy plan. She admitted, "That was a benefit that would cost us money--quite a bit of money in fact...but we felt like it was really a positive thing for people, especially if you're very dependent on any kind of medication over a long period of time."
Cindy Brunner asked if the proposal offered last summer for 100% reimbursement of generic drug costs had been withdrawn. Downer explained that employees often do not file claims to obtain reimbursement for prescription drugs, and they would benefit from the $5/$15 plan. Also, employees must meet a $100 deductible under the current plan, and there is no deductible in the $5/$15 plan. Brunner asked if employees would be able to file a claim if they wanted 80% reimbursement, and Downer said no.
Questioned about the possibility of higher pharmaceutical costs under the $5/$15 plan for people taking several prescription drugs, Downer said she didn't know if they would pay more. She acknowledged that the plan would be more expensive for some people than others, which, she said, is part of being enrolled in a group plan. Ron Herring commented that it would "cost our plan half a million dollars to switch to the card plan." He also said the new plan provided policyholders an incentive to switch to generic drugs. Yvonne Kozlowski remarked that a doctor could write a prescription for a 6-month supply of drugs and the purchaser would only pay $15 for the 6-month supply, but Herring and Downer warned that Blue Cross has a maximum purchase limit.
Kent Fields reminded the Senate that President Muse must take these proposals to the Trustees at their November meeting, which precedes the next Senate meeting. Richard Penaskovic asked if the date of the Senate meeting could be changed, and Fields said the Senate Steering Committee would schedule a special Senate meeting to discuss this one issue. Downer agreed to provide a copy of the committee's recommendations for distribution before that meeting.
OLD BUSINESS: None.
NEW BUSINESS:
A. Approval of Rules Committee nominations to Senate committees: Kent Fields (List of nominees was distributed with the agenda for this meeting.)
Fields moved adoption of the list of nominees to Senate Committees that was offered by the Rules Committee. The motion passed by voice vote.
RESOLUTIONS: None.
Fields adjourned the meeting at 5:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Cindy J. Brunner, Senate Secretary