Minutes & Agendas

1995-1996

University of Hawaii at Manoa Faculty Senate, October 18, 1995

Architecture #205

Presiding: Co-Chair Alison Kay, Manoa Faculty Senate Executive Committee

Senators Present: Belinda Aquino, Sandra Chang, David Chappell, Donna 
Ching, Joel Cohn, Joanne Cooper, Linda Cox, James Dator, Steven Dawson, 
Austin Dias, Marilyn Dunlap, Dolores Foley, Patricia Fryer, Gregg Geary, 
Patrick Gilbert, Richard Guillory, Sue Hanson, Kathryn Hoffmann, Kiyoshi 
Ikeda, Wayne Iwaoka, Alison Kay, Barry LaBonte, William Lampe, Margaret 
Maaka, Robert McLaren, Chrisopher Measures, Karen Meech, Ralph Moberly, 
Marita Nelson, Deane Neubauer, Cynthia Ning, Aiko Oda, Stephen O'Harrow, 
Nicholas Ordway, C. S. Papacostas, Robert Paull, Thomas Pearson, Teresita 
Ramos, Thomas Ramsey, Jurgen Sang, James Silva, Thomas Speitel, Joseph 
Stanton, Patricia Steinhoff, Victor Stenger, John Stimson, Glenn Teves, 
Jane Tribble, Lorrie Wong, Rosemarie Woodruff, Ming-Bao Yue

Senators Absent: James Brandon, John Casken, Gaye Chan, Joel Fischer, 
Patrick Henry, Ruth Horie, Bruce Liebert, Burt Lum, Fred McKenzie, John 
Melish, Marian Melish, Robert Meyer, Victor Olgyay, Leon Serafim, Janice 
Shoultz, Roy Wilkens 

Senators Excused:  Barry Brennan, Patricia Edelen-Smith, Adelheid 
Kuehnle, Nancy Lind, Jane Moulin, Peter Nicholson, Neva Owens, Karen 
Peacock, Raul Rudoy, Alice Tse, Judy Weightman, 

Note: This meeting of the Faculty Senate followed a meeting of the 
Faculty Congress and thus the attendance record above may or may not 
accurately reflect actual attendance by Senators at the Faculty Senate 
meeting itself. In addition, 128 persons who were not Senators signed the 
Faculty Congress attendance sheet.  It is not known how many of them also 
attended the Faculty Senate meeting. 

The Faculty Senate Meeting was opened at 3:50 P.M. by Co-Chair Alison 
Kay.

The minutes of the meeting of September 20 were approved as submitted.

Co-Chair Kay made the following announcements:

--As instructed by the Senate at the last meeting, the SEC wrote a letter 
to UHPA stating that, in the opinion of the Senate, the UHPA President's 
statement in the most recent Board Notes overstepped the boundary between 
what is properly Union and what is properly Faculty business, as stated 
in the White Paper of Agreement between the Union and the Faculty Senate.


The letter is attached to these minutes.

--The SEC also, as instructed by the last Senate meeting, prepared a 
resolution on the UHM Libraries.  The resolution was accepted by a 
unanimous show of hands, with one abstention.

The resolution is attached to these minutes.

--Co-Chair Kay also called the attention of the Senate to a resolution 
prepared by the SEC which was attached to the day's agenda by which the 
Senate reaffirms its academic priorities as first declared in a 
resolution of May 1994.  The resolution also asks the Senior Vice 
President for Academic Affairs and Vice Chancellor for Manoa to follow 
the Senate's priorities if and when budget reductions require cuts in 
personnel and/or programs at the University.

The resolution passed unanimously with three abstentions.

The resolution is attached to these minutes.

--Co-Chair Kay then introduced a resolution submitted to the SEC by the 
Committee on Administration and Budget which asks that the faculty 
governing body of each college, school, or research unit establish a 
committee to work with the Dean or Director in establishing and using 
criteria for formulating and administering the budget of the unit.

The rationale behind the resolution is that since much budgetary 
decisionmaking resides at the level of deans and directors (and is not 
concentrated in the central administration), faculty governing bodies of 
the colleges, schools, and research units need a budgetary oversight 
committee similar to that of the UHM Committee on Budget and 
Administration so that the faculty can have appropriate and effective 
input into important budgetary decisions.  This is especially important 
in this time of reducing budgets.

Concern was expressed about this being unduly cumbersome for some small 
research units and that it might implicate faculty in decisions which are 
properly those of the deans and directors.

After considerable discussion, the SEC agreed to reconsider the 
resolution in the light of the comments made.

Deane Neubauer then discussed a concern which arose from a meeting today 
of the Committee on Administration and Budget, of which he is chair: how 
the Senate might become appropriately involved in any "vertical" 
(programmatic) cuts which the administration might feel are necessary.

The Senate, through its re-affirmed statement on priorities, has acted 
concerning "horizontal" (across the board) cuts.  But what should be its 
role if entire programs, or schools, are threatened?

Among the points raised in discussing this was whether, since vertical 
cuts clearly involved "RIF" (Reduction in Forces) procedures covered by 
the UHPA contract, the Senate itself was about to overstep the boundary 
between Union and Faculty business that we had just discussed.  It was 
suggested that any statement the Senate might propose should be reviewed 
by the attorney for UHPA before the Senate adopts it. 

Prof. Neubauer replied that these questions about faculty involvement in 
what might be seen as strictly union--and/or administrative--arenas are 
at the very heart of the Committee's concern: how can the Faculty Senate 
be sure that its voice is fairly and appropriately heard when discussions 
which will certainly impact the quality of education (which is the 
Senate's responsibility for overseeing) are made?  He asked that any one 
who has ideas about this express them soon to the CAB or SEC.

A question was also raised as to whether the UH "System" idea was 
working.  Concern was expressed about the many personnel with high 
salaries in the central administration.  This structure should be 
reviewed, it was suggested.

Co-Chair Kay then introduced a representative from the Aloha United Way 
who implored the Senators to do whatever they can to support the appeal 
of the AUW this year, even in light of severe budgetary restrictions.  
Because of the bleak budget picture for the State generally, the needs of 
organizations assisted by the AUW are unusually acute, he pointed out.  
"Please do what you can."

Someone else urged that we all support the United Way. Harking back to 
the Congress presentation of President Mortimer, the speaker pointed out 
that there is a perception in the community that UH does not do its share 
in supporting AUW and that therefore some local funding agencies are 
reluctant to support the UH itself.   It is thus in the narrow self 
interest of UH to support AUW generously.

Wayne Iwaoka of the Senate Committee on Academic Planning and Programs 
made the following statement:

	"Earlier in the semester, the Senate Executive Committee unanimously 
requested that CAPP continue the process of evaluating and making 
recommendations on new and revised academic programs.
	"We are doing this.  However, I understand that there is a backlog of 
Faculty Senate approved academic programs sitting in Bachman Hall.  As we 
continue to deliberate, we thought it might be helpful if the Manoa 
Faculty Senate could be apprised of the following:
		"1. How many new and revised requests are awaiting presentation to the 
BOR?
		"2. How long have they been sitting there?
		"3. How many were presented to the Board for approval, and rejected?
		"4. When were these programs last updated in terms of personnel and 
course changes?
		"5. How many programs are sitting there awaiting approval that are 
requesting no additional funds?
	"If there are academic proposals awaiting approval which are not 
requesting additional funds, we would like to know the reasons they are 
sitting there when the growth and vitality of a university is related to 
our ability to adapt to change.  We appear to be stagnant at this point 
when we could still be dynamic even in times of limited resources.
	"By this action CAPP is formally requesting that the Senate Executive 
Committee contact appropriate individuals in Bachman Hall to get us the 
information described above."

Co-Chair Kay said that the SEC would act on this as requested.

John Pincince, representative of the Graduate Students Organization rose 
to request Faculty Senate support for the Death of Education Funeral 
March planned for October 31 from noon.

Patricia Steinhoff noted that UHPA had agreed to become a co-sponsor 
(with the various student groups) of the March, and urged the Faculty 
Senate to co-sponsor it as well.

There was discussion as to whether "co-sponsor" implied that the Senate 
would provide money or not.  Co-Chair Kay pointed out there is no money 
for the Senate per se to give.  Dolores Foley, who is serving as a 
liaison between interested faculty and the organizing student groups, 
pointed out that UHPA is providing some money for advertising and signs, 
but that funds are needed to rent buses to bring some of the marchers 
back to campus after their 3.35 mile march.

A vote on co-sponsorship which did not necessarily imply financial 
support was approved with one "nay" and two abstentions.

Patricia Fryer rose to urge the faculty to do more than march or bake.  
She suggested that faculty members should volunteer to assist the 
libraries by checking out books, reshelving books, or as otherwise 
directed by library personnel--and to do so in full academic regalia.

There being no other business, the Senate Co-Chair Kay adjourned the 
meeting at 4:21 PM.

Respectfully submitted


Jim Dator