Mānoa Faculty Senate Committee on Administration and Budget Minutes of April 14, 2010

Minutes of meeting held April 14, 2010

Hawaii Hall, Room 208

Present:  members David Duffy, Torben Nielsen, Betsy Fisher, Weilin Qu, Robert Cowie, David Chin (Chair),  Shirley Daniel (SEC Liaison) John Casken (Secretary).

                Guests: Joyce Najita, Michael Miller and Deborah Wong from the Industrial Relations Center.

Excused:  Denise Antolini, Doug Vincent.

Meeting opened at 9:05 by Chair Chin.

1.       Minutes.  Minutes of March 10, 2010 were approved as circulated with the corrections that members had suggested to the Draft copy.

2.       Review of Industrial Relations Center Reorganization.  Chair Chin introduced the three industrial relations staff who had asked to meet with the CAB to discuss the reorganization plan for the IRC as they wanted to make some additional points that perhaps had not been evident when the CAB reviewed the reorganization plan on March 10.  They noted that they had tried to find alternative locations to being  placed in the Library system but no other unit showed any interest.  The staff noted that they understood the name will be dropped when the reorganization is complete and they feared that the reorganization was simply a way to avoid a Board of Regents vote on their status.  CAB members asked a variety of questions and also brainstormed with the IRC staff on  ways that they could highlight their work and also be proactive in setting up linkages with faculty and other departments and units.

After about 50 minutes the guests departed.  In the ensuing committee discussion it was clear that that the CAB was called upon primarily to review whether the agreed upon process for reorganization had been followed. In this case the CAB renewed their March 10 decision on the reorganization by noting that though the merits of the case might be unclear nevertheless the process had been documented properly and there had been a thorough consultative process.  It was also noted that it would have been possible to simple disband the IRC.  The reorganization allowed the continuation of the activities of the IRC and its staff.

3.       Review of Academy for Creative Media Reorganization.  After discussion, members of the CAB confirmed their March 10 opinion that the agreed upon process for reorganization had been followed appropriately in this instance.

4.       Center on Aging Reorganization.   This was a preliminary review.  Members expressed concern that it was not clear what the plans were for the Center.  Chair Chin will contact VCRGE Ostrander and ask him to inform members of the plans for the Center by email.

5.       Pacific Biosciences Research Center Reorganization.  This was a preliminary review of what could be a very complex reorganization process.  Members have been circulated with some of the documentation on the issue to assist them in their deliberations.  It was noted however that the VCRGE has not answered all the points raised in the documentation.  Some of the attempts made to preserve the PBRC as a Center were noted.  At this point there is still no clarity on the issue of the Kewalo Basin facility.  Concern was raised that the issue will be finalized during the semester break when very few faculty are around.

6.       Populations Studies Program Reorganization.  This was a preliminary discussion.  However it appears that there are no faculty associated with the Program and so elimination might be warranted.

7.       Draft Checklist on Reorganization from the SEC.  Noted that this document was based on steps that Administration was supposed to take into consideration or follow in the reorganization process.  It was not meant to be followed slavishly but rather to help document how well, or otherwise, the reorganization process had been followed.  

8.       Return of Tuition Dollars to Units.    Chair Chin will follow up on this item but noted that though the VCAFO felt the prior proposal made sense she was  not sure how what proposals  can be regularly  implemented in this fiscal climate.

Meeting adjourned at 10:50

Minutes submitted by John Casken

Minutes approved at CAB meeting on April 28, 2010