HE.03.13
September 29, 2003
University of
Illinois
Urbana-Champaign Senate
Final-Information
HE.03.13 Report on the IBHE Faculty Advisory Council Meeting, May 30, 2003.
The FAC met at Rend Lake
College. In welcoming the group, President Mark Hern discussed several forces
affecting the College. At one time there were 17 active coal mines in the 9
county district. The College had more than fifteen faculty teaching courses
related to repair of mining equipment, safety etc. There are now no operating
mines leaving agriculture as essentially the only industry. The College
adjusted: no faculty were laid off, some retired, some were retrained to teach
courses involving repair of other types of equipment.
Allied heath workers are
in very short supply in the district so the College may expand programs in that
area. Unlike districts with high property values, 85% of the funds for the
College come from student tuition and state support for the credit hours
generated. Enrollment is the key to survival. To help the financial situation
the college bought a strip mall in economic distress in Mt. Vernon, remodeled,
and used part of it for college classes, part rented to the state and part used
for commercial stores. When the debt is paid off, it will be a source of much
needed revenue for the College.
Finally, the President stressed the need to
reduce the great number of reports required by the state submitted through the
Community College Board (ICCB). This would not only reduce costs in terms of the
number of people producing the reports but also allow top administrators more
time for long range planning.
Following the various committee meetings. the FAC made plans for a panel to discuss the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) at the June meeting. Several members have reported a range of problems with the program both from the point of view of the community colleges and the senior institutions to which students transfer.
The election of officers for the 2003-04 was conducted with results to be announced after those absent complete voting by June 6. Discussion of the process included a recommendation that the rules established for the FAC be reviewed next year given two years of experience operating under them. It was agreed that the immediate past chair, for example, should be included in the executive committee.
The remainder of the meeting
was spent in discussing legislative issues including action on several
recommendations from the budget committee. The effort of the Governor to take
control of the SURS Board and his later efforts to transfer management of the
funds were discussed and a resolution adopted opposing such action. Another
resolution agreed with the importance of student aid but the quality of programs
offered those students requires providing the institutions with needed funds. A
third resolution called for the IBHE to examine various funds appropriated to
the IBHE for reallocation to determine whether this is the optimum use of the
funds.
A fourth resolution called for the study of administrative costs and
numbers submitted to the state be shared with the FAC. The FAC felt it should
have input and a chance to review the document. (The state has prohibited the
IBHE from making the report public.) Finally, the FAC urged the IBHE to examine
the array of required reports and seek to ease the financial burden of the
reporting process by extending the period between reports, reducing their
length, or eliminating some.
The Public Policy and Communication Committee has been working on a draft of an op-ed piece to be issued in the name of the FAC. The FAC approved the release subject to further editorial revision. The Personnel Committee continues to study issues related to faculty underrepresented groups as well as issues related to part-time faculty. Finally, the Technology Committee distributed a pilot survey of access to and use of technology to FAC members as a basis for committee discussion and possible further use of a perfected survey instrument.
The Quality of Education Committee reported that 15 college faculties or senates had endorsed the addition of a seventh goal to The Illinois Commitment that one goal is to enhance the quality of life of the citizens of Illinois. A statement for FAC approval dealing with the 7th commitment is being prepared for the June 20 meeting.
The meeting adjourned with resolutions of appreciation to the host and to the host school.
Ken Andersen, FAC Chair
UIUC Senate FAC Representative