HE.10.03

Report on IBHE Faculty Advisory Council Meeting
November 13, 2009

The Faculty Advisory Council (FAC) of the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) met on Friday November 13, 2009 at the Dominican University with 27 members present.  Also present for portions of the meeting were Candace Mueller, IBHE Assistant Director for External Relations and State Representative Chapin Rose.  The meeting was called to order by Chair John Bennett at 8:30 AM. 

Dean Jeff Carlson of the Dominican’s College of Arts and Sciences and Dominican President Donna M. Carroll were present to welcome the group to Dominican and to address FAC.  President Carroll described the history and profile of her institution and encouraged collaborative action in higher education to accomplish goals.  She referred to the efforts that led to the restoration of MAP funding earlier in the year as an example.  Dean Carlson highlighted the central role of the faculty in shared governance at Dominican.  He further emphasized the importance of liberal arts education in our institutions and hoped that faculty would be more involved in establishing the future of higher education.  He observed that we should produce graduates that can fully engage in today’s world.

University of Illinois at Springfield representative Yashanad Mhaskar gave a presentation on the “report card” on higher education recently issued by the Illinois Policy Institute (IPI).  He noted that the report gave higher education in Illinois grades of “F” in several categories.  A number of FAC members raised questions about the objectivity of the group and its report and wondered if the “report card” was a means for the IPI to pursue its perceived agenda.  A discussion followed on if and how FAC should respond to the “report card.”  It was agreed that FAC should not directly respond to or communicate with the group.  Rather, it was observed, FAC should get its message out to the public and help them understand the significant contributions that higher education makes to Illinois.

Ocheng Jany, IBHE Associate Director for Academic Affairs, reported on the efforts under way by IBHE, including utilizing temporary staff, to facilitate review and approval of program proposals.
Candace Mueller, IBHE Assistant Director for External Relations addressed FAC and reported on Board concerns and actions regarding the State’s $10-12 billion budget deficit.  She also mentioned that a Pew report placed Illinois in the top tier of states with financial problems and noted that very likely nothing substantial was going to happen in Springfield to address the State’s fiscal crisis until after the primary elections in early February.  Mueller noted that IBHE’s current emphasis is on its Public Agenda Goal 3: Affordability.  She added that need-based funding, diversifying faculty, and institutional operations are legislative priorities at this time.

State Representative Chapin Rose (110th District), member of the Illinois Higher Education Appropriations Committee addressed FAC and commented on the state’s current fiscal crisis remarking that the State’s deficit is closer to $4 billion, not $11-12 billion as reported by some. 

He said that the State’s current financial crisis was seven years in the making and added that it will take time to resolve it.  Rose commented that we should make all possible cuts in inefficiencies and “stupid stuff” before we consider any revenue enhancements.  Representative Rose commented a number of times that higher education needs to tell legislators about their long term needs.  What is needed is a plan, he said.  He further observed that he favors a “Sputnik-like” approach to solving our fiscal crisis and remarked that the governor’s plans may be effective in short term only and will eventually result in the same problems a few years down the road.

FAC members commented to Representative Rose that they were interested in fixing our problems not to point fingers or blame others.  Members further noted that we are at risk of losing good faculty and that would affect the quality of our programs.

In other business, FAC subgroups tasked with ways to better implement goals of the Public Agenda met and reported to FAC.  Due to lack of time, the caucuses met after the official close of the FAC meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 3:30 PM.  The next FAC meeting will be in Springfield on December 4, 2009. 

Submitted respectfully,
Abbas Aminmansour