Minutes
     

ROCHESTER INSTITUTE
OF TECHNOLOGY
RIT AAUP NOVEMBER 3, 2006: 1:00-2:00 P.M.
SAU/CLARK B

In attendance: T. Policano; J.G. Naud; J. Aumer; V. Serravallo; J. Worman

I.  Retirement Eligibility Policy Change Proposals

RIT-AAUP has contacted a lawyer in a local firm who is among the best in the country regarding retirement issues.  With his assistance, two faculty members are currently suggesting alternate wording regarding the phrase proposed by Human Relations, "detrimental to RIT."  Faculty may view the proposed language and proposed revisions via the Chapter website.

II.  College of Liberal Arts Dean Searches

The current dean will step down in May of 2007.  The provost will appoint an interim dean in the spring of 2007, and has created a two-stage procedure for a new dean search:

         first, the creation of a Liaison Committee composed of faculty and staff and chaired by the Deputy Dean to “attempt to resolve any and all ‘political issues’ in the college before a search committee is selected;”

         secondly, a Search Committee to be formed in the spring of 2007 which, “once constituted, is NOT a representative body serving the interests of the various constituencies within the college, but rather a highly confidential committee charged with assisting the Provost in selecting the best possible person to serve as the next dean of the college.  Two-way communication on the progress of the search will of course occur, and input from faculty, staff, and students is essential regarding the final candidates after their public visits to the campus, but  members of the Search 
Committee will ultimately be expected to exercise their best judgments rather than representing the ‘will’ of their specific constituencies.” (emphasis in the original)

The provost defined the Liaison Committee as constituting, in part, five faculty members.  At the close of the nomination and election period, however, just four faculty members were nominated and selected.  Some faculty members opted not to participate in the Committee formation process because the provost put the deputy dean in the chair position.

RIT-AAUP continues to offer its tools to assist CLA in this matter.  It also recommends that the College take this opportunity to select who it believes to be the best possible interim dean.  Furthermore, the Chapter offers its assistance in the creation of an independent faculty committee to serve as a structure that facilitates deliberations on this and all other College issues.

III.  Parking at RIT

The Chapter website includes 39 replies to the initial topic of proposed parking regulations, and received nearly 2,600 views.  This communication assisted the Academic Senate’s request to re-institute a faculty-staff parking committee.  Vice-President Naud provided figures on RIT parking, showing that 60% of the reserved permits are held by students.

Questions were raised:

  • Should there not be free reserve parking for the faculty?
  • Should there not be a park-and-ride shuttle service?

IV.  New Math for Grant Overhead Returns

The Chapter will be examining a reported change in the distribution of grant overhead returns to RIT initiated by the provost which includes a smaller percentage for principal investigators.

V. New York State AAUP Congress Annual Meeting, Buffalo, NY

President Policano reported on the October 27-28 State meeting.  The New York Congress is the largest in the country; it includes over 5,000 members.  Sixty percent of New York’s AAUP chapters are collective bargaining chapters.

President Policano found our State AAUP colleagues to be smart, dedicated and very inspiring.

VI.  NTID Signing

It is now recommended that signing shall be used by those who can whenever in the NTID Building.  The Faculty Congress recommended that an open competition be set to determine the signage used to announce the new policy.

 

respectfully submitted 11/4/06 by V Serravallo

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