Content
IANR Liaison Committee
Meeting Notes
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
1:00 – 3:00pm
Nebraska East Union, Bluestem Room
In attendance: Angela Pannier (chair), Julie Peterson, Julie Albrecht, Kathleen Brooks
On the Phone: Randy Pryor, Tom Hunt, Ann Fenton
Roads Scholar Tour 2016
The committee continued discussion regarding holding the 2016 tour in May or August. The idea of having two tours was introduced—a day trip in May, with the overnight tour in August. Ultimately when the tour is held depends on Dr. Green’s schedule.
IANR Bylaws Revisions
The committee was charged to review the bylaws by Dr. Green at the last Liaison Committee meeting (August 20, 2015). The committee mentioned a minor revision to the bylaws concerning how “extension” is referred to as extension division’s name has been updated from “University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension” to the current “Nebraska Extension.”
For the committee’s consideration: in chapter 4, under Mode of Operation, the procedure for calling faculty meetings is laid out. This procedure hasn’t been used in the last five years. Should there be a revision of 4.1.2?
Standing Committee Guidelines
The committee offered thoughts rather than recommendations regarding the three standing committees that are specifically listed within the bylaws: 1) Liaison committee, 2) Nominating Committee, and 3) Committee on Policy for Appointment and Promotion (CPAP).
The committees have evolved to the point at which their duties appear to overlap, and the CPAP and Nominating Committees are underutilized. CPAP has only been used once in the past four years. It only meets when there is a specific issue to be addressed. Dr. Yoder suggested consideration be given to sunsetting the Nominating Committee and the CPAP, and having the Liaison Committee cover the duties currently assigned to those committees – which is what appears to be occurring in practice. Moving forward, the IANR office and the Liaison Committee members could work together, and form ad-hoc committees as needed to address specific issues the Liaison Committee felt were beyond the scope of normal Committee operations. If the Committee decides to make this change, the language in the Bylaws charging the Liaison Committee will need to be changed to include the additional responsibilities that will be assumed in place of the dissolved committees.
The Liaison Committee can effectively handle situations that arise.
It was discussed that current members of the Liaison committee should discuss within their units if there are any objections to removing two of the standing IANR committees. If the committee chooses to proceed with eliminating two committees, the process is as follows: To remove these committees, the Liaison Committee would make a recommendation, and it would be voted on by faculty. The action is then presented to the Vice Chancellor for approval.
Other Items
Randy Pryor brought up the need to adopt one clear set of guidelines for promotion of all extension educators, county-based or those affiliated with a department. The statewide promotion committee felt that department specialists could hold applicants to a higher standard (based on their experiences) as to what is required for promotion compared to the standards used by district promotion committees for county-based extension educators.
Randy indicated there is a recommendation from the statewide promotion committee to extension administration that needs further study and action.
Randy said one of the recommendations by the statewide promotion committee would be for administration to solicit comments from a departmental reviewer and those comments be forwarded to the statewide promotion committee. That person would not participate in the discussion when that file is reviewed for promotion.
A member on our statewide promotion committee pointed out that there are not district specialists serving on district promotion committees, so to be consistent state or departmental specialists should not be serving on the statewide promotion committees. This would insure all extension educators affiliated with a department would be evaluated consistently and be evaluated for promotion by their peers. Dr. Yoder will check into the process.
The question was raised concerning the Deans’ Council and what is discussed during the Faculty Senate luncheon. Is what is discussed at the luncheons something that should be communicated to the departments? Dr. Yoder explained that it is an informal discussion in which the Deans update the faculty senators on matters in their divisions, and the expectation is that the senators will relay the information to their constituents. It was stated that appropriate interplay between the Liaison Committee and the Faculty Senate group should be taken under consideration, i.e., ensure the groups are not serving the same purpose? Dr. Yoder responded that the two groups serve different functions. The luncheons with the faculty senators are an informal opportunity to keep them abreast of developments in the IANR and to provide an opportunity for the senators to ask questions, whereas the Liaison Committee is charged with serving as an advisory body to the Vice Chancellor.
Regarding professional development funds, Angela Pannier asked why they were taken away. Dr. Yoder answered that they were not taken away, but how they are allocated was adjusted. The same amount of funding is being made available each year as were being used historically; only about 1/3 of the funding that was available each year was used. The change is intended to make administration of the funds more efficient, and to provide more flexibility to the departments in how the funds are used. The funds are from the VC pool, and what is not disbursed remains to be used in other ways within the Institute.
The meeting adjourned at 3:00 pm
Recorder: Jaimie McGowan
Distributed electronically to the IANR Liaison Committee for review: 11/18/2015
Distributed electronically to the IANR Faculty: 11/25/2015
Upcoming Meetings:
January 27, 2016 1:00 – 3:00 pm
Agenda items:
- Decision regarding dissolution of Nominating Committee and CPAP.
- Roads Scholar plan