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Via phone: Julie Peterson
Excused: Randy Pryor, Don Lee, Vicki Schlegel
Joined at 10:00 am: Interim Vice Chancellor Yoder, Liz Husmann (recorder)
Vice Chancellor Transition
Mike Boehm will be starting January 2, 2017. Although he will be traveling extensively during his first few months, Dr. Yoder indicated that it would be a good idea to schedule the next Liaison Committee meeting for late January or early February.
Recent Hire of Dave Varner
The committee asked why the normal search process was circumvented in the case of Dave Varner being hired as the Associate Dean/Associate Director for Nebraska Extension. Dr. Yoder explained that he was a candidate in another ongoing search and during that process was deemed a good fit for the Extension position. A search waiver was requested and acquired that allowed him to be chosen to fill the position vacated by Wayne Moore without the position being advertised. The announcement for the associate director of Southeast Research and Extension Center will likely be made soon, while more thought will be given to the Metro position. In the wake of budget cut announcements, the Director of ENREC position will have to be approved through the President’s office in Varner Hall.
Hiring Freeze
The committee asked about what constitutes “critical need,” as specified in the hiring freeze guidelines. Dr. Yoder explained that the process is fluid and right now IANR is only able to act upon the information they are given. What is known for sure is that any open positions where an offer has not been made will require justification and approval by the President’s office before hiring can proceed. This includes positions that have already entered the interview stage. Tom Hunt brought up the issue of positions that he knows will be opening up soon and that are necessary for ongoing research. There have been discussions about using a modification of the APC set of principles for identifying critical programs to determine whether a position is “critical.” Dr. Yoder said that if a position is being funded, whether fully or partially, from a 21 account (state appropriated funds), that position will be considered frozen. Even if grant money is used to make up the difference for a partially state-funded position, it will still be in danger of being frozen (or perhaps eventually cut) after the grant funds run out, so it would be best to give justification for the position right away. Legislators have been consistent in their conversations with the President that there will be a 4% budget cut. At this point in time there are 33 positions in the interview stage in IANR that will need justification and many more that are open. If the 4% budget cut is implemented it is likely some positions will not be filled. Ann asked how many people will be retiring and Dr. Yoder said there are no numbers currently available for that.
Extension Resolution for Non-tenure Track Faculty
If a non-tenure track extension position (e.g., Extension Educator) is terminated, the employee currently is given 90 days’ notice. The resolution would maintain 90 days’ notice for Assistant Extension Educators, but extend the notice to 180 days for Associate Extension Educators and 360 days for Full Extension Educators. Dr. Yoder said this resolution is moving forward without any impediments, and should be voted on at the March 2016 Faculty Senate meeting.
Campus Safety Issue
There have been concerns from people using the IANR apartments about the security of the keys in the lockbox, or the lockbox not being recoded to lock and being left open while keys are in the box. Names and apartment numbers are also listed on the keys.
China Trip
Dr. Yoder’s trip to China went well and supported the continuing relationship between IANR and China’s Northwest Agricultural and Forestry University. Extension is a need of theirs at the Nebraska Demonstration Farm at Yangling, and Dr. Yoder sees that as a way IANR can formally connect with them.
Meeting adjourned at 11:30am
Distributed electronically to the IANR Liaison Committee for review: 11/18/2016