Minutes, Faculty Senate, September 1997

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MINUTES

First Meeting Academic Year 1997-1998

Faculty Senate of Villanova University

Cinema Room, Connelly Center, Tuesday,

September 16, 1997 at 4:00 PM.

PRESENT: Professors, Cheryl Asher; William J. Barnhurst; Victor Brooks; Walter E. Conn; Linda Copel; Rick Eckstein, {1997-2000 Vice-Chairman}; Lowell Gustafson, {1997-2000}; Edward Kresch; Kenneth Kroos; Michael L. Levitan, {Executive Secretary}; Howard Lurie; Masako Hamada; Robert Styer, {Treasurer}; Trudi Graves, Joyce Willens; and Margaret King, Recording Secretary.

ABSENT: Professors John D. Caputo; William Fitzpatrick; Michael Hones; Harry Strack (notified in advance); Karyn Hollis; and Virginia Powers.

AGENDA:

I Approval of Minutes

II Announcements and Correspondence

III ``For a Unified Faculty Voice in University Governance"

IV Childcare Committee

V Preliminary Report from the Faculty Workload Committee

VI New Business

I. The minutes of the April 14, 1997 meeting were unanimously approved as read.

II. Announcements and Correspondence

A. Professor Gustafson noted the deaths of two colleagues, Professor Stanley Ciesielski, Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering and Father Ray Jackson of Peace and Justice. The Faculty Senate mourns their passing.

B. A letter was received from Joe Thompson, thanking Roger Van Allen for supporting the Habitat trip to Ireland.

C. Professor Gustafson send a letter to Father Dobbin, informing him of the 212-30 vote in favor of the Faculty Referendum of last spring regarding ``For a Unified Faculty Voice in University Governance."

D. An E-mail was received from John Immerwahr requesting the Faculty Senate to review the description of the Faculty Council appearing in the present faculty handbook. The description in the old faculty handbook and an edited version were included in the memo. The issue of the name change from Faculty Council to Faculty Senate will have to be addressed.

E. A letter of resignation was received from Carolyn Lea, who was recording secretary for the Faulty Senate for 15 years. She resigned this summer due to health and time considerations. Professor Gustafson wrote a letter to her, thanking her for her invaluable service and commitment. The following motion was moved by Professor Victor Brooks and seconded by Professor Linda Copel:

{RESOLVED}:

That the Faculty Senate gratefully acknowledges the fifteen years of invaluable service given by Carolyn C. Lea as Recording Secretary of this body. We applaud the extraordinary commitment and dedication which she has consistently demonstrated. We wish her all the best in the future.

The motion carried unanimously.

III ``For a Unified Faculty Voice in University Governance"

In December, the Board of Trustees asked the Rules and Review Committee of the University Senate to consider ways of updating or revising the University Senate. A committee was formed in the summer and primarily reviewed the Kaya-Carton report of 1987, an independent study of governance procedures at Villanova. The Board has requested a final report from this committee by Spring 1998. Since the Faculty Senate initiated the faculty referendum, ``For a Unified Faculty Voice in University Governance" in Spring 1997, after some discussion, the following motion was moved by Professor Victor Brooks and seconded by Professor Michael Levitan:

{RESOLVED}:

Noting that in December 1996 the Board of Trustees charged the Executive Committee of the University Senate to work with its Rules and Review Committee to examine the functions of the University Senate and to make recommendations for its improvement, Taking into account the recommendations regarding the University Senate in ``For a Unified Faculty Voice in University Governance," And in view of the Faculty Affair Committee's approval of the plan, ``For a Unified Faculty Voice in University Governance," and the faculty's overwhelming support for it as demonstrated by the 212 to 30 faculty vote in favor of the document in the referendum of May 1997, The Faculty Senate respectfully submits the report ``For a Unified Faculty Voice in University Governance" to the Rules and Review Committee for consideration as it re-examines and revises the function of the University Senate.

The motion carried unanimously.

IV. Childcare Committee

Professor Susan Mackey-Kallis of the Communication Arts Department gave a presentation of the findings of an ad hoc committee looking into the question of childcare at Villanova. She stated that Rosemont College extends a 10% discount to Villanova faculty and staff at their on-site daycare facility. Furthermore, Rosemont gives a 30% discount to its faculty, staff and students. The ad hoc committee recommended that Villanova contribute 20% of the cost of daycare for Villanova participants in Rosemont's program. Thus the total discount for Villanova participants would be 30\%, comparable to that for Rosemont participants.

Anecdotal information regarding what other area universities are doing about childcare revealed a wide range of both on-site and off-site accommodations. A childcare facility has been an issue for Villanova personnel since 1983. At that time, an extensive survey was conducted and detailed recommendations were made concerning renovations to St. Clare's Hall as an on-site childcare center. The proposal was endorsed by the Faculty Council (now Faculty Senate) and subsequently by the University Senate in February 1984. Although the University Senate strongly supported this measure, as reflected in their vote, 31 in favor and 2 opposed, absolutely no action was taken by the university. This childcare proposal was mentioned in the Kaya-Carton report on university governance of 1987 as an example of the failure of governance procedures on the part of the university. In the fall of 1989 a committee was formed to investigate the childcare needs of the university once again. The survey was conducted to ascertain the potential use of a jointly administered program with St. Thomas Church. Although the survey demonstrated that there was significant support for the use of this facility, once again no action was taken by the university.

The ad hoc committee noted the positive public relations for the university if it were to have this type of facility, with the significant recruitment and retention value for faculty, staff and students. It estimated the maximum cost of their proposed contribution (20%) by the university to the Rosemont facility to be about $25,000. This was based upon the assumption of an enrollment of 30 infants from Villanova participants at the Rosemont childcare center attending full-time and with no services returned to Villanova ``in kind"; it might be possible to create a revenue-neutral arrangement with Rosemont, e.g., this facility could be used as a learning laboratory for Villanova primary education students.

After further discussion, the following resolution was made by Professor Cheryl Asher and seconded by Professor Victor Brooks:

{RESOLVED}:

Whereas quality and affordable childcare continues to be a pressing need of faculty staff and students at Villanova University, Whereas this need has historically not been sufficiently addressed by Villanova University Whereas area universities have addressed this need with on-site daycare facilities and/or partial subsidies for childcare costs, Whereas Villanova is a Catholic institution that ``emphasizes the values of the Judeo-Christian humanistic tradition" including the sanctity of human life and the celebration of the family, Whereas Rosemont College currently offers its own faculty, staff and students a 30% discount in the use of their on-site daycare facility and a 10% discount to Villanova faculty, staff and students, Be it resolved: that the Faculty Senate strongly endorses Villanova University offering a 20% subsidy to all Villanova faculty, staff and students in the use of the daycare facility at Rosemont College, thereby creating a 30% equity match for both institutions.

Subsequently, an amendment to this motion was proposed by Professor Howard Lurie and seconded by Professor Walter Conn. The amendment to delete the specific percentage to be contributed by Villanova University in the original motion was defeated, 2 in favor, 7 opposed with 1 abstaining.

The original motion was carried unanimously.

V. Preliminary report from faculty workload committee

Carried over to the Monday, October 6 meeting.

Motion for adjournment was carried at 5:24 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Michael L. Levitan Executive Secretary