IFC 4/17/07 Minutes

Approved 5/1/07

Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis

Faculty Council Minutes (“IFC”): April 17, 2007

Wynne Courtroom, Inlow Hall (“IH 100”): 3:00 – 5:00 pm

Agenda Item I: Call to Order: Rosalie Vermette (IUPUI Faculty Vice-President, 4.0064).

Following a brief reception, Vermette called the meeting to order at 3:35pm. The faculty opened the meeting by standing for a moment of silence in honor of the victims of the April 16^th shooting at Virginia Tech.

Agenda Item II: Adoption of the Order of Business for the Day.

The agenda was revised—removing the conversation with President-Elect McRobbie (cancelled due to meetings called following the tragedy at Virginia Tech) and adding reports from the Chancellor and IFC President—and adopted as the order of business for the day.

Agenda Item III: [ACTION ITEM] Approval of IFC 2/20/07 Minutes.

Hearing no objections, the 4/3/07 IFC minutes (http://www.iupui.edu/~fcouncil/minutes/fc070403html.htm) were approved as written and entered into record.

Agenda Item IV: [ACTION ITEM] IFC-2007-07: Research Misconduct Policy: Simon Atkinson (Chair – Research Affairs Committee, 8.0435, satkinso@iupui.edu).

Atkinson read the policy and noted that, for IUPUI, this is a revision to existing policy and procedures. He also noted that this, if passed by the UFC and accepted by the Trustees, will become university-wide policy. Atkinson further explained that the IFC was being asked for such swift action so that the UFC might act on the policy at its April 24^th meeting with an eye towards implementing the revisions by summer so as to comply with federal guidelines (per the request of the NIH) and not slow the process of grants, etc. This is a policy, he continued, “greatly constrained by federal guidelines…there is very little wiggle room.”

Atkinson noted that this policy “allows for things to be different at IUPUI than at IUB” and that this is acceptable according to the federal guidelines. IUB has chosen to include other issues in the research misconduct policy [a policy that applies to IUB and the regional campuses] such as conflict of interest, abuse of confidentiality, and human subjects. Those issues are already addressed at IUPUI by other, well-developed policies so IUPUI fought to have a narrower standard of research misconduct for its own purposes.

The Committee on Research Ethics (“CRE”) (Eric Meslin, Chair) does exist in concept [in this policy], Atkinson reported; in fact, the CRE Chair has been contemplated to fill the Deciding Officer role. The administrative roles in the document have vague wording attached to allow for flexibility on regional campuses so that their needs are appropriately met.

Vermette called the question on the proposal. Trudy Banta suggested a minor revision for the introduction so that the first sentence read: “the primary mission of a university…” Atkinson accepted the revision. A motion for endorsement was made from the floor; since the revised policy was reviewed and recommended by the IFC Research Affairs Committee it did not require a second. The motion carried and the policy passed unanimously.

Agenda Item V: Updates/Remarks from the Chancellor: Charles Bantz (Indiana University Executive Vice President and Chancellor of IUPUI).

Bantz briefed the faculty on the following:

• Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance Bob Martin has been asked to reconvene the Campus Emergency Preparedness Committee. Martin, the IUPUI Police Department, and other relevant units are working diligently to review emergency procedures and disseminate information to units. The campus is, of course, being watchful of safety issues in the wake of the tragedy at VPI. Questions or concerns about emergency preparedness should be directed to IUPUI Police Chief Paul Norris (also present at the 4/17/07 meeting to address safety questions/concerns) at penorris@iupui.edu.

• The position announcement for the Vice Chancellor of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is near completion. Searches are also slated to begin for the Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance and the Associate Dean of the Kelley School of Business.

• Following a competitive and thorough search, Amy Conrad Warner has been named the Vice Chancellor for External Affairs.

• Robert B. Schnabel was recently selected as the new Dean of the IU School of Informatics.

• IUPUI will become home to the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute. A generous gift will not only fund the facility but also endow research on age-related eye disease. Representative Enid Zwirn asked that, in anticipation of this and other new structures on campus, the administration remain mindful of the ever-diminishing green space at IUPUI. Bantz concurred with Zwirn that maintaining such spaces was important.

Agenda Item VI: Updates/Remarks from the IFC President: Bart Ng (IUPUI Faculty President & UFC Co-Secretary, 4.8185, bng@math.iupui.edu).

Ng briefed the Council on the following:

• President-Designate Michael McRobbie will attend the May 1^st IFC meeting.

• The UFC continues its conversation on the President’s response to the report on core and system schools. The UFC Agenda Committee is drafting a resolution based on comments submitted by faculty of potentially affected schools/units. Ng will report back to the IFC.

NOTE - On April 29, 2007, Ng reported the following to the IFC via e-mail:

“To Members of the IFC:

Linked below please find two University Faculty Council (UFC) documents:

* A resolution approved by the UFC at its April 24, 2007 meeting regarding President Adam W. Herbert's March 2007 Draft Recommendations on Core Campus and System School Operations: http://www.iupui.edu/~fcouncil/documents/U15-2007.htm .

* A compilation of all comments received from the deans and faculties of Core Campus and System Schools affected by the President's recommendations. These comments were circulated to and considered by UFC members at the April 24 meeting prior to their approval of the resolution: http://www.iupui.edu/~fcouncil/documents/u15-2007_Comments.pdf .

The resolution asks that the President involve "the faculty of the units [affected] to an extent far greater than has been the case to date" since that there appear to be significant concerns among faculty in some schools as evidenced from the comments that were sent to the UFC.”

Agenda Item VII: Question/Answer Period.

During the Q&A session, IFC members posed the following questions:

Mary Fisher asked if IUPUI has a lockdown procedure and mechanism. Bob True (IUPUI Police Department) replied that they are exploring the issue and doing cost analysis of an automated lockdown mechanism.

Nancy Eckerman noted that campus communication about crime and safety has greatly improved with the availability of daily incident reports.

Rick Ward expressed concerns about communication, citing an incident in which Cavanaugh Hall was placed in lockdown yet those working on the upper floors were unaware.

Several faculty expressed concerns that, during evening classes or work hours, the campus is under-staffed and feels less secure. They urged fellow faculty [who teach or work in the evenings] to familiarize themselves with emergency procedures with which “day-time” staff (departmental assistants, e.g.,) may be most familiar.

Ann Fletcher urged the administration to ensure that part-time faculty are engaged in conversations and training on emergency preparedness. The IFC echoed Fletcher’s point.

In response to a question from the floor, True explained that there is a campus committee planning for pandemic flu response.

Fisher encouraged her colleagues to discuss faculty responsibility, noting that we must take the initiative to communicate about troubled students or troubling situations.

Ng reported that he and Vermette met to discuss emergency preparedness with Chancellor Bantz and Dean Uday Sukhatme. At that meeting, Ng learned that True and Vice Chancellor Amy Conrad Warner attended a conference in New Orleans on this very issue and came away armed with an important lesson: communication must come from one voice, be consistent, and be widespread effectively and efficiently.

Agenda Item VIII: Call for any FC or UFC Standing Committee reports: Rosalie Vermette.

No discussion.

Agenda Item IX: Unfinished Business: Rosalie Vermette.

No discussion.

Agenda Item X: New Business: Rosalie Vermette.

No discussion.

Agenda Item XI: Adjournment: Rosalie Vermette.

Vice President Vermette adjourned the meeting at 5:00pm.

Minutes prepared by Faculty Council Coordinator, Molly Martin

UN 403 / 274-2215 / Fax: 274-2970 / fcouncil@iupui.edu / http://www.iupui.edu/~fcouncil