UNH Faculty Senate
Summary Minutes from 24 February, 2003
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UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
2002/03 FACULTY SENATE
FEBRUARY 24, 2003 - MINUTES SUMMARY
I. Roll - The following senators were absent: Baldwin, Barcelona, Burger, Calculator, Elmslie, Frankel, Giraud,
Niesse, Pollard, Strait and Ward. Becker was excused. President Hart, VPFA Corvey, Dirk Timmons, and Stephen
Pesci attended part of the meeting.
II. Minutes - The minutes of the last senate meeting were approved unanimously.
III. Communications with the President - The university system has made budget presentations to the state legislators
in both the house and the senate, saying that a budget increase of 6.4 % next year and 6.2% the year after is necessary
in order to maintain the level of higher education in New Hampshire. The university system will continue dialogue
with the governor. In addition, a model of how the KEEP program could be financed without jeopardizing the state's
bond rating has been prepared. Students, faculty and staff are asked to be in touch with legislators on these
issues. House Bill 55, which dealt with some aspects of affirmative action, was defeated by a large majority.
The university is also tracking a legislative bill on municipal services, a bill which would require university
building plans to go through local zoning processes, and some bills which would affect student rights to vote.
The trustees have developed a strong core strategy, and the system office has prepared a legislative resource book
to help the trustees deal with legislative bills and other issues. The University of New Hampshire has been called
the best buy in New England. Consultants have recently presented to the university president preliminary findings
on their evaluation of student affairs and academic affairs, and this information will soon go to the deans for
their input as well. Eight semi-finalists have been selected in the search for a new provost, and the search is
moving along well. So is the search for a vice president for university communications, and initial interviews
for that post will be held shortly.
IV. Transportation Committee Recommendations - Vice President Candace Corvey said that the Transportation Committee's
goals continue to be to reduce inefficiencies in cost and time, to expand transportation options and capacity,
to enhance mobility, accessibility and convenience, to improve the environment, and to support sustainable patterns
of development. Faculty may give input to the president on these recommendations before the decision is made in
the near future. The history is that, after the preliminary draft in March of 2002 and subsequent community input,
the preliminary recommendations were submitted to the president in May; and the final Transportation Committee
recommendations were released in February of 2003. The committee, which includes four faculty members, recommended
increasing the costs of permits and using a tiered zone system. This plan would need to be negotiated with the
AAUP and would not be put into effect for faculty, staff or commuter students until an agreement with faculty was
reached. A feasibility study will be done on a parking garage; and emergency ride, carpooling and vanpooling programs
will be implemented, as will improved shuttle and transit systems. Tightening of permit requirements and enforcement
are underway, as is a mandatory student transportation fee of $35, for transportation services other than parking
permits. The recommendations also include completion of the south underpass and improvement of the perimeter road
system and traffic flow on Main Street, with special focus on the intersection of Main Street and College Road.
The expected revenue from the plan would be about three million dollars, but most of that would be absorbed by
capital investments included in the plan. Costs would include a parking garage, charter buses, handivans, bus
shelter replacements, better signage and dispatch communications, parking meters, lot resurfacing, bicycle infrastructure,
west gateway roundabout, safe rides, etc.
Parking fees would range from $1000 for a reserved space in the core campus, to $200 for a non-reserved space there,
to $50 for a non-reserved space in a remote lot, with other categories in between. Annual permits for campus residents
would be $450 for resident hall directors and $650 for resident student lots in the core campus and be reduced
by $100 for zone two and down another $100 for the remote lots. The prices were set to reduce demand, and the
university plans to adjust the prices if the demand is not as predicted. The university hopes to develop satellite
lots with free parking and remote shuttle service from places like Pease or church parking lots. Although the
cost of the standard faculty and staff parking permits would not increase until the issue is agreed in faculty
contract negotiations, other fees would be increased this July 1, including visitor parking, smart card use on
meters, student resident parking, summer permits, third-shift employee permits, remote facilities, and departmental
and individual reserved spaces.
In the transportation plan, faculty, staff and commuter students would have the same opportunity to purchase parking
permits in any zone. However, B lot is in a special category because the faculty contract prevents students from
parking there. The university plans to improve signage in order to help visitors on campus. The director of parking
services said that he would like to remove the many small parking lots near core-area buildings, in order to reduce
traffic on the core campus. The university hopes to increase to every hour the frequency of the Wildcat bus system
to Dover, Portsmouth and Newmarket. Professors asked that the schedule include a bus that would arrive earlier
than 7:55 a.m. and also bus service to Lee. The university will set up a Transportation Advisory Board to review
bus routes and schedules. The university will also consider better bicycle infrastructure and an expansion of
the number of bicycles on campus.
A professor said that people who make over a certain amount in salary should pay more for parking permits. Candace
Corvey said that the university might consider either this idea or using a percent of salary but that such a system
would be very complex, especially if done for all types of permits. A professor suggested increasing the number
of floors in the parking garage, in order to cut the cost per space. The university had planned a four-level garage
containing 800 spaces but would build it higher if funds were available. Lot A is a likely spot for the parking
garage, because it would be near both the Whittemore Center and the train station. A gated system might be considered
for parking lots, to prevent unauthorized users. Each applicant for a reserved permit would state the preferred
lot, and the reserved spaces in that lot would be distributed on a lottery basis if demand were greater than supply.
A professor from UNH-Manchester said that Manchester faculty have to come to Durham for meetings and can now use
the permit for both places. Candace Corvey said that the university might provide a book of infrequent user parking
passes and arrange a deal with UNH-Manchester in that regard.
A professor said that technicians who visit campus buildings and have to carry instrumentation need to park close
to the building. Steve Pesci said that more short-term parking is needed near the campus buildings and that the
shuttle service will also be improved by next year. Lot C would perhaps be one-half or one-third for visitor parking,
and part of that lot would be for car pools. A faculty member said that, while faculty and staff are usually tied
to one building, students move between a number of buildings and that this affects the need for permits.
V. Communications from the Chair - The senate chair said that the faculty lunch coordinators for this semester
will be Kelly Giraud and Elizabeth Slomba. The administration has asked that the senate approve the academic calendar
for 2004/05; but the fall break is Friday, October 15, rather than on Columbus Day. The registrar proposed this
because some faculty were concerned about low class attendance this past Thanksgiving when Monday classes were
scheduled on the Wednesday prior to the holiday. However, on 2/25/02 the Faculty Senate had passed a motion that
said fall break should be on Columbus Day. Many faculty wanted this because their children are home from school
on Columbus Day. Please discuss this matter with your colleagues, and it will be on a senate agenda soon.
The provost has asked the Faculty Senate to set up two groups to study (l) the associate of arts degrees at UNH-Manchester,
at the Division of Continuing Education, and at the College of Lifelong Learning and (2) promotion and tenure standards
including engagement and outreach and standards for research professors and clinical professors. The Professional
Standards Committee will review promotion and tenure standards and make recommendations to the provost's office.
Faculty are invited to give input to Tom Laue, who is the PSC chair. An ad-hoc task force will review the associate
of arts degrees.
VI. Motion on Educational Forums and Dialog on a War with Iraq - Tom Laue said that, on March 4 from 12:30 to
3:00 in the Granite State Room of the Memorial Union Building, there will be a teach in on the potential war in
Iraq. The administration and Student Senate have asked the Faculty Senate to cosponsor with them this and future
dialogues. Tom Laue presented two motions which Mark Wrighton seconded; and after friendly amendments in wording
and an agreement that Tom Laue would act as the Faculty Senate representative to these events, the two motions
were passed unanimously as follows:
The Faculty Senate, recognizing that the current military crisis regarding Iraq affects UNH students, faculty and
staff, will, along with the Student Senate, Academic Affairs and Student Affairs, co-sponsor the March 4, 2003,
Teach in - "Words on War", to be held from 12:30 to 3:00 p.m. in the Granite State Room of the Memorial
Union Building
The Faculty Senate, recognizing that the current military crisis regarding Iraq affects UNH students, faculty and
staff, will, along with the Student Senate, Academic Affairs and Student Affairs, co-sponsor a continuing moderated
open dialogue on war and related topics to begin March 6, 2003, and to continue until perceived as no longer necessary.
VII. Adjournment - The report on Forest Park housing priorities will be presented at the next senate meeting.
The current meeting was adjourned.
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