Faculty
Senate supports ‘Teach-In’
Employees
can expect three percent salary increase
By Carolyn
Gonzales
At a recent
Faculty Senate meeting, UNM President F. Chris Garcia reported
that for the most part, the Legislative Finance Committees
formula funding was approved with some minor adjustments
and that UNM staff and faculty can expect a three percent salary
increase.
House Bill
2 established a 2.5 percent compensation increase for staff
and faculty while Senate Bill 655 provides an additional .5
percent for faculty. The University Planning Council,
the Budget Subcommittee and the Executive Cabinet will see that
faculty and staff receive three percent, said Garcia.
He reported
that the state legislature appropriated $3 million for endowed
chairs at UNM, New Mexico Tech and NMSU. Each institution must
provide matching funds, he said.
During
his report, Garcia said that he has been looking at ways the
campus addresses war issues. We need to be prepared for
various contingencies, he said. The president pointed
out that universities are a place to promote constructive debate,
that it is part of the educational process.
In line
with Garcias remarks, Faculty Senate President Beverly
Burris suggested that the campus host a Teach In,
a half day or full day of scheduled speakers, films, lectures
and panel discussions concerning the war.
The
perception is that it is on all our minds. Students have questions
and we can provide an alternative to demonstrations, she
said. Several faculty agreed to form a committee to move the
initiative forward.
Burris
also remarked on the unconventional trajectories
of the career paths taken by some of the presidential candidates.
Provost
Brian Foster reported that two deans and an executive director
are up for a five-year administrative performance review. They
are Dean Howard Smith, management; Dean Viola Florez, education;
and Carlos Ramirez, executive director, UNM Los Alamos. Deputy
Provost Richard Holder said that letters will go out inviting
the campus community to submit information about those under
review.
Foster
reminded faculty to follow the procedures they have been given
regarding overseas travel with students.
Responding
to a question from Byron Lindsey, Foreign Languages and Literatures,
Foster said that five classrooms from Mitchell Hall are going
to be usurped effective fall semester for pre-professional
advising. Classes that dont follow the traditional scheduling
pattern and those that are under-enrolled will receive a low
priority for scheduling.