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Wednesday, October 14, 1998
Program Room, Leavey Center
(corrected)
PRESENT: Andrews, Arend, Bates, D.Betz, P.Betz, Brown, Breall,
Cole, Danielson, Davis, DeGioia, Dretchen, Fink, Finkel, Fisher,
Fort, Glazer, Goldfrank, Iglarsh, Jacobs, Joyner, Keller, Kopac,
Lauerman, Lepgold, Lieber, Martire, McGrail, Moran Cruz, Morris,
J.Murphy, A. Myers, Nishioka, Noyes, Peck, Pfeiffer, Regan, Rameh,
Richardson, Ronkainen, Scribanu, Soudee, Stent, Subramanian, Tracy,
Viksnins, Vroman, T.Walsh, Witek, Young.
The meeting was called to order by Prof. Bates at 4:26 p.m.
Prof. Bates reported that the Steering Committee favors dropping
the "excused" category from the minutes of Steering Committee
and the University Faculty Senate. Some senators suggested "excused"
was a useful category. It was moved that the category be stricken
from further minutes. The motion passed, 23 for, 5 against, and
2 abstentions.
The minutes of the May 11, May 14 and Sept. 17, 1998 Senate meetings
were unanimously passed.
Prof. Bates reported on discussions at the Steering Comm. and
with Father O'Donovan regarding the search committee for a Dean
of Georgetown College. Prof. Moran Cruz and Neale were brought
forward as nominees for the search committee. The appointments
were confirmed by the full Senate by voice vote.
Prof. Alex Sens was nominated and confirmed as Senate appointee
to the University Services Steering Committee.
Because of inability of previous appointees to chair the Fringe
Benefits Committee and Special Committee on Rank & Tenure, two
new nominees were confirmed, Prof. Goldfrank and Fr. Witek, respectively.
Ken Dretchen led a discussion of Fringe Benefits issues pursuant
to a meeting of the University Fringe Benefits Advisory Committee,
at which Dr. Wiesel asked for suggested changes in fringe benefits
to help reduce Medical Center deficits. His report:
- The co-payment in the Georgetown Health plan for prescriptions
was recommended to be raised, by the UFBAC. The annual cap on
out-of-pocket prescription costs was recommended by the UFBAC
to be eliminated
- A RFP for a new group to administer the Georgetown plan has
gone out.
- The UFBAC is studying the retirement plan to determine whether
the 12% (10% for new employees) contribution is appropriate,
or a better plan could be created.
- The UFBAC has recommended that Medical Center employees pay
30% of their health care premiums, compared to 22% at the rest
of the University for people making over $35,000 only. These
items were discussed. Several faculty expressed displeasure
with actions being taken without consultation and without sufficient
documentation and information. There were strong objections
to changing the Medical Center fringe benefits separately from
the University benefits. It was pointed out that the total benefits
package has fallen below the 25% level dictated by Father O'Donovan.
Motion was made: The change in Medical Center Health Benefits
should be reviewed by the Medical Center Caucus; the general question
of separate benefits for one campus should be studied by the Senate's
Governance Committee and/or the Senate Fringe Benefit Committee.
Concern was expressed that cost savings estimates for the changes
suggested were unavailable. The motion above passed, 36-0.
Another motion was made that the Senate (1) approve the proposed
change in prescription benefits and (2) encourage examination
of the potential for renegotiation of the contract with NCPPO
and PCS to reduce administrative costs, and also encourage exploration
of the potential for using a different plan administrator. The
out of pocket prescription costs in the Georgetown plan should
however be capped at $1,000/family.
The motion was voted on separately in two parts. The points relevant
to the prescription plan were voted on. The vote was 14 for, 16
against. The point regarding renegotiation of plan administrative
costs passed unanimously.
JoAnn Moran Cruz presented a draft of the "White Paper on Tenure
at the Medical Center, Georgetown University." She reported that
the draft was formulated by an ad hoc group of five faculty from
the 3 campuses with additional input from another 4-5 faculty
from across the campuses. It argues that two Medical Center policies
- the new compensation policy already in effect and a proposed
post-tenure review policy - change the contract of tenured faculty
at the Medical Center and threaten tenure at the University as
a whole. It raises questions about the impact which the Medical
Center's new compensation policy (put in place last May) is having
on academic freedom. The probable effects of the proposed post-tenure
review policy are also discussed in the White Paper. Such a policy
threatens academic freedom and is a "cure in search of a problem."
She reported that the AAUP had reviewed the Paper as well as earlier
documents and found that the combination of these two policies
would have a devastating effect on tenure at Georgetown.
There was extensive discussion regarding the Medical Center's
financial problems and the need to address them. Professor Moran
Cruz noted that the faculty are very cognizant of this and probably
most willing to make sacrifices if they are clear about problems
and priorities and are consulted in the process. The Medical Center
has not declared financial exigency and opened its financial books.
Therefore, it is not easy to determine where the problems are.
The Senate Budget and Finance Committee is looking into this.
She noted that there is no evidence that these two policies will
help the Medical Center financially, and the post-tenure review
is likely to be expensive in addition to curbing academic freedom.
A quorum was called; Prof. Bates stated that discussion could
continue but no votes could be taken.
Prof. Bates stated that the Senate Steering Committee would refer
the document to an appropriate committee.
The meeting was officially adjourned at 6:40 p.m.
(Corrected 11/18/98) .
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