Meeting Minutes 

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PRESENT: Andrews, Areen, Banchoff, Bates, D.Betz, P.Betz, Bloch, Brown, Collea, Cohn, Curran, Danielson, DeGioia, Diamond, Fasold, Glazer, Goldfrank, Haramati, Hauser, Iglarsh, Ingebretsen,S.J., Jacobs, Kopac, Kromer, Lauerman, Kopac, Martire, McFadden,S.J., Moran Cruz, Morris, McAuliffe, McGrail, Noyes, O'Connor, Pfeiffer, Picken, Puto, Regan, Rameh, Ronkainen, Sanz, Serene, Sitterson, Soudee, Spiegel, Tracy, Vroman, T.Walsh, Wiesel, Whittington, Zucarelli.

ABSENT: Angel, Breall, Byrne, Davis, Dover, Evans, Gallucci, Haft, Harter, Lepgold, McCabe, Mujal-Leon, J.Murphy, Nelson, Oakley, Rothstein, Temple, Weidenbruch.

GUESTS: Father O'Donovan, M. Bryant, P. Donevan, K. Dretchen, R. Jackson, C. Robinowitz, N. Scribanu
 

Father O'Donovan

Prof. Bates introduced Father O'Donovan who came to give the Senate an update on several issues before the University.

Father O'Donovan spoke of the vitality of the University - new grants, new hires, new leadership - in the context of the opening of the new academic year.   Applications are up both in numbers and in quality.

Four programs deserve special attention: the Third Century Campaign, the Taskforce on Catholic and Jesuit Identity, the Master Plan, and negotiations with MedStar.

There has been great progress in the Third Century Campaign.  Alumni giving has reached 33% with significant funds for Fine Arts and for the Southwest Quadrangle.  Father O'Donovan cited this as a reflection of continued enthusiasm and involvement of alumni.

In the area of Catholic and Jesuit identity, Father O'Donovan felt that the past year's dialogue had been valuable in strengthening the Georgetown community intellectually.  He cited the need for a Mission Statement for the University.  Dorothy Brown will be heading a committee to write one.

There is a need for faculty input and participation in advancing the community of scholars Georgetown should represent.  Father O'Donovan cited the importance of both religion and diversity.  He voiced commitments to full financial aid and community service.

The University is working on a Master Plan to be submitted to the Board of Zoning Adjustments in January.  This will define projects for the next ten years.  Father O'Donovan cited architect Stern's plan for student residences and green space arranged in line with defined axes continuing N and P Streets.

There are immediate needs for a Science Center, new Business School and redesigned student housing.  Also students should be housed on campus to avoid impact on the community.

Anyone with comments on this project should communicate them to University Architect, Alan Brangman.

The ongoing negotiations with MedStar for the future of the Medical campus have caused stress, but Father O'Donovan asserted the importance of the Medical Center to the University.  He reported that negotiations are "going well."  Members of the Board have been of great help in this negotiation.  The deal is not yet done, but is promising.

Faculty consultation is ongoing.  More than fifty faculty are involved in advisory committees.

This transaction will not solve all the financial problems of the Medical Center but will manage the clinical aspect.  Further cuts will, however, be needed.

In discussion, Dorothy Betz asked whether the new Mission Statement would draw on the existing Goals and Objectives statement.  Father O'Donovan hoped for something shorter.  Dorothy Brown suggested a length of five sentences.

Dan Martire asked whether the earlier Stern plan would be continued.  Father O'Donovan said yes, with modifications.  He spoke of new plans for the Canal Road entry and the series of quads planned for the residence area.  The plan will be based on right angles - in conflict with the diagonal placement of Reiss Science.

Dick Bates asked how many Campaign pledges are actually collected.  Father O'Donovan reported both a rise in cash donations and a satisfactory collection record.

Minutes

The minutes of the meeting of May 17 were approved.
 Committee Appointments

Marcia Morris, David Yang, Roger Chickering and Gloria Massaro were confirmed for Rank and Tenure Committee.

Stefano Vicini was approved as Senate appointee to Research and Integrity Committee and Beth McKeown, as an alternate to the Grievance Committee.

The new chairmen of Senate Standing Committees were also approved.

Hoya Post Office

Dick Bates presented a summary page (distributed) of proposed changes to the mail facility in Poulton.  The Contract Post Office would be replaced by a Mailboxes Etc.  This will change services available and make some services more expensive.  The new facility would, however, have longer hours and more choices of shipping methods.  There will also be a significant saving in the overhead budget.

Margie Bryant from Administrative Services answered questions.  Current employees will be rehired by Mailboxes.  This should be implemented by this winter.  There will be no changes in campus mail.

Announcements

Dick Bates signaled that the new Faculty Handbook is out.  All faculty should have received it.

He also thanked Dorothy Betz for replacing Adam Myers as secretary for the meeting.

MedStar

Jack DeGioia took the floor to report on the current status of negotiations with MedStar.  He cited insufficiency of previous accounting procedures and the mounting deficits.  The spring and summer have seen intense activity and involvement of Board members.

There is operating improvement.  It seems that losses are being curbed.  Each organization has examined the books of the other.  The Academic Planning Committee and its subcommittees have met intensively through the summer.  The whole plan should be presented to the Board in December.

Upcoming problems include: the academic affiliation agreement, the finances for the new medical center and adjustments to overhead budgets, a remaining $15 million deficit that will persist after the new reorganization, and the depletion of University cash reserves.

Key issues involving faculty include the definition of tenure and the offering of fringe benefits, such as tuition benefits and retirement plans.

Sam Wiesel then took the floor to add that a timetable must be followed in which issues will be discussed in a specific order.  Many other issues must await the overall plan.  MedStar has challenged a minority of provisions of the proposed plan.  The general plan should be approved by October.  Only then will there be specific offers to faculty involved.  MedStar should improve benefits for staff but may not match those for faculty.

Are there any alternatives?  Other mergers or closure of the Medical Center have been examined.

Paul Betz expressed chagrin at the residual deficit of $15 million.  Is there a plan to get rid of that?  DeGioia reported on work in this area.  First, it will be necessary to define all the components.  Research must always be subsidized somehow.  Strategies are still unclear for operating funds, but there is essentially no hope for recouping the losses to University reserves.

Benefits offerings are still under study.  Even the success of the overall plan is unsure.

Aviad Haramati saw the deficit as largely a problem of excess overhead.  He said subsidy from endowment was needed.  He reviewed recent budget figures.  David Goldfrank deplored the lack of satisfactory figures and the lack of information available to the Senate.  He cited the dilemma of tenured faculty unhappy with MedStar benefits. If tenure is significant, tuition benefits should be guaranteed.

Nina Scribanu cited entitlements of current employees.

Richard Diamond asked when the deal will be solid.  As soon as the agreement is signed, everyone will know.

Sam Wiesel announced that Fidia came out of bankruptcy and that the University has been able to collect over $1,200,000, against their building.

Tenure Issues

JoAnn Moran Cruz reported from her committee that has examined tenure issues at the Medical Center.  She distributed a copy of the charge to the Committee and summarized their discussions.  A draft document should be available for discussion at the October Senate meeting.

There are 64 tenured clinicians and 35 tenure track faculty in question. Base salary has been analyzed in its several components from the University, practice plan, etc.  There have been varied assumptions by department, and salaries have fluctuated in ways that do not occur on the Main Campus. Average base salaries have been $180,000 for clinicians and $109,000 for tenured faculty.  Salary fluctuations have not been great, but components have varied.  On the basis of figures analyzed, JoAnn Moran Cruz predicted a good fit between tenured clinicians and the hiring needs of MedStar.  But does a tenured clinician have the right to remain at Georgetown?  This would cost $7 million.  But this is not a probable scenario.

There is no clear model for this from other universities.

Potentially salaries may be higher at MedStar.  This should encourage people to shift.

What about future hires?  Several models are under study.  Salaries of chairmen are also under study.  There was further discussion of the meaning of tenure, but more questions than answers.
 

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