Tag: faculty members

2020-2021, Answered, In Writing

COVID Testing and Notifications

Written Question

About COVID testing and notifications, discussion about notifications for negative test results has been ongoing and noted as improved, but (faculty member) has herself experienced irregularities in hearing back about negatives, as well as lapses in secure/personal responses.

Answered by Bob Greenlaw, Emergency Manager

Our notification did run into some delays in the last few weeks due to not getting results from the lab. We found out the delays were from the “middle man” we were using. We have negotiated getting our results directly from the lab and should elimiate those delays for the next semester. Obviously the notifications won’t be necessary for who taking the 15 minute results test.

We continue and will continue to make notifications to students and employees of both positive and negative test results. In the Spring, we will be offering both the 48 hour PCR tests we have been plus 15 minute Antigen testing on campus. Both tests are nasal swabs.

2020-2021, Answered, From Floor

PPE for Face to Face teaching

Question asked from the floor by Dr. Gordon Rakita, Outgoing FA Vice President:

Will those of us teaching face to face will have PPE provided: when and how?

Answered from the floor by Dr. Simon Rhodes, Provost and VP of Academic Affairs:

some distribution is going to college and offices and that department supervisors have those instructions available.

Follow up question asked from the floor by Dr. John White, FA President:

will those materials be available for hybrid instructors.

Answered from the floor by Dr. Simon Rhodes, Provost and VP of Academic Affairs:

yes.

Answered from the floor by Marianne Jaffee, Executive Asst Dir of Planning:

Our office is working with department heads to inventory in-person teaching faculty to provide sufficient supplies, to go through the deans’ offices and then the chairs. She noted that if there is a miscount or if folks need more to let her office know.

2018-2019, Anonymous, Answered, From Floor

Faculty Salary Compression task force

Questioner Anonymous

Question Posed to President Szymanski

Would the president please share why [he] has not honored his commitment to convene a Task Force to study and recommend solutions to address faculty salary compression and inversion (known as C&I). The president promised to do so. UNF salaries are already the lowest in the state and C&I affects hiring and retention.

Answer from the floor by Pamela Chally, Interim Provost and VP of Academic Affairs, on behalf of the Presidents office

The President has told me this morning that he is not sure where that group currently is; as far as he is concerned, it’s still on the table, and he anticipates that it will move forward.

2018-2019, Anonymous, Answered, From Floor

ISQs and Promotion

Questioner: Anonymous

Question posed to David Fenner, FA President

Word is out there that UNF has denied tenure to faculty members who have only a little less than perfect scores on the ISQs even though the university committee’s evaluations were positive as were those that came earlier in the process. Can the FA Executive Committee bring a resolution to notify the BOT that this administration is destroying people’s lives at the university?

 

Answer from the floor by David Fenner, FA President

I will pass this on to Dr. Rakita, FA vice president and chair of Executive Committee, to pick up this question at the Executive Committee. Because this is a matter of terms of employment, the Union needs to take center stage on this rather than the Faculty Association. But having said that, we’ll certainly be involved with that. I’d also like to say that in the past, Faculty Association presidents have been strong voices of advocacy with regard to both faculty salaries and with promotion and tenure, where they sit as members of the BOT. I believe that all of that is going to come up at the June BOT meeting, and I will be there represented as appropriate.

2013-2014, Anonymous, Answered

Numbers and Percentages of Minority Individuals

Questioner: Anonymous

Posted to: Cheryl Gonzalez, Director, Equal Opportunity and Diversity

What have the numbers and percentages of minority individuals in UNF’s upper administration (deans and above) year-by-year [been] over the last ten years?

 

Written response from Rick Powell, Ph.D., Director of Institutional Research, Data Administrator Office of Institutional Research and Assessment:

Asked of Cheryl Gonzalez:

 

What have the numbers and percentages of minority individuals in UNF’s upper administration (deans and above) year-by-year [been] over the last ten years?

 

In response to this question, Ms. Cheryl Gonzalez (Director of Equal Opportunity Programs and Diversity) and Dr. Rick Powell (Director of Institutional Research) provided the following data:

 

 

Headcounts of Administrators by Race for Fall 2004-2013

RACE

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013
Am. Indian

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1
Asian            

2

2

2

3
Asian/PI

2

2

2

2

4

3

        
Black

7

5

10

14

15

15

15

12

12

12
Hispanic

8

8

10

10

10

11

11

11

12

11
Multiple            

1

3

3

3
NR Alien

1

1

2

1

1

1

  

1

1

  
White

111

118

124

137

133

138

134

133

136

145
TOTAL

130

135

149

165

164

169

164

163

167

175

 

Percentage of Administrators by Race for Fall 2004-2013

RACE

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013
Am. Indian

0.77%

0.74%

0.67%

0.61%

0.61%

0.59%

0.61%

0.61%

0.60%

0.57%
Asian

0.00%

0.00%

0.00%

0.00%

0.00%

0.00%

1.22%

1.23%

1.20%

1.71%
Asian/PI

1.54%

1.48%

1.34%

1.21%

2.44%

1.78%

0.00%

0.00%

0.00%

0.00%
Black

5.38%

3.70%

6.71%

8.48%

9.15%

8.88%

9.15%

7.36%

7.19%

6.86%
Hispanic

6.15%

5.93%

6.71%

6.06%

6.10%

6.51%

6.71%

6.75%

7.19%

6.29%
Multiple

0.00%

0.00%

0.00%

0.00%

0.00%

0.00%

0.61%

1.84%

1.80%

1.71%
NR Alien

0.77%

0.74%

1.34%

0.61%

0.61%

0.59%

0.00%

0.61%

0.60%

0.00%
White

85.38%

87.41%

83.22%

83.03%

81.10%

81.66%

81.71%

81.60%

81.44%

82.86%
TOTAL

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

 

Please note that the multiple-race reporting option started in Fall 2010.

 

They have provided this data, along with counts for administrators by (Faculty vs. A&P), Administrative Title, and Gender for these years in an Excel spreadsheet that can be found here:

 Headcounts of Administrators by Pay Plan, Administrative Title, Race, and Gender: Fall 2004-2013

2013-2014, Anonymous, Answered

Dean of COEHS Step Down

Questioner: Anonymous

Posted to: Earle Traynham, Interim Provost Academic Affairs

In announcing his intention to step down as Dean of the College of Education and Human Services (see emailed announcement below), Larry Daniel stated that once leaving the Office of the Dean he would both assume a faculty role AND “continue to serve as Executive Director of the Center for Urban Education and Policy.” As the Director of the Center for Urban Education and Policy has a prominent role in promoting the College’s vision for educational reform, for representing the College to the greater public, and for bringing external funds to the College, it seems only logical that the new Dean of the college would have significant input into the person chosen to fulfill that role (e.g., to work with faculty and a search committee to select a person to assume that role). It also seems logical—for the reasons noted above—that the new Dean would have direct supervisory authority over the “Director” and her/his responsibilities. Yet by appointing himself “Executive Director” into the indefinite future, Dean Daniel seems to be circumventing normal lines of authority and using a power that is not his to use in order to ensure himself a future administrative role within the College. It also seems that Dean Daniel is assuming a representative role that ignores the contexts behind the change in leadership within COEHS. If, on the other hand, the Provost or the President approved this future role for Dr. Daniel, faculty would like to know the rationale for the decision, why they were not consulted in the decision, and whether or not the new Dean will have the authority to supervise the person fulfilling the role of Director (and thus have significant input into the messages emanating from the “Center”)?

Dear COEHS Faculty and Staff:
It is my pleasure to serve as Dean of the College of Education and Human Services. The upcoming academic year will be my tenth year as Dean, and, with my approaching the completion of a decade of service, this milestone has given me reason to reflect on the many things that we as a College have been able to accomplish over the past years as well as the bright future that we have ahead of us. I have also been thinking about my own career and the experiences I have had over my 30+ years as an educator. The 13 years I have spent at UNF have been the most enriching of my career, and I hope to be a part of the UNF community for many years to come. However, there is an optimal time for every experience, and I am at a point in my own career in which a change of pace is in order. Therefore, I am announcing my decision to resign as Dean of the College of Education and Human Services at the end of the current fiscal year (June 30, 2014).

I look forward at that time to joining the Department of Leadership, School Counseling, and Sport Management in a full time capacity. I will also continue to serve as Executive Director of the Center for Urban Education and Policy. In the meantime, we have a busy year ahead of us with many challenges and opportunities awaiting. I will be corresponding with you in a few days regarding some important items to be accomplished this year. Thank you for all that you do, individually and collectively, to ensure outstanding service to our students and the community. As always, if you have ideas as to how we might be more effective as a College, please drop me a note or schedule a time to meet with me.

Best regards,
Larry Larry G. Daniel, Ph. D.,
Dean and Professor College of Education and Human Services
University of North Florida
1 University of North Florida Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32224-7699
Voice: (904) 620-2520; FAX: (904) 620-2522 Email: ldaniel@unf.edu

 

Written response from Dr. Earle Traynham, Interim Provost & Vice President Academic Affairs:

In my discussions with Dean Daniel regarding his resignation as Dean of the College of Education and Human Services, he requested, and I agreed, that he be permitted to continue in his role as Director of the Center for Urban Education and Policy. He had been serving as Interim Director.

The rationale for this decision is quite simply that Dean Daniel was the current director, and in my opinion had been performing this role satisfactorily, and there was no obvious reason to make a change prior to the selection of a new dean. Once a new dean is in place, Dr. Daniel will, of course, report to the dean in his capacity as center director. Also, once a new dean is in place, the dean will have full authority to determine the leadership of the Center for Urban Education and Policy.

It is not true that Dean Daniel “appointed himself” as Executive Director into the indefinite future, nor, in my opinion, did he circumvent normal lines of authority and use” power that is not his.” At present, the Center does not have by-laws that prescribe any particular process for the selection of its Director. Center directors, along with all appointed leadership positions in COEHS, will serve at the pleasure of the dean, just as they do in all of our colleges.

2013-2014, Anonymous, Answered, From Floor

Faculty Members Salaries

Questioner: Anonymous

Posted to: John Delaney, UNF President

#1 – As a follow-up to last month’s question, could the administration please provide the faculty with the following public information: The total salaries (including any salary funds drawn from the Foundation) for 2011-12, 2012-2013, and 2013-2014 for the following individuals: Tom Serwatka, Shari Shuman, Pam Chally, Barb Hetrick, Mark Tumeo, Ajay Samant, Larry Daniel, Jay Coleman, Len Roberson, Jeff Michelman, John Kantner, Mark Workman.

 

#2 – Two recent pieces of information cause me to ask: Is UNF “over-administered”?

  1. First, in Florida Trend’s June 2013 issue, it was noted that the number of administrators at UNF increased by 15.7% from 2007 to 2011. (In 2007, there were 235 administrators and in 2011 there were 272 administrators). As a side note, in fall 2007 there were 16,406 students and in fall 2011 there were 16,368 students.
  2. Second, we recently learned that Tom Serwatka received a $60,000 raise. I think a thorough analysis of this issue is warranted. Has the Budget Advisory Committee looked into this? Is there another group of non-administrators on campus that should be examining this issue?

 

Responses from President Rakita: “I’ll answer that, and I’ll answer it from the floor. The answer to the first part – Has the Budget Advisory Committee looked into this issue?
No, to my knowledge the Budget Advisory Committee has not looked into it.
Should they, or should some group of non-administrators look into it?
I would ask that the Budget Advisory Committee await the response from the President’s office about the salaries that was asked in Question 2, and then, given that response, make a recommendation to me about any action the Faculty Association may want to take on the issue.”

2013-2014, Anonymous, Answered

Changes on Campus

Questioner: Anonymous

Posted to: John Delaney, UNF President

1a. After hearing the discussion at the November meeting about the incentive/signing bonus for “minority” faculty members, I was quite bothered. Has the administration had any discussions that move beyond a numbers perspective of white vs. non-white faculty members? For example, it may be fruitful to encourage some changes on campus that will get rid of the “token” hire approach we heard about in the last meeting.

 

1b. Are we to take away from Tom Serwatka’s statement at the November meeting about being ashamed of UNF because it is too white and that there is additional money to pay above market for faculty of the “right” color that color itself has a value that UNF is willing to pay?

 

1c.  Faculty Association meetings are held on the same first Thursday of every month at the same time and in the same location. Should the faculty interpret this lack of attendance and participation as a signal that you don’t believe these meetings to be of importance?  You have been missed 19 of the past 24 meetings and have not attended one this year.  If you continue this attendance record, it might be helpful to establish another way to communicate with your faculty about initiatives and plans, so we know where are headed.

 

Written response from the President’s Office:

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

December 14, 2013

Dear President Rakita;

Allow me to answer the two questions that arose from my discussion on increasing diversity within our faculty ranks:

1a. After hearing the discussion at the November meeting about the incentive/signing bonus for “minority” faculty members, I was quite bothered. Has the administration had any discussions that move beyond a numbers perspective of white vs. non-white faculty members? For example, it may be fruitful to encourage some changes on campus that will get rid of the “token” hire approach we heard about in the last meeting.

1b. Are we to take away from Tom Serwatka’s statement at the November meeting about being ashamed of UNF because it is too white and that there is additional money to pay above market for faculty of the “right” color that color itself has a value that UNF is willing to pay?

After a question from a faculty member about past funding for opportunity hires, I stated that these funds were still available.1 If I failed to communicate clearly, let me state that these funds are in no way restricted to use in hiring minority faculty and have, in fact, been used, more often, for other purposes, including retaining exceptional faculty who have received offers from other institutions and attracting national experts in their respective fields. With regard to the question about paying above-market rate, it’s important to note that, in using these funds for retaining current faculty or hiring new minority and nonminority faculty, the department must make a case that it is the market that drives the need for additional dollars.

In response to these questions, I feel personally compelled to point out that words such as “token hire” or “of the right color” are pejorative and suggest an underlying assumption that recruiting minority faculty is opening the university to a lesser quality faculty. Such remarks were seen as insults to successful and highly productive minority members of UNF’s faculty.

I assume that the two individuals who offered these questions did not mean to denigrate their colleagues. But regrettably, we each may fall into similar traps when we think and talk about people who differ from ourselves in race/ethnicity, age, religious beliefs, political views, gender, privilege and so forth. Fear and stereotyping of the different is an all too human characteristic. I suspect this less than admirable trait can be found in many of us from time to time, yours truly included.

Respectfully, Tom Serwatka.

Equal Opportunity/Equal Access/Affirmative Action Institution.

 

2013-2014, Anonymous, Answered

CCEC Communications Consultant Process

Questioner: Anonymous

Posted to: Earle Traynham, Interim Provost Academic Affairs

Why is the university expending funds on a consultant to assist the dean of CCEC to better communicate? Is it true that some faculty members and academic administrators in CCEC were not invited to meet with this communications consultant? And if so, why weren’t they included in the process?”

 

Written response from Earle Traynham, Interim Provost & Vice President, Academic Affairs:

1. Why are the University expending funds on a consultant to assist the Dean of CCEC to better communicate?

Response: Effective communication is critical in any organization, as it is in any relationship.  An experienced consultant was engaged because we (President Delaney and I) believe there are opportunities to improve communication, and doing so should have a positive outcome.  In short, it seems like the right thing to do. President Delaney has used this particular consultant at various times over the past 15 years.

2. Is it true that some faculty members and academic administrators in CCEC were not invited to meet with this communication consultant?

Response: Although I have not had any input into this part of the process, it is my understanding that the communication consultant worked with the dean to identify a group of individuals to invite to provide input.  I have learned from the dean that sixteen individuals were invited.  Additional names were suggested by President Delaney to supplement that list, and those spoken to have suggested additional names. This will be an iterative process.

 

3. If so, why weren’t all included in the process?

Response:   See 2 above.

2013-2014, Anonymous, Answered

Provost Search Status

Questioner: Anonymous

Posted to: John Delaney, UNF President

  1. What is the status of the Provost search?
  2. Given that the faculty have selected those to serve on this committee, when will the President appoint the additional members?
  3. When will the Presidential appointees to this committee be known to the faculty?
  4. When will the chair of the search committee be appointed and, thus, know to the faculty?
  5. When will the advertisement be placed for the position?
  6. Where will this advertisement for this position be placed?
  7. What timetable does the President have in mind for the eventual appointment of the Provost?

 

Written response from Dr. Thomas Serwatka, Vice President & Chief of Staff to the President:

I apologize for taking so long to contact you all about the provost search committee. When John asked me to chair the committee we didn’t know that I was going to go through a series of testing, surgery, recovery and all of the things that happen to the occasional old man. But I am back and ready to get the search process started.

 

We would like to pull the committee together for a lunch meeting on Friday, October 11, starting at 12:00. You will get an e-vite for the meeting with the details. Please respond, so we know how many lunches to order.

John will be joining us for the first part of the meeting.

I look forward to working with you all on this task. It ought to be interesting to see how we, along with the rest of the faculty, define the qualifications for the position and how we structure the process.

Tom

We will have one other person joining us – a student representative.