…Asked Vice-Provost Horwitz how the new diversity language included in merit and promotion actions would affect faculty. Her response: “I do not interpret the revised languages in APM 210/240/245A as altering the criteria for merit or promotion.”
…Investigated a complaint where a faculty member was asked to pay for a sabbatical replacement to cover his courses and where a medical faculty member was asked to cover clinical duties while on leave. These instances seem unusual; in our survey of our members, most faculty reported fair treatment in their leave requests.
…Expressed concern to Division Chair Simmons re proposed changes to APM 700, 710, 711 and 080. APM 700-10 would add the new concept of “presumptive” or “constructive” resignation wherein an academic appointee who is absent without an approved leave or fails to return to assigned duties after an approved leave, may be presumed by the University to have resigned from his or her appointment with the University. We objected to the vagueness of the proposed policy and the absence of proper safeguards or any mention of appropriate Senate review. The Senate was made aware of our concerns.
…Objected to UC’s imposition of increased non-resident tuition for graduate students, stating that the efforts of UCD’s administration to ameliorate this problem by reducing fees after students qualify for candidacy to the Ph.D. represents some progress but is grossly inadequate in solving the problem; non-resident graduate students are still burdened with the prospect of enormous fees, and as a result, many simply do not come to California. Recent actions by the Provost in off-setting some of the costs of graduate student support have helped in this regard.
…Is looking into possible anomalies in the Davis Professional Salary Scale (DPSS) creating concerns that faculty above step V who do not have a merit in 3 years might lose their salary increments as well as possibly suffer other unintended consequences.
…Continues to monitor the issue of health care benefits for retirees (See related article in this newsletter) as well as total benefit packages for active faculty.
…Is investigating whether the proposed reinstatement of contributions to UCRS are really required. See related comments in Ian Kennedy’s article re. meeting with UCOP representatives.