Chancellor Plowman and Provost Zomchick,
 
          Thank you for arranging to meet with us on Wednesday Sept 22 at 1PM by zoom. Below are some possible agenda issues for discussion. The below do not focus on pandemic matters, but we remain concerned about the trajectory of infections and are hopeful further efforts to enhance vaccination rates will increase vaccination in our community. Please feel free to focus and/or add others when we meet. 

1. Access to information maintained by UT. What is the campus policy regarding release of information such as that included on Outside Interest Disclosure forms or being requested through Open Records or other requests? Which requests are approved for release? What is the policy regarding notifying employees for whom such records are requested and especially for whom such records are provided? How are employee Intellectual Property rights protected when there are requests for release of information?

2. Removing an attendee at the Faculty Senate meeting. Are you aware of any effort by UT to tell any individuals attending the Faculty Senate meeting on Monday to leave? 

3. Hu Case questions. What responses do you suggest that I provide at the meeting APA Justice that I have been invited to speak at on October 5? The letter with questions is attached. 

4. Academic Restructuring. As best we are aware there has not been an open discussion of any suggestions that may have already arisen from the group working on this. What are the plans for broad campus discussion, what is the time line for any changes, what are the expectations of the Senate regarding discussions of any planning, and how will all stakeholders involved in shared governance be involved in any final decisions on planned restructuring?

5. Expectations of 9-month faculty. The changes in the calendar now essentially leaves only two months (June and July) in which 9-month faculty do not have responsibilities for formal instruction. Although the vast majority of faculty have historically continued during the summer three month period (from mid-May to mid-August) without salary to mentor graduate students, supervise their staff and carry on their scholarship, it was typically not expected that they be available for academic unit or campus service during this 3-month period. Under the new timetable, are 9-month faculty going to be paid for 10 months of effort and if not, during what 3-month period are faculty not expected to be available for their teaching and service responsibilities? 

6. Support for the Senate. A promise was made last year that there would be new resources available to support the Faculty Senate. This included course-release support that is not however being funded at the rate that is expected for release-time and under the BAM this will require Denas to provide support from their College budgets. There are also issues regarding federal compliance if external funds are charged a different rate for course release from that provided for the President.  

Stay well,
        Lou