Editor’s Note: Amy Barkley, executive assistant to the CSU Faculty Council, wrote this article for SOURCE on key reports and discussion items at the Nov. 1 Faculty Council meeting. It is published here on behalf of the Faculty Council Executive Leadership. Details of the reports and presentations referenced below are available in the meeting minutes on the Faculty Council website once they are approved at the December meeting.

The Nov. 1 meeting of the Faculty Council included a budget update from Interim President Rick Miranda, a presentation on CSU’s climate survey by Vice President Kauline Cipriani and Associate Vice President Shannon Archibeque-Engle from the Office of Inclusive Excellence, and information from Andrew Norton, Faculty Council representative to the Board of Governors, on a report analyzing feedback provided during the presidential search listening sessions. 

Budget updates

Miranda visited Faculty Council to provide a second installment of budget updates. Miranda took Faculty Council members through the draft incremental budget that was presented to the Board of Governors in early October. He outlined the four scenarios that were requested, what typically creates revenue for the University, and described each budget line. Utilizing one of the scenarios that was presented to the Board of Governors, Miranda discussed the projections for the year and how projected revenue would be spent.

Questions from Faculty Council members included how faculty could get involved more in the budget process and what constitutes auxiliary budget items. Miranda clarified and described several areas considered to be auxiliary, including parking and Athletics, and how they fit into the overall budget. Miranda also indicated that he will be visiting the Faculty Council Committee on Strategic and Financial Planning next month to discuss the budget further and go a bit deeper into the details. Discussion also included addressing issues around equity and the long-term strategy for addressing inflation and cost-of-living increases. Miranda said that these items will continue to be worked on.

Employee Climate Survey results

Vice President for Inclusive Excellent Kauline Cipriani began her presentation with an overview of the Office for Inclusive Excellence. Cipriani reminded members that the name of the office has changed, and she provided an overview of the leadership and initiatives that the office is undertaking. Cipriani said that while the name of the office has changed, its mission, vision, and priorities have not changed.

Associate Vice President Shannon Archibeque-Engle took over the presentation to go over the results of the 2021 Employee Climate Survey. Archibeque-Engle explained the purpose of the survey, which is to assess the employee climate and to be used as a tool to inform policies and practices toward inclusive excellence. She said that the emphasis for this survey was to compare it with the 2018 results and to do a longitudinal comparison. Archibeque-Engle went over the organizational themes, response rates, and what was new with this survey. More information about methodology, as well as the full 2021 Employee Climate Survey results, can be found online.

Questions from members centered around clarifying some of the results and best practices for addressing some of the issues highlighted. Archibeque-Engle said that there are workshops that can be done at the college and division levels to help address some of the action items that have come out of the survey. Information about those workshops will be sent to the equity inclusion networks and deans as they begin to be scheduled.

Other Faculty Council highlights

• The next Faculty Council meeting will be held in a hybrid format at 4 p.m. on Dec. 6. The in-person component will be held in Lory Student Center Room 322. There will be a Microsoft Teams link for those unable to attend in person. Stay tuned for further details.
• Andrew Norton, Board of Governors representative, reported that the analysis of the presidential search listening sessions by the Institute for Research in the Social Sciences has been completed. The listening session overview and the feedback report can be found on the Presidential Search website.
• There is a call for additional members for the Administrative Leave Task Force. Interested members should contact either Michael Antolin (Antolin@colostate.edu) or Sharon Anderson (Sharon.Anderson@colostate.edu). The task force is attempting to understand administrative leave policies and where administrative leave is codified, as well as its implications for faculty and staff.

For the schedule of Faculty Council meetings, approved minutes and agendas, lists of members of the Council and its committees and other information, visit the Faculty Council website.