Minutes: FACAS Meeting, 3/27/08
Time and Location: 10:30 – 11:50 am, KL 505
Present: D. Biers, G. Doyle (chair), P. Johnson, T. Lasley, L. Laubach, Y. Raffoul D. Sink, L. Snyder, R. Wells
Absent:
Guest: L. Rismiller
1. Minutes of 3/13/08 were approved as written.
2. The FAC commented on a Maternity Leave Survey constructed by Lisa Rismiller.
a. Suggested that the answers to some of the questions be true, false or do not know.
b. Paternity, adoption, and foster care has been excluded by the administration because: 1. maternity leave is tied to the health of the mother, and 2. it opens the door for requests of other benefits, while the HR budget is already tight. Members of the committee favored considering approaches that take a broader perspective, rather than limiting considerations to medical issues.
c. As a follow-on to b. it was suggested that questions related to paternity, adoption, and foster care might be asked on the survey to get a sense of the faculty.
d. The comment was made, and seconded three times, that the questionnaire was too long. A good many faculty may not bother to complete it.
e. It was suggested that the policy needs to be left somewhat vague so that modifications for special cases can be incorporated.
f. The question of confidentiality was raised. Faculty members should not be involved in looking at individual results, only the combined results. Lisa Rismiller suggests that Surveymonkey be used. Lisa is also the person to whom the combined results would be returned to.
g. It was suggested that a link to the Maternity Leave Policy be provided at the end of the questionnaire.
h. It was suggested that some questions be answered a, b, c, . . . , rather than true, false, or do not know.
i. Possibly have a question up front asking if the responder has no knowledge of the Maternity Leave Policy.
j. Question was asked as who will send the questionnaire out to the faculty.
3. Lisa Rismiller will revise the questionnaire, and the FAC will look it over again.
4. The next meeting of the FAC will be Thursday, April 3, 2008 in KL 505. The purpose will be to review a second draft of the questionnaire being assembled by Lisa Rismiller.