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INSIDE IOWA STATE
February 15, 2002
Senate approves position papers on early retirement, parental leave
by Linda Charles
The Faculty Senate agreed Feb. 12 to forward suggestions to administrators
on both a proposed early retirement incentive plan and a parental leave
policy. The senate also approved a motion recommending the establishment of
an ombuds office.
ERIP
The senate will forward a working paper to the administration with
recommendations for an early retirement incentive program (ERIP), despite
consensus among senators that such a policy cannot be establish under
current laws.
Federal laws prohibit tying programs such as ERIPs to age. Therefore, if the
university has such a plan, it must offer the same benefits to the
77-year-old that it offers to the 57-year-old. One federal provision would
allow Iowa State to offer a plan similar to the current ERIP (which is tied
to age), but only to tenured faculty. But before it could go into effect,
the law requires an open enrollment period allowing all faculty, regardless
of age, an opportunity to enroll in it.
The senate recommends that a new policy:
- Apply to the same employees as the current policy, with comparable
coverage as allowed by law.
- Provide equal access for all, especially those in small departments and
colleges, and contain a clearly stated appeals process.
- Encourage departments to strategically plan for their human resource
needs, facilitate strategic retirements that reflect faculty and
administrative priorities, and assist in the recruitment of new
faculty.
Broader coverage sought
The senate also approved a position paper on a proposed arrival of children
policy calling for the policy to be broadened to cover elder, spousal or
partner, and dependent care. It recommends up to six weeks of paid leave and
up to a year in unpaid leave. The senate agreed to stress that such requests
must be granted when requested.
The paper also lays out procedures to stop the tenure clock for up to a year
for faculty who are caring for dependents, even if faculty continue working
during the process. And it states work done while the tenure clock has been
stopped must count toward tenure.
Clarity challenged
Senators approved a motion to establish an ombuds office to provide informal
and confidential problem-solving assistance to faculty on work-related
issues and disputes, despite objections from the Liberal Arts and Sciences
caucus that the proposal was unclear about exactly what an ombudsperson
would do.
Sen. Michelle Mattson, foreign languages and literatures, said much of the
document points out what an ombudsperson doesn't do. "After reading this
document, I'd know what ombudsmen don't do, but we should make it clear what
the office does do," she said.
Others countered that the proposal does contain a list of things that the
ombudsperson would do.
VP office review
Sen. John Schuh, who headed a senate committee that reviewed the Office of
Student Affairs and its vice president (Tom Hill), reported that the review
was completed and had been shared with the appropriate people. He noted that
the office is "well regarded by students, faculty and administrative
colleagues," is "very effective" in representing the interests of students
and provides "excellent services and programs."
The next senate meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 5, in 260
Scheman. Expected on the agenda are a task force report on student
evaluation of teaching and a motion to rescind the name of the Jischke
Honors Building.
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Ames, Iowa 50011, (515) 294-4111
Published by: University Relations,
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