Our resolution pertaining to the grievance procedure for USM employees seemed to have some impact since the legislation puts final appeals back in the hands of MHEC and not with the System Chancellor. The other resolution involved funding for faculty and curriculum development as it relates to interconnectivity of all campuses on the high speed network. As it worked out, the tax finally agreed upon by the legislature was so much less than anticipated that our resolution probably had very little impact. Other opportunities do exist, though, for faculties to compete for financial support in curriculum design and faculty development for distance education courses.
Money exists in the supplemental budget for hardware.
Requests for Proposals will go out by June or July of this fiscal year. David also suggested that faculty consider ideas for next year s budget and, perhaps, use summer to talk about faculty issues with legislators who could help shape legislation of value to faculty. Dove Joan Dove indicated that the Larson Bill was amended many times, and that basically the House version passed during the eleventh hour. The significant issue which took deliberations to the last minute was Collective Bargaining. Older members filabustered and Collect Bargaining was ultimately excluded from the legislation passed.