9. Faculty Ombudsman Report: Ombudsman Wilfred Reilly reported on the following issues:

Reilly met with University President Christopher Brown last Thursday to discuss:

In the University Forum meetings, faculty are being strongly encouraged to apply for Title III funds. (Moffett noted that the University Forum is a gathering of faculty and administrators in charge of various areas; they report on issues in those areas at the meetings.) Title III funds did arrive October 1. $120,000 has been set aside for faculty travel to conferences and events.

Reilly stated that the Indirect Cost Recovery (IECR) first distribution is due late October or early November for costs incurred July 1 – Sept 30. He said that this is a process that has just begun to have results. No payouts have yet occurred but will soon begin.

A senator asked about the status of prior Action Items – whether they have been passed up from the Provost's office. Moffett said he didn't know, but would inquire.

11. Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 4:35pm.

The mold issue on campus: Brown told Reilly that this issue is nearing resolution. KSU is the one major university in the state that did not declare independence from the Kentucky Division of Engineering and Contract Administration (DECA). This is a highly bureaucratic state agency which colleges had the option of either splitting from or continuing to partner with roughly a decade ago. For the university to undertake any action about building or repairs, we have to make a request to the state, which does the work for us. Brown has made that request. The Request For Proposal is concluded; we’ve negotiated with a solution provider for mold abatement. The issue now is getting a signed contract in hand and establishing a set of dates when they will remove the mold. This may take a few months, but we are on the last steps of the process.

The ACE Tutoring Center: this issue is tied to the mold issue, as ACE was closed because of mold. President Brown says it will be open by spring semester. The tutors haven't been fired. They are over in University College, either full time or on a retainer basis. Brown said that all of our tutors are on campus; we just don't have the tutoring center. The expectation is that we will have a one-stop tutoring center by spring.

The $1800 disbursement is confirmed for October 31.

0 Moffett pointed out that the word hasn't gotten out sufficiently to faculty yet about the available funds. Reilly said that he just found out today that we have a new Title III Coordinator who is excited to discuss faculty requests: Christina Jones X6147. Major conference travel should be reimbursable until that $120K dries up.

A Senator asked about the process to apply for T3 funds. Reilly said that he, himself, has applied for reimbursement in the past through the T3 Coordinator. He said that there may be a new process now that there is a new Coordinator. Moffett suggested that we invite the T3 Coordinator to our next meeting.

0 A Senator asked if there is T3 money for other things besides travel, like supplies.

0 A Senator stated that the IECR money should go to Professional Development accounts in the departments, as it is not personal income to faculty. The distribution should go through Accounting. Land grant has such a Professional Development Account, but some other departments do not.