The state of Iowa’s salary policy will no longer fund health care cost increases that are higher than the average salary increase for the fiscal year 1997.

Warren Madden, the vice president of business and finance, reported to the Faculty Senate on Tuesday night that Iowa State should have the new health care plan in place by January 1, 1997.

Madden estimated an average of a four percent increase for salaries in 1997 and health insurance rates to increase 13 to 22 percent.

The state Board of Regents has asked the universities to evaluate managed care alternatives and other initiatives that may contain rising health care costs, Madden said.

Several factors have prompted the university to look into changing faculty and staff health care programs.

“Family structure, your needs, and our needs are all changing,” Madden said. “There are a lot of changes happening right here in our own community.”

He cited the efforts between Mary Greeley Medical Center and the McFarland Health Clinic to work together on health care.

“Our intention is to get a letter out to [faculty and staff] within a week or so that explains this in elaborate fashion,” Madden said.

The objectives of a new plan, he said, would be to increase employee choice, control choice, facilitate budgeting and increase employee understanding of benefit options.

Rewording the Royalties Policy

A bill to clarify the wording of the royalties policy was passed by the senate.

Normally faculty members are not allowed to use material in their classes from which they would receive royalties, except in certain situations.

“What this is about is professors choosing their own text,” said Kenneth Kruempel, associate professor of electrical engineering. “The exception may be if the instructor has written materials for the course. Do I select the textbook because I make money or because it’s a good choice of text book?”

The royalties made in these situation currently default to the university, but the rewording of the royalties policy would give the faculty member a say in where the money goes.

Kruempel said the new rule will have royalties go to an organization (for example, to a charity) mutually agreed upon by the university and the faculty member.

Preparing for the 1997-99 Catalog

The senate also started work on changing programs to prepare for the 1997-99 class catalog.

“We are at the point at which we are asking the regents to discontinue old programs or create new programs,” said Kruempel.

The senate passed a bill to change the name of the general studies major to interdisciplinary studies.

“It’s an attempt to better describe what that major is about,” Kruempel said.

Three bills were proposed to discontinue curriculum in teaching prekindergarten-kindergarten children, the master of science and Ph.D. in nuclear engineering and the master of engineering in electrical and computer engineering.

Another bill proposed the addition for a new major and minor in the performing arts. Gregg Henry, director of ISU theater, wrote the program for the new major, which will fall under the liberal arts and sciences college with curriculum in theater, music, dance and health and human performance.

“This cross-disciplinary curriculum is fairly unique,” Henry said.

The new major has been endorsed by the theater and dance programs at the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa, Henry said.

Improving the ISU Educational Experience

Prior to the seating of the new senators, the senate passed a recommendation to send 62 considerations called “Improving the ISU Educational Experience” to deans of colleges and departments and administration of ISU.

James Hutter, associate professor of political science, said, “We took 500 or so suggestions. We have pared it down to 62 suggestions.”

Before the bill passed, there was a debate on whether to change from calling the 62 ideas “recommendations” to “considerations.” The senate took a voice vote, where the motion to change the wording died, but one senator demanded a roll call.

Peters then took a standing vote with the rewording to “considerations” passing by a vote of 30-25.