One Grand Boulevard St. Louis, MO 63103 Phone: 314-977-7777 Fax: 314-977-7105 www.slu.edu Office of the President February 27, 2013 TO: SLU Trustees, Faculty, Staff, Students, Parents and Benefactors FROM: Lawrence Biondi, S.J., President Over the past weeks and months, I have spent a considerable amount of time reflecting on the issues that have divided us during this academic year. I have prayed for guidance and wisdom. I have talked to many people, and I have received advice from many corners. I am acutely aware that the past several months have been difficult for all of us in the SLU community. I admit that some of the things that have been said have hurt me personally, but even more have hurt our wonderful University. I say this not to point fingers of blame, but to acknowledge reality. All of us, including me, must find new ways to move forward in more collaborative and conciliatory ways. As President, I should lead that effort, and I am. To those of you who have been critical of my leadership, I have listened. While I do not agree with everything that has been said, my reflection leads me to see that it can’t be business as usual going forward. I am committed to being part of the solution; to working more closely with those around our campus who say that their voices are not being heard. I can’t promise that we’ll always agree, but I can promise a sincere desire to rebuild the bridges that have been damaged and to move our University forward. OUR University. I have never viewed the progress SLU has made during the past 25 years as my own doing. Rather, SLU has progressed because of all of us, including our wonderful students who have graduated and gone on to do great things in our world. Our alumni make us proud, and they tell the world who we truly are at Saint Louis University. 1 I love SLU. I know that each of you loves SLU, too. I ask only that we find a way to use this love that binds us to take us to better days. With God’s help and a commitment from all of us, there are no limits to what we can achieve. Now, I would like to share some University updates. COMPENSATION In my Fiscal Year 2014 budget message I indicated that we had established a 4- percent ($9.8 million) compensation pool in the operating educational budget for faculty and staff salaries and benefits. Today, I am pleased to report that the FY14 compensation pool is being increased by approximately $3.6 million, for a total compensation pool of 5.5 percent or $13.4 million. This pool will be used to fund performance-based merit increases, minimum salary grade adjustments for staff, and faculty promotions. In addition, faculty salary compression issues will be addressed. With the assistance of an external consultant, the Human Resources Division recently completed a market analysis of staff positions at the University. Findings from this study were presented to the President’s Coordinating Council and the deans. Effective immediately, we have adopted a new salary structure and salary guidelines for staff that are based on market data and input from the vice presidents and deans. In addition, the Academic Affairs Division has completed a preliminary analysis of faculty compensation using discipline-specific data obtained from various sources, including the deans. The Faculty Senate Compensation and Benefits Committee is engaged with Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs Ellen Harshman and Vice President for Human Resources Ken Fleischmann to begin reviewing parameters for completing the study, which is expected to be finished in late April or early May. Going forward, we plan to conduct salary reviews and market analyses on an annual basis, which will help inform our compensation planning in the future. As I wrote previously, compensation was a top priority for the President’s Coordinating Council and the deans during our FY14 budget planning. Increasing our compensation pool to approximately $13.4 million reflects our commitment to attracting and retaining the very best faculty and staff to serve our students, our patients and our University. 2 Providing merit-based compensation increases and comparative market analysis of faculty and staff salaries are very important. Equally important are controlling costs and finding new creative, effective and efficient ways of using our annual operating budgets to better serve our students and care for our patients. Although the economic climate in our country is slowly improving, we must all — without fear — think “outside of the box” to create new, academically viable programs, as well as inter- and intra-disciplinary programs. Reasonable controlled costs and high quality academic curricula and programs go hand in glove. Keeping our eyes always focused on our Jesuit Mission and our Vision of becoming the finest Catholic, Jesuit University in the United States is paramount to all of our coordinated and communal efforts. SEARCHES FOR ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS In the academic division of the University we have interim leadership positions that are in various stages of resolution. The search for the new dean for the School of Law is nearing its conclusion. Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs Ellen Harshman and I have met with the search committee and have received their report. There are interim deans at the Doisy College of Health Sciences and the College of Education and Public Service, and we have an interim University Librarian. Dr. Harshman will move forward with broad-based stakeholder involvement to identify candidates for these units as quickly as is reasonably possible. Regarding the College of Education and Public Service, you will recall that the School of Social Work joined the School of Public Health to form a new college — the College for Public Health and Social Justice — so Education faculty members are working on a reorganization and redefinition of their area. In addition, a search committee will be formed soon for the vice president for academic affairs position. All of the search committees for these positions will be appointed before May 1, 2013, and will include representation from the Faculty Senate, Student Government Association and Staff Advisory Committee, as well as other representatives from around the University. Finally, the search committee has been formed for the vice president and chief information officer position and will hold its first meeting this week. SHARED GOVERNANCE INITIATIVES I wish to update you about the progress on the six initiatives that were agreed to by the Board of Trustees and the Faculty Senate. The initiatives are designed to 3 continue to increase and enhance collaboration among the faculty, students, staff, trustees and administration. The following are status reports on the six initiatives: 1. The president of the Faculty Senate will appear before the Board of Trustees annually to share the faculty’s perspectives, insights and concerns with the Board. Update: During the Board of Trustees meeting on February 9, 2013, President-Elect of the Faculty Senate Jane Turner spoke to the Board to present the faculty’s concerns. There was spirited, but polite, discussion between trustees and Dr. Turner following her remarks. While the trustees do not agree with all of the Faculty Senate’s perspectives, as presented by Dr. Turner, there was agreement that ongoing collaboration on the six initiatives should continue. Related to this initiative, the president of the Student Government Association will make a presentation on the students’ interests and concerns during the Board’s May 4, 2013, meeting. In addition, the chair of the Staff Advisory Committee will present staff members’ interests and concerns during the Board meeting in May. 2. Representatives of the Board and the administration will meet annually with the Faculty Senate to report on the state of the University. Update: The chairman of the Board, Thomas Brouster, and I — along with the University’s senior leaders — will make a presentation during the April 2013 meeting of the Faculty Senate. 3. The Board will review the current roles of the faculty, student and staff representatives on Board Committees to assure effective participation. Update: In an effort led by Trustee Kathy Osborn, who is a member of the task force of the Board’s Executive Committee, a review has been made of representation by faculty, staff and students on the committees of the Board of Trustees. Below is Trustee Osborn’s report on that review in its entirety: TO: Tom Brouster, Chairman of the St. Louis University Board of Trustees FROM: Kathy Osborn, Trustee and member of the Executive Committee DATE: February 19, 2013 The Charge: Chairman Brouster asked me to: “review the roles of faculty, student, and staff representatives on standing Board committees to establish and assure effective participation in future 4 meetings. The chairs of Board Committees will consult with Kathy Osborn, a member of the Executive Committee, in this matter. Guidelines for Board Committee meetings including the level of involvement of faculty, staff and student representatives will be defined and discussed with the chairs and with the Faculty Senate Executive Committee.” Background: The Bylaws of Saint Louis University, after providing for an Executive Committee in Article II, Section 7, continues in Section 8: “The Board of Trustees shall create and establish such other committees, boards, and councils as the management of the affairs of the University as the Board shall, from time to time, determine.” It goes on to say that the Board can