The April 9 UCCS Faculty Assembly meeting featured a demonstration of faculty access to the Improved Student Information System as well as discussion of health care concerns, and some positive news from the chancellor.
Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak gave a report that repeated the highlights of campus budget forums she conducted March 30 and 31. No additional cuts are anticipated, she said, and all efforts are being made to bring the campus through the lean economic times. She noted that UCCS wasn’t impacted as severely by system-wide cuts as the other CU campuses, and can continue without layoffs or program cancellations while enrollment goals are met.
Shockley-Zalabak told faculty that the state senate will soon announce the contents of the Long Bill regarding Colorado’s budget funding, and new legislation is underway. She gave a brief overview of ways the campus is saving money including new purchasing agreements and energy conservation practices.
“We are going to make it,” she said.
After some discussion the assembly members present unanimously passed a motion reflecting the feelings of UCCS faculty regarding the CU System’s health insurance offerings. One concern is the distance to Denver creates difficulties if CU employees outside the Denver area are required to only use care providers there. Another issue is use of University Hospital facilities if local care providers serving UCCS employees are not authorized. Red tape and paperwork to circumvent such conflicts can create harmful delays, the group agreed.
According to the motion, UCCS Faculty Assembly insists that CU “…guarantee expeditious access to CU’s University Hospital…” to employees outside the Denver area on the different insurance plans.
The meeting concluded with David Moon, senior associate vice chancellor, Academic Affairs, demonstrating ISIS for faculty.
Moon reviewed some of the basic differences between the old and new systems, then accessed ISIS as faculty members will have to for fall classes. With the website on his laptop computer shown on a projection screen, he opened the MyUCCS portal with his own faculty I.D. He clicked on the “faculty” tab, and showed a typical page for a class.
Moon navigated the page, showing how to access individual student information, and send e-mails to a single student or to the entire class. He assured faculty that they would grow comfortable with the new process with practice, and that help will be available if necessary.
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