University Council approved four action items amending budgeting in the UC bylaws Wednesday.

Three of four action items were passed unanimously; however, Provost Ray Alden said that NIU President John Peters is hesitant to amend things into bylaws that may not have funding in the future.

Faculty Representative to Illinois Board of Higher Education

UC approved an amendment that changed the Faculty Representative to the Illinois Board of Higher Education from an unpaid position. The new wording reads: “the personnel shall receive annual compensation equal to one month of the median salary of all tenured professors funded through the budget of the University Council.”

UC chose to use the median salary in order to “level the playing field.”

Jeff Kowalski, professor for the School of Art, said different pay scales for the same amount of work wouldn’t be appropriate.

“We believe these positions deserve to be funded,” said David Wade, University Affairs Committee Chair. “It sends a signal not only that the time is worth it, but this is an important role to play. It should serve as some sort of incentive so that people who are interested in doing this work will step up and do it.”

Faculty Personnel Advisor

Also concerning compensation, UC passed an amendment to the bylaws that rewords the compensation for the Faculty Personnel Advisor.

The new wording reads: “The advisor shall receive compensation equal to one month of the median salary of all tenured faculty each semester and summer session funded through the budget of the University Council.”

Previously, the Faculty Personnel Advisor received a half reduction in academic assignments as compensation.

Additionally, an action item recommending the title “Faculty Personnel Advisor” be changed to “Faculty and Supportive Professional Staff Personnel Advisor” passed its first reading at the meeting.

Ombudsman Budget

The bylaws were amended to change the Office of the Ombudsman from an expense-by-expense budget to an office budget proposed by the Ombudsman for the UC annual budgeting process, Wade said.

Executive Secretary Budget

UC passed an amendment for the President of the Faculty Senate/Executive Secretary of the University Council budget that altered what the University Council budget pays for.

The amendment cut the editor of the Faculty Bulletin from the budget and adjusted the language to include funding for the executive secretary, secretarial assistance, Office of the Ombudsman, the Faculty Personnel Advisor and the Faculty Representative to the IBHE, according to literature from the meeting.

“This is merely a reiteration of the existing bylaw for the funding mechanism,” Wade said. “It simply adds those additional items to the University Council budget that were not funded by the UC previously.”