Several Faculty Senate members expressed concern about the issue of faculty productivity at Wednesday’s senate meeting.

Patricia Henry, NIU representative of the Faculty Advisory Council to the Illinois Board of Higher Education, said several concerns were expressed at the Feb. 27 meeting at National-Louis University in Chicago.

The senate’s main concern was the status of a committee to assess faculty productivity. Henry said the IBHE will appoint a chairperson to head the committee for productivity on April 13.

Beth Miller, associate professor of family, consumer and nutritional sciences, said she worried a plan would be implemented over the summer when a majority of the faculty are gone and wouldn’t be able to provide input.

“I hope we develop a plan and a response,” Miller said. “I just want to make sure our voice as a whole will be able to respond.”

The senate passed a motion to have a committee, the Faculty Rights and Responsibilities Committee, discuss the issue. The committee will be chaired by Ngoyi Bukonda, an associate professor in the department of allied health professions.

Another concern is that Monetary Award Program grants may be restructured, pushing students to go to cheaper state schools.

“This is narrowing the options for students who need monetary support,” Henry said.

C.T. Lin, chair of the Resource, Space and Budget Committee, reported that Provost Ivan Legg spoke at its last meeting.

Legg said central administration is trying to encourage a policy of hiring two assistant professors in place of one retiring senior professor.

The administration also still is considering the four-day summer work week. The four-day week saved about $300,000 last year.