Watch the May 1 Faculty and Staff Town Hall
The recent Faculty and Staff Town Hall on Wednesday, May 1, is now available to view on YouTube and Vimeo.
The following are timestamps for each question addressed during the Town Hall:
08:53: So, the first question we have is, is there an updated timeline on the project that has taken away from the west row of parking spaces in the small parking lot between Carnegie and Babcock halls? The initial announcement was that the west row would be taken up until Jan. 16, 2024, but the questioner hasn’t seen an updated timeline.
09:52: Someone heard that the Columbia Road Overpass repairs are coming up; the planners were hoping that two lanes of the bridge could be kept open this summer, but the following year might be a different story. Can you give us an update?
11:24: The next question is regarding our relationship with the (education and publishing services company) Pearson. What is the current relationship status with Pearson? People are hearing that many programs are moving out of the Pearson program and going strictly online through UND. Can you give us an update on that?
16:20: Our next question is regarding the Energy & Environmental Research Center. The staff has said that we’re taking down some buildings, and there will be a new addition to the main EERC building. If that’s true, could we could we hear more about it and when it’ll begin?
18:08: The next question is about the Huron Compensation Study. What factors – such as national vs. regional salaries for similar positions – were considered in the study? And did we consider any gender equity gaps among individuals in similar roles, based on years of experience?
22:52: The next question goes back to the EERC. The question is, what is the Heartland Hydrogen Hub, and what is the UND EERC’s role in the $925 million funding from the Department of Energy? What is the EERC doing, and what is the actual amount of money that’s likely to come to UND and the EERC for this role?
26:25: The next question is about parking. Parking on campus continues to be a huge pain point. Available spaces are already inadequate to meet people’s needs, and construction in or near lots has reduced the number of spaces even further, to the point where you cannot park reasonably close to where you work.
What can we expect to see for some pain relief in the form of real parking solutions?
27:29: It would be helpful if we could provide an update on our Health Professions study. When will we know which departments are being considered part of the new addition?
28:45: One more question regarding the Huron Consulting compensation study. What was the decision-making process, and how did we select Huron to do the study?
31:16: When does UND anticipate the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA disbursements, both for incoming new students and returning students, will be going out?
34:33: What is UND’s position on the Palestinian solidarity encampments that are happening at so many other institutions? How is UND working to support students, especially to protect students’ right to protest?
39:10: When looking at pay differentials across groups at UND, are we looking at how service work is incentivized and monetized? Traditionally, women do more of this work, and it’s rarely considered in terms of promotion or pay raises.
How is UND working to make service workloads more equitable across all genders and also more valuable in terms of counting toward promotion and pay?
40:10: President Armacost, there have been numerous reports about the loss of tenured faculty nationwide in higher education in general. What is your opinion regarding the issue of tenure at present and going forward for UND faculty?
45:52: The next question is back to the planned Columbia Bridge closure for maintenance. The statement is, “I’m afraid the closure will still impact UND, as most staff are here all summer long as well as some faculty and some students and the administration. With the horrible delays on 42nd by the train stopping traffic completely for extended periods of time, the only routes to take would be the interstate or Washington Street, which will not only be inconvenient but worrisome, in case of an emergency. How is this being addressed?”
46:57: What are we doing for the retention of our current employees and hiring of new employees on campus right now? This individual’s department is down several positions, and employees, they say, just keep leaving. Moreover, they’re doing the same work or more work for the same salary, even though enrollment is up.
49:34: What is the long range plan for guest parking at the Fritz Pollard Athletic Center and the new athletic facilities across the street to the north of the center? At the Pollard, many school buses and personal vehicles are parked on the street during recent track events.
Also, are there any plans to build new parking lots on campus?
50:32: Do we have an idea about when the findings by the parking consultant will be made available?
51:05: We talked about the process if there were to be protests on campus, but this question is, what about the protection of Jewish students, faculty and staff on our campus?
55:27: What can we expect for the range of merit-pay percentages this year?
56:30: Will the job architecture include a process to retain staff? The questioner states, “It’s getting harder and harder to retain staff when new positions are posted at UND that require less minimum experience requirements, less responsibility and yet pay more than the staff in those current positions with five years or more of experience are getting.”
59:34: Are years of experience outside of UND considered in these hiring processes?
Read the UND Today story to see questions answered by UND administrators after the Town Hall.
