Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes January 16, 2019
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, January 16, 2019, Oliver Hall 112
Meeting was called to order at 4:04 pm, by Senate Secretary, Sheri Lazare (SL).
SL informed the Senate that Chad Parker, Senate President, had emailed her just before the meeting and will not be able to make the meeting today.
SL stated the number needed to make quorum, and once that number was met, we voted to approve the meeting minutes from our October meeting.
SL was not present at the November meeting, and no official minutes were taken since the head of HR and the Provost spoke to the Senate for the duration.
The minutes from October were motioned to approve by Ish, and seconded by unnamed senator. All voted to pass with no abstentions.
SL opened the floor to any topics Senators would like to put on the agenda to discuss at the February 6th meeting.
Ish brought up the issue of Stephen’s Hall and the continued support of scan-tron machines.
This topic was of heated discussion with senators across the curriculum expressing the need and necessary continued support of using scan-trons- or at least entertaining the idea of establishing a University Testing Center similar to that of LSUs.
Nursing Senators and Business Senators spoke in favor of this and continued to emphasis the necessity of scan-trons.
Another Senator expressed interest in knowing what would happen moving forward with Professorship stipends and how funds can be expensed.
Again, everyone sharing this is a big enough issue across all colleges that it truly needs to be addressed and contain shared governance.
Senator Jim McDonald asked that we get information on hiring. Are we in a hiring freeze or not? Some departments have been told there is a delay and others have just been submitting with no feedback. Everyone knows they are to submit through Cornerstone from now on.
Senator GH brought up the issue of the number on drops in enrollment. As he stated, “there are 1300 fewer degree seeking candidates.” However, when asked if it was from Fall to Spring or Spring to Spring - no one knew, just that the number is closer to 1300, not 900.
GH also stressed his dislike in the University’s spring calendar. He would like to see UL follow a calendar like that of LSUs, who started on Jan. 10th this semester, compared to our starting Jan. 16th.
SL also stated she did not like that the Drop Day is the the Monday before the last week of classes for the semester, when it is usually a mid-term marker.
GH concluded in stating he would like to see the UL Spring 2020 calendar be in sync with LSU and SLCC.
SL asked if there were any other points to be taken as new business for the next meeting with the only remaining point concerning the suspected merit pay raises announced for this semester.
SL called for a motion to adjourn the meeting at 4:49 pm.
Jim McDonald mention to adjourn.
Dave Baker seconded the motion, with all in agreement.
Meeting adjourned at 4:49 pm.