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Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes April 15, 2015

Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes April 15, 2015

Senate Meeting called to order at 4:15 PM

Approval of Minutes:  It was moved and seconded that the minutes of the April 1 meeting be approved.  The motion passed.

Ballots were distributed for the election of Executive Officer and Secretary.  The candidates for Executive officer are Jim McDonald and Lewis Deaton.  The candidates for secretary are Kathleen Knierim and JoAnne Derouen. 

Executive Officer report: 

Prof. McDonald began his report by thanking committees for their work during the past year, recognizing in particular Mary Neiheisel, chair of the Committee on Committees, the Ways and Means Committee with co-chairs Jean Kiesel and Greggory Davis, Bob Slater, chair of the Governmental Concerns Committee, FAC representative David Yarborough, the Status of Women Committee, and Barry Ancelet, chair of the ad hoc committee on CACS relocation.

Prof. McDonald reported that UL Lafayette was the first faculty senate in the state to endorse the Legislative pledge regarding the state budget.  He next reported that the senate has been asked to endorse a presidential commission regarding intercollegiate athletics.  He also gave an update on the progress in obtaining data for the status of women committee.  The committee has received data on gender and salary, but the data is incomplete.  It does not include pre-1985 data.  The committee has said they will work with the data that they do have.  Lastly, Prof. McDonald stated that information on the proposed sick leave pool policy will be posted.

Reports of Senate Committees:

Committee on Committees:   Dr. Mary Neiheisel reported that the committee nominates Dr. Andy Hollerman for the faculty advisory council alternate representative for 2015-2017.  No additional nominations were made from the floor.  Nominations were then closed and Andy Hollerman was elected by acclamation as alternate FAC representative.  The committee on committees will present a slate of nominees for University committees at the May 13th faculty senate meeting.
Ways and Means:  Written report submitted.  After the last senate meeting the committee revised the proposed amendment to the senate constitution (changing wording involving “executive officer” to “president of the faculty senate”) to include changes approved by the senate membership at the last meeting.  The senate voted on the proposed amendment and the vote was unanimous in favor of the amendment.
The Ways and Means Committee also reported on having reviewed the proposal to change the wording in the Faculty Handbook regarding merit evaluation.  Following the Ways and Means committee report senators discussed the proposed Faculty Handbook change.  A question was raised about workload components for library faculty since instead of teaching they have “assigned library responsibilities”.  George Wooddell made a motion, seconded by Chad Parker, to modify the proposed handbook revision by changing “teaching” to “teaching /library responsibilities” in listing the three components of evaluation.  The motion passed.  A motion was also made and seconded to add an “Oxford comma” in the listing “teaching, research, and service”.  This motion also passed.
Academic Planning and Development:  no report
Governmental Concerns:  Robert Slater reported on HR 275 which is currently in committee and which would establish a presidential commission to look into intercollegiate athletics.  He reported on the issues to be examined by the proposed commission and said that the Governmental Concerns committee moves that the Faculty senate go on record in support of HR 275 and asks that individual faculty members consider contacting their congress person regarding the bill.  The motion for faculty senate support of the bill passed.
Dr. Slater further reported that the Governmental Concerns Committee suggests that the resolution passed earlier regarding the state budget be transmitted to appropriate legislative members.  He also reported on two bills in the state legislature.  HB 60 would do away with the Board of Regents and replace it with the Board of Trustees.  HB 61 would give institutions discretion to raise tuition and fees.  Another bill would involve looking at the minimum ACT required for TOPS.
Faculty Advisory Council Representative:  no report

Ad Hoc Committee on Underrepresented Faculty Groups:  no report
Ad Hoc Committee on the Status of women:  George Wooddell reported that the committee will continue to work with the data it has received.

Reports from University committees:
Curriculum:  no report
Faculty Grievance:  no report
Faculty Benefits and Welfare:  no report
Library:  no report
Academic Affairs and Standards:  no report
Parking and Planning:  no report – the next committee meeting will be on April 22.
Student Evaluation of Instruction:  no report
Distance Learning Leadership Council:  no report
Strategic Program Review:  Dr. Gauthier reported that every department will be on a 7 year review cycle.  The first department to be reviewed will be reviewed on April 20.  The committee recommends changing the name of the committee to something such as “Academic Review Committee” to avoid confusion.

Unfinished Business:

In response to questions raised at the previous senate meeting regarding the new constitutional amendment limiting senate membership of administrators to those with administrative rank no higher than that of department head and the situation of currently serving elected senators who have administrative roles, George Wooddell moved that currently serving elected senators continue as senators until the end of their terms.  This motion was seconded and passed.

George Wooddell reported the results of the ballot for Executive Officer and Secretary.  Lewis Deaton was elected as Executive Officer and Kathleen Knierim as secretary.

New Business:  no new business was introduced

Meeting adjourned at 5:23 pm.

Kathleen Knierim
Secretary