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Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes April 20, 2016

Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes April 20, 2016


The senate meeting was preceded by a rap session with Robert McKinney who reported on the search for an Interim Provost, the 5 year strategic plan, and the work of the department head task force.

Senate Meeting called to order at 4:26 PM

Approval of Minutes:  A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes of the March 16, 2016 meeting of the faculty senate.  The motion passed. 

Executive Officer report: 

Lewis Deaton stated that with the absence of a provost there was little to report from University Council.  He mentioned that the I-49 connector committee had made a presentation to the university council and that another topic in council meetings was the ongoing implementation of Banner. 

Reports of Senate Committees:

Committee on Committees:   Dr. Mary Neiheisel presented a slate of nominees for University committees.  A few slots on the slate were vacant due to lack of volunteers.  The senate voted to approve the slate presented by the committee.  The committee on committees will continue to solicit nominees for the vacant slots.
Ways and Means:  no report
Academic Planning and Development:  no report
Governmental Concerns:  Robert Slater reported that the committee is following 15 bills pending in the legislature.  Of particular interest are bills by Carter and by Appel concerning consolidating the Board of Regents and considering the number of college campuses in the state.
Faculty Advisory Council Representative:  no report

Ad Hoc Committee on Underrepresented Faculty Groups:  no report
Ad Hoc Committee on the Status of women:  no report

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
Student Evaluation of Instruction:  The committee will review proposed changes for distance learning courses.
Distance Learning Leadership Council:  no report
Strategic Program Review:  no report

Old Business:

Update on pay plan policy - no further information is available at this time.

Senator Slater raised a question about the origin of the policy for getting 75% salary for a sabbatical.  No specific answer was provided.


New Business:

Cheryl Lynch raised a question about the status of plans for converting parking Zone 2 into green space and expressed concern about future availability of faculty parking within reasonable distance of offices.  The conversion of parking areas to green space was proposed in the strategic plan.  Dr. Deaton will check into the status.  Senator Lynch reported that Bill Crist had commented “that’s not as far down the road as you think” with regard to the conversion of parking zones into green space.

A question came up about the status of the campus master plan, regarding the timeline for future relocation of departments into different buildings and areas of campus.  Dr. Deaton will check on this and arrange a Rap Session so that faculty can get an update on implementation of the master plan.


Meeting adjourned at 5:03 pm.

Kathleen Knierim
Secretary