Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes November 19, 2014
Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes November 19, 2014
Rap Session 3:30 PM: Vice President for Student Affairs Patricia Cottonham provided updates on various topics related to student affairs.
Senate Meeting called to order at 4:15 PM
Executive Officer report:
Prof. McDonald reported that he is still working on establishing leadership for the Ways and Means Committee; the committee will probably have co-chairs. Updating information on issues from previous meetings, he reported that the proposed revision concerning QSN committees for Deans is moving forward according to the new procedures for revising the faculty handbook. He pointed out that the faculty handbook has not been updated with the new merit evaluation system and still includes the old merit system. There will be a transition period for updating the handbook to bring it in line current policies since some changes have been made at this point but have not been formally included in the handbook. Some of these changes are substantive, such as changes in the merit evaluation system, and some may be editorial, such as changes in names of offices. Prof. McDonald also stated that this meeting is the meeting to make any comments on the proposed handbook change regarding combining promotion and tenure.
Approval of Minutes: Senator Parker moved and Senator Autin seconded that the minutes of the Nov. 5 2014 meeting be approved. The motion passed.
Reports of Senate Committees:
Committee on Committees: no report
Ways and Means: Prof. McDonald reported that the committee considered the Provost’s proposed faculty handbook change regarding the composition of QSN committees for selecting Deans. The committee moves that the proposed change be accepted. Robert McKinney stated that a similar request will be made regarding Deans on search committees for department heads. Senator Wooddell moved that debate on the motion be closed. The motion to end debate was seconded and passed. The motion for the proposed change will be voted on at the January senate meeting.
Academic Planning and Development: no report
Governmental Concerns: no report, but Dr. Slater noted that the new commissioner of Higher Education has $75,000 more than his predecessor.
Faculty Advisory Council Representative: a written report summarizing the activities of FAC has been posted. Dr. Yarborough reported that FAC suggested each institution come up with policies addressing faculty senate membership requirements as related to administrative positions.
Ad Hoc Committee on CACS relocation: Senator Ancelet reported that the committee has interviewed parties involved in the CACS move and will be submitting a written report.
Ad Hoc Committee on the Status of women: written report submitted
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: Senator Ancelet reported that the committee has not been convened since the new director of Parking and Planning has been in charge. He reported that the director told him that she was disbanding the committee and that after he protested she reconsidered and said that the committee would meet, but no meeting has been called. A discussion followed during which several senators reported ongoing problems with parking. Senator Ancelet made a motion that the senate communicate to the Provost a request that the parking committee be reconfigured so that the chair is an appointed faculty or staff member, not the head of parking and transit. The motion was seconded by senator Parker. A friendly amendment was added prefacing the motion with “Whereas the parking and planning committee has not met....”. The motion to request reconfiguration of the parking committee passed unanimously.
Student Evaluation of Instruction: Jonathan Kulp is the new chair; no report
Distance Learning Leadership Council: no report
Strategic Program Review: no report
University Strategic Planning Committee: Melinda Oberleitner and Vanessa Hill reviewed progress to date. They reported that the provost wants the strategic plan to be a roadmap for the allocation of resources for the next five years. The committee has looked at the previous five year plan and the reports on progress towards those objectives. The committee has also compared UL Lafayette with peer institutions through www.collegeresults.org and IPEDS. Four task forces have been formed for developing strategic initiatives: Faculty, Students, Research, and Governance.
There are two means for faculty input to the planning process. One is the current general faculty survey available online. Drs. Oberleitner and Hill presented preliminary results of the survey of faculty and staff. Another survey site will be set up specifically for input from the faculty senate. Senators are encouraged to complete this survey. Results will be presented and discussed at the January senate meeting so that the senate can formally make a statement regarding the five year plan.
Unfinished Business: Process for Faculty Senate requests for institutional data - Senator Wooddell presented a motion regarding the Provost’s proposed process for requesting institutional data by the Senate. The motion was seconded by senator Tauzin. A friendly amendment was made by senator Kinsland to replace “will” by “shall” where appropriate. The motion passed.
Meeting adjourned at 5:37 pm.
Kathleen Knierim
Secretary