Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes October 15, 2014

Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes October 15, 2014

Senate Meeting called to order at 4:00 PM

Alice Ferguson moved that the minutes of the October 1 meeting be approved.  The motion was seconded and then passed.

Executive Officer report: 

Prof. McDonald stated that the new procedure for faculty handbook revisions, which had been proposed by the committee and passed by the senate, would be put to use at this senate meeting since a couple of handbook changes have been proposed.  He stated that an editorial change has been posted on Moodle.  A time-sensitive change, changing from a policy of separation of tenure and promotion to one that allows combining tenure and promotion, was also announced and will be posted.  He reminded everyone that the senate has authority to call for modification or reconsideration of these changes.

Prof. McDonald next reported on the ad hoc CACS inquiry committee and stated that a representative from the College of Arts was needed to complete the membership of the committee.  Catherine Roche-Wallace volunteered to serve as the Arts representative.

Reports of Senate Committees:

Committee on Committees:   Dr. Neiheisel presented a slate of nominees for vacancies on permanent senate committees.  No additional nominations were made from the floor; Kay Riedel moved to close nominations.  Nominations were closed and ballots distributed.  Those elected were:  Committee on Committees, Dan Ward from Business Administration, Susan Richard from the Library, and at large members Scott Duke-Sylvester, Jonathan Goodwin, and Gus Gallo.  Academic Planning and Development Committee, Lindsay Hobbs from Liberal Arts, Janis Guilbeau from Nursing and AHP, Salah Massoud from Sciences.  Governmental Concerns Committee, Kari Smith from Arts.  There were no candidates from Engineering so the committee has a vacancy for Engineering representation.  Ways and Means Committee, Brian Kelly from Arts, Gregg Davis from Education, G.H. Massiha from Engineering, Janis Guilbeau from Nursing and AHP, Jean Kiesel from the Library, and Gary Birkenmeier from Sciences. 
Ways and Means:  No report.  The committee currently does not have a chair and needs to elect a new chair.
Academic Planning and Development:  no report
Governmental Concerns:  Robert Slater reported that a new commissioner of higher education has been appointed.
Faculty Advisory Council Representative:  No report.

Ad Hoc Committee on Status of Underrepresented Faculty Groups:  no report
Ad Hoc Committee on Status of Women:  George Wooddell reported on the committee’s work.  He reported that the committee has had second thoughts about the suggestion of becoming a permanent senate committee so they are not requesting permanent status at this time.  He then stated that the committee has reservations about the Provost’s proposal regarding procedures for handling requests of data by senate committees.  He presented a motion from the committee to clarify the issue with regard to public records laws.  In the discussion which followed questions were raised as to the reasons for the Provost’s proposed procedure.  Also, a past history of requests from senate committees having been denied was mentioned.  After some discussion of the issues involved Jean Kiesel moved that the motion presented by the Status of Women committee be tabled.  The motion to table was seconded and then passed.  The Executive Officer will contact the Provost to ask him to explain his request for a new procedure for requesting data.
George Wooddell next reported on the Sexual Assault Policy Task Force which had met with the Status of Women Committee.  The task force is divided into three subgroups which are working to find out current policies and best practices and to conduct a campus climate survey.

Merit Evaluation Committee:  A merit evaluation committee will be formed once the new merit raise procedure is in place.  Dr. McDonald requested volunteers for serving on the merit evaluation committee.

Reports of University Committees:

Curriculum:  Kay Riedel reported that the committee has approved 85 course changes so far with more to come in.
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:  no report
Distance Learning Leadership Council:  Anita Hazelwood reported on the increase in distance learning.  Last year 213 online courses were offered and this year the number is 253.  There are currently 6 graduate online degree programs and 3 undergraduate online degree programs.
Strategic Program Review:  Donna Gautier reported that there will be a 7 year cycle of review with the first round of department reviews to be conducted this spring.

Unfinished Business: 

George Wooddell made a motion to create a Faculty Senate Budget Committee.  The motion was seconded and referred to the Ways and Means committee to come up with appropriate wording.  It was suggested that the Provost and Vice President for Administration and Finance come to the next meeting to explain the intended role of a senate budget committee.

Following discussions about a senate budget committee, questions were raised about the role of senate committees such as parking and planning that have not met for the past two years.

New Business:

A proposal made by the Provost to change the Faculty Handbook Policy for Procedures for Selecting Academic Deans was presented by Dr. McDonald and discussed by the senate.  An additional change, to have the committee nominate a smaller number than the top 5 candidates, was suggested during the discussion.  Dr. Gauthier moved and Kay Riedel seconded a motion that the Senate convey its support of the proposed amendment regarding procedures for selecting deans to the Ways and Means committee for consideration of wording.  After discussion of the proper procedure for handbook changes under the new policy, the motion was withdrawn.

Summer Pay:  G.H. Massiha presented a proposal for a new summer pay scale.  He discussed the background for his proposal and reported on discussions he had with Dr. Cook regarding issues involved in summer pay rates.  No action was taken on the proposal, but it was reported that some increase in summer pay will be included for next summer.

Meeting adjourned at 5:34 pm.

Kathleen Knierim
Secretary