Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes September 16, 2020

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Faculty Senate
Minutes, Wednesday, September 16, Zoom Meeting
Presiding: Donna Gauthier

1. Opening Rap Session

Hebert’s remarks – Thanked faculty for hard work.

Schedule for spring – Met with Deans yesterday. Essentially same course delivery as we have in FA20.

Calendar needs faculty input. Proposal: Start 1 wk later. Start on Wed. after MLK. Need 4 days to make up. Keep MT of Mardi Gras, keep Gd Friday and Monday after Easter and end semester on same day. Up for discussion.

9 Academic Priorities – Committee structure review/revision.

Questions from FS Virtual travel grant $. Travel and education grants. Need an answer.

Melissa Lewis in Blanca’s office will place the 9 priorities and place in operational form and let us know.

QEP hire of director – Robert has made offer for this fall.

2. Quorum Call

Discussion
31 attending - quorum met.

Action/Notes
None.

3. Approval of Minutes

Discussion
No minutes from August 2020 meeting.

Action/Notes
None.

4. Report from Executive Officer

Discussion
Thanks to C. Berry.

Faculty Senate elections is slow process this semester.

SEI weight on faculty evaluations.

Need a faculty senate web ambassador.

Academic Priorities from Academic Affairs need to have consistent faculty input.

Action/Notes
D. Gauthier will meet with Deans regarding SEIs.

Z. Stein has volunteered to serve as Web Ambassador.

5. Old Business

a. Approved changes to Faculty Handbook (from several years back)

Discussion
C. Barry presented 2 changes that have been approved by the faculty senate and have never been changed on the University Faculty Handbook site.

Action/Notes
D. Gauthier will follow up with R. McKinney.

b. SEI Proposal

Discussion
D. Gauthier provided response to Dr. Hebert regarding the change in SEI percentage for the faculty handbook.

Action/Notes
D. Gauthier to schedule meeting with Deans.

c. Faculty Senate Constitution

Discussion
C. Berry presented potential issues with change in increasing Asst. Professor representation. This may present a problem for meeting quorums. Discussion occurred. 

Friendly amendment to change Instructor to serving 2 years. Request to change #4 Instructors. Proposed to change Instructors to one member for every four for 2-year term. Possibly change the quorum rules (maybe). Ways and Means committee can make these changes. 

Discussion regarding Adjunct serving 1- or 2- year terms. Motion to approve everything except Section 2, Number 4. Second made. Approved.

Discussion ensued about using the form for documenting motions made.

d. Communication from Deans and Department Heads

No discussion.

6. Committee Reports

a. FS - Committee on Committees

No report.

b. FS - Ways and Means

No report.

c. FS - Academic Planning and Development

No report.

d. FS - Governmental Concerns

No report.

e. U - Curriculum

No report. D. Gauthier stated that University Committees will be changing as one of the Academic Priorities (stated by Dr. Jamie Hebert in the Rap Session today).

f. U - Faculty Grievance

No report.

g. U - Library

No report.

h. U - Committee on Academic Affairs and Standards

No report.

i. U - Student Evaluation of Instruction

No report.

j. U - Campus Planning

No report.

k. U - General Education

No report.

l. U - Distance learning Leadership Council

No report.

m. U - Strategic Program Review Committee

No report.

7. New Business

a. Code of Conduct and Ethical Behavior Policy

No discussion. D. Gauthier will place on agenda for next meeting.

 

Adjourn
Motion made and seconded for adjournment at 5:45

Respectfully submitted,
Donna Gauthier