September 25, 2002
Faculty Senate Minutes
September 25, 2002
Present: Jim Acheson, Peggy Agouris, Darlene Bay, David Batuski, Thomas Brann, Phyllis Brazee, Martha Broderick, Kathrine Carter, Robert Cashon, Robert Causey, Thomas Christensen, Laura Cowan, Eugene Del Vecchio, Richard Eason, Ed Ferguson, Todd Gabe, Sandy Gardner, Alla Gamarnik, Michael Grillo, Ludlow Hallman, Don Hayes, Marie Hayes, Dianne Hoff, Peter Hoff, Jim Horan, Mike Howard, John Jemisen, Melvin Johnson, Joseph Kelley, Robert Kennedy, Carol Kim, Dennis King, Roger King, Dorothy Klimis-Zacas, Sarah Knight, Peter Koons, Bjorn Lake, David Lambert, Ngo Vinh Long, John Maddaus, Stephen Marks, Kathleen March (for Dan Sandweiss), Larryl Matthews, Michael McCauley, Jim McClymer, Charles Moody, Howard Patterson, Bryan Pearce, Robert Rice, Linda Rottmann, Thomas Sandford, Dan Sandweiss, Christa Schwintzer, Phillip Silver, Robert Strong, Mary Ellen Symanski, Stylianos Tavantzis, Andrew Thomas, Jim Warhola, Gregory White, Dave Yarborough
Absent: Eisso Atzema, Robin Arnold, Douglas Bousfield, Paul Creasman, Michael Greenwood, Irv Kornfield, Phil Locke, Daniel Lux, Shannon Martin, Raymond O’Connor, Douglas Ruthven, Bruce Segee, Roy Turner, Bob Whelan
I. Welcome and Introduction of Members
The meeting was called to order at 3:15 . All members of the senate who were present introduced themselves.
II. Introductory Comments
Bob Rice explained the purpose of the Faculty Senate. We operate according to our constitution and by-laws, which can be found on the Faculty Senate web site or FirstClass folder. He also explained that some members of administration are present at the general meeting as representatives of official bodies and do have voting rights, while others are present for communication purposes, but do not have voting rights. Copies of all motions to be discussed will be circulated among the senators beforehand so that everyone can prepare for meetings. After a motion is passed, President Hoff has 30 days to accept it or return it to the senate with suggested changes. If no action is taken in 30 days, the motion becomes policy. In the event that eventual agreement between the senate and the president cannot be reached, the chancellor is the final arbiter.
III. Approval of minutes from the May 8, 2002 meeting.
Jim Warhola moved and John Maddaus seconded that the minutes be accepted. The motion passed unanimously.
IV. Bob Rice announced that 8 motions went forward from Faculty Senate from the last meeting last academic year. The president’s response can be viewed on FirstClass. The partnership accommodation and evaluation of administrators were accepted. The motions on certain faculty appointments and interdisciplinary studies were returned with some suggested new language or suggested areas of discussion. Winter term will be held this year as requested by Faculty Senate. Classes that do not receive sufficient enrollments will be cancelled. There was a delay in sending the solid waste motion to the president—he still has 10 days to respond.
Kathleen March announced that the Center for Teaching Excellence has scheduled a workshop on designing service learning courses and recommended that interested members attend.
Jim Warhola asked if the honors college, now that it is a college, would be given representation on Faculty Senate. It was determined that the by-laws may need to be changed.
Robert Kennedy announced that the report of the Commission on Graduate Education had been completed. One of its recommendations, that a senior administrator be appointed to oversee graduate programs has already been implemented. Deirdre Mageean will serve in that capacity for 2 years. In addition, Sue Huseman has accepted the directorship of the Center for Teaching Excellence. An advisory group has been established to assist in integrating research and graduate education. Finally, three searches are being conducted: a national search is being conducted for a Vice President of Research, a search for the Dean of LAS is being conducted and the search for the Vice President of Administration is nearing completion. Campus visits in that search are expected to take place in mid-October.
V. Questions to Administrators
Bob Rice asked about the status of the German and Latin programs. Bob Kennedy replied that, while no decision has been made, there has been no serious discussion of elimination of these programs.
Michael Grillo asked about the timetable for hiring a new Dean for LAS. Kennedy replied that a position announcement would be made as soon as possible and that the search would be placed on the fast track. In response to a question about when open positions could be filled, Kennedy replied that we are no longer operating under a real freeze, and that permission to file vacant positions was being considered on a case by case basis. Kennedy stated that we are not in a state of retrenchment. Mark Anderson affirmed that there is no freeze on travel funds.
Jim Horan remarked that the chancellor has recently indicated there was a hiring freeze.
Christa Schwintzer asked Mark Anderson to explain that “transfer to capital funds” that had been indicated on a recent financial results release. Anderson stated that the line item had been mislabeled. It should have read “transfer to other ledgers” and was mostly a return of cost sharing on grants and projects and only in small part ($1.7 million) a transfer to capital funds.
John Maddaus asked President Hoff about the new K- 12 program that is headed by Sue Huseman. Hoff stated that the University has a strong role to play in that initiative, particularly in the areas of recruiting and training math and science teachers and offering subject area masters degrees.
VI. Update on student enrollment—Alison Cox
Alison Cox presented enrollment figures for the current year as well as prior years.
Enrollments have increased substantially. Some time periods are now completely booked in terms of available rooms. One potential solution is to schedule classes earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon.
VII. Introduction of Committee Chairs and Initial Issues of the Committees
A. University Environment (Michael Grillo, chair; Phyllis Brazee, Thomas Sanford, Mary Ellen Symanski, Gregory While)
· Shared governance
· Workload formulas
· Peer evaluation of part-time and split appointment instructors
The charges were unanimously passed.
B. Research and Public Service (Roy Turner, chair; Irv Kornfield, Bob Strong)
· Research advisory board
· Report on grant activity
· Return of indirect money
· Release time policy
· Organization and structure of ORSP
· Strategic plan for research
· Status of research professors
The charges were unanimously passed.
C. Finance and Institutional Planning (Christa Schwintzer, chair;Darlene Bay , Ed Ferguson, Bruce Segee)
· Track budget and capital budget
· Follow up on technology issue
· Help Scott Wilkerson in campus sustainability efforts
· Follow up on MCA
· Academic space and facilities issues
The charges were unanimously passed.
D. Academic Affairs (Howard Patterson, chair; Eisso Atzema, John Maddaus, Jim McClymer, Charles Moody, Bob Strong for Kim McKeage)
· Retention
· Math and writing competencies
· A subcommittee on general education requirements that will either have a suggestion this fall or come back to the senate for further instructions
The charges were unanimously passed.
E. Committee on Committees (Carol Kim, chair; Thomas Christensen, Jim Horan, Dennis King, Roger King)
· Find faculty members to sit on committees
The charge was unanimously passed.
F. Constitution and By-laws (Bryan Pearce, chair; Jim Acheson, Martha Broderick)
· Streamlining the Committee on committees, evaluation of administrators, and adding representation for the honors college
· Completing the faculty handbook
The charge was unanimously passed.
G. Board of Trustee Representative, Dana Humphrey
Dana Humphrey reported that the biennial request to the legislature for 2004 and 2005 is based on the goals of a 2% increase in enrollment, increased access (by providing financial aid and controlling tuition), increased quality of teaching and faculty resources, and increased engagement and partnership with K – 12 programs. The plan currently includes a $23 million increase in funding for 04 and an additional $34.5 million increase for 05. This will fund, among other things, increases in compensation and healthcare costs and a small increase in teaching positions. Finally Humphrey reported that the intellectual property policy is now official and is posted on the UMS website.
H. Library Advisory (Dianne Hoff, chair)
· The LIFE endowment fund
· The library steps
· Other issues such as the need for journals
The charge was unanimously passed.
I. Interdisciplinary Programs (Jim Warhola, chair; Robert Causey, Laura Cowan, Dan Sandweiss, Phillip Silver, Phyllis Brazee)
· Encourage interdisciplinary work
· Consider if the committee should become a standing committee
· Respond to President Hoff’s comments regarding the guidelines
The charge was unanimously passed.
VIII. The calendar issue will be discussed in October. In addition Robert Kennedy will present a statement of his vision for the strategic plan, including a summary of achievements and next issues to be undertaken.
IX. None
X. It was moved and seconded that the meeting be adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Darlene Bay
Acting Secretary