The Faculty Senate of Eastern Kentucky University met on Monday,
February 7, 2000 in the South Room of the Keen Johnson Building. Senate Chair
Phyllis Murray called the fifth meeting of the academic year to order at 3:30
p.m.
Paula Kopacz, English; Jacinta
Feldman, Progress; Corey Wilson, Progress; Vern Snyder, Development/Advancement;
Derita Ratcliffe, Athletics; Sandy Hunter, LPS; David Gale, Health Sciences;
and Gail Maynard, Family and Consumer Sciences.
Approval
of the Minutes
Senator Murray called for additions, deletions or corrections to the minutes
of December 6, 1999. There being none, the minutes were approved as distributed.
Senator called for additions, deletions or corrections to the minutes of
December 13, 1999. There being none, the minutes were approved as distributed.
Senator Murray
recognized a very valuable member of the Senate, Mr. Charles Hay, who has
resigned as secretary. She acknowledged his long term service to the Senate--unfailing
in terms of dedication and commitment, always making sure the Senate ran
efficiently. Several former chairs of the Senate offered appreciations to
Mr. Hay. Paula Kopacz: "A
new secretary takes over with the calendar year, while the new Senate chair
begins at the beginning of the academic year. I discovered there was good
reason for that--presumably, somebody knows what they are doing. When I
became Senate chair in 1991, the old secretary resigned. That meant that
beginning in August of 1991, there was a new Senate chair and a new Senate
secretary at the beginning of my stint. Well, Charles was the new secretary.
We were beginners together, and I have always appreciated Charles for his
quiet, calming influence and his ability to structure the year, to organize
all the various threads involved in running the Senate and, certainly, to
get things done. Charles was a constant, effective, efficient presence behind
the scenes for the entire year, and I want to thank you for your quiet modesty.
You were a wonderful support.
Senator Karen Janssen: "Virginia
Wright wanted to be here. She sends her regards and appreciation. When I
gave her a call she had absolutely wonderful things to say about you, Charles.
Ward Wright chimed in with the comparison of his experiences and her experiences
and thought that she came out the winner, because you were the secretary
while she was the chair of the Senate. Allen Engle wanted to be here, but
wasn't able to be and so, I am going to read a statement from him. "Please
present the following to Charles and the gang along with my apologizes for
not being able to attend. As an academic community, we all too often focus
on the differences between individuals and groups. Differences in discipline,
status, rank and position. Charles is one of the many people who make EKU
the very special place that it is. He does not draw attention to himself
and, yet, his contributions to our community are critical. His quiet diligence,
attention to detail and true personal concern for the many people he works
with are all characteristics we have come to expect and to lean on. The
successes of the Senate are in no small part due to his professionalism
and kindness. As Senate chair, I was constantly amazed by Charles' combination
of knowledge, about the intricacies of bureaucracy, the history of the University
and the facts found in past Senate minutes, and wisdom. His human concern
for students, faculty and many guests of the Senate. I thank Charles for
his willingness to do for me, what this institution as always prided itself
in doing. For teaching me, in lessons great and small, what it is to be
a member of the Eastern community. Thank you again. We will miss your quiet,
strong presence among us." Now, for myself, and there isn't much left
to be said but that Charles Hay provided continuity, as has been said, for
the Senate as Senate chairs come and go. We all know that Charles consistently
produced concise and accurate minutes. As chair, I quickly learned to value
all his behind the scenes work. He scheduled space and checked on arrangements
and gently reminded me of the things that I needed to do. Most importantly,
he was very supportive. I shall always treasure Charles as one of my best
professional friends. Thank you."
Senator Murray acknowledged that she, too, would also like to echo the sentiments
of Senator Janssen. "I know that I have worked with Charles for a shorter
period of time than other chairs. But I came quickly to appreciate his quiet
support, his gentle prodding and reminders to get things done and stay on
task. This was invaluable to me. He told me in a kind way and a very positive
way the things that needed to be done. In addition, we should thank Charles
for getting the Senate up to par in the use of technology. So thank you
very much. The Faculty Senate would now like to express its gratitude to
Charles Hay by giving him this beautiful print and--a gold watch."
Senator Murray announced that Dr. Miller, who is currently serving as parliamentarian,
has also agreed to finish out the year as secretary. She thanked him for
accepting this dual role.
Report from the President: Senator Kustra
Senator Kustra took the opportunity to thank Charles Hay for his preciseness
and literacy in the way that he records the minutes of the Senate. "Thank
you for your service to the University, it really means a lot to us all."
Senator Kustra reported the Governor's recommended budget of the legislature.
"The legislature will be working fast and furiously on the budget over the
next few weeks. I don't have anything final to report because, of course,
the legislature can always change what the governor recommended. Instead
of focusing on actual numbers, I will talk about what we managed to get
out of the governor's recommendation. Again, we still have a way to go in
the process. I would like to back up and give a little bit of a history
lesson, if you will, or at least an analysis of the changes that have been
taking place in the last few years, because there does seem to me to be
one fundamental difference in approach that the Commonwealth of Kentucky
and the Council on Postsecondary Education is taking your budgeting in higher
education today as opposed to everything after the Spring of 1998. That
was the time when the Higher Education Reforms were passed by the Kentucky
General Assembly. At that time, the governor and the legislature agreed
that the state should offer incentives to universities to do the things
that were the priorities of the Commonwealth and the Council on Postsecondary
Education, and the only way to get those done would be to create incentive
funds that would allow dollars available for certain missions that were
so important that they could no longer be left to the discretion of the
universities.
In the governor's budget recommendations, you will notice that they are
really two columns of so-called operating expenditures. One column is what
you have traditionally called the increase in the base budget. This year,
we are being given a 2.4 percent increase in the base budget. On the other
side, the Council on Postsecondary Education has indeed created a number
of incentive funds and those incentive funds are clearly for our institutional
involvement. In fact, we know the millions of dollar that we can access
from those incentive funds. One of those incentive funds for example, is
recruitment and retention. There is no better example of the council's priorities
being congruent with our priorities in the area of recruitment and retention.
We have clearly identified that recruitment and retention is one of this
University's most important missions, and we have countless campus partners
working on that.
Another of their priorities is that we improve teacher quality, and we do
so by encouraging colleges of education to become models, not only for the
commonwealth, but for the states beyond our borders, and one of the other
incentive funds deals with that. There is another one that deals with faculty
development--again, one of the longest and I think, oldest complaints of
this faculty that there are really never enough dollars for faculty professional
development. The council says here is a million dollars; we are going to
let universities demonstrate their competency to use those funds. I would
like to add that, as an editorial note, we are certainly in pretty good
shape there, because I believe Western Kentucky is the only other university
in the state that has formalized its dedication and commitment to professional
development as we have with the creation of our new Center for Teaching
and Learning. So, there is no question we are going to get some of those
dollars. All of these incentive dollars are available in the second year
of the biennium, not the first. That has to do with the fact that the state
is not doing so well right now, and they are really robbing Peter to pay
Paul. They are going to use the money in the first biennium to meet some
of our immediate needs, and they don't want to open up these incentive funds
until the second year of the biennium.
Also, regarding recruitment and retention, the monies that are going to
become available to Eastern and other schools, to date, have been designated
by the council as monies we would get once we improve our recruitment, once
we improve our numbers. I suggested to Gordon Davies that that didn't make
a lot of sense to me. That if they are acknowledging that we have a problem
in increasing our enrollment and they are asking us to devote new funding
to strategies that will get us there, if we don't have the money, then how
can we do it. It sounds like a set up for failure to me. I hope the legislature
will be able to change that particular clause in the budget bill and give
universities the money up front. Let us see if we have any success in recruiting
and adding to our numbers, and if we don't, they can take it away down the
road. I don't know whether we will win that one or not, but the Council
apparently has some members on it that feel very strongly that we have to
prove ourselves first. The fact of the matter is we are proving ourselves
right now. I can't tell you how impressed I was (one of my finest days on
this campus) early last month when sixty people--faculty, staff, students--gathered
in the Perkins Building for an all-day brainstorming session on what we
could do to improve recruitment and retention. It's a long list-- some of
the recommendations require money, others require simply adjusting some
things and moving some things and some people around. I know that Rita Davis
is hard at work as we speak on the implementation of that plan. That implementation,
by the way, is going to take three years at least, but we are beginning
it right now. I think that the Council on Postsecondary Education is clearly
aware of all the work we have done on this. We are the only university to
have identified recruitment and retention as high on our priority list.
Other universities, for whatever reason, did not. Morehead thinks they have
already figured it out and they already have a plan. So, they don't need
the focus that we need, but in any event, we will eventually one way or
another get substantial funds for recruitment/retention. Dr. Marsden can
elaborate, but we also have people at work writing a Title III Grant and
those are millions of dollars and some of those dollars could also be used
for retention and some efforts.
Looking at the 2.4 percent budget increase in terms of how much flexibility
that we have to use is a problem when it comes to determining salary increases
and dealing with the great inequity that exists on this campus among our
classified employees. A Buck Consultant's report, the firm out of St. Louis
that we hired to examine how our classified staff ranks compared to the
market place in the Bluegrass Region and in Madison County, indicates that
the price tag is going to be significant. All I needed to hear was that
one of our top secretaries in one our departments left this university last
year at top salary of $23,000 and it doesn't take you very long to get your
blood boiling over how could we ever have gotten this University in such
a position that we would compensate somebody for 30 years of service at
the end of tenure and facing retirement with a $23,000 base. So, I am committed
to figuring out some way to address this issue in the upcoming budget. What's
disappointing to me, is that it is not going to be easy, because of the
2.4 increase. In the past, prior to the Spring of 1998, when the increase
in the budget came to Eastern, Western and Morehead, etc., the entire percentage,
whatever it was, was left to the discretion of the campus community. In
those days, President Funderburk would sit down and determine how to apportion
those dollars. Again, it's 2.4 percent. We will have the opportunity to
apportion and decide based on the preferences and the values and the priorities
of this campus. The remainder are still priorities, but we have no choice:
We either go after those dollars or we let some other university have them.
In our case, if we look at the options, they are all things we care about
and the Council has already given us the percentages that we will get on
those.
Now concerning the Wellness Center. The strategic planning process of this
University long before I came here identified the Wellness Center as one
that students could use. It would be basically funded by the state, with
contributions from both students and our private donors. The Wellness Center
is a major priority for EKU because of the health statistics and the challenges
on the health front in Eastern Kentucky, and we need a model center that
will allow us literally to demonstrate to small communities across Eastern
Kentucky that we will work for them. Secondly, our own students are in need
of a center like that for a variety of reasons that are all obvious. And
most importantly, it is a tremendous recruiting tool in an age when the
student union has been replaced on most of the campuses that are moving
forward in this country with a center like this which has literally become
the center of student activity. So for those reasons, I think that is a
very important priority and I am delighted to the tune of $7 million dollars
the first biennium. We can expect at least that much in the second biennium.
The cost of the building may range upwards to $22 to $25 million dollars.
I have a substantial fund raising assignment on my hands. I have a meeting
already scheduled. Vern Snyder and I will be meeting with a gentlemen who
has significant business interests across Eastern Kentucky and who has expressed
in helping us on this mission because he is seriously concerned about the
health of Eastern Kentucky and thinks that this Wellness Center goes part
of the way to address that. So, that's really good news that we've managed
to get this. We are also, going to be sitting down with students to talk
about the participation they can play here. When Western Kentucky University
built their Wellness Center, a student fee was assessed early on to help
build a fund that would provide a student contribution. That contribution,
by the way, will pale in its significance, that is to say, we don't want
to build this building at the expense of students. For the most part this
is going to be a state appropriation and private donations, with a contribution
from students along the way. The bad news on that building is that we are
being told on a regular basis by the governor's office that this tax proposal
he has included in the budget is really what this center is all about. The
incentive funding and the Center, we're told by some, are the first to go
if the governor does not get his tax increase. So, I guess for some of you
that's maybe a good reason to vote for a tax increase. Certainly, the respective
presidents' offices across the state have been reminded regularly, since
the governor introduced his budget, how important it is for us to carry
the message of the governor's tax plan far and wide and demonstrate to our
colleagues and tax payers anywhere we can talk to them just how important
it is that we do everything we can to pass this tax. We can certainly, along
the way, make the argument for the necessity of those funds and frankly,
I don't think they are bluffing on that one. I do think that if the governor
doesn't get the tax increase they will have to go back and reexamine Eastern's
budget, Morehead's budget and all the rest of the budget. By the way, on
the 2.4 percent base funding. UK got 2.4, University of Louisville 2.4,
Murray State received 2.4, Northern Kentucky received 10 percent, Western
Kentucky receive 4-something percent and Morehead received 3 percent. Without
detailed analysis, the reason for those discrepancies is that they documented
the fact that Northern's percent of tuition that pays for Northern's budget
is extraordinarily high. We are about 33 percent. Tuition accounts for about
33 percent of our budget and that is where the state wants us to be. Northern's
is like 52 or 53 percent. They wanted to take some of the heat off of the
students. There are some other reasons which has to do with the benchmark
budgeting system. You saw the benchmarks we chose. Those benchmarks were
carefully chosen by us; we literally chose the ones that were best funded
per-student that we could find. Last week, we learned that the calculations
from university to university differed, the Benchmark universities differed,
our Benchmarks did not serve us as well. I will return in April to share
the details of the budget.
Vern Snyder came to us from Youngstown State and is now our Vice President
for University Advancement. Mr. Snyder began in July going through the foundation
and found $300,000 of donor intent that was not being implemented. All of
those dollars have been earmarked for academic performance scholarships.
They have been earmarked for in-state, a few out-of-state, non-traditional
and traditional students. We feel very good about being able to send a message
to the larger community, to the Commonwealth, that we are raising the bar
and attempting to attract students who have performed in a superior fashion
academically in high school and can come forth and access these scholarships.
I think that it will do much to increase the academic quality of the institution,
to fill your classes with a few more students, in this case, who have performed
well, and who perhaps would have gone somewhere else, had it not been for
an opportunity to benefit from an academic scholarship, as opposed to the
70 percent of students who are some form of financial aid for financial
reasons. And that of course, must be our first priority, to take care of
need; but in addition to need, I think it's important also to deal with
academic performance and we have done that.
In addition, the Foundation Board has authorized me to hire a firm, Meridian
Communication, out of Lexington, to come in and take a look at Eastern and
ask who we are and ask other people who see us from afar who we are, and
come up with some kind of a composite on what Eastern stands for in the
Commonwealth and what we offer to prospective students, and to sit down
with constituencies, with stakeholders and come up with some consistent
clear marketing and communications strategy. That would include everything
with the mark, the logo, the Colonel. At the very least we need a contemporary
Colonel. That's a small part of the project. This Wednesday, the firm will
make its first visit to this institution. They will meet with a variety
of people. The next time they come back, they want to meet with a focus
group of faculty, a focus group of students, alumni, board members and probably
a group of consumers. Most, importantly, of course, this is a ground-up
exercise that relies on the body of expertise and knowledge, commitment
and passion that each and every one of you have for this university, and
it will only succeed with your cooperation. If you are interested in serving
on the focus group, call the President's Office and give your name to his
secretary. I would like to thank Vern Snyder for his help on the Foundation
side because he made a big difference since he has been here.
We did receive a $25 million contribution and it will be used to equip the
new Corbin building with the finest, most cutting-edge science labs you
will find anywhere on our campus.
Lastly, there will be a faculty dance (Sock Hop) with a DJ, in early March."
Report from the Provost: Senator Marsden
Dr. Marsden announced that the new director of Admissions is Mr. Steven
Vern, who will be joining us March 1st. He is currently serving
as a director of Undergraduate International Admissions at the University
of Nebraska. He has also served as director of international programs at
Graceland College. He has been a police officer and a business manager.
We also have hired Mr. John Fish as director of Financial Aid.
Dr. Marsden reported that the Board of Regents has approved 12 sabbatical
leaves for the year 2000-2001. That is up slightly from the previous year.
With 700 faculty, we do need to work at getting more dollars available for
sabbatical leaves so that the number will be much more appropriate for the
size of our faculty. Later this year, we hope to host a workshop on preparing
a successful sabbatical leave application. Professor Ordell Hill, is going
on sabbatical year next year, but has also received the Senior Fellowship
from the National Endowment for the Humanities, which is quite an accomplishment.
We are preparing a Title III Grant which is headed up by Dr. Karen Carey
and a group of very dedicated people. The deadline for submission is February
18. If the grant is awarded, it would mean $350,000 a year for five years
to essentially support our recruitment and retention efforts.
We are looking at the status of an early retirement option program. We have
reviewed what has gone out of the past. When we are comfortable that we
can bring forward a proposal for faculty discussion, then I will do that.
At the present time, we are looking at some parameters for that program.
The program probably will not last, in the sense of its duration, more than
three years. We will probably not be able to announce it as effective before
the summer of 2001, because there is a budget implication to that proposal
which will include a certain faculty development piece. In other words,
we will talking about a phase-down of teaching responsibilities, but also
some additional faculty development support dollars which will be part of
the program. We are aware that there are 150 faculty who are reaching retirement
age. We are trying to come up with a program that will be attractive, and
at the same time serve the institution's well-being. While the previous
program was highly popular, it was also problematic from a couple of points
of view.
A lot of the departments
are just now realizing that one-half the the ERO disappeared and while the
departments may think that those pieces are just waiting to be reassembled,
in point of fact the five-year ERO option resulted in some departments losing
positions that were either swept up in budget savings or combined with other
half-pieces to create new positions in other departments. So it was a very
effective planning device, but it did hold some departments hostage in terms
of their particular staffing priorities. So we want to make sure that the
new program we put forward is a very good planning device and also a very
good academic planning device, at the same time. So I'll have more to say
about that during the spring semester.
All of the Phase
II proposals were approved by the Board of Regents and will begin implementing
them as soon as possible, but certainly no later than July 1. We will also
be talking about a program review process. We will have to have a series
of conversations between the administration, faculty and the Board with
regard to a program review process that will be on-going on an annual basis.
The president and I, both agree that we ought to be bringing to the Board
on an annual basis a list of programs that we have reviewed and reactions
that we are recommending with regard to those programs. What we are looking
for is a process that will be ongoing, equitable and complex in terms of
its inclusiveness of the issues. The deans and I are working on a proposal
that will bring to the Senate for a regular and annual review all of our
programs. But it will not be a review process that will simply look at numbers;
we will not allow that to occur. Certainly, we have to look at enrollment,
graduation rates, look at costs per program in terms of cost per student
credit-hour generated and so on, but we also have to look at the quality
of our institution. We have to look at what kinds of programs this institution
has to be offering if we are to call ourselves a major comprehensive institution.
Again, more will follow during the semester.
Finally, our congratulations to the Women's Studies Program and all of the
other offices, especially the office of the President, for hosting the visit
of the writer, Mickey Giovanni last Thursday evening. It was a proud evening
for Eastern Kentucky University. It's really events like that which remind
us of what a university is really all about. Our congratulations to all
those involved. Thank you.
Senator Sowders asked Senator Marsden whether there will be any announcement
about the future of ERO this semester. He answered that "it's possible,
but since it has budget implications, it would have to go to the Board at
the next meeting, which is in April. Before that, however, we would have
to hear what the state budget will be and whether we could afford to implement
the program as we are envisioning it at this particular point." He added
that, realistically, we should not expect that we can have a program in
place before the summer of 2001.
Report of the Executive Committee and Senator Chair: Senator
Murray
We met on January 24th. One item that was discussed was the part-time
representative for faculty Senate that was a carryover from last spring
and efforts to recruit and serve in that capacity. The other item of significance
is the motion regarding the posthumous degree.
Report of the Faculty Regent: Senator M. Thompson
Gary Abney was sworn in as a new regent. Mr. Abney has a background in banking
and probably will serve on the Finance and Planning Committee. Officer's
were elected. Jim Gilbert was re-elected to continue as chair. Ernie House
was elected as vice chair replacing Barbara Rickey; Linda Kuhnhenn was elected
as treasurer; Beverly Burris as secretary and Mary Davis as assistant secretary.
There were no questions regarding the academic items that were sent through
the Senate. The board chair commented on Bill Ellis' contributions to the
University and to the community and his respect to the community and is
very pleased with his new position as the first University Historian.
The Finance and Planning Committee will be meeting between now and April
as Dr. Kustra has recommendations and issues to bring forth and maybe by
that time, the Buck Report on staff salaries will be available. Libby Wachtel,
Mark Wasicsko, and Dominick Hart gave excellent presentations on topics
related to their area. Dr. Wasicsko and Dr. Hart presented an historic collaborative
work between the colleges and represented us very well. The next meeting
will be held on a weekday, Friday, April 28.
Report from the COSFL Representative: Senator Harley
Senator Janssen reported for Senator Harley. On Saturday, January 8, COSFL
met in Frankfort at the CPE board room. CPE President Gordon Davies and
four CPE staff met with us for the first half of the meeting. The budget
for the Postsecondary Education, the CPE presented to the governor was discussed
in length and in detail. As Dr. Kustra mentioned, the governor's adjustments
since that time included the addition of our campus Wellness Center, which
of course, is dependent upon the General Assembly passing the money for
it. Dr. Gordon Davies
said what he thought
the pressure points would in the General Assembly. He stated that he considered
the endowment matches and the competitive nature of the programs such as
the Model Schools of Education were negotiable in his point of view, but
he was going to hold firm on the requirement of a money match for UK and
U of L research and on space. COSFL and CPE staff discussed the role of
faculty and lobbying. It was agreed that COSFL had been successful in the
past when focused on an issue and speaking in accord on that issue. The
CPE staff suggested two bills as examples of what COSFL might want to lobby
to support. One was a high school foreign language requirement and the other
early math testing for feedback on two high school students for preparation
for those students to come to college.
CPE offered reported
on some of the work of the P-16 council, which will be renamed as the Commission.
The P-16 council is composed of the Kentucky Department of Education and
CPE members and staff. It is not mandated, but instead a voluntary collaboration
of these two different groups to provide more of an alignment between the
public schools and our university. The P-16 initiatives at the moment include
Math and English alignment teams. The focus is to be getting more students
to attend college with less need for remediation. The state level P-16 council
will be encouraging us and offering to assist us in setting up regional
P-16 council school systems in the area. Dr. Davies discussed the way in
which CPE is going to look at non-productive programs by asking a series
of questions of programs that have very few graduates over a five year period.
He gave examples of reasons why a program should continue to exist even
though it has a small number of graduates. We will have an opportunity to
reassess small programs and convey to CPE the reasons why these programs
are needed. A motion that COSFL write a statement of support of the CPE
budget on Postsecondary Education did not have a great deal of support.
There was much discussion. Instead COSFL is writing a statement expressing
their appreciation of CPE's efforts in areas such as increasing collaboration
and their ongoing exchange of information with COSFL. The group had some
issues with the budget, but did not feel that we could say this is great
about every feature of the budget, although we support in general the CPE
funding for higher education. While we wish to support CPE's efforts to
get money for higher education, many members have some fundamental questions
about the budget in the way that all of the universities would or would
not receive money. Important issues include the built in competition among
universities for funds and the requirement for universities to come up with
funds to match the state funds. It is agreed that we need to actively support
CPE efforts to get increased funding for all Postsecondary Education. COSFL
did pose to send a letter to Kevin Nowland at Kentucky Department of Education
and the decision of the originators not to use the term "evolution". The
letter states why the use of alternative terms or any alternative terms
does not provide our students with the knowledge that they need. After a
brief discussion of shared governance, we agreed to have an in-depth discussion
of the topic at the next meeting, March 11 unless the activity in Frankfort
indicates a meeting in February.
Report from the Student Senate: Mr. Pace
Mr. Pace announced that the student Senate has just passed a new constitution
for the Student Government Association. The most pertinent change is a by-laws
clause which basically allows us to make minor changes when they arise without
having to go through the formality of the Board of Regents. Also, the new
constitution will provide freshman representation which will instill new
blood and new ideas in the student government. Last week, we passed a parking
resolution. We will begin making available to the Faculty Senate any bills
and legislation that we are working on. The Board of Student Body Presidents
across the state will be coming to tour EKU on March 3 and 4. On February
23, at 7:30 p.m. in the Grise Room, Combs Building, we will have our first
public forum for the Council on Minority Affairs which has been set up through
the Student Senate. If you need information, you may call 622-1724. In the
past, we have had vacant positions on the Student Senate. This year, we
currently have five open positions but have received 16 applications and
will be able to fill the positions.
Reports from Standing Committees
Committee on Elections:
Senator McAdams reported that in May we will vote in a part-time person
to serve on Faculty Senate. She asked that everyone be looking and asking
for nominees who would be willing to serve on the Faculty Senate.
Committee on Committees:
Senator Taylor not present. No report.
Committee on the Rules:
Senator Chambers announced that the committee met on January 24. The subject
of the meeting was the role the Faculty Senate should play in matters of
University reorganization. This was the motion sent forward by Senator Schlomann.
At this point, the committee is surveying a total of 35 universities, 19
of those are benchmark institutions. Of the 35, only 20 institutions had
language in the faculty handbooks for Senate involvement in restructuring
the organizations. At this point, we are collating the material and it will
be available for discussion at the March 6 meeting.
Committee on the Budget:
Senator Andersen - no report.
Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities:
Senator Steinbach - no report.
Reports from Ad Hoc Committees
There may be a preliminary report in March from Senator O'Connor on workload
and also, the Ad Hoc Committee on tuition benefits. We had established another
ad hoc committee but that was revisited and sent forth to the president
for the domestic partner matter, which is in progress. If no reports in
March, there will be an update on the status and progress at the April meeting.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Ad Hoc Committee on Child Care Services on Campus: Dr. Paula Kopacz
Senator Kopacz mentioned that the motions that are being presented are aimed
to set up the mechanics for oversight and enforcement of the proposals.
There was some discussion on the clarity and coverage of the motions. Concern
was expressed that the Center would not be opened on days when classes are
not in session.
Senator Maynard supported the motion and mentioned that the state is also
looking at maintaining strict regulations on day care centers.
Dr. Wachtel was asked by Dr. Kustra to meet with Dr. Kopacz and Dr. Maynard
to determine if there was an existing contract. After careful research,
it has been determined that there is no contract or memorandum of agreement.
Senator Kustra offered a friendly amendment in regard to Motion III-- that
the Day Care Center be under the administrative office at the Burrier Building
under the direction of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences.
There was discussion regarding the number of faculty/parent ratio on the
Advisory Council.
The motion on the floor was to approve Motion I with subcategory I-Advisory
Council to be interpreted as being at the discretion of the administrative
office, and with motion III, the specific administrative office to be identified
as the chair of Family and Consumer Science. Motion passed.
Chair Murray thanked Dr. Kopacz and her committee for their diligent work.
NEW BUSINESS
Chair Murray introduced the motion to approve the request for awarding a
posthumous degree. Senator Harley, representing the Executive Committee
of the Faculty Senate, moved that the Faculty Senate approve the request
to award a posthumous degree of Bachelor of Arts to Ms. Aymara Castillo
at the May 2000 Commencement. Senator Janssen seconded the motion. No discussion.
Chair Murray stated that this request comes out of the appropriate channels
that were established at the November meeting. Motion passed.
Chair Murray called
for the Council on Academic Affairs materials. Senator Marsden asked that
the Council on Academic Affairs materials be accepted in one motion. Senator
Harley made the motion that the entire package be accepted. Senator Kilgore
seconded the motion.
- Revision In Degree
Program And/Or Option(s),Technology - Printing Management (B.S.) Area
Major
- Revision In Degree
Program And/Or Option(s), Administration, Counseling, and Educational
Studies
- Revision In Degree
Program And/Or Option(s), Physical Education - Physical Education (BS)
Option: Sports Supervision
- Revision In Degree
Program And/Or Option(s), Submitted by Physical Education - Athletic
Training Option: Criteria for Admissions
- Revision In Degree
Program And/Or Option(s), Physical Education - Physical Education (BS)
Option: Wellness
- Suspend Option(s)
Within A Degree Program, Physical Education - Physical Education Option:
Adult Physical Fitness
- Revision In Degree
Program And/Or Option(s), English - M.A. in English (change in program
requirements)
- Revision In Degree
Program And/Or Option(s), English - MA in English (change in admission
requirements)
- Revision In Degree
Program And/Or Option(s), English - MA in English (change in language
requirements)
- Revision In Degree
Program And/Or Option(s), Psychology - Psychology (BS)
- Revision In Degree
Program And/Or Option(s), Submitted by Psychology - Clinical Psychology
Program
- Revision In Degree
Program And/Or Option(s), Speech Communication & Theatre Arts -
Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Revision In Degree
Program And/Or Option(s), MBA Program - MBA Program Requirements
- New Degree Program,
Special Education - Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education - Special
Education Early Childhood
- Revision In Certificate,
Special Education - Professional Certificate for Director of Special
Education
- Revision In Degree
Program And/Or Option(s), Loss Prevention & Safety - BS in Insurance
and Risk Management
For the record,
Senator O'Connor questioned the dropping of economics from the Master of
Arts program and suggested that the reason that it was dropped is that the
majority of benchmark institutions did not require economics. He said, "We
did some checking on that and found half did and half didn't. Which would
not suggest a majority." Senator Marsden stated that was an issue of some
contention, certainly at the Council on Academic Affairs. Senator McKinnon
spoke in opposition to dropping the foreign language requirement from the
MA program in English. Senator McKinnon stressed the importance of studying
any language other than one's own native language, since this very strongly
enhances one's command of language in itself.
Motion passed.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The third open forum will be a week from Thursday, February 17, 2000, Jaggers
Room. Chair Murray thanked those that participated in the open forums. The
forums have presented a very professional and collegiate atmosphere.
Chair Murray recognized
new senators, Charlotte Rich, Department of English and Jim Moreton, Department
of Speech and Theatre.
Senator Dunston
addressed the seating arrangement and Senator Janssen suggested that an
aisle be added.
Chair Murray announced
that Senate minutes and the agenda will be transmitted henceforth only via
e-mail.
Senator Jones indicated
that the number-one way that computer viruses are transmitted are through
attachments and via group lists. Is it possible to send body text e-mails
instead of attachments?
ADJOURNMENT
Senator Marsden moved to adjourn. The Senate adjourned at 5:30 p.m.
___________________________
James Robert Miller
Faculty Senate
Secretary