FS Minutes - 10-06-03

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES:
The September 8, 2003 minutes were approved with no changes.

REPORT FROM THE PRESIDENT: Senator Glasser

Senator Glasser reported that the Faculty Senate dinner was a success. The food and camaraderie were excellent. Senator Glasser expressed interest in hosting a brunch for the senators toward the end of the fall semester.

This year's Family Weekend was better attended than in previous years. Senator Glasser hosted a barbecue for over 1100 parents. This event was a wonderful way to reconnect with the families and to reassure them that their sons and daughters are doing well at Eastern.

Last week was EKU Pride Week which celebrated the diversity on campus in terms of academics, fine and performing arts, and Athletics. One of the highlights was the first theater production of the year, "The Merchant of Venice". The students did an outstanding job. Another well attended event was the pep rally, attended by faculty, students and staff prior to the second home football game.

EKU was prominently featured on WLEX-TV on Tuesday morning from 5:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Senator Glasser has received many positive comments from people all over Lexington. EKU was also featured in the Louisville Courier Journal yesterday, and in the Lexington Herald the day before on the largest increase in enrollment in twelve years. The residence halls are filled and the equally good news is that academic standards and ACT scores for incoming freshmen are also up this year.

EKU will be hosting the Lieutenant Gubernatorial debates on October 15 at 8:00 p.m. in the Student Services Building. The gubernatorial candidates will be asked questions by a panel and then the audience will have an opportunity to ask questions. Senator Glasser encouraged faculty, students and staff to participate in this important event.

The education reform is a long term investment; and budget projections continue to look dismal at best. The next budget projection will be available by October 15. Senator Glasser distributed to the Senators an article she wrote and submitted to the media on her perspective, and EKU's perspective that education is an investment in the quality of life, not just an investment in higher education. Senator Glasser stressed the need to continue voicing the importance of the education reform to the gubernatorial candidates. Both candidates indicate that constituents mainly complain about Medicaid, Medicare for the elderly, crime and public safety. If there is support for higher education, some of those issues would be easier to address.

The University presidents met in Frankfort last week and all of the institutions have proposed to CPE preliminary tuition increases. Senator Glasser submitted preliminary tuition increase projections of 10% for the new two years. Other institutions have proposed anywhere from 14% to 20% increases, and two institutions are considering mid-year tuition increases for this year.

Capital projects continue to look grim. Our first priority continues to be the Business and Technology Center, thanks to funding received. The second priority is phase II funding for the Fitness and Wellness Center, and the newest priority is the new science facility for the campus. Realistically speaking, funding may not be forthcoming in terms of capital this year.

While the administration is cognizant of the fact that faculty and staff are being asked to do more with less, the work done in the classrooms is resonating with the students and obviously the message is getting out because over 70% of the freshmen class indicated that Eastern was their first choice institution.

REPORT FROM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR: Senator Johnson
Senator Johnson reported that the Executive Committee met briefly on September 22, 2003 to discuss the Senate's agenda.

Senator Cook announced that he received several suggestions regarding the distribution of the development funds. He decided to give half of the funds to the deans for distribution and the other half directly to those faculty who apply through the Provost's office. The Faculty Welfare Committee has been charged with developing the process for distributing these funds to faculty.

REPORT FROM THE FACULTY REGENT: Senator Schlomann
Senator Schlomann stated that the Board would not meet again until December. However, the regents did attend the Governor's Conference on Postsecondary Education Trusteeship. The theme for the conference was economic development and partnership with communities, but perhaps the real theme was "the cupboard is bare". One thing that was reiterated is that other constituents are presenting their requests very dramatically, probably Medicaid the most so. One of the major problems is that when cuts are made in education, the connection with cuts from Frankfort rarely is obvious. Instead, constituents respond to the reduction in services and the tuition increases as local (at the university level) problems. Complaints are therefore voiced to the universities and don't reach Frankfort. Faculty need to help get the word out that higher education is crucial to quality of life in Kentucky and that cuts in higher education, in the long term, will have an impact on all areas of life.

REPORT FROM COSFL: Senator Siegel

Senator Siegel reported that COSFL met on September 13. Elections were held for the 2003-2004 officers and the following were elected:: Rick Feldhoff, President; Carol Bredemeyer, Vice President; Carolyn Siegel, Treasurer; and Tucker Landy, Secretary.

The AAUP/COSFL conference scheduled for October 18 was discussed and panel participants identified.

Richard Freed, faculty representative on the CPE, made a comprehensive presentation regarding CPE activities. He distributed a list of the members of SCOPE, the Strategic Committee on Postsecondary Education, which is the oversight committee for postsecondary reform in Kentucky. Many initiatives are currently under way. After House Bill I was passed, the CPE received money and power to initiate change; the focus now is on keeping the momentum of reform going. Some of the issues Dr. Freed discussed included the seamless transfer system, criteria for selecting regents, the budget shortfall, the P-16 Committee and the CPE key indicators of progress.

COSFL members expressed interest in having CPE develop reports on freshman profiles across the state universities. They are also alert to a possible move in the legislature to cap university tuition increases.

REPORT FROM STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION: Kristina O'Brien
Ms. O'Brien announced several events that will be occurring during the next month. "Take Back the Night" is an annual event which will be held at the Madison County Courthouse on Tuesday evening at 5:30 p.m. On Wednesday, SGA is sponsoring transportation for faculty and students to the governor's debate at UK. The debate is scheduled for 3:00 p.m., and the bus is scheduled to leave EKU from the Daniel Boone statue at 1:30 p.m. Participants should be back on campus in time for evening classes. SGA's Safety Walk is scheduled for October 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the Powell Building. On October 15, SGA is sponsoring the Black Eyed Peas concert. On the same evening, SGA will also be cosponsoring the Lieutenant Governor's debate at 8:00 p.m. in the Student Services Building. SGA is sponsoring a 7:00 p.m. reception in the SSB lobby prior to the debate. On October 22 SGA will be sponsoring the trick or treating event from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Keen Johnson Building. Faculty, staff and their families are invited to participate in this event.

Student surveys will go out via e-mail within the next two weeks. There are approximately 20 questions on the survey. Applications are available in the Powell Building for the next two weeks for student organizations to apply for office space.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Budget Committee. Senator Siegel reported that the committee met on October 2. The committee reviewed the Libraries budget with Dr. Lee Van Orsdel, Dean of Libraries, in attendance. Dr. Van Orsdel provided a detailed and finely organized analysis of the effects of the current budget situation on the provision of services and materials to faculty, staff, and students.

The meeting concluded with a discussion of agenda items for the remainder of the fall semester and the role of the Faculty Senate Budget Committee as an information-gathering and/or dissemination group.

Faculty Welfare Committee. Senator G. Yoder reported that the committee met on October 1 to discuss an amendment to the salary adjustments motion. That amendment will be proposed later in the meeting.

The committee also began to work on a faculty survey to aid in establishing guidelines for the disbursement of the development funds from the Provost's office. The survey should be available within the next couple of weeks and will be administered online.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

Foundation Professor Motion. Senator Siegel moved, seconded by Senator Callahan, to separate the Foundation Professor motion into two separate motions, one to deal with the process and procedures and the other to deal with the effective date.

Motion one, to approve the process and procedures was approved by the Senate.

Motion two, effective date of 2003-2004. Senator Marchant moved to amend motion two, seconded by Senator Collins, to delete "2003-2004" from the title and have the effective date begin for 2004-2005. The senate was in agreement to amend the motion. Motion two, in its amended state, was approved by the Senate.

Salary Adjustments Motion. Senator Rahimzadeh, seconded by Senator G. Yoder, moved to amend the original motion to include the following statement after number five: "The Welfare Committee also recommends that the Provost periodically update the Senate regarding specific details of the adjustment process." The amendment was approved by the Senate.

Senator Dean moved, seconded by Senator Smith, to amend the motion to add the words "in no particular order of priority" after the word "factors". This amendment was approved by the Senate.

Senator D. Pierce moved, seconded by Senator McKenney, to delete number four from the motion. The Senate was not in agreement and the amendment failed for lack of support.

Senator Kristofik, seconded by Senator Gossage, moved to amend number four to the following: "Because departmental involvement is important to the success of a long-term adjustment program, the Committee recommends that the individual chairs and deans be consulted during the process of making adjustments." The Senate was in agreement and the motion to amend was approved.

Senator Cropper moved, seconded by Senator Kelley, to strike the following sentence from number three: "For example, to insure that at least fifty salaries are adjusted, the maximum salary adjustment would be set at 2% of the funds available." The motion to delete this statement carried with a vote of 17 to 16 in favor.

The salary adjustment motion, in its amended state, was approved by the senate.

NEW BUSINESS:

Plus/Minus Grades Final Report. Dr. Daniel Thorne was present to introduce the plus/minus grades final report. Senator Flanagan moved, seconded by Senator Dunston, to accept the report and the recommendations made by the committee. Senator Johnson ruled the motion substantive and deferred further discussion to the November Senate meeting.

Council on Academic Affairs Report. Senator Cook moved, seconded by Senator Sexton, to delete the Specialists in Education Ed & Ad Supervision program. The motion was approved by the Senate.

Sabbatical Leave Motion. Senator Cook moved, seconded by Senator Sexton, to approve the Sabbatical Leave Motion. Senator Johnson ruled the motion as substantive and deferred further discussion to the October Senate meeting.

ADJOURNMENT:
Senator Cook moved to adjourn at approximately 5:30 p.m.