Faculty Senate Minutes
March 27, 2008
Call to Order:
Call to order: 4:15 pm; Riggle Room; ADUC.
Senators Absent: Ali Ahmadi, Doug Chatham, Lynda Donathan, Shari Kidwell, Granuaile O’Flanagan, Greg Penner, Randall Swain
Terry Irons moved to approve the minutes of March 6, 2008, as submitted. Mike Wallace seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Committee Review:
Academic Policies: No Report
Communications: No Report
Evaluation: Met with Mike Walters regarding the Administrative Survey which will be distributed.
Fiscal Affairs: No Report
Governance: Regent election is in process; Committee interest survey has been distributed; Evaluating all University Standing Committees.
Professional Policies: Will present PAc-27 today for a second reading; Will be reviewing a revised PG-55 Technology Security
Reports:
Chairs Report:
- The President did not concur with the motion to request a cover letter justifying the proposed changes to PAc-35. The President noted that the Executive Council of the Faculty Senate was briefed, a letter was sent to the chair of the Senate (which was forwarded to the members), and there was a video message to all faculty.
- The President concurred with, and thanked the Senate for the resolution on budget cuts.
- Chair Jerde asked the Senators to encourage the faculty in their departments to vote in the Regent election on April 10. Senator Rogers stated that there is a mechanism for an absentee ballot.
Provost Report:
- The Board of Regents acted on the framework for the Academic Audit and General Education Reform.
- An information statement from the Provost to faculty and staff is posted on Today@MSU. The Provost provided an overview of the statement. The statement can be viewed at: http://www2.moreheadstate.edu/today/index.aspx?id=30572.
- The Enrollment Management Task Force Reports will be brought back to the Provost Council to evaluate the recommendations to determine if they are still relevant. If they are not, the group will be reconvened to determine what action to take.
- The Regional Engagement Advisory Board met on campus in early March. A proposal is being drafted to be forwarded to the CPE. The proposal will provide additional resources for Regional Stewardship.
A question and answer session followed with the Provost.
Regents Report:
- The Board of Regents met March 13, 2008. Some of the items acted on were:
- Approved tenure recommendations
- Approved sabbatical recommendations
- Approved the process for the Curriculum Audit
- Approved the General Education Steering Committee Framework for General Education Reform. They recommended requiring 120 hours for graduation, general education would consist of 33 hours with a core of 15 hours, and a capstone for 36, and centralized management and assessment of general education.
- Approved proposal for different parameters for tuition (phasing in a charge for each hour a student takes above 12). Regent Irons voted no on this proposal.
Regent Irons stated that a consideration in advising may be - how to balance the hours a student needs to complete their program with their ability to pay for the hours taken.
The Provost suggested that Beth Patrick present to the Senate the per credit hour tuition model. Chair Jerde will ask Beth Patrick if she can present the model to the members at the next meeting.
A Senator asked that the three points regarding general education be provided to the members so that they can forward them to the faculty in their departments.
A question and answer session regarding the tuition model followed.
Senate Actions:
Executive Council:
- PAc-35, Termination of Faculty for Financial Exigency or for Program Reduction or Discontinuance was provided electronically to the members prior to the meeting. Chair Jerde asked for discussion on the PAc.
Senator Macintosh moved to delete “make every reasonable effort to” from line 463. Senator Haleman seconded the motion. Discussion of the motion followed. Motion passed.
Senator Breschel moved to delete “financial exigency” from line 467 and replace with “program reduction or discontinuance decision”. Senator Wymer seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Regent Irons moved to delete “Section X. EXCLUSIVE PROCEDURE” and renumber the remaining sections. Senator Patrick seconded the motion. Motion passed.
A Senator stated that Section VIII contains no involvement by faculty in termination of faculty positions.
Senator Patrick moved to add “in collaboration with the department’s tenured and tenure-track faculty” on line 191 after “The department chair”. Senator Harford seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Regent Irons moved to delete the parenthesis and “through normal channels,” on lines 190 and 191. Senator Wallace seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Senator Wymer moved to insert a period after “Provost” on line 194, change “likewise” to “Similarly” on line 194, and insert a period after the first “Provost” on line 195. Senator Baker seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Senator Wymer moved to change line 197 to read “President shall review and consider all recommendations in making the final decision for termination of faculty positions for submittal to the Board for action.” Senator Harford seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Regent Irons moved to delete “for action.” from line 197 and add the sentence “The final decision for termination of faculty positions for purpose of exigency shall be made by the Board of Regents.” Senator Wymer seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Senator Wymer moved to end debate and vote on PAc-35. Senator Patrick seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Chair Jerde asked for a vote on PAc-35 as amended. PAc-35 was approved as amended.
Professional Policies:
- Professional Policies presented PAc-27 for a second reading. Senator Patrick thanked Senators Haleman, Chatham, Little, Taylor, Swain and Kidwell for the many hours they spent reviewing PAc-27. The committee spent many hours trying to create college level review, but could not because of the uneven number of departments in the colleges.
The primary change to PAc-27 was the structure of the portfolio. A large part of the “laundry list” was removed and replaced with “minimum documentation”.
The members began discussion of PAc-27.
Regent Irons moved to delete the sentence “If the faculty member wishes to make additional information available, it can be placed in their departmental office during the period of review.” on line number 286 – 288. Senator Harford seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Senator Patrick moved to change “their” to “his/her” on line 192. Senator Haleman seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Discussion will continue at the next meeting.
Chair Jerde thanked the members for their work on PAc-35.
Adjournment: 6:00 pm.
