Faculty Senate Minutes
September 4, 2008
Call to Order:
Call to order: 4:15 pm; Riggle Room; ADUC.
Senators Absent: Michelle Walters
Visitors: President Wayne D. Andrews, Joel Pace, Charles Patrick, Lisa Shemwell, Jim Shaw
Minutes: Senator Lennex moved to approve the minutes of May 1, 2008, June 19, 2008, and August 21, 2008 as submitted. Motion seconded. Motion passed.
Committee Review:
Academic Policies: Will be reviewing General Education Reform information and the Curriculum Audit Report; will meet with Yvonne Baldwin and possibly members of the Gen Ed Committee
Communications: Will be discussing how to more effectively distribute information to the faculty; Update the webpage
Evaluation: Elected Emma Perkins Vice Chair; Will be reviewing FEPs
Fiscal Affairs: Elected Roland Buck Vice Chair; Chair or Vice Chair will attend Benefits Committee meetings
Governance: Will present committee assignments to be voted on today
Professional Policies: Looking into defining scholarly activity in view of differentiated work load; graduate faculty policy; voting in tenure committees
Reports:
Chairs Report: No Report
Dr. Andrews welcomed the members back for the fall semester.
Chair Thomas asked Dr. Andrews to discuss things that the Senate could address this academic year. Dr. Andrews provided information on things he has been doing since he came to MSU in 2005 that are connected to things going on now, and items the Senate might want to work on.
- Visited with academic and non academic departments, asked questions and listened
- Asked what we were doing well and what needed to be improved, and what resources were needed
- Planning – invited participation by everyone in the process and will continue to do so
- Focused on the Strategic Plan to make improvements
- Developed “ASPIRE” acronym for six major goals in the Strategic Plan for the University
- Housing Master Plan
- Diversity Plan
- Capital Plan
- Accomplishments
- Admissions and Financial Aid combined into Enrollment Services
- Reframed Scholarship Program – University contributes $12 million to scholarships
- Undergraduate research fellowships
- Increased graduate student stipend
- Improved behind the scene processes
- Improved faculty and staff salaries
- Acquired state funding for capital projects – Space Science Center, Student Recreation Center, Center for Health Education and Research
- Received capital money to replace environmental control system on coal fired heating plant
- Opened equine hospital at MSU farm
- Opened molecular biology facility
- Cleaned up campus, added green space
- Resident hall updates
- Created athletic facility master plan
- Conducted evaluation of administration - details will be forthcoming
- Issues from survey to be addressed
- Communication
- Removing barriers that keep faculty and staff from getting their work completed
- Will conduct focus groups this fall to address issues
- The President stressed that the University community must work together this fall
- The President appreciated the manner in which the University community worked through the past year during the budget crisis
- Two major issues currently
- Curriculum Audit
- Make every program a 21st century program
- Curriculum Audit is about how the University works in the 21st century
- General Education
- General Education addresses the concepts a 21st century person should know
The President stressed that the faculty should get involved and provide feedback on the Curriculum Audit and General Education Reform.
- Suggestions for the Senate
- Know what the Strategic Agenda is and focus on it
- Move Kentucky forward by achieving “double the numbers”
- Increase students graduating high school and entering college
- Work with Community Colleges
- Retention and advising processes
- Remove “We/They” environment
- Work together on problems
- Improve effectiveness and efficiency in processes
- Look at the possibility of organizing committees during the spring to be ready to start work immediately in the fall
- Look at how to provide faculty input during the summer
- Communications
- Share information with faculty in your departments
- Deliberate discussions about any subject with civility
The President and the Senate discussed how the General Education Reform approval process will work.
A member asked about the review of the advising system. At this point information is being gathered and processes are being reviewed particularly with regard to students who are undeclared or have developmental needs. A timeline has not been developed.
The committee discussed communication at all University levels and with each other. A suggestion was made to conduct stress reduction and communications skills workshops.
Provosts Report:
- Curriculum Audit Report will be released tomorrow.
Regents Report:
- Establish a Faculty Regent Forum prior to Board of Regents’ meetings
- Chair of the Board has agreed to come to a forum during the spring semester
- Launch a Faculty Regent blog
- Board of Regents will meet September 11 at the MSU Regional Enterprise Center in West Liberty
- Encourage faculty to attend Board meetings as they can
Senate Actions:
Governance:
The committee recommended C. Steven Hunt be appointed to the Research and Creative Productions Committee. Recommendation passed.
The committee recommended C. Steven Hunt and Cyndi Gibbs be appointed to the Tenure Committee. Recommendation passed.
- The Governance committee presented for approval a slate of candidates for the Graduate Committee. The Graduate Committee is selected by election within the graduate faculty of the respective colleges. The slate of candidates is:
- Business Ahmad Hassan, Barbara Lyons
- Science and Technology Antonino Carnevali, Gilbert Remillard
- Education David Peterson, Julia Hypes
- Education Christopher Miller, Jennifer Dearden
The slate of candidates was approved.
The Chair of the Governance committee stated that the list of graduate faculty is very short. The members discussed the issue of many faculty being removed from graduate faculty status due to various problems and issues. The Provost stated that the problems with the process and conflicting guidelines are being addressed.
Rebecca Katz moved that Professional Policies review PAc-6. Zexia Barnes seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Adjournment: 5:45 pm
