Minutes of the
Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate
Friday, August 25,
2006
Mason Hall, room
D5; 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Senators Present:
Jim Bennett, Rick Coffinberger, Jim Sanford, Suzanne Slayden, Susan
Trencher
Senators Absent: Cliff Sutton
Chair Suzanne Slayden distributed a rough draft agenda; from
that agenda the following topics were discussed:
General Announcements:
- Dave
Kuebrich has agreed to be President Pro Tem of the Senate, need to find a
parliamentarian and a new Sergeant-at-Arms.
- New Senator
Orientation Wednesday, August 30th at normal time and place for
Senate meetings; all Executive Committee members are most welcome to
attend and meet the new Senators.
BOV /Faculty Representatives to BOV Committees
- As a
member of the President’s Council, Suzanne attended the recent two-day
conference with BOV members and shared some general impressions.
- Need
to establish a formal mechanism for faculty representatives to BOV
committees to report back to the Senate in some way. Suggestions included extending an
invitation to speak at Faculty Senate meetings, on a regular (perhaps
quarterly) basis; submission of brief written statement as committees
provide at the end of the year; to report at general convocation (twice
yearly).
- Need
to establish procedures to replace faculty representatives unable to
complete their terms – suggestion made to have second place candidate
assume the slot vacated.
- Verification
of term length; should terms be staggered? should there be term limits?
- Timing
of future elections – suggested scheduling 1 December of academic year so
that faculty reps would have experience prior to summer planning session.
- Need
to establish procedure for future elections. Nominations made from the general faculty; not the purview
of the Faculty Senate. To research
whether agreement exists.
Faculty Senate Newsletter – to hire a graduate
student to work on a Faculty Senate newsletter similar to Staff Senate
newsletter. Provost Stearns and David
Rossell receptive to idea, Susan Trencher to check with Dave Kuebrich regarding
status and funding.
Admissions Office announcement that SAT scores no longer
required for admission for those applicants in the top 20% of their high school
class – as published in the Washington Post, May 25, 2006
- Who
has authority to make this decision?
Dean of Admissions reports to Associate Provost Linda Schwartzstein
who in turn reports to Provost Stearns. Several present noted that Dean
Flagel always responds to faculty inquiries personally. Systemic problem of lack of consultation
with Faculty Senate.
- In
response to inquiry by Bob Ehrlich, Admissions Dean Andrew Flagel said
they consulted with the Admissions Committee and then-chair of the Faculty
Senate David Kuebrich – to check with both sources for further background.
Admissions Committee never
submitted a report for AY 05-06; nor did they alert the Faculty Senate to
this change. Should decision also
have been considered by the Academic Policies Committee?
- Much
publicity generated from this article; good especially with reference to
SAT exam problems reported last year.
Other Admissions Issues:
- Admission
of high school students not graduating as reported by Andrew Flagel.
- Admission
of students returning to college to degree programs in order to take
science courses needed to apply to medical school, displacing other
students majoring in subjects from required courses. Problem appears particularly in
sciences where lab slots are limited.
Students enrolled in non-degree status under “Extended Studies”
have low priority. Possible Honor
Code violation in sense of applying for a degree program which have no
intention of completing vs. freedom to pursue additional degree(s) if wish
to do so. Problem cannot be
resolved in admissions; more a capacity problem, need more labs and more
professors.
University Standing Committees – Procedural Change
- As
each committee has at least one Senator representative, assign them
responsibility for reporting to Faculty Senate committee business, in lieu
of chair of committee. Also ask Senator
representatives to organize first meeting at which chair is elected, then
report name of committee chair to the Faculty Senate.
Review of Old
Business Items 05-06 Minutes
- Textbook law passed; bookstore must
comply – further discussion of process/costs/impact on students.
- Need to strengthen O& O Committee –
once powerful, need to develop easily updated table on website.
- Summer laboratory courses were shorted a
day in cycle – Academic Policies committee to work on.
- Mark Houck to present update on Faculty/Staff
Housing Workgroup.
- E&G Budget increase of $42,000,000,
a 15% increase. Not much of that
goes to faculty; issue of faculty salaries and COLA on radar screen; begin
planning now for two-year budget cycle.
- Presidential Task Force on public space –
Bob Nadeau, Faculty Representative to committee, offered to report to
Faculty Senate; final report not yet distributed.
- Faculty Handbook Revision Committee – to report in
October.
- Faculty Salary Task Force Report at
special meeting Sept. 13th, to vote on recommendations after
feedback received at October meeting.
- New Research Misconduct Policy – to
report at October meeting.
- Grievance Committee Ombud Office
proposal to consider at future meeting.
- Continuation of department visits.
- Loss of cultural currency – references
such as Parson Weems’ story about George Washington and the cherry tree
unfamiliar to some students; implications for classroom experience.
Some Agenda Items for
September 6th Faculty Senate Meeting:
- Phi Beta Kappa – Task Force to begin this year.
- Faculty Matters - Copyright Policy meeting today; hope to present with
Faculty Senate recommendation to BOV at their October 4th
meeting. Also Faculty Evaluation
of Administrators Survey results to be distributed September 8th.
- Nominations Committee
– slates for Faculty Senate
and University Standing Committees, Faculty Representatives to Assorted
Committees; election of committee chairs for Faculty Senate Standing
Committees at end of meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Meg Caniano
Clerk, Faculty Senate