D R A K E U N I V E R S I T Y Minutes of the Faculty Senate meeting October 18, 2000 The regular meeting of the 2000-2001 Faculty Senate was called to order by President Lou Ann Simpson. The following Senators were present for all or part of the meeting: Allen, Bartschat, Brady, DeLaet, Gillespie, Honts, Kleiner, Lovell, McCrickerd, Parsa, Pomeroy, Phillips, Rankin, Reed, Reynolds, Sanders, Simpson, Symonds, Wright Absent: Cairns, Walker Minutes of the Previous Meeting: Upon proper motion and second, the minutes of the September 2000 meeting were approved as amended. (Judith Allen was not present at the September meeting) Report from President Maxwell: RPAC has begun to meet. They have spent time reviewing the principles and foundations of the Program Review. Responses to both the Administrative and Academic Program Review Reports are being received and President Maxwell encouraged all who are interested in responding to do so as soon as possible. The top issues amongst the emails received to date are football, club sports, nursing and geography. The biggest issue in the Review process right now seems to be the communication effort to the world wide Drake community along with their absorption of all the existing information available on the process and goals. President Maxwell expressed a concern that too many persons may be focusing on a single recommendation rather than the whole set of recommendations and the effort to improve Drake. He reminded the Senate of two points, which he learned during his first six months at Drake, 1) there was a sick-of-the-way we are operating feeling and 2) a feeling that Drake was always reacting not transforming. He indicated we must remember that this will be the hardest year for us to work through at all levels of the organization. The Board of Govenors and National Advisory Board will be meeting later this month. Thursday, October 26th will be an exciting panel discussion from business leaders titled 'How to Succeed in Business by Really Trying'. President Maxwell encouraged faculty and students to participate in this very relevant evening of information for employees at all levels of business. During the Board of Governors meeting weekend, there will be faculty hosting Board members for dinner. This is a good way to bring about person to person contact between two groups important to each other. Report from Provost Troyer The Deans Council is working on several Program Review issues and a conversation concerning the centralization Vs decentralization issue. Faculty Transitional Leave Program modifications are to be distributed soon. There are changes, which alter the deadlines and other features. A proposal for an 'excess credits' charge will be presented to Cabinet and the Board. The charge would be placed on a student registered for more than 18 credit hours in a semester. Once the program is finalized, an effective communication plan will be needed. The charge will likely begin for the Fall 2001 semester. Administrative Organization Review Group (AORG) has begun to meet. The conversations are proceeding well but no plan has easily emerged. New administrative computing software will be coming to Drake. The site team will visit the University of Richmond and Valparaiso. A recommendation will be ready for Cabinet around Thanksgiving. Report from President Simpson Almost all of the Senate committees are fully staffed with faculty, students and staff. There was a motion from the May 2000 Senate concerning the Joint Committee on Student Concerns. Linda Brady and Student Body President Bill Voorhees have begun those conversations and will report back to the Executive Committee Charter document. The Senate Executive Committee has chosen to delay presenting this very involved issue to the full Senate. The proposed revisions will be brought to the body as an agenda item during the Spring 2001 semester. Senator Allen asked if any of the substantive issues under review would be relevant to the current programs being discussed for discontinuance. Both President Simpson and President Maxwell both replied to this indicating that the current review process will use the Academic Charter as it now reads. Some language up for change would be categorized as 'housekeeping' type and some sections, which were reviewed, may be altered due to the outcomes of the Program Review. From last month's Senate meeting, it was decided that the Appeals Committee would be elected similar to the RPAC elections. All nominations have been submitted. There was interest in having the nominees submit short statements, which would accompany the ballot. These statements are now being submitted. The ballots will have a return date of Nov 2 and the Appeals committee membership will be announced shortly. Unfinished Business: None known New Business: Senator Phillips presented for discussion the idea of the Faculty Senate having a formalized position of Immediate Past President. There was a discussion of what specific instances such a position would be needed, especially a formalized position. There were comments offered by Senator Allen that she had called on past faculty leaders, in an informal fashion, when she was Faculty Senate President and knows how helpful this assistance was to her. Senator Simpson spoke that this would be formally asking for a three-year commitment to the Senate even though the elected term is two years. Ideas and concerns were requested to be submitted to Senator Phillips. On proper motion and second the meeting closed at 4:15 p.m.