Minutes of the Faculty Senate meeting September 15, 1999 The regular meeting of the 1999-00 Faculty Senate was called to order by Dan Spencer at 3:30 p.m. The following Senators were present for all or part of the meeting: Berry, Brady, Cairns, Gillespie, Hariman, Honts, McCrickerd, Myszewski, Parsa, Petersen, Phillips, Pomeroy, Romig, Schneider, Simpson, Sisk, Spencer, Strentz, Torgerson, Walker, Wright Absent: Minutes of the Previous Meeting: Upon proper motion and second, the minutes of the May 5, 1999 meeting were approved. A question was asked concerning the HIV motion that was mentioned in President Allen's May report. Jerry Price indicated the Student Senate has pulled the motion from consideration. Report from President Maxwell: There has been useful feedback on the draft vision statement from the Administrative Council. He hoped to have the full document posted to the web internally by the end of the month. Two national search committees are being created. A search firm will be hired to assist with both the Provost and Vice President of Institutional Advancement committees. President Maxwell appreciated the assistance from the Executive Committee in providing faculty nominees. During the summer months, there were open forums concerning the personnel benefit changes. This timing is poor for faculty attendance but more a function of the benefit cycle, which starts in September. Vice President Payseur has recently held open meetings concerning the budget and she hopes to have other topical campus wide meetings in the future. Also during the summer, Sodexo Marriott Dining Services was awarded the dining services contract. They will be renovating parts of Olmsted and Hubbell. President Maxwell set up two task forces to study and report on the issues of Information Technology and Retention/enrollment. Provost Hoag is the chair of the Information Technology group that was named during the summer and will set priorities and submit recommendations for a five-year period. Concerning the diversity on campus issue, President Maxwell commented that the concern is more than just a quantity issue but include the concern of the percentage of minority students who graduate from high school. Senator Torgerson asked if Sodexo Marriott had addressed time of operation problem. President Maxwell replied that he did not know of current concerns especially since the evening hours have been expanded. Report from Interim Provost Hoag: The Information Technology Task Force has a two part stated purpose to bring items into the next budget cycle and to feed plans into the strategic planning process which is already underway. The topic of Program Review will be at the Provost and Deans level this year and concentrate on collecting information. Vice President Payseur will be starting the budget cycle earlier this year. Jerry Price is currently getting student input on the current proposals for the Mac-in-the-Room program. Other related computer issues are the 24-hour lab and ICN. There was a request for input concerning these facilities usage, value and costs. Senator Strentz asked a question concerning the program review. He asked how can there be productive program review without knowing where the university is going. Provost Hoag indicated that program data collection within the department and colleges can proceed and create a good baseline sense of all programs. Senator Phillips indicated he hoped the technology discussions included all personnel aspects associated with the projects. Report from President Spencer: President Spencer introduced the members of the Executive Committee; Colin Cairns, Catherine Gillespie, Chuck Phillips, LouAnn Simpson, Herb Strentz, David Walker. An update was presented concerning Executive Committee matters since last May which included filling the standing Senate Committees and soliciting nominations for the Search Committees for the Provost and the Vice President for Institutional Advancement. Senate members were given a list of the Senate Committees to date. Several very interesting events are planned for the Inaugural Week in early October. There will be a Bucksbaum Lecture on October 7th by Senator Paul Simon and a full day of symposia and discussions on October 8th. President Spencer encouraged everyone to participate as much as time and energy will allow. The fall Board of Governors meetings will be held Thursday through Saturday, October 7-9. This year's faculty representation on Board Committees includes: Lon Larson, Business & Finance David Walker, Institutional Advancement Judy Allen, Student Life Dan Spencer, Academic Affairs John Rozycki, Investments Bill Ehmann, Buildings and Grounds Ronda Menke, Enrollment and Growth Senator Wright asked how these representatives were selected. President Spencer indicated the Executive Committee selected them. A formal nomination process nor interest solicitation process was not followed. Unfinished Business: None presented New Business Senator Simpson moved and Berry seconded Motion 00-01: Motion to change section 2C of the Guidelines to the Construction of the Academic Calendar 2.C. The Spring term shall begin on a Monday concurrently for day and evening classes, last 17 calendar weeks and consist of 73 class days so that the Commencement exercises are held on a Saturday (alternately on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon) not later than May 19. Note: Words in italics to be added; Words in parentheses to be deleted Senator Sisk indicated the current policy accommodates persons of different religious faiths by alternating. He was troubled that the change does not allow for any accommodation. There were questions raised about past parental comments concerning the Mother's Day ceremonies and whether the current arrangement is not broken why it should be changed. Senator Berry asked if the committee had considered the Friday of Finals Week for the event. The motion was made and seconded to refer the matter to the original committee. The motion passed. Senator Romig was asked to comment on the current status of the Drake Curriculum. He distributed a three-page status sheet. He commented that various committees are not in place for this year. The course offerings in some outcomes are not sufficient for students to fulfill those outcomes which will either mean that many students will be using Plan B or that the course listing for the outcome will need to be reviewed. He suggested that one committee of twelve members would be appropriate for the outcomes questions. Senator Strentz asked what functions of this group could not be done by the existing CAAD (Council of Assistant and Associate Deans). Mr. Romig replied that although many members of that group are not faculty and there has been a consistent desire for faculty to be making the rules for the Drake Curriculum. Senator Hariman moved and McCrickerd seconded Motion 00-02: To make the eight Outcomes Committees into one committee Several senators had objections to the creation of such a body with out a full description and motion before them. Romig reminded the assembly that several suggestions were made to the Senate at the May 99 meeting concerning the structure of the Drake Curriculum committees. The motion to consider this new main motion past five minutes was defeated. The general discussion resumed on the Drake Curriculum. Concerns were raised about the advisement committee charge and funding available for faculty training. This committee was in operation last year and moved forward at that time on a web based advising page for students and their advisors to use. David Skidmore was selected as the First Year Seminar (FYS) Director during the summer of 1999. The FYS committee will be implementing policy concerning the FYS courses and recommending policy to the GEC concerning the FYS courses. On proper motion and second the meeting closed at 4:50 p.m. Submitted by, Nancy Geiger, Secretary