Report from
Faculty Senate Executive Committee Meeting
1.
Meeting of
Attending: Anderson, Radonovich, Karbhari, Heikes, Etzkorn, Gaede, Pritchard, Vaughan, Gholston, Lawson, Williams, English. Burnett
1.1
Faculty
Senate President’s Report
Dr. Gaede asked about the Smoking Policy and why it had not been implemented or what had happened with it. It was signed but it has not been implemented. Dr. Williams stated it was an issue of who handles the oversight. Dr. Williams will talk to Mike Finnegan. There should be a campus- wide announcement, signage, etc. Dr. Williams will follow-up.
1.2 Reports from Administration
Dr. Williams reported the biggest
issue we are facing over the next year is the budget. The State budget will not meet the
expectations. It is most likely we will
face proration some time in this year and another significant cut in the State
budget this year. There are three things
we can do. We can encourage everyone to
vote for Amendment 1. This is a
temporary measure and it will have to be paid back.
Dr. Karbhari reported that since much of our income deals with students it is recruitment and retention of students that is key. Although Rick does a good job it is faculty and staff that bring students and keep them. An opportunity being considered is that if we manage to increase students by a certain % then it will mean more faculty lines. If we retain students we gain faculty lines. We are looking at innovative ways to get faculty involved. Before the next open house we will be talking to all deans to ask them to get more involved and will likely talk to faculty to be there and answer questions and interact with parents. We hope through the Executive Committee and Faculty Senate we will get the message across to be involved. Also be involved later in orientation.
There was a request for an explanation of faculty being involved in a phonathon with student recruiting. There are specific days for a phone-a-thon where faculty call students who could be admitted or those who have expressed interest and sometimes have questions that faculty can answer. Often Rick’s staff cannot answer the questions. We are trying to put together days and faculty come together and talk to students and answer questions.
As we get more ideas and information Dr. Williams and Dr. Karbhari will have meetings and make announcements.
If each faculty member recruits and retains one out of state student then we gain $4M. Important to do small things but these are the big things that make a real difference. Getting them here and keeping them here. Another $860K by increasing retention by 10%. Question regarding how Distance Learning fits. Distance Learning has a different fee structure. Some courses could benefit by being on line.
Things we can do to make UAHuntsville more student friendly and show we care. You will get an email regarding students who are out to meet other requirements, to meet scholarship donors, etc. asking you to work with the students.
There were 11 proposals for the Group Hires. We are reviewing them and will come back to Deans to talk about those we feel ranked highest. There is a limited number of group hires. May be other opportunities with external funding. Will work with deans and faculty to make this happen. Dr. Karbhari wants to see the deans and faculty take ideas and move forward.
We received a large number of applications for the VPR. We will sit down with consultants in next few months and get someone soon. Economy has affected those applying. Still hope to hire by next year but may not happen.
There was a question regarding Collaboration with other units such as the Library within the System. One thing that was discussed was the online repository for all three universities. Things that hold back on that are vendors that provide the material. Look at models out there and see how it works.
There was some discussion regarding Research faculty teaching for us and the pay structure, etc. Dr. Karbhari is looking at models on this.
Dr. Radonovich distributed a copy of a draft “policy on policies” for input.
1.3 Committee Items and Chair Reports
1.3.1 Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (Gail Pritchard).
We are looking at what we need to do regarding the catalog. I met with Dr. Severn. The catalog will be mostly on line. There will be some changes in organization and layout. We will be streamlining it and making it more user friendly.
1.3.2
Personnel
(Michael Anderson).
No Report. He did check on the question of full load and the Federal Government determines full load for students.
1.3.3 Governance and Operations (Jennifer English).
No Report
1.3.4 Faculty and Student Development (Andree Reeves).
No Report.
1.3.5 Finance and Resources (John Burnett).
The Committee is waiting for REU Proposals.
1.3.6 Undergraduate Scholastic Affairs (Deborah Heikes).
The bill on an attendance policy regarding students participating in University Sanctioned Activities was discussed. Dr. Heikes will take the bill and rewrite it and bring it back to the table at the next meeting.
Dr. Heikes reported she is waiting for data from Dr. Severn on AAT to compare before and after. There was a question regarding an earlier bill to help students in academic difficulty. Dr. Gaede will ask Dr. Bell to report to the Senate on what is going on in the way of early intervention, etc.
1.3.7 The Agenda was set for the October 30, Faculty Senate Meeting.