Report from
1.
Meeting of
Present: Letha
Etzkorn, Linda Vaughn, Richard Miller, Deborah Heikes, Michael Anderson, Tim
Newman, Gail Pritchard,
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The meeting was called to order at
Ø President Gaede reported that there is a case coming forward to the Faculty Appeals Committee. As President, her responsibility is to get them together to elect a chair.
Ø Dr. Williams Report
Ø He thanked Tim Newman for the Restructuring Committee Report and will meet with the committee as soon as possible to discuss it. He also thanked everyone for their efforts at graduation.
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UAHuntsville was part of the Green City Summit
held Monday in
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The NCAA Super Regional Softball Tournament will
be held on the UAHuntsville campus on Friday and Saturday at
Ø Provost Karbhari’s Report
Ø He thanked Tim Newman and the Restructuring Committee for their report, and for laying out the pros and cons. He would like to meet with the committee as soon as possible to begin to chart a course forward.
Ø Dr. Gaede asked Dr. Williams about the status of the town hall meetings that were cancelled because of the swine flu outbreak. He reported that he is working with a group to make the meetings better than before in the spirit of improved communication. They are developing a more structured process.
Ø Dr. Williams asked for input on the best time to hold the meetings. Should they be held over the summer or wait until fall?
Ø Dr. Seemann explained the changes to the meeting. They will set up the framework and it will go to the faculty senate, Dr. Gaede and Dr. Karbhari. It will be a transparent document of what is said at the meetings and will be up on the web almost immediately.
Ø Dr. Karbhari said this new procedure will benefit everyone.
Ø Dr. Gaede reported that she felt like the meetings with the community leaders were very beneficial. Dr. Reeves wondered if there is a way to disseminate the notes from those meetings. Dr. Etzkorn will share hers.
Ø Ms. Lawson asked that the executive committee investigate how to develop a central place to post information for the committee and for the senate. One possibility could be Angel. Dr. Gaede brought up the question that if this is developed, should the committee send the bills to all faculty?
Ø Ms. Vaughan reported that the Handbook Committee is moving along well. There may need to be a few more changes. They want to set it up online and make it easy to search, change and update. She has student interns helping over the summer and asked if there is a way to pay them. Dr. Karbhari said yes, there will be a way to pay them.
Ø Dr. Gaede reported that she had been looking at appendices and they will need updating as well. Ms. Vaughan said that the committee will work on those very soon.
Ø Dr. Williams, Dr. Karbhari and Dr. Radonovich left.
Ø Review of Bill from Realignment Committee (see attached)
Ø Dr. Newman reported that this bill is a product of the committee for faculty to be involved in any kind of realignment.
Ø Dr. Gaede suggested that the Executive Committee look at changing the by-laws to have a secretary elected from the senate to keep the minutes. Discussion followed about the best way to change the by-laws. They are an appendix in the handbook, but should the changes be handled by the Handbook Committee or rather an ad hoc committee. Dr. English and Ms. Vaughan will discuss further and find the proper way to amend the by-laws.
Ø Dr. Gaede asked about the first paragraph, what is the definition of “academic units?” There is nothing in there that refers to “school”. Are there other kinds of units that might apply?
Ø Dr. Heikes reported that the committee might add “for example.”
Ø What about changes in graduate school? What if it is eliminated? How will curriculum changes be handled. There should be something in the bill.
Ø Dr. Gaede questioned section 1.2 – “collegiate faculty.” Should this be changed to faculty of college, college faculty, affected faculty? Discussion followed and it was decided to leave as is.
Ø There are worries about “school” or other types of departments.
Ø Section 1.7 – proposals can come from anywhere. Should faculty be included in preparation? What about Centers? There are some that are not academic. How will they be affected in realignment.
Ø It was suggested that the terminology should include all. However, further discussion led to the possibility of amending the bill at a later date when more is known. Right now, there is no way to imagine different possibilities.
Ø Many faculty in centers would not be affected at all by academic realignment.
Ø Integration of research and academic units will need to be revisited, but not in the context of this bill at this time.
Ø 1.8 and 1.10 – Remove “below.”
Ø 1.10 – Change to “the realignment process.”
Ø 2.3.3 – add “of” between review and both.
Ø 2.3.5 – change “with” to “by.”
Ø 2.4 – Remove “s” from forwards.
Ø 2.4 – remove “above” from “criteria identified in 2.3 above.”
Ø 2.2 – definition of faculty – discussion about who are defined. It was determined that those who can vote for faculty senate are considered faculty in this section. It was suggested that for voting that an anonymous ballot be used.
Ø 2.5 – what about Graduate council? Right now, this is in the constitution as it is today. A possibility would be to use “such as” and then list.
Ø Call to vote
Ø All in favor as amended - unanimous.
Ø How does the Executive council get the Realignment memo out to the faculty? Dr. Gaede volunteered.
Ø Dr. Etzkorn moved that the report be sent out as it is now.
Ø Dr. Reeves seconded.
Ø Discussion – It is ok to send it out because feedback will not change this report. If there are material mistakes they will have to be fixed.
Ø Call to question. Vote was unanimous to send out as it is.
Ø Dr. Gaede discussed setting up a list serve for faculty, faculty senate and faculty executive committee. Only the Secretary, President and President Elect will have access to the listserves.
Ø Discussion about the Realignment Reports suggestion of holding off until 2010. What will happen to the report now? The Provost said nothing will happen until after the fall.
Ø Discussion of developing a sense of the senate resolution stating that the faculty senate is in agreement with the Realignment Committee Report that no realignment should take place until Fall 2010. Government and Operations committee should draft the resolution and bring it to the senate on Thursday.
Ø When the senate changes the by laws, it was suggested that they include emergency voting procedures
Ø Dr. Heikes made a motion that the Government and Operations committee will create a sense of the senate resolution saying that the Faculty Senate agrees with the Realignment Committee Report that no realignment should take place until Fall 2010.
Ø Dr. English made a motion to adjourn. Seconded, unanimous.
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Meeting was adjourned at