APPROVED OCTOBER 23, 2003

PRESENT:

ADSC: Bryson

LBAR: Givens, Early, Martin, Wilkerson, Reeves, Brunsma

ENG: Leonard, Gaede, Pollock, Tippett, Karr, Frendi

LIB: Moore

NUR: Lawson, Williamson, Newman, Warren

SCI: Leahy, Amin, Newman, Ravindran, Hillman, Pakhomov

ABSENT WITH PROXY:

LBAR: Bollinger, Enger

ENGR: Kulick

SCI: Friedman

ABSENT WITHOUT PROXY:

ADSC: Pendley, Wren

LBAR: Stewart, Meister, Wray, Neuschatz

ENGR: Smith

SCI: Christopher, Ng, George

0. President Lloyd Hillman called the meeting to order at 12:50 p.m.

1. Draft Minutes of Meeting Number 452 were approved. Motion by Mrs. Lawson, seconded by Mr. Pollock.

2. Senate Executive Committee Reports accepted.

3. President Franz’s Report.

Dr. Franz reported we have not made public the information regarding the cuts because the Legislature is still in session and we need to know what will happen there before taking any other actions. This is also the reason for the interim budget passed by the Board last week. Dr. Franz stated we have experienced a real cut of about $1Million dollars because we are not having to pay for the retirees through our own budget and not through anything transferred in. The Governors proposed budget has passed both the House and Senate. The other campuses are more affected by line item cuts. We saw a major cut in the supercomputer line item. Over all education was protected both K-12 and Higher Education. As far as next year there was a great deal of one time money used to balance the budget this year and that money will not be there next year. The hope is they will do something that will bring more revenue.

Dr. Franz stated he is still dedicated to do something about salaries although it will not be much.

4. Dr. Radonovich’s Report.

Dr. Radonovich was not present.

5. A. Senate Committee Reports:

1. Executive: The report was distributed with the minutes. The report was approved.

2. Faculty and Student Development: Melinda Lawson distributed a form that was originally attached to a bill last year that is back with the Committee for more work. The form is needed for reporting purposes and does not have to be attached to the bill. The Committee made a modification to the form to detach it from the bill and presents it today for the endorsement of the Faculty Senate. There was a question of whether the form complies with the Student Code of Conduct with the block added at the top to include the Chair and Dean in the process. Melinda reiterated this form is for reporting purposes. She stated Toni Morgan was at the meeting. Dr. Reeves moved, seconded by Dr. Gaede that the Senate endorse the form for reporting purposes. The vote was unanimous to endorse the form and request it be put on line for use by faculty.

3. Finance and Resources: Dr. Hillman asked the Committee Members to stay after the Faculty Senate meeting to elect a Chair for the Committee so they can begin work..

4. Governance and Operations: Dr. Williamson reported the Committee will meet on October 9 at 12:30 p.m. in the Nursing Building to look at various issues. One thing they will look at is the possibility of a State Advocacy Committee.

5. Personnel: Dr. Wren was not present but a Committee Member reported the Committee will meet October 9 to discuss issues that have been presented to them.

6. Undergraduate Curriculum: Dr. Gaede reported the Committee will meet October 9.

7. Undergraduate Scholastic Affairs: Dr. Reeves reported the Committee met and had a lengthy discussion regarding calculators and their use in various classrooms. The Senate Executive Committee discussed this and decided it was an issue better dealt with in the Colleges of Science and Engineering since they are the colleges primarily affected by this. The Committee will gather data regarding the NC grades. One suggestion the Committee has received is to have course strikes instead of NC and Course Repeat. They Committee will also investigate the possibility of a policy for missing classes for university functions. Dr. Reeves invited any ideas or comments regarding these issues.

B. University Committees: No Report.

C. Officer Reports:

Parliamentarian: No Report.

Ombudsperson: No Report.

President-Elect: No Report.

President: Dr. Hillman reported he attended the Board of Trustees meeting. The Board passed an interim budget. The most contingent parts of the meeting had to do with sports. The meeting was interesting. Dr. Hillman reported he was able to meet Board Members who agreed to help any way they could. He reported this also gave an opportunity for him to talk with sister campus Senate Presidents and Student Government Presidents. They will visit each campus and work together as a team on various issues. The Board approved the Shelby Building except they were not happy that the Architect is not an Alabama Company.

Past President: No Report.

6. Information from Ray Pinner

Ray Pinner was present to share information regarding the budget. He reported the Board approved last Friday a contingency budget for the University. This means we are at the same level we are at this year. We just continue as we are until the Legislature passes a budget then the Board will meet again to approve the budget for 2003/04. We are currently operating on a carry forward basis. We have planned based on the original cut the Governor proposed with the 6.2% cut. We were prepared to go to the Board with that budget handling the cuts with a tuition increase and enrollment growth over the past few years. We reallocated internally and avoided reductions and cuts to the accounts. The cuts were about $2.5Million. The House and Senate have passed a similar version of the budget. They will do something today or tomorrow and we can probably expect something for the Governor to sign by October 3. Mr. Pinner reported some of the information in the media has been misleading. Some of the stories make it look like we have a slight increase over last year. Some items have been shifted that make it look that way but in reality we have less. The PHIP is shifted to the university and this is about $750,000. They cut the supercomputer which is about $200-400,000. They also shifted the ATTNET which is $55,000. They also increased the employer contribution to Teacher’s Retirement and this cost about $500,000. We are funding additional health insurance at about $300,000 and the Liability Insurance for the University has gone up. This is being handled through a System pool. It is going up about 20-30%. This is a slice of $1.5-2Million.

There was a question regarding how things look for next year. Mr. Pinner stated we may have more problems because the State is using one time monies to prop the budget this year. We need to find ways to increase the revenue for the State.

There was a suggestion to publicize the budget and the effects of the cuts, etc. Mr. Pinner stated that is a good idea and they will work on doing that once the budget are finalized and passed.

7. President Hillman adjourned the meeting at 1:40 p.m.