THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA IN HUNTSVILLE

JOURNAL OF THE FACULTY SENATE

VOLUME XXV

 MINUTES OF MEETING #495, 2 APRIL, 2009

          APPROVED 30 APRIL, 2009

 

 

PRESENT:    

BA:                 Schnell, Burnett, Bao

LBAR:            J. Johnson, Harwell, Pritchard, E. Smith, Bell, Gyasi, M. Johnson, Reeves, Seemann

ENG:              Banish, Anderson, Gaede, Kulick, Coe, Gholston, Cassibry, Wessling,

Lin

LIB:                Vaughan

NUR:              Ferguson, Lawson

SCI:                Mecikalski, Bishop, Davis, Scholz, Zhang, Etzkorn, Ravindran, Wu, Miller

 

ABSENT WITH PROXY:

BA:                 Wilhite

LBAR:            J. Smith

ENG:              English

NUR:              Linsky, Showalter, O’Keefe

SCI:                Edmondson

 

ABSENT WITHOUT PROXY:

 

LBAR:            Ragsdale

SCI:                Takahashi

 

0.                  President Gaede called the meeting to order at 12:45 p.m.

1.                  Draft minutes of Meeting Number 494 were approved.   Motion by Michael Anderson seconded by Diana Bell.

2.                  Senate Executive Committee Report approved.  Motion by Gail Pritchard, seconded by Diana Bell.

3.                  President Williams’ Report.

·        Dr. Williams reported the Chancellor will be back on Friday to meet with the Executive Committee in a follow-up.

·        No progress in Montgomery on the budget.  Not any better.   We met the proration and are planning ahead-looking forward.  Making sure we meet the projections for next year. We are trying to continue communicating where we have a mode to communicate.  There is another town hall meeting at the end of April.  Providing more opportunities for dialog.  The Strategic Planning Committee reports are up on the web.  We will have more open meetings during the semester to share information in more detail.

·        Do not have number in mind for tuition increase.

·        Stimulus package is one time money and may be used to cushion tuition increase.  The package came from Washington with language regulating-mitigating tuition increase.  May be mitigated by the Governor’s office.

·        There was a question regarding cuts and Dr. Williams stated cuts are decided in units.

·        There was a questions regarding the cost of the master plan and why now.  Master plan each 5 years cost about $350,000 + expenses—mandated by the Board of Trustees.

 

4.   Dr. Karbhari’s Report.

·        Dr. Karbhari reported he has initiated a National Search for the Dean of Engineering.

·        He reported UAB is going through a similar process to us on restructuring.  We look forward to input from the Realignment Committee.  Plans are coming in for the potential budget cuts of 7%.  Not across the board cuts.  Not cutting some areas because crucial to the core.  The Deans are handing in responses.  Some are still awaited.

 

5.   Report from Ray Pinner: 

·        Ray did a presentation for the budget.  He talked about F&A and explained the differences and regulations.  We budget conservatively.  The unrestricted revenue is about $104M.  We have about $5M in utilities and then scholarship + debt + benefits are about $20M that cannot be touched.

·        Ray talked about the tuition differences between us and others in the system.  The goal is to get us closer to the 3:1 ratio between in state verses out of state.  There is a gap of $12.6M reduction.   Increasing parking to over $100 this year.  Everyone will be the same rate.  Ray asked everyone to send suggestions.

·        We received guidance on the stimulus package yesterday.  This is subject to interpretation by Montgomery.  Recurring expenses have to be cut.  We will share further information later when it is available. 

·        There was some discussion regarding uses of stimulus package monies. 

·        There was some discussion regarding bond issues and food services.

·        There is a plan to change food services and a committee has looked at it and checked into the issues.  They will get survey information.

6.         A.        Senate Committee Reports

                        1.         Faculty and Student Development

No Report.

 

 

2.                  Finance and Resources

The Committee Report was included in Ray Pinner’s report.

3.                  Governance and Operations

The Committee has a Sense of the Senate Resolution

4.                  Personnel

The Committee has a Senate of the Senate Resolution

5.                  Undergraduate Curriculum

Dr. Pritchard reported they have two more course approvals.

6.                  Undergraduate Scholastic Affairs

Dr. Heikes resigned from the Senate.

There is a bill from the Committee.

7.                  Faculty Handbook Committee

No Report

                        8.         Realignment Committee

No Report. 

 

B.         University Committees

                        No Report.                  

 

C.                 Officer Reports

1.                  President

2.                  President-Elect

3.                  Ombudsperson

 

7.                     Senate Bill 319:  P Grade in Banner

                        The bill passed unanimously.

 

8.                     Sense of the Senate Resolution regarding Promotion and Tenure

                        There was some discussion regarding t he Handbook and this being a larger issue.  The resolution was dropped for a rewrite for the next meeting.  Please send thoughts to Dr. English.

 

9.                     Sense of the Senate Resolution regarding Nurse Practitioners

                        Melinda Lawson explained the resolution.  We will hold this bill for an email vote.

 

10.                   Sense of the Senate Resolution regarding Partner Benefits

                        There is a Committee working on campus in coordination with UA and UAB.  They have put it through HR.  Dr. Wessling moved, seconded by Dr. Schnell to postpone this until later.  The vote was 11 in favor and 13 opposed.  The motion failed.

                        Dr. Wessling moved, seconded by Dr. Schnell to adjourn.  The move failed. 

                        It was requested a special meeting would be called to deal with this resolution. 

                        Dr. Schnell moved, seconded by Dr. Wessling to adjourn.

 

Diana Bell announced the new Student Success Center would hold an open House on Study Day and have a Tutoring Blitz.  Faculty were invited to help with tutoring.  If anyone is interested in volunteering they should contact Kellie Crawford at 3384.

11.       The meeting was adjourned at 2:20 p.m.