UAH FACULTY SENATE
DRAFT MINUTES OF MEETING #416
3 FEBRUARY, 2000
PRESENT:
ADSC: Sherman, Floyd, Schnell
LA: Enger, Neff, Meister, Hanks, Wilkerson, Williams, Bliss, Sitaraman
ENG: Hayes, Leonard, Shen, Boykin, Jarem, Swain, Landrum, Hawk
LIB: Warren
NUR: Brookman, Hays, Williamson, Cobb, Susan Myer (Guest)
SCI: Christopher, George, Li, Richards, Kunin, Miller, Comfort
ABSENT WITH PROXY:
NUR: Warren
SCI: Baird
ABSENT WITHOUT PROXY:
LBAR: Dasher, Schenker, Waring, Whatley
ENGR: Abushagur
SCI: Lawton, Garstka, Zhang, Hillman
0. President Hanks called the meeting to order at 12:40 p.m.
1. Draft Minutes of Meeting #414 were approved with one minor correction to paragraph 6—changing "that" to "than". Motion by Hugh Comfort, seconded by James Miller.
3. A. Senate Committee Reports:
1. Executive: The Senate Executive Committee met twice and both reports were included with the information packet to all Senators.
2. Faculty and Student Development: No Report
3. Finance and Resources: Dr. Shen reported the Committee met and discussed the distance learning issues. Dr. Jarem will have more information at a later time.
4. Governance and Operations: No Report.
5. Personnel: Dr. Sherman reported the Committee met and discussed the Faculty Database. They are working on recommendations.
via email approving changes to Music 106 and including Psychology 201 as part of the general education requirements. Dr. Richards requested the faculty push their departments to get any work in to the Committee as soon as possible.
7. Undergraduate Scholastic Affairs: Dr. Bliss reported the Committee met and talked about the two bills that are on the agenda today. They also developed a list of issues for departments to consider regarding the NC grade option.
B. University Committees: No Reports
Parliamentarian: No Report.
Ombudsperson: No Report.
President-Elect: No Report.
President: No Report.
4. President Franz Report:
Dr. Franz was not present to give a report.
5. Provost McManus Report:
Dr. McManus reported that he took the University Committee Listings to the VPs as a result of the concern expressed by the Faculty Senate regarding these Committees. They were reviewed at the VP level and some changes were recommended. There were some mergers recommended and we are trying to get some of the Committees to meet and some are meeting. Dr. McManus reported he will get the new information to the Senate soon.
Dr. McManus reported we are printing a revised version of the Faculty Handbook with all the approved revisions included. We have used all the printed copies of the former version we have and we need to print more, therefore we will include the revisions in the reprint.
Legislative Items: The Governor presented his budget with what we asked for which amounts to about 5.03% for us. We have already committed to devote any budget increase to faculty and staff salary increases. He also included line items that were in last year at about 80% of last year’s funding for those items. Dr. McManus encouraged the faculty to listen to Gary Smith and to respond when needed.
Dr. McManus talked about a bond issue that was proposed last year and our part in that if it should happen this year.
Dr. McManus talked about Performance Based Funding and performance indicators, topics that have been discussed in the Legislature. Dr. McManus talked about the kind of indicators that might work for us and those that would not work well for us, as well as the things that are still high priority items for concern and consideration (graduation rates, success rates, retention rates and diversity).
Dr. Bliss moved the bill to the floor and introduced it. He gave some explanation of the course repeat policy and the mechanisms for preventing unlimited course repeats and the likelihood of students using the NC option repeats against the course repeat option. The motion to move the bill to the floor for discussion was seconded by John Jarem. Some discussion ensued regarding the repercussions of limiting the options to take the NC option more than twice. Friendly amendments were offered to change the wording after "course"in line 18 to "again". Another rewording was offered to include " offering the course"in line 18 after "department". (This last amendment should have been included in the original version distributed today per Dr. Bliss. The Committee has already made this change). The vote regarding this bill was 26 in favor and 2 opposed with 0 abstentions. The bill passes at second reading and will be on the agenda at third reading for the next Senate Meeting.
Dr. Bliss moved this bill to the floor and introduced it. He gave some explanation regarding the excessive number of Fs given and many of those being for non-attendance or non-performance. A large number of students do not officially withdraw. This causes UAH to have an excessive failure rate. UAH is paying the price for this excessive failure rate. Dr. Bliss pointed out that the Committee discussed other options. Dr. Wilkerson seconded the motion to move this bill to the floor. There was some discussion regarding the need for the policy and this policy in relation to the "I" and other alternatives. There was some discussion regarding the responsibility aspect and the repercussions of such a policy. The withdrawal at midterm by the administration option was discussed. The vote regarding this bill was 20 in favor and 8 opposed with no abstentions. The bill passes at second reading and will be on the agenda at third reading at the next Senate Meeting.
Dr. Hanks introduced and explained this Sense of the Senate Resolution. The resolution was moved to the floor for discussion by John Warren and seconded by Joan Williamson. Some discussion and questions ensued. The vote regarding the resolution was unanimous; therefore, it passed and will be forwarded to the Provost.
Dr. Hanks reminded the Senate that February 29 is Higher Education Day in Montgomery and anyone interested should contact him to coordinate.