UAH FACULTY SENATE
PRESENT:
ADSC: Schnell, Sherman
LA: Stewart, Enger, Dillard, Neff, Meister, Waring, Wilkerson, Williams, Eaton
ENG: Smith, Shen, Jarem, Gaede, Farrington, Hampton
LIB: Warren
NUR: Redmon, Hays, Williamson
SCI: Christopher, Lawton, Boyd, George, Friedman, Miller, Pakhomov, Hillman
ABSENT WITH PROXY:
LBAR: Berbrier
NUR: Cobb
SCI: Baird, Ravindran
ABSENT WITHOUT PROXY:
LBAR: Floyd, Whatley
ENGR: Toutanji, Hawk
NUR: Weed
SCI: Li, Newman
0. President Joan Williamson called the meeting to order at 12:55 p.m.
1. Draft Minutes of Meeting #425 were approved. Motion by Peggy Hays, seconded by Jack Schnell.
2. The Senate Executive Committee Report was accepted.
3. President Franz’s Report:
Dr. Franz reported on the State budget issue and the Governor’s declaration of prorationing. Dr. Franz talked about plans for handling the prorationing and ask for feedback and input from the Faculty. We are working diligently to formulate a plan quickly. There may be hiring freezes, travel freezes, and cuts or freezes to operating and maintenance spending as well as service areas. Dr. Franz reported he will know more tomorrow or Monday and will send out a memo tomorrow or Monday with more information.
4. Provost Radonovich’s Report:
Dr. Radonovich reported regarding the one report period per year. Process Period—May 15 (year) –May 14 (year+1). Example May 15, 2000 – May 14, 2001—includes Summer 2000, Fall 2000, and Spring 2001. Reports due to Academic Affairs—Faculty Activity Report (FAR) June 1, Annual Evaluations June 1, and Annual Reports July 1. March 31 is the due date in the departments. Something happening after March 31 will do in next year’s report. This will be uniform throughout campus. This is a new policy/process and will be sent to deans and department chairs. We will send out new ones as they occur. They are to be kept in a binder in the deans/department chair’s office and the Office of Academic Affairs. At the end of the year there will be a new list of policy/process to deans/department chairs. Peggy Bower will take care of this.
5. A. Senate Committee Reports:
1. Executive: Dr. Williamson reported the main objective of the Senate Executive Committee this time was to work on the Faculty Activity Report Form. The Committee will continue to work on it and bring a draft to the Senate at the next meeting.
2. Faculty and Student
Development: Dr. Smith reported the
Committee is looking at putting down a series of questions that will go to the
Senate Executive Committee. The
Executive Committee will then take it to the Senate. Items that affect Faculty and Student Development will be the
focus. Dr. Smith asked the Faculty
Senate if you know something that is a problem give the issue and the possible
solution or your idea for a solution.
Dr. Smith gave the process for student probation as one issue.
3. Finance and Resources: No Report.
4. Governance and Operations: No Report. Dr. Williams was asked to look at
whether there is a need to change the Faculty Handbook regarding the new report
period.
5. Personnel: Dr. Williamson reported that the Personnel Committee had looked at the
old FAR form and reduced it to four pages.
The Senate Executive Committee looked at it and they are working to put
it into a useful form. The next Senate
Executive Committee they will prepare it to bring to you. This is the first bill that was on the web
prior to bringing it to the floor of the Senate.
6. Undergraduate Curriculum: Dr. Neff reported the Committee met January
16 and approved the web cognate and some individual courses and course
changes. The Committee will meet
February 13, at 12:45 p.m. in MH 343.
7. Undergraduate Scholastic
Affairs: Dr. Waring reported the
Committee met in January and discussed students on probation. Some were allowed to take classes in some
form. The Committee also discussed the
Course Audit Policy bill that is on the agenda today.
B. University Committees: No Reports.
C. Officer Reports:
Parliamentarian: No Report.
Ombudsperson: No Report.
President-Elect: No Report.
President: Dr. Williamson talked briefly about the UASPAC and it’s importance.
6.
Senate Bill 286: Course Audit
Policy
Dr.
Waring introduced the bill and explained that it is a change to the Faculty
Handbook that will further explain the student/faculty requirements and
responsibilities in auditing a course.
He explained the current policy allows a student to change up through
the second week of classes. Originally
this bill extended that period to the eighth week. The Committee did not agree with this because this coincides with
the withdrawal date and the Committee felt there could be abuse of this because
a student would change to audit instead of withdrawing. The Committee recommended the fourth
week. The second issue the Committee
discussed was striking line 23 to give the faculty more flexibility. The Executive Committee put this back in to
give more direction.
There
was some discussion and an amendment to line 22 to change to “permitted to ask”
and insert “and exams” and strike line 23.
The
amendment was moved and seconded by David Stewart and Melinda Redmon. The vote in favor of the amendment was
unanimous.
The
vote on the bill was 25 for, 0 opposed, and 0 abstentions. The bill passed at second reading and is
administrative passed at third reading by President Williamson.
7. President Williamson adjourned the meeting at 2:00 p.m.