UAH FACULTY SENATE

DRAFT MINUTES OF MEETING #489

25 SEPTEMBER, 2008

PRESENT:

BA: Schnell, Burnett, Bao

LBAR: Johnson, Harwell, Pritchard, Bell, Gyasi, Johnson, Heikes, Reeves,

J. Smith

ENGR: Anderson, Gaede, Gholston, Cassibry, Wessling

NUR: Lawson, O’Keefe, Showalter, Ferguson

SCI: Bishop, Scholz, Zhang, Etzkorn, Ravindran

ABSENT WITH PROXY:

BA: Wilhite

LBAR: E. Smith, E. Seemann

ENGR: Kulick

LIB: Vaughan

NUR: Linsky

SCI: Boyd, Edmondson

ABSENT WITHOUT PROXY:

LBAR: Ragsdale

ENGR: Banish, English, Coe, Lin

SCI: Mecikalski, Davis, Wu, Miller, Takahashi

0. Senate President Rhonda Gaede called the meeting to order at12:47 p.m.

1. Draft Minutes of Meeting Number 488 were approved. Motion by Lawson, seconded by Schnell

2. Senate Executive Committee Report accepted. Motion by Lawson seconded by Reeves.

3. President Williams’ Report.

Dr. Williams was not present.

4. Dr. Karbhari’s Report.

Faculty Senate is an important part of the University. It is essential to the function of the University. Thank you for taking time to take part in the governance of the university. We are doing well in spite of budget cuts. A consulting company did a review of the IT segment and made recommendations. We have put together a committee and will look at the result and give recommendations. As we move forward we want to have proper input from faculty. We need to keep doing a good job and stay focused. We will make Committee memberships known to faculty. We are working on resolving ANGEL issues. We will eliminate the use of SS#s. It is a two stage process. We will move quickly.

Dr. Radonovich reported ACHE last Friday approved the extension of the post implementation of CE PHD. We promised 4 PHDs per year and we have been doing 2. We will start measuring next year. Try to produce 4 between us and UAB for the next 4 years. Missy Smith new commissioner from Huntsville. Will visit campus in October. Interested in Distance Learning. Have begun work on P&T guidelines plan to include in the Faculty Handbook when it is done. Have hard copy for Linda Vaughan in hand and will have electronic version soon and will forward to Linda.

5. A. Senate Committee Reports:

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

2. Faculty and Student Development: No Report.

4. Governance and Operations: No Report.

5. Personnel: No report. FAR college specific item.

6. Undergraduate Curriculum: one course in music for approval.

Discussion of pass fail grade and should we have universal policy. Should be unit specific and faculty determines pass/fail. Not consensus for work on it.

7. Undergraduate Scholastic Affairs: No Report

8. Finance and Resources: Dr. Burnett reported that in the fall the Committee solicits proposals for the REU program. The Provost increased the budget and can give more awards this time. The Committee went to the symposium and requested an increase based on the result. Bernhard Vogler runs the program. Write proposals and submit.

9. Faculty Handbook Committee: Dr. Reeves reported the Committee met and she read the report.

B. University Committees: Commencement Committee met yesterday. Discussed fall services Friday night large event 2 events Saturday for college specific. Hope faculty will participate in as many activities as possible. Spring May 8 and 9. Dr. Severn will be Marshall and we are working on more protocol and Mace Bearer is a faculty activity not a student activity until changed.

C. Graduate Council-question about course repeat for grad students. Should not be extended to grad students. Graduate Council will be asked to consider.

Officer Reports:

Parliamentarian: No Report.

Ombudsperson: No Report.

President-Elect: No Report.

President:

6. Brent Wren and Jim Harris-- Distributed Athletic Handbook. Jim Harris—appreciates faculty here and those who assist in student athletes. 16 varsity sports 8 men’s and 8 women’s 223 athletes. Many awards and recognitions reported. Committed to true academic athletes. Committed to selling UAH to all prospective students. Athletics window to see caliber of students. Students Athletes good ambassadors everywhere. Page 7 of the handbook has the rule on attendance. Only time student athletes permitted to ask to miss class when attending varsity contest. Not allowed to ask otherwise. Faculty notified and asked to excuse for competition. Asked for your assistance to write policy to cover all students missing for competition. Should be allowed to make up work, make up tests, etc. Students should not have to choose between attending class and attending function. NCAA policy on attendance. Part of strategic plan to hire person to advise student athletes. Have to play based on schedule given. Try hard not to schedule weekday. NCAA requirements, Gulf South Conference and student policy put serious restrictions on student athletes. Key word university business and all students. University business defined by Provost Office. Questions and discussions. Some discussion regarding lab courses and team projects. Have to discover problems early and work out solution. We are one of few in NCAA conference that do not have policy and only one in Gulf South Conference that does not. Concern expressed for pressure on Athletes from coaches. Communicate so coaches can be dealt with. Suggested meeting coaches. Brent wants to know issues—communicate and problems will be solved.

7. Student killed on campus on bike. No policies on bikes on campus.

8. Sent results on faculty survey. Many comments pertinent to Handbook and Committee will take and incorporate. Some other issues should address. Would like to know. Banner issues—make it work for us and not us for it.

9. UAHuntsville License Plates and parking fees. President asked Mike to work on and rework. They are working on it. Designated faculty parking. Tiered or zoned parking system. Plan—larger rooms for activities and place for commencement, etc. Student Center needed.

10. English and Reeves move to adjourn.