UAHuntsville FACULTY SENATE

DRAFT MINUTES OF MEETING #492

15 JANUARY, 2009

 

 

PRESENT:    

BA:                 Schnell, Burnett, Bao

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

ENG:              Banish, English, Kulick, Gholston, Cassibry, Coe, Wessling, Lin

LIB:                Vaughan

NUR:              Lawson, Showalter, Ferguson, O’Keefe,

SCI:                Bishop,  Davis, Edmondson, Zhang, Etzkorn, Ravindran, Miller, Takahashi

 

ABSENT WITH PROXY:

BA:                 Wilhite

LBAR:            J. Smith

NUR:              Linsky

SCI:                Scholz

 

ABSENT WITHOUT PROXY:

LBAR:            Ragsdale

ENG:              Anderson

SCI:                Mecikalski, Wu

 

0.                  President-Elect Etzkorn called the meeting to order at 12:46 p.m.

1.                  Draft minutes of Meeting Number 491 were approved.  Motion by Bell, seconded by English.

2.                  Senate Executive Committee Report approved. 

3.                  President Williams’ Report.

Dr.  Williams was not present.

4.                  Dr. Karbhari’s Report.

·        Dr. Karbhari reported that enrollments are up 3-4%, credit hours are up 5.9%.  Hope next year’s enrollment will go up as well.  We have established a Committee to look at Distance Learning.  Karen Clanton and Dawn Utley will co-Chair the Committee.   The Committee will look at academic issues, concerns, and how to go forward.  We will seek representation from the Senate.  We need to look at concerns and how we address those on our campus. There are a series of presentations taking place each Friday.  The one last Friday was individuals from Nursing and the one this Friday will be the in TH and is the VP from Georgia Tech.

·        Dr. Karbhari reported MAE is undergoing a Title IX review right now and they are doing very well.  Recommendations will come from this that will help us all.  We were picked by NASA because of our proximity to NASA here.

6.         A.        Senate Committee Reports

                        1.         Faculty and Student Development

Dr. Reeves reported the Committee met on Thursday.

2.                  Finance and Resources

No Report.

3.                  Governance and Operations

No report.

4.                  Personnel

Dr. Bell reported the Committee is looking into extending benefits to partners.  There is a meeting in January 2009 with HR and the Senate is on the agenda.  Anything attached to state funds cannot be extended because of the Alabama law.  Athletic events and the Library.  We are working on the Fitness and Tuition Assistance.

5.                  Undergraduate Curriculum

The Committee recommended approval of 3 new courses.

6.                  Undergraduate Scholastic Affairs

No Report.

7.                  Faculty Handbook Committee

No Report.

 

B.         University Committees

                       

 

C.                 Officer Reports

1.                  President

Dr. Gaede is holding organized forums for faculty opinions, ideas, etc. The first one is next week.  They will be held in different places on campus and at different times.

2.                  President-Elect

3.                  Ombudsperson

 

7.                     Senate Bill 312:  Amendment to Student Attendance Policy (Third Reading):  Dr. Wessling proposed an amendment to line 36 “before the first week of classes the Office of the Provost…”  After discussion the amendment failed 11 in favor and 13 opposed.

                        The bill passed at third reading

 

21 in favor; 8 opposed.

 

8.                     Senate Bill 313:  Academic Action Threshold Revision (Third Reading):  The bill was corrected to read 1.9 for Freshmen and 2.0 for others.

 

9.                     Sam Parks distributed information about Higher Education Day and announced they will have 3 buses to go to Montgomery and all faculty to go with them.  The cuts are devastating to Higher Education.  Sam talked about the difficulty in getting students to go and asked that faculty please excuse students to attend.  He asked that anyone email him with questions or wanting more information at parks@uah.edu.

 

10.                   Sander Patterson talked about Admissions.  There are improvements.  The retention is good.  Graduate enrollments are down.  The undergraduate enrollments are up.  Faculty have helped.  Sandra has strategic plan handouts f or those interested.  We have outlined what faculty can do in recruiting students. It is vital to assist each other in recruiting.  There comes a point where recruiters have done their job and it is up to the faculty at that point.  Connect with students and communicate enthusiasm.  A list goes to Deans each week and should be sent to the Faculty.  The Deans are not sending it to the faculty.  

                        Sandra reported the CRN software is getting up and running.  Help put information in and extract information out. 

                        Faculty have helped with phonathons and they have been successful.  If you are interested in helping contact Sandra’s office.  You can  help with phonathons, chat rooms, faculty chat night, open house programs, and visit days.  Sandra requested that suggestions be sent to her.

                        Sandra talked about purchasing lists but the lists are not perfect and she needs all to refer students to her office.  The lists have flaws.  If the student marks and major and it happens to be a major we do not have they will not show up on our lists.

                        They are doing high school visits and community college visits.
Communicate what you do and events, etc. to Sandra.

                        You can go to College Fairs.  You can allow students to visit class.  Send a list to Sandra if you are interested.

9.         The meeting was adjourned at 1:50 p.m.