UAHUNTSVILLE FACULTY SENATE
DRAFT MINUTES OF MEETING #500
PRESENT:
BA: Gupta, Mok, Evans, Bao
LBAR: Stewart,
Rountree, Kovacs, Bollinger, Neff, Goebel, Johnson, Sanders, Reeves, Seemann,
Sitaraman
ENG: Banish,
Anderson, Gaede, Joiner, English, Milenkovic, Coe, Gholston,
LIB:
NUR: Showalter,
SCI: Boyd,
Scholz, Edmondson, Zhang, Etzkorn, Newman, Ravindran, Takahashi
ABSENT WITH PROXY:
LBAR: Heikes, Smith
ENGR: Cassibry
LIB:
NUR: Warboys
SCI: Mecikalski, Miller, Wu
ABSENT WITHOUT PROXY:
ENGR: Wessling, Lin
SCI: Bishop
Dr. Williams reported the Board of Trustees meeting occurred two weeks ago. The budget was approved. It will involve proration. There will be a memo from Ray Pinner on how to handle the proration. The Expanded Executive Committee has been working some months planning for the cuts. They have been looking at ways to handle the cuts. There will be some cuts but more growth. We have increased the credit hours by 5% coupled with tuition raise brings $1M beyond what was budgeted to help plug the hole. Further growth will help. Deans are working with Chairs putting together a plan to grow out of the proration.
The Board approved the Center Mike
Griffin is heading. Griffin will answer
any questions. Visitors O’Reilly, former
President of India, General Cartwright.
Governor on campus . Visitors are
coming to see
Request: Tell us about the outside committee. The Provost will address that. Deans attended meeting where this was discussed. The System and the President are paying for this review.
2. Provost’s Report:
Dr. Karbhari reported the MSIAS was approved—this is an interdisciplinary degree and is being sent to ACHE. Formed a unique partnership with UAB where we will have independent masters and they will have an independent masters and we will collaborate where faculty feel it is beneficial. Building on expertise in areas.
Some might be involved in podcasts this fall. It is successful and faculty like it. We will be setting a meeting and talk about advantages and disadvantages and make it available for other faculty. The system is very simple. Use it as supplemental material and students like it.
The outside committee is made of 6
members headed by Robert Furgason. Information
about Dr. Furgason. Members from each
specialty area of each college. Talked
about who individuals are and where they are from. Highly experienced set of people coming. Have been meeting with Deans and deans
meeting with chairs and faculty to put together plan and give background, where
want to go and how to get there. Benchmarking
done and done by each college; because different for each college. Due October 22 week to send to review
committee so can look at before here on November 2nd and 3rd
and then will listen to each college give presentation. Short time frame—need review and been working
strategic plan for while and look at where we are and where will be –gives
snapshot. Let experts come and tell us
how they view what we are planning and doing.
Ask deans to put together plan specific to their own college. We have talked about examples but college put
together for their own area. Open to
each college to put together what it feels best for its own college. Allowing college to move forward on how they
feel and what they believe to be the best.
Metrics can be different from college to college. Charge of Committee to review what we are
doing and what we plan to do and if we are going in the right direction. Focused on Academic Affairs. Hoping we make plan and they comment back to
us on whether what we are doing is on target.
Go to larger area and tell us how we should be doing. We are sending report to them. We do benchmarking. Asked each dean to come up with benchmarks
for their college—best to judge their own college.
Question: If Committee recommended merge what would you
do? Response: Would have to take a look
at it and see where to go from there.
Cuts have been talked about with Deans.
Question: Are you willing to say who will involve and how will handle? Would talk to faculty in specific area. Comment: Realignment Committee
outlined—should study and become familiar as starting point. Question:
What is the cost for this? Response:–cost of flights here and overnight
stay. Few thousand dollars. Committee put together in summer. Comment: Seems have not given Deans very much
time to put together best report. Some
don’t have data. Response: Not quite
true.
Resolutions—response received 4 and reported on what did on each one. Reply sent back to Senate. Partner Benefits studying and hoping for response.
President intends to provide detailed response to Letter by October 6.
3. Senate Bill 325: Input and Report on Parking. Motion to bring to floor by Dr. Gupta, seconded by Dr. English
Dr. Gupta, seconded by Dr. Seemann called the question 30 in favor, 3 against, 1 abstain, passed on third reading
4. Moved to approve minutes by Dr. English seconded by Dr. Reeves; minutes approved
Dr. Gaede moved seconded by Dr. Rountree to accept the Executive Committee minutes.
5. Committee Reports:
A. Dr.
Seemann reported the Finance and Resources Committee met and funded 7 proposals
for Distinguished Speaker Series. The
Committee talked about the REU program and will look more detailed at the budget
and plans to use the committee to degree of rumor control. Create gateway to
address concerns. Control stories and
lead to answer right questions. Number
of items gong to fall on agenda. Meet
with Ray. Marble company used.
C. Dr. Coe reported the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee approved the first aid for first responders.
D. Dr. Reeves reported the Faculty and Student Development Committee will meet.
E. Jennifer English reported that Dr. Miller is going to schedule a meeting for Governance and Operations The main goal is to rewrite or revise bylaws for the Faculty Senate. Will get survey about bylaws. How many senators from each college or department. Serve as tool to start. Get input to see what faculty want. If you have items want to change get with Rich or Jennifer or member of Committee.
F. Jennifer English reported the Handbook Committee is on completing the revision to the Handbook.
G. Dr. Newman reported Undergraduate Scholastic Affairs met 2 or 3 weeks ago. Residency policy and centralized scheduling. Residency policy no one wants to take credit and talk about it.
6. Dr. English moved seconded by Dr. Seemann to approve Senate Bill 326: Accounting for Senate Bills and Resolutions. The Bill empowers the Senate to take over responsibility. Some thought the resolution was not needed. Some thought if going to pass the resolution it should include a list of what was sent. Dr. Gupta moved to amend. There was no second.
Vote: 32 in favor and 2 opposed. Passed at second reading
Dr. Newman, seconded by Dr. English moved to 3rd reading.
Dr. English seconded by Dr. Rountree called the question.
32 in favor and 2 opposed. Passed 3rd reading
7. Senate Bill 327: Scholastic Effect of Residency Policy and Housing Plans and Procedures:
Dr. English moved, seconded by Dr. Gholson to move the bill to the floor
Dr. Newman talked about statistics of how many came from inside 30 mile radius. With such data policy of residency should be looked into. Housing Director doesn’t think in purview and this gives Committee power to look into. Called Director of housing and said not his policy but President’s policy—Provost said could not table because John reports to Ray Pinner. Likely to be devastating to enrollment. Dr. English seconded by Dr. Seemann called the question
Vote: 32 in favor, 1 opposed and 1 abstention
Dr. Newman seconded by Dr. Banish moved to 3rd reading
Dr. Gaede seconded by Dr. English called the question
Vote: 33 in favor and 1 opposed.
8. Dr. English seconded by Dr. Banish moved to adjourn.