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April 30, 1996 Minutes (PAAG)

Present:  Bible, Ford, Glassman, Horne, Hunter, Kurtz, Middlebrook,
Parkin-Speer, Pascoe, Sawey, Stedman, Swinney, Weller, and Winek. Absent:
Caverly.

Guests: Pres. Supple, VPAA Gratz, AssocVPAA Cassidy; Profs. Gene
Bourgeois (History), Susan Day (Sociology), Joan Hays (HPER), Grant Simpson
(EAPS).


CONTENTS:

SOCIAL HOUR (Welcoming the incoming Senators)
PAAG
Audit
Other items

After the social hour welcoming new Senators, the informal meeting
began at 4:54 p.m.

PAAG

Prof. Parkin-Speer presented retiring Senate Chair Swinney with the
proclamation in calligraphy accepted at the last Senate meeting. To wit:

Whereas, Ev Swinney has done an exemplary job as President of the
Faculty Senate for so many years,
Whereas, he has represented the faculty with integrity and reason,
being calm and thoughtful,
Be it resolved that the Thirty-Seventh Faculty Senate of Southwest
Texas State Unversity thank Professor Ev Swinney for his work in making the
University a place of discussion and conciliation, a better place to learn
and teach.

THE AUDIT (Guests: Pres. Supple, and VPAA Gratz)

Some of what was said was a repeat of information recorded in last
week's Senate minutes (April 24, 1996). It was reiterated that SWT would
work with the Systems Office staff, State Auditor's Office, and Board to
address each issue thoroughly, have a timeline, a definite person in charge
of each area, and procedures for oversight in place. The assistant State
auditor will be working closely with us on this.

Tapes were also made of the House Subcommittee hearings Friday,
April 19th, and each of the new allegations and innuendos will be
investigated. The Pres. said he was surprised ("shocked") at the attacks.
The Regents' attitudes seem to be, "Spell out the issues, fix it, and get
on with it."

Pres. Supple talked to Rep. Pete Gallegos (Alpine) yesterday and
asked for him to work with us. Innuendos must be put to rest. Next
Wednesday-Friday Regents' meeting here on campus will discuss the audit and
the Legislative Subcommittee meeting. There is a projected protest of
students backed by The File newspaper objecting to future student fees
supporting athletics. At $7.55 per SCH this adds up to about $90 per
student, per semester. However, the fees are said to be in the middle
range of the Division SWT is in. Presumably this begs the question of
whether athletic fees within the Division are appropriate. The Wednesday
meeting is closed because it deals with "legislative relations." The
Thursday meeting will be open to the public, with the SWT report about
11:00 a.m. Most of the Friday meetings are open.

OTHER:

Prof. Day noted that the Chairs were to be given merit. Will this
be the case for Deans? Answer: This has not been decided.

Capital monies have not been distributed to Deans. [Perhaps
$500,000.] We need to get process started earlier. The category requests,
e.g. computer, mini-grants, are due June 1st. Cash flow problems delay
equipment when other HEAF areas, e.g. Art Building, are in the offing.

What has happened to the proposed changes in the Regents' Rules?
Apparently the Coordinating Board is not going to send these forward.

Where is the 1% bonus money? It will be distributed this year to
faculty and staff after the 2.5% merit is distributed. Prof. Sawey noted
that the PPS needs to be changed to include bonuses.

One last question raised the issue over whether merit would be
calculated by rounding up or down because percentages do not fit steps.
Apparently this rounding up or down is left to the dept. chairperson.
There seemed to be general agreement that this "step versus percent"
business does not make a lot of sense.


Meeting adjourned at 5:30 p.m.


Ramona Ford
Secretary