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Feb 7, 1996 Minutes



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

Guests: Mike Moore, and Sandra Akridge.

CONTENTS:

38 RESEARCH COMMITTEE (Appointment of New Chair & Member)
34 CURRICULUM COMMITTEE REPORT (MS in Aquatic Biology)
13 DEVELOPMENTAL LEAVES (Policy & Forms; Prof. Deduck-Evans)
72 PRESIDENTIAL EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING COMMITTEE
17 CoFGO--Spring Meeting
50 ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED FACULTY
65 FACULTY AMENITIES
14 PLAN PAAG AGENDA FOR 2/14/96
02 SENATE MINUTES OF 1/24/96 AND 1/31/96
NEW ITEMS

The meeting was called to order at 4:03, chair Swinney presiding.

38 RESEARCH COMMITTEE (Appointment of New Chair & Member)

The Senate voted to ask Prof. Kim Folse (Liberal Arts) to chair the
Faculty Research Committee and to invite Prof. Beverly Penn (Fine Arts) to
join the Committee to replace outgoing member Prof. Michel Conroy (Fine
Arts).

34 CURRICULUM COMMITTEE REPORT (MS in Aquatic Biology)

The Senate approved the Committee's recommendation of the name
change to an MS in Aquatic Biology.

13 DEVELOPMENTAL LEAVES (Policy & Forms; Prof. Deduck-Evans)

The Senate suggested a few minor changes and a mock-up of the form
will be returned to the agenda at the next meeting.

72 PRESIDENTIAL EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING COMMITTEE

Prof. Paul Cohen (English) will be asked to fill the vacant
position on the Committee.

17 CoFGO--Spring Meeting

This Committee of representatives from university faculty senates
around the state meets twice a year to share problems and discuss issues of
common interest. Profs. Hunter and Deduck-Evans will attend the meeting in
Austin, March 1-2, 1996.

50 ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED FACULTY

Prof. Dennis Dunn (International Education) asked the Senate's
opinion last fall regarding the forming of an association for retired
faculty, a group which could keep closer ties to the University and perhaps
be a pool of resources for teaching in Elderhostels and workshops in other
countries. The Senate agreed to ask Dr. Dunn what he learned from talking
to the current San Marcos Association of Retired Teachers (SMART) to which
many retired faculty currently belong and then to return the item to the
agenda.

65 FACULTY AMENITIES

The Staff Council is preparing a list of perks and amenities
available to staff at the University and around San Marcos, since many
people are not aware of what is available. The Senate is considering
preparing a list of what is available for faculty, e.g. what kinds of
amenities are available to those who go on modified retirement. In
addition, a list of items we would like to have which are available in
other states' school systems may be collected. A suggestion was made that
we should have a list of benefits which faculty have lost in recent years,
e.g. Social Security benefits for some, parking. Apparently two national
studies have been done in this area of benefits which need to be studied.

Tuition for children is not available under the current State
policy. Faculty have not been invited to meet with the Board of Regents,
although student government can. Perhaps these and other areas should be
examined.

Child care was mentioned a couple of times. It was pointed out
that the Child Development Center is not a day care center, per se, but a
teaching and research center. To obtain grants and funding a certain
ethnic and economic mix must be maintained, which means that not all slots
are available to children of staff and faculty.

Prof. Swinney will check the Internet to see if that yields
information on what is available elsewhere. We will keep working on this.


14 PLAN PAAG AGENDA FOR 2/14/96

Aquarena and the Fish Hatchery, senior faculty governance, the
relationship with the Regents, academic standards for athletes, and a
question and answer period will be on the agenda.

02 SENATE MINUTES OF 1/24/96 AND 1/31/96

The minutes of 1/24/96 were approved as corrected. The PAAG
minutes of 1/31/96 will be considered next week.

NEW ITEMS

(1) A table of GPA's and grade distribution percentages from
1960 to 1995 was distributed by Prof. Swinney. GPA's have gradually
increased from 2.29 in 1960 to 2.68 in 1995. It appears that: (a)
students are getting better, (b) teachers are getting better, (c) all the
above, or (d) none of the above.

(2) The draft Vision Statement prepared by EPC (Executive Planning
Committee, i.e., deans and vice presidents) was circulated. At PAAG last week,
Pres. Supple pointed out that no one was completely satisfied with the Vision
Statement and questioned whether we were wasting time producing "fluff." We
have a Strategic Plan document, but this seems difficult to boil down to a
paragraph or two.

Meeting adjourned at 5:35 p.m.

Ramona Ford
Secretary