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Nov 8, 1995 Minutes

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

Guests: Prof. Dennis Dunn (History, International Studies); Mike Moore,
and Sandra Akridge.

CONTENTS:

56 CWIS TASKFORCE DRAFT (Prof. Sawey)
50 ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED FACULTY (Dunn Letter)
58 NASA GRANT (Rose Letter)
53 OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT
62 TENURE AND PROMOTION POLICY (Conroy Letter)
63 NEW BOARD OF REGENT'S RULE ON PROMOTION
64 MACE BEARER PRACTICE
15 UNIVERSITY COUNCIL (The Quorum Problem)
02 SENATE MINUTES OF 11/1/95
NEW ITEMS

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

56 CWIS TASKFORCE DRAFT (Prof. Sawey)

After discussion of the policy draft for the Campus Wide
Information System (CWIS) which provides electronic access for students,
staff, and faculty, the following motions were passed:

(1) Because the CWIS Committee which is to be established will be
an appeals body for all campus users, it should have broad-based representation
of faculty, staff and students.

(2) A statement of the "individual's responsibility" should,
perhaps, be included in the guidelines because the courts have declared that
the First Amendment on free speech does not include saying absolutely anything.
In addition to the well known areas of libel, defamation of character, not
using e-mail to contact legislators, etc., there are even broader--but
murky--areas under which individuals might be sued.

In addition, Mr. Moore pointed out that students were having
difficulties getting a personal "home page." [Answer: The University is
working on getting a "server" for all. Technically, students can put their
home pages on the SWT general menu, but apparently there is a current lack
of space or something which is possibly denying this opportunity.]

Also, can faculty use e-mail without costing the University?
[Answer: Yes, because we pay a flat fee for infrastructure.]


50 ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED FACULTY (Dunn Letter)

Prof. Dunn received a request from a national association regarding
whether our association of retired faculty would like to apply for paid
trips abroad to participate in workshops/networking. SWT does not have an
official organization for retired faculty. Questions: Were retired faculty
asked about their interest? Had the local Retired Teachers Association
(which includes SWT and local public school retirees) been contacted
regarding an SWT sponsorship on a possible broader connection? How are
other retired faculty organizations set-up? Would not the Alumni House be
the place to house the organization?

The Senate passed a motion to investigate the possibilities of
establishing such an organization and that it be placed on the next PAAG agenda
for discussion. Meanwhile, we will try to find out more about the opinions of
the retired faculty and the local retired teachers group.


58 NASA GRANT (Rose Letter)

Prof. Francis Rose, Biology, questioned the objectivity of the Senate
in handling the Tarsitano Letter in last week's minutes. In the NASA case, as
in others, we recognized that we hear only one side of a complaint, although
the published agenda should attract interested parties to appear. Our meetings
are open to all students, faculty, and staff who wish to attend and speak. The
Senate made no attempt to investigate the facts in this matter because our only
action was to recommend that it be adjudicated under the University's grievance
policy. See Minutes of 11/1 below.


53 OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT

This is already in the Regents Rules. Is University action
necessary? (See last week's minutes.) RTA'd for re-reading handout on
Regents Rules.


62 TENURE AND PROMOTION POLICY (Conroy Letter)

The vita template in the University policy procedures has been
questioned. Is the detail requested necessary for tenure and promotion?
It was pointed out that one would not want to distribute such a vita
outside the University. Also, what specific things should one include in
one's box(es) of T&P materials? The Senate referred these questions to our
Tenure, Promotion, and Compendation Committee for examination and
recommendations next spring.


63 NEW BOARD OF REGENT'S RULE ON PROMOTION

The Board of Regent's rules now appear to prohibit giving reasons for
non-promotion, while previously only the nontenured were excluded from
receiving reasons. The concern is that those who are tenured but not
promoted need feedback on what to do to gain promotion. This rule would also
supersede the provision in the University's Grievance Policy which lists
promotion as one of the possible bases for initiating a grievance. The Senate
agreed to discuss this topic at the next PAAG meeting.


64 MACE BEARER PRACTICE

The Senate discussed various possibilities for honoring
individuals, e.g. retiring faculty, those who receive teaching awards,
etc., by asking them to bear the mace at graduation. The consensus was to
leave the bearing of the mace to the Senate chair or Senator substitute for the
present.


15 UNIVERSITY COUNCIL (The Quorum Problem)

It was noted that the UC is a large body, modeled after UT-Austin,
which has since been altered. SWT's UC has 48 voting members (57 total, some
nonvoting) and has difficulty in reaching a quorum requiring a majority.
It was suggested that two propositions be presented to UC: (1) A change
be made in the number required for a quorum, and/or (2) A change be made in
the time, since faculty are tied up in labs and classes at 3:00-5:00 p.m.
on Thursdays.


02 SENATE MINUTES OF 11/1/95

On the NASA grant item, the wording was changed to:

"Ombudperson Edgar Laird has been working for some weeks with this
concern regarding the University's withdrawal of support for the NASA
grant. The Senate believes that the grievance machinery--collegial mediation
by the Ombudsperson followed, if necessary, by a grievance hearing--is the
appropriate way to deal with this.

"Further, the Senate decided that the next PAAG agenda will include a
discussion of University policy and practice regarding grants and contracts."

The minutes were approved as amended.


NEW ITEMS

None.

The meeting adjourned at 6:05.


Ramona Ford
Secretary