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Sept 1, 1999 Minutes



Senators Present: Conroy, Early, Gillis, Gordon, Hays, Irvin, McKinney,
McGee, Peeler, Renick, Skerpan-Wheeler, Stimmel,
and Winek.

Absent: Bible

Liaisons Present: None

Guests: Jerry Supple, President
Bob Gratz, VPAA
Susan Day, Sociology
Ron Sawey, Computer Science
Sheila Torres-Blank, Library
Margaret Vaverek, Library
Mike Moore, Software Entrepreneur

CONTENTS

ELECTIONS
PAAG
ADDITION TO HANDBOOK COMMITTEE
NEW BUSINESS
APPROVAL OF 8-25-1999 MINUTES

The meeting was called to order by Chair Hays at 4:05 p.m.

ELECTIONS (Pilus)

Second round ballots were distributed to Senators, mailed to liaisons.

PAAG (Supple, Gratz)

1. Raises. Supple discussed the 3% faculty/staff performance raises
(minimum of $100/month for staff). Raises for 2000-2001 will be
based on merit covering the period since the last merit increases.
It is not yet known how much money will be available for that merit
cycle.

2. Bonuses. Gratz/CAD plan to talk about the whole bonus issues. Supple
expressed regret that, so far, the bonus system hadn't worked out as
he had envisioned it. He seemed receptive to eliminating the bonus
system unless Gratz/CAD can develop a reasonable system. The Senate,
of course, urged that faculty input be solicited.

3. Enrollment and the Panic of 1999. So, in spite of applications being
down (and we don't know why), enrollment will likely be up slightly
as compared to Fall 1998. Supple commended the efforts of Admissions
in increasing the yield of those applications that we did get.

4. Summer/Orientation Advising. Early opined that the orientation/
advising program of the Summer of 1999 was an absolute disaster for
many reasons. Supple indicated that he was aware of Early's concerns.

5. Outsource of Catsweb design. The real issue is the potential loss of
intellectual property rights if faculty place course materials on a web
site developed by an outside source. Supple/Gratz indicated that the
issue wasn't black and white no matter where the material resided.

What about editorial control by SWT of all web material?

What about developing a web presence that is navigable?

Should there be College or Departmental webmasters in addition to the
University webmaster.

Lots of questions. No answers.

6. Travel Reimbursements. The Senate complained bitterly about the
administration of policies and procedures for travel reimbursement.
Bible, McGee, and Renick were appointed to talk to VPFSS Nance about
the issues.

Should there be College or Departmental budget officers who master the
arcanery of travel reimbursement?

7. Electronic grade reporting. Gratz apparently received a request to
develop some way to simplify the reporting of grades. Faculty who teach
large sections may find it onerous to copy letter grades from their
gradebooks to the registrar's grade sheets. Gratz elephantized the
request to include a full-blown gradebook system. Early suggested that
the software projects already on ISS' plate might argue for some
restraint in adding yet more projects.

8. Bookstore problems. Supple suggested that we ask Chester Banks to
visit the Senate to discuss any problems.

9. Board of Regents report.

a. Should TSUS have a flagship university? Supple volunteered SWT to
be such an animal. Benefits? None other than some mystical
'special status'.

b. It is the university administration's goal to become a Doctoral 1
institution [minimum of 5 doctoral programs with at least 40 graduates
per year -- geography already counts as 2 doctoral programs].

10. City Wells. Supple informed the Senate that the university withdrew its
offer to relocate the city water wells that are located where the
university wanted to build an Art/Technology/Physics Building.

Supple assured the Senate that despite delays and the cost of re-designing
the buildings, it is the adiminstrations's intention to build the same
buildings hitherto planned --without reduced square footage-- and that the
departments would be given the opportunity for input on the redesigned
plans.

Spring Lake Dam repair. FEMA will help. Texas Parks and Wildlife
will help. The Corps of Engineers will help.

11. Electronic Purchase Orders. It's been on the list for a long time.
It's still on the list. It'll probably be on the list for a long time.

12. Library Career Ladder. Gratz met with Personnel Director John McBride and
Don Fehlis. The Career Ladder is safe. Arithmetic decisions were made.
The affected employees will get their raises in time for their 1 October 1999
paychecks.

ADDITION TO HANDBOOK COMMITTEE (Hays)

Don Hazlewood suggested that Gaye Krampitz be added to the Handbook
Committee as an ex-officio, non-voting member. Peeler/Skerpan-Wheeler 11-0.

NEW BUSINESS

The Senate on video and on the internet. RTAed due to the lateness of the
hour.

APPROVAL OF 8-25-1999 MINUTES

Early presented the 8-25-1999 minutes for approval.

Motion to delete

"Appoint John Beck to replace Mike Willoughby as dean
representative on the Grievance Committee. Irvin/Gillis 14-0."

from the record. Gordon/Renick 11-0.

Motion to approve the minutes as emended. Conroy/Gordon 11-0.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:00 p.m.

cheerfully submitted

grady

sen.19990901