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Sept 20, 2000 Minutes

Senators present: M. Blanda; F. Blevens; M. Brennan; J. Hays; A. McKinney;

B. Peeler; O. Renick; E. Skerpan-Wheeler; T. Stimmel; B. Stone; J. Stutzman.

Senators absent: M. Gillis; R. Sawey

Guests: J. Megerson; M. Moore; V. Morton.

The meeting was called to order at 4 pm.

I.  Safety and crime issues on campus:   John Megerson, Director of the University Police, presented data to the senate concerning crime on campus (residential and non-residential larceny, burglary of residences, buildings, and motor vehicles, and unauthorized use of motor vehicles).  The data demonstrate a reduction in crime during the period from September 1998 to
May 2000 in most categories.  Director Megerson credited the reduction in part to the establishment in the fall of 1999 of an "access unit" which patrols residence halls and academic buildings.

Director Megerson also noted that his office will upon request provide faculty and staff with information on protection against crime in the home.

II.  Academic Honesty: Vincent Morton, Assistant Dean of Students, discussed the procedures for addressing violations of the university's academic honesty policy and stressed the importance for both faculty and students of adhering to the procedures.  (A statement of the Academic Honesty Policy and the procedures to be followed in cases of breaches of academic honesty can be found on page 47 of the Southwest Texan Student Handbook (2000-2001).

III.  Faculty Equity Raises: Senator Stone presented the results of the SWT equity 2000 study and noted that the original equity plan was to adjust those salaries that were equal to or more than one standard deviation below the salaries predicted by a pre-selected model.  The data show that not all equity adjustments conformed to the plan: there are equity raises where the
salaries were not less than one standard deviation below the salaries predicted by the model, and in some cases  equity raises were given where the salaries were equal to or greater than that predicted by the model.

IV.  New Business: Chair Hays announced a joint meeting of the Faculty Senate with CAD to be held 1:30-3:30 pm Tuesday, 17 October.  The regularly scheduled meeting of the Senate on 18 October is cancelled.

Chair Hays announced that John McGee (Finance & Economics) has agreed to serve on the Committee on Committees, and Bill Meek and Paula Renfro will serve on the University Arts Committee.

Senators Blanda and Brennan volunteered to serve on the Administrative Course Change Committee.  Senator Stutzman offered to serve as Mace Bearer for the afternoon graduation ceremony on 23 December.

The minutes for 13 September 2000 were approved with corrections.

The meeting was adjourned at 6 pm.