April 24, 2002 Minutes
APPROVED FACULTY SENATE MINUTES 43RD FACULTY SENATE APRIL 24, 2002
Approved Senate Minutes
April 24, 2002 (PAAG Social)
Senators present: Renick, Sawey, Peeler, Blevens, Hindson, McKinney, Brennan, Stutzman, Boone, Gillis, Stone, Blanda, Stimmel
Senators absent: Hays
Guests: Dr. Roy Martin, Dr. Michael Abbott, Dr. Marianne Reese and Dr. Jo Webber
NOTE: These minutes may reflect significant gaps (especially during PAAG), due to your substitute scribe's failure to remember that he was, in fact, the substitute scribe for this meeting.
Meeting was called to order by chair Renick at about 4 p.m.
PAAG meeting
President Supple thanked the Senate for its guidance during his 13-year term as president. Several senators thanked the president for his cooperation. VPAA Gratz addressed several items on the agenda. In the wake of the Senate-sponsored faculty evaluation of the president and vice president, he said he is working on a plan to improve communication with academic departments and faculty.
Dr. Supple and Gratz said they would like a comprehensive review of promotion and tenure and post-tenure review next year. Gratz said there should be a third level of review at the university level to assist in final P&T decisions by the VPAA and president. And, yes, there was more ìagree to disagreeî discussion about the cost of new doctoral programs.
The Senate asked Supple if he would support the anti-discrimination policy amendment written and approved by ASG (and approved by the Senate) and the response was noncommittal, except to the extent that he would consider it. The president reminded the Senate that he sent a previous Senate proposal to the Regents, where it wilted. Senator Sawey reminded the president that this was something he could do without Regents approval.
PAAG adjourned and Senate reconvened after a short break. Chair Renick requested a moment of silence for Michael Moore, an ìhonorary senatorî who died of lymphoma earlier in the day. Mike was recognized for his dedication to helping the Senate in setting priorities and gathering information. His passing is a tremendous loss for the university community.
Curriculum Committee Recommendations
Committee Chair Roy Martin briefed the Senate on three programs approved by the committee. Senators unanimously approved an undergraduate minor in journalism, a master's in materials physics and a special education training option in the bachelor's in interdisciplinary studies.
Dr. Michael Abbott presented the Transportation and Parking Committee's report titled, ìImprovements to the Transportation and Parking System at SWT.î It calls for increased parking fees, improved bus service, controlled access to the campus interior, a tram system and improved accessibility for persons with disabilities. Senators were grumpy about several points in the report, including, but not limited to, increased fees (some suggested free parking), the proposed location of key-card gates (specifically on State Street adjacent to Hines), and the tram system. No action taken or required.
Under new business, senators who also serve on the General Education Council briefed the Senate on a critical issue that has come before GEC in recent weeks. On Monday, April 29, the GEC will (on demand of the VPAA's office) reconsider a proposal that would make Geography 2410 a selection under the Natural Science perspective. The Geography department has suggested that there were irregularities in the previous three considerations of the proposal, so GEC will take up the issue again. The Senate agreed to monitor developments closely because curriculum control is a significant issue of faculty self governance.
Submitted by Fred Blevens.