Feb 20, 2002 Minutes
APPROVED FACULTY SENATE MINUTES 43RD FACULTY SENATE FEBRUARY 20, 2002
Approved Senate Minutes
February 20, 2002
Senators present: Boone, Blevens, Blanda, Gillis, Hindson, Margerison, McKinney, Peeler, Renick, Sawey, Stimmel, Stone, Stutzman
Senators absent: Hays (and these minutes will be your first clue)
Guests: Micky Henry, Roy Martin, David Doerr (Star), Michelle Massey, Don Fehlis, John McBride, Milt Nielsen, David Glassman, Ann Marie Ellis
The Senate was called to order at 4:03 pm by chair Renick. John McBride, personnel director, briefed senators on issues related to sick leave (declare and account for it) and overtime for faculty (not in our lifetimes). He urged the Senate to find out how faculty salaries are set and reminded faculty of the retirement fair on March 28.
Roy Martin, chair of the Senate's university curriculum committee, presented the Anthropology Department's proposal for a master's degree. Hindson moved for approval, Margerison seconded. Motion passed, 10 in favor, one opposed, one abstention.
Milt Nielsen briefed the Senate on the university's effort to upgrade technology in SWT's first call classrooms. He said nearly 80 classrooms now are equipped with projectors, sound and computers and that plans call for all low-tech rooms to be converted during the next few years. Nielsen said the domain name controversy is being addressed initially with a study to determine the locale and people responsible for each domain being operated on campus. He promised to have Van Wyatt come before the Senate for a fuller explanation in two weeks.
Chair Renick and Vice Chair Blevens agreed to meet with Sam Tarsitano from Biology to discuss the non-renewal of Kari Lavalli and the subsequent hearing officer recommendation supporting the non-renewal. The meeting was scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday.
Senator Hays' nomination to the Service Award Ceremony Committee was unanimously approved. Given that she lives on the side of the angels, however, her appointment was rescinded by Chair Renick, who reported to the Senate's temporary scribe that a volunteer, Robert T. Mooney, had stepped forward. Go figure.
The Senate discussed the controversy over ballot and date inconsistencies in the recent election. The procedure the past few years has been in violation of the Constitution and Senator Sawey voiced serious concerns over the validity (legality, perhaps) of the current round of balloting. Vice Chair Blevens moved that the election be voided and a new ballot issued the first week of April. Senator McKinney agreed to meet with Senate office secretary Terry Aguirre to work out scheduling problems and to make recommendations on how the Constitution might be altered to accommodate changes in the school year.
The Senate adjourned and reconvened in executive session to discuss release of the data related to the faculty perception survey on Drs. Gratz and Supple. The Senate approved a press release draft with minor changes and determined the press release would go out when the material is posted on the Senate's website on Thursday, February 26.
The minutes from the February 13th meeting were approved as submitted.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:20 pm.
Minutes submitted by Fred Blevens.