Nov 15, 2006 Minutes
Chair Stone, Senators Brennan, Conroy, Davidson, Feakes, Hazlewood, Hindson, Homeyer, McGee, McKinney, Warms, Wiley
Guests: AVPUL Joan Heath, Archivist Kristine Toma, Mark Fronstad, Geography, Bill Lancaster, Univ. Star
Meeting called to order at 4:00.
Records Retention: Due to the state records law enacted by the 75th Legislature, effective June 1, 2005, Texas Administrative Code, Title 13, Chapter 6, Section 6.10, a state record may not be destroyed if any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit, open records request, administrative review, or other action involving the record is initiated before the expiration of a retention period for the record set by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission or in the approved records retention schedule of the agency until the completion of the action and the resolution of all issues that arise from it, or until the expiration of the retention period, whichever is later. According to AVPUL Heath, the University library has inherited the responsibility for retaining the University state records. As a result, there is now a new position, University Archivist and Records Manager, occupied by Kristine Toma. The current Texas State University San Marcos Retention Schedule is posted at: http://www.library.txstate.edu/rec-reten. The retention schedule lists such items as:
Tests, exams, term papers, and homework (currently listed to be retained 5 years)
Grade rosters (permanent retention)
Student advising records (retain while active + 5 years)
Course syllabi (retain as long as administratively viable)
Course descriptions (retain 1 year after being superseded)
Non-student client records ( retain while active + 5 years)
Student client records (retain while active + 3 years)
Instruction-routine administrative records (retain while active + 5 years)
Some other items that might be included in the future are:
Instructors' grade records/grade books (retain 2 years)
Independent study records (retain 5 years)
Internship program records (retain 5 years)
Currently, there is some flexibility in the retention schedule and Ms. Toma is interested in feedback on the items listed. She wants to make it as easy as possible for faculty members to be able to get rid of things without causing problems. She indicated that individuals are responsible for retaining only those items that they created. No one has to keep something that they did not make. Retention and who has to do it ultimately boils down to the definition of a state record and who created the record. Ms. Toma suggested that any faculty who have records that they wish to destroy contact her and she will help with filling out the proper forms so that the records can be properly disposed.
She indicated that there will be workshops on records management and will try to keep the Senate and the faculty informed.
Break:
Academic Computing Committee: Dr. Bill Meek, Art and Design, was appointed to serve as the Fine Arts & Communication representative on the committee.
120 Hour Rule Discussion: The Senate discussed the impending legislative requirement that a bachelor's degree require no more than 120 hours as of fall, 2008. Most degrees now require 128 hours. While the brunt of the average 8-hour cut will have to be done by individual disciplines, there is some pressure to cut required hours from the academic core, which is determined by legislation and the General Education Council (GEC). The current academic core consists of required 46 hours and is mandated by the legislature to be at least 42 hours. The GEC's primary recommendation is that no cuts be made to the academic core, but if cuts are absolutely necessary, it recommended that the two PE credits be cut from the core. Dean Ron Brown, chair of the GEC, has forwarded a second recommendation to the Provost that a 4 hour cut be made to the academic core, by giving students an option of taking one of two required courses and dropping one PE credit. The gist of the Senate discussion was that ownership of the curriculum of the University belongs to the faculty and that whatever recommendations are made regarding the curriculum should be reviewed by the University Curriculum Committee and the Faculty Senate.
New Business:
Schedule of Classes: The Senate has requested that the schedule of classes as currently posted on CatsWeb provide a link to past schedules. AVPEM Heintze is checking the feasibility of retaining schedules for at least three years.
Presidential Awards Committees: There has been a request that the criteria used to for Presidential Awards be more standardized and data driven, and that the accomplishments for which awardees earned the awards be publicized once decisions are. Consideration of possible revisions to PPS6.11, Presidential Awards, will be a future item for consideration.
Minutes: The minutes for 11/08/06 were approved.