Skip to Content

April 10, 1996 Minutes


Present: Caverly, Ford, Hunter, Kurtz, Middlebrook, Parkin-Speer, Pascoe,
Sawey, Stedman, Swinney, Weller, and Winek. Absent: Bible, Glassman,
Horne.

Guests: Profs. Howard Balanoff (Pol. Sci.), John Blair (English), Mary
Brennan (History), Susan Day (Sociology), Jennifer Forrest (Modern Langs.),
Charles Garofalo (Pol. Sci.), Dickie Heaberlin (English), Beverly Penn
(Art), Brenda Scheuermann (C&I), Edward Scholwinski (EAPS), M. Jean Sconza
(Modern Langs.), Bobbie Whitesides (Biology), and Lee Williams (Sp. Comm.);
Mike Moore, and Sandra Akridge.

13 DEVELOPMENTAL LEAVES FOR SPRING 1997

PROFESSORS LISTED ABOVE.

EVALUATION AND RANKING OF PROPOSALS (Meeting closed)

The meeting was called to order at 4:00, Chair Swinney presiding.

13 DEVELOPMENTAL LEAVES FOR SPRING 1997

A packet of proposals (forms, comments from Chairs and Deans,
proposals, and vitae) from the thirteen applicants was distributed at last
week's Senate. Today each applicant was given seven minutes to briefly
outline the proposal and its importance and respond to questions.

(1) Prof. Howard Balanoff (Pol. Sci.) proposes to write a
textbook for which the American Society for Public Administration says
there is a need and will consider publishing.

(2) Prof. John Blair (English) will start a book on the
connection of the Scottish Border culture and its emphasis on "honor" which
affected writing in the U.S. South (e.g. Faulkner, et al.).

(3) Prof. Mary Brennan (History) would like to research the
documents in archives for a book on the influence of women on right-wing
politics, beginning with Jean McCarthy (Joseph McCarthy's wife) and Phyllis
Schlafly. This is a follow-up on her recently published book on right-wing
thought.

(4) Prof. Susan Day (Sociology) has a "feeler" from Mayfield
Publishers for a book on "The American Dream" and what has happened and
where we might be going in terms of today's economy and alternative
communitarian arrangements.

(5) Prof. Jennifer Forrest (Modern Langs.) is pursuing work on
women as depicted in pop culture, equating them with artificial
technological constructs. Dolls (wax and plastic) and electronic figures
(androids, etc.) are the current transformations of females to be
investigated.

(6) Prof. Charles Garofalo (Pol. Sci.) would like to work on
Kantian ethics in Public Administration (co-authored with Prof. Dean Geuras
in Philosophy) to assist his graduate courses in the field.

(7) Prof. Dickie Heaberlin (English) has volunteered to take
over the "nature writing" area of departed Prof. Slovic and would like to
pursue the theoretical and nature writings of persons in this area,
together with travel to regions depicted by nature writers.

(8) Prof. Beverly Penn (Art) would create intaglio copper
etchings and enamel work on the theme of "The Border." This continues her
series of interactive art works, in which the viewer is drawn into social
questions.

(9) Prof. Brenda Scheuermann (C&I) has applied for a Fulbright
to Norway. This would be to examine their support programs in special
education, on which they are ahead of us. Federal funding of the program
is up-in-the-air. If the Fulbright position comes through, she will take
leave--otherwise, not.

(10) Prof. Edward Scholwinski (EAPS) wants to develop a model to
recruit, retain, and train minority and other students in the School Psych.
program. Certification changes have mandated that our grad. students be
knowledgeable in the new mental health clinic programs in public schools
which offer comprehensive programs in diversity, parental and community
inclusion, conflict resolution, etc.

(11) Prof. M. Jean Sconza (Modern Langs.) will continue her
study of the "Amazon" in Spanish literature, specifically how St. Theresa
of Avila was reinvented (and literally dissected posthumously) to be a
negative Amazon (disarmed) to support the patriarchy. This is part of a
projected book, which continues her work in the Amazon area.

(12) Prof. Bobbie Whitesides (Biology) would like to pull
together his vast knowledge of fishes in Texas re salt/fresh water,
anatomy, classifications, habitat, etc. into a workbook for SWT students.

(13) Prof. Lee Williams (Sp. Comm.) wants to combine the contact
network (methodology already known by sociometry) with a quantitatively
based corporate culture and subcultures value system measurement tool,
which he would develop from the literature and test on Texas businesses.

EVALUATION AND RANKING OF PROPOSALS (Meeting closed.)

No proposals were rejected as unworthy. Proposals were ranked
by secret ballot, and that confidential ranking with the recommendation that
the thirteen leaves be approved has been forwarded to VPAA Gratz.

The Senate was distressed that a departmental chair coerced
one of the leave candidates into signing an agreement containing six conditions
upon which he would approve the leave. These conditions included matters
beyond the candidate's control, that is money to hire replacement faculty, as
well as requiring the candidate to continue routine advising, service, and
administrative responsibilities during the leave period. Such conditions are
totally inappropriate and the Senate has recommended that the chair be so
instructed through normal academic channels.

NEW ITEMS

(1) Ballots for Faculty Senators were distributed for placement
in mailboxes of all voting faculty. These are due back to the Senate by
noon next Wednesday, April 17th. Run-off election ballots will then be
distributed. The agenda for the 4/17/96 meeting will be a full one.

(2) The current plan is for the 37th Senate to hold its final
meeting from 4:00 to 5:00 on April 24.

Starting at 5:00 on the 24th, newly-elected Senators will be
welcomed. The 38th Senate will then be organized by electing officers--Chair,
Secretary, and CoFGO Representative--and setting meeting times for the
remainder of the academic year.

On Tuesday, April 30, the combined 37th and 38th Senates will
meet with President Supple and VPAA Gratz for the final PAAG meeting of the
year.

Meeting adjourned at 6:15 p.m.


Ramona Ford
Secretary