Skip to Content

Sept 2, 1998 Minutes


Present: Anderson, Bible, Conroy, Gillis, Gordon, Hays, Irwin, McGee,
Pascoe, Renick, Sawey, Skerpan, Stimmel, and Winek.

Absent: McGee

Guests: President Supple, Jim Wacker (Athletic Dir), Margaret Vaverek (Lib),
Lauri Celli (Soc Intern), VPAA Gratz, VPAA Cassidy, Rodolfo Rocha (ACE Fellow)
and Mike Moore.

CONTENTS

PROPOSED ADMINISTRATIVE RESTRUCTURING

Pres. Supple discussed a proposal for administrative restructuring. He
announced the creation of a new V.P. for Information Technology who will have
responsibility for Library, Computing, Telephone Service, and Media Services.
The President is concerned that SWT is losing ground in this area. The
proposal is still to be reviewed by the Board of Regents and the Executive
Planning Council. An ad for the position will be forthcoming.

INTRODUCTION OF NEW ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

The new Athletic Director, Jim Wacker, was introduced to the Senate.
Following an introduction of the senators, Dr. Wacker expressed his desire
to work closely with the faculty. He fielded questions about such matters as
scheduling of future football opponents, academic advising for and performance
of athletes, and the impact of Title IX on sports programs at SWT.

AD HOC COMPUTING COMMITTEE

Sen. Sawey reported on the activities of this committee, which was put
together last spring to address problems arising out of the distribution of
roughly a million dollars in student computing fee money to grant applicants.
Concern was expressed about the issue of student access to labs established with
these funds. It was proposed that all students should have access (one account
# & one password) to funded labs. Specific recommendations were as follows:

1. Charge the Academic Computing Committee to come up with a new set of
guidelines that includes a mechanism that assures standards of access and core
software availability.
2. If standards are not in place for next round of RFG's, the $500K in
student fee money available this year should not be allocated.
3. Better student representation in the process.
4. Appoint a committee chair who will commit to getting this job done.

FACULTY DEVELOPMENTAL LEAVES

The Senate discussed proposed changes in the PPS on developmental leave
that would better inform faculty of the intellectual property rights
implications of developmental leaves. A proposal drafted by AssocVP Cassidy
was RTA'd until the next meeting.

FACULTY RESEARCH COMMITTEE

Prof. Leslie Huling was appointed as the new committee member from
Education, replacing Prof. Ed Seifert, who left the university.

ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEW PPS

RTA'd until next meeting.

The Senate adjourned at 6:05 p.m.