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May 8, 2002 Minutes

APPROVED FACULTY SENATE MINUTES 43RD FACULTY SENATE MAY 8, 2002


 


Approved Senate Minutes

May 8, 2002

Senators Present:  Renick, Sawey, Gillis, Hays, Blanda, Boone, Blevens, Stimmel, Hindson,  McKinney, Brennan, Stutzman, Peeler

Senators Absent:  Stone

Guests:  Micky Henry, Erik Nielsen, Margaret Vaverek, Ken Margerison, Chris Frost, Rebecca Bell-Metereau, Gay James

Senator Stimmel, in his mysteriously wise way, announced that the rumors about Tina Turner are groundless.  This seemed a puzzling and fitting way to bring the last session of this particular Senate group into its final meeting for the year.  Taking his cue, Chair Renick called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm.

Senate Special Committee on Post-Tenure Review Report

After a brief review of the agenda and a warning that the retiring members of the Senate would be expected to return at a later date for roasting, Dr. Margerison was called to report on the Post Tenure Review Principles Statement and the proposed PPS for the Post-Tenure Review Process.

The Principles of Post-Tenure Review document, a position statement for the Senate, was discussed.  The primary issues were nuances of language rather than principle.  The draft PPS for  Post Tenure Review, also developed by a Senate subcommittee including Drs. Margerison, Stone, Hindson and Nielsen, was also discussed.  The primary concern was a mechanism for the various college deans to alert the Senate to any faculty entering the second year of the PTR cycle.  The Senate does not want to know names, but simply to know what departments and/or colleges might be pursuing a PTR process into a second or third year.  Other language issues were discussed and solved.  Your working Senate at its best, I assure you.  Hays moved and Gillis seconded a motion that the still malleable documents be forwarded to the University PTR process review committee for further development.  The Senate will send Stone and Hindson forward to serve on this PTR process review committee in order to negotiate or explain where necessary.

Chair Renick, as an FYI, mentioned the nominees that are being put forward for the University PTR process review committee and the Tenure/Promotion Committee.  We expect great things from these committees.

Senate/Senate Curriculum Committee Role in Curriculum Matters

The Senate has become increasingly concerned that, although President Supple has consistently stated that the Faculty owns the curriculum, there are external groups that are usurping the faculty role in curriculum development.   The frantic drive for Ph.D. programs and the pressure to bring curricular issues forward to meet external deadlines seems to create a sense of the Senate Curriculum Committee being in place as a lip-service rubber stamp for administrative desires rather than a body to consider the wisdom of curricular choices.  The Senate hopes to reevaluate the process to determine how best to serve the faculty, as owner of the curriculum, and the University as it continues to discover its Doctoral potential.  The Senate is particularly concerned that important curriculum decisions are being wrested from the faculty.  This issue will be RTA'd to a summer meeting when all are rested and have sharpened their teeth.

New Business

The minutes from May 1, 2002, were approved with minor changes.

Chair Renick has asked those Senators whose terms ended today to return for the June 26th meeting for accolades.  Watch your backs, guys!  Senator Stimmel, one of those going off the Senate, was speechless, an occurrence that dumbfounded the entire body for a brief moment.  We are never without voices for long!.

The final meeting of this Senate closed at 5:04 pm.

Swan song minutes submitted by Joan Hays, with regrets.  It has been fun!
 

 



After a short break, the forty-fourth Faculty Senate was convened.

Senators Present: Bell-Metereau, Blanda, Blevens, Boone, Brennan, Frost, James, Gillis, Hindson, Peeler, Renick, Sawey, Stutzman.

Senators Absent: Conroy (Japan), Stone

New Senate Members Installed

Chair Renick called the meeting of the new senate (2002-2003) to order at 5:15 pm.  He welcomed new senators Bell-Metereau, Frost and James, re-elected senators Peeler, Sawey and all returning senators.

Senate Officers for 2002-2003
Senate officers will be Renick Chair and Blevens, Vice Chair. The duties of Senate Secretary will be rotated among the senators.

Summer Meeting Schedule
The Senate's meeting schedule for the summer will be Wednesday,  June 26; Wednesday, July 24, from 3-5 p.m.; and Wednesday August 28, 4-6 p.m. The meeting on August 28th will also be the Senate's first meeting of the fall semester.

Establishing Priorities for 2002-2003

A portion of the July and August senate meetings will be used to establish priorities for 2002-2003. Several priorities for 2001-2002 will carry over the new year.

New Business

Ombudsman Search Committee
The Senate nominees for the search committee are Senators Blevens, James and Peeler.

Acting Ombudsman
The Senate nominee for Acting Ombudsman is Senator Stone.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:50 p.m.

Minutes blandly submitted by Oren Renick