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Feb 16, 2005 Minutes

Present: Chair Stone, Senators Rao,  Conroy, Montondon, Hazlewood,  Gillis, Homeyer, Fleming, James,  Shah, Bell-Metereau, Brennan, McKinney

Guests: University Star reporter,  Chris Robinson, Professor James Ott, Nancy Nusbaum, Dr. Lochman Meeting was called to order at 4:02.

 

I. Campus Master Plan Report

Nancy Nusbaum reported on the campus master plan.  This included discussion of removing a wing of the computer science building and demolishing Arnold Hall and building a new hall there.  Some existing classrooms may be converted to office and research space. Chair Stone asked about the performing arts center, and Ms. Nusbaum said she assumed this would be second after the undergraduate academic center, which would be in the Evans parking lot and the location of the current CCC.  We could sell bonds as soon as Fall 2005, and it would probably be a year before it could be planned and constructed.  Therefore, it would probably be 2008, at best, before the building would be finished.

 

Theatre will need a temporary building as the performing arts center is being built.  Alum, UG center, and Performing Arts center are the only buildings to be identified by their footprint.  Performing arts may go in the Falls footprint.  Faculty and staff parking will not suffer a net loss; parking places removed will be replaced elsewhere.

 

Ms. Nusbaum expressed concern about the lack of faculty involvement, and several senators suggested that deans should make more efforts to involve

faculty and have chairs notify faculty of scheduled meetings.    

 

Senator Conroy asked about the status of Lampasas, and Ms. Nusbaum said that Honors was interested in that space and would be going into that space during the spring semester break. 

 

II. Curriculum Committee Report:

Dr. Lochman fielded questions and Senator Montondon asked about the plan to have some students from the Biology Population Control science program going into Ph.D. programs. Shah moved and James seconded a motion to approve, and the motion passed unanimously.

 

PPS 2.01 Micky Henry asked what would happen if senate disagreed with the committee, and Chair Stone said the committee might be replaced after consistent patterns of disagreements.  Early announcements would be made available through the  faculty senate website.  “University curriculum committee chair will provide an informational report to the senate” will become new Paragraph 29 could describe this process.  Gillis and Homeyer moved and seconded to approve the balance. 

 

PPS 2.05 is not the same routing structure faculty senate recommended.  We recommended that approval go from council of deans to curriculum, deletion of

university council, etc.   Chair Stone asked why deans had to approve twice,

and Dr. Lochman said that the posting would go to deans and faculty, and this time allowed the general community to respond.  Micky explained that “f” is a notification or call for objections.  Senators observed that the Deans should not have approval after Faculty Senate.  Dr. Moore wants to bring 2.01, 2.05 and 2.07 back to faculty senate. 

 

Senator Shah said that graduate council is not a functioning unit, so it shouldn’t be included.  Reorder “l” between “f” and “g” and remove university council. Delete H and delete N, and Senator Homeyer seconded, with the motion

passing unanimously.   This would mirror what we recommended for 2.11. 

 

Senator Shah wanted people on the curriculum committee to be appointed rather than elected, but Dr. Lochman said some faculty wanted a say in this decision. The two committees should have some form of contact,  determined at the college level, in consultation with the university curriculum committee.  Add the word liaison.  Senator Shah moved and Senator Bell-Metereau seconded to make these changes, passed unanimously.

 

Provost’s organizational flow chart is available in hard copy.   Remodeling or

moving the university club will be a top priority.

 

Renegotiation of the river center seems to be fading.   Chair Stone received an

email on students being stranded by buses not running.  Senator Warms is on leave this semester, and we can look for a replacement or instruct him to attend as often as possible.

 

Faculty senate newsletter should be available electronically, but senators had not received it.  The chair asked if anyone wants to review, and the consensus

was that it could go out as is.   Senator Conroy said this would be a single

issue, and next time would perhaps be developmental leave, etc.

 

Senator McKinney said that she thought having comments be public would be good.  Bell-Metereau moved and Shah seconded motion to approve revisions; motion passed with all but one voting to approve.

 

New business:

Parking report

Senate discussed travel money for faculty; for travel, they want lodging and transportation separate, but packages are often cheaper, and they don’t differentiate.

 

Constitution issue will be RTA'd next week.

 

Feb. 2 minutes approved, Senator Brennan will mail correction to minutes of Feb. 9, which were approved subject to correction.

 

Meeting adjourned at 5:41.

 

Minutes submitted by Rebecca Bell-Metereau.