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May 4, 2005 Minutes

Members present:

Chair Stone, Senators Brennan, Conroy, Fleming, Gillis, Hazlewood, Hindson, Homeyer, James, McKinney, Montondon, Rao, Shah, Sorensen, Winek.

 

Guests: Dr. Denise Trauth, President, Dr. Perry Moore, Provost, Dr. Eugene J. Bourgeois, Asst Provost, Dr. Patrick Cassidy, Assoc Vice Pres, Academic Affairs

 

Meeting called to order at 4:00.

 

Announcements: ??

 

PAAG Items:

  1. Legislative Update: Pres. Trauth reported

1)      Tuition/Revenue Bonds (T/RB): Positive feeling about Texas State’s proposals particularly since in the top 15 proposals ranked by the Coordinating Board were the Undergraduate Classroom Building (6th) and Deferred Maintenece (7th).  There is, however, some movement in the legislature to do away with T/RB’s.  Supposedly, if that were to happen, HEAF funds would go up dramatically so that Texas State should still do OK.

2)      Tuition Deregulation:  In the direction of possible tuition deregulation, the anticipated cap would be where UT, Austin is now.  Texas State is rate is less than 60% of that so that, even if it happens, we will still have some room for increases if necessary.

3)      Exceptional Items:  Items in the exceptional item category are the engineering program, nursing program and the Round Rock facilities.  At this point, there is no prognosis as to how things will develop.

4)      Emerging Technology:  This program will fund partnerships between universities and businesses.  However, though it has the governor’s support, it is not yet funded.

  1. BCBS & CTMC Contract:  In the Blue Cross Blue Shield/ Central Texas Medical Center negotiations, both sides appear intractable.  BCBS’s position of not increasing funding to CTMC is, in part, based on the position of the legislature, which has indicated it will not increase funding for ERS.  CTMC claims it is grossly under compensated.  Guess who will be the loser in this issue?
  2. Public Art Policy Update:  A UPPS is almost completed to deal with public art and campus memorials.  Where this issue was addressed ad hoc before, now a committee with a broad based membership will deal with these issues.
  3. Tenure/Promotion (T/P) Criteria and Process: The T/P pps is almost completed. It is largely based on recommendations of a presidential committee headed by Paula Renfro.  Significant issues:

1)      Tenure and promotion to associate professor will be linked, i.e., an assistant professor cannot apply for promotion to associate without applying for tenure.

2)      Ranking of candidates has been removed.

3)      Collegiality is recognized as a measure in T/P.

4)      Candidate will no longer be able to move from tenure-track to non-tenure-track status and then back to tenure-track without independent searches for non-tenure and tenure-track positions.

5)      There is a provision for stopping the tenure clock for familial considerations with wiggle room for the Provost for special considerations.

6)      There is a provision for standardized vitas of candidates.

7)      The specific statement is included:  “High quality teaching is necessary but not sufficient achievement upon which to base tenure and promotion.  In addition, all candidates for tenure and/or promotion must provide a documented record of sustained peer-reviewed scholarly/creative activity.  While an outstanding record of leadership and service is normally expected for promotion to full professor, it is not as critical for promotion to associate professor.”

  1. Chair Step-down Salaries: This item resulted in a lively discussion with a seemingly agreement that chairs should not return to a faculty position at the same salary they were receiving as chair.  An interesting possibility might be that having a high faculty salary might not depend someone having at some time being an administrator.

 

Installation of new senators:  New senators, Gary Winek replacing Ron Sawey in Science, Michel Conroy replacing herself and Ian Davidson replacing John Fleming

In Fine Arts and Communication, Gay James replacing herself in Education and

Audrey McKinney replacing herself and Ted Hinson replacing Rebecca Bell-Metereau in Liberal Arts.  The new officers are Bill Stone, Chair, Gay James, Vice-chair and Don Hazlewood, Secretary.

 

Faculty Development Leaves:  All candidates for development leave received a favorable recommendation for the faculty senate.

 

Library Allocation Formula:  The senate approved the recommendation of the library allocation formula without major revision from the former formula.

 

Summer Meeting Times for the Senate:

      June 8 – 3 to 5

      July 13 – 3 to 5

      August 24 – 4-6

 

New Business:

a.       University Research Committee:  The new guidelines make it clear that chairs, deans and program directors are not eligible.  Also, there is a possibility of revising the allocation of funds to colleges based on the number of applicants for each college.

b.      International Travel:  Some changes may be coming.

c.       Assoc/Asst VP for Enrollment Management:  The recruiting committee has recommended a candidate to the administration.

d.      UPPS for Consensual Relationships is about to come out.

e.       New definitions for faculty:  a first draft of a PPS is coming up with definitions for research faculty and clinical faculty.  The new definitions seem to follow the lines of tradition faculty definitions.  More later.

f.        A policy is coming deal with issues for chairs and spouses, etc in the same department.

g.       A Curriculum Committee recommendation is coming.