Minutes of the University Senate

April 5, 2005

3 p.m.

Broun Hall Auditorium

Submitted by Patricia Duffy

 

 

Present:  Conner Bailey (Chair), Richard Penaskovic (Chair-elect), Patricia Duffy (Secretary), Kathryn Flynn (Secretary Elect), Steve McFarland, Bob McGinnis, Wes Williams, Harriette Huggins, Robert Locy, David Cicci, Diane Hite, Eleanor Josephson, Raymond Hamilton, Anthony Moss, James Guin, Rik Blumenthal, Debra Worthington, Sridhar Krishnamurti, Randy Beard, Judith Lechner, Charles Gross, Jon Bolton, Sadik Tuzun, Christoph Hinkelmann, Dennis Devries, Robert Weigel, Larry Teeter, Jim Saunders, Tin-Man Lau, Jim Gravois, Roger Wolters, Hugh Guffey, Darel Hankerson, John Rowe, Robin Fellers, Joe Sumners, Cindy Brunner, Forrest Smith, Robert Blashfeld, Vivian Larkin, Tom Williams

 

Absent, sending a substitute:  Larry Crowley, Gary Martin, James Shelley, Paul Starr, Tracey Oleinick

 

Absent, no substitute:  Willie Larkin, Don Large, David Wilson, June Henton, Dan Bennett, Larry Benefield, Timothy Boosinger, Michael Moriarty, Sheri Downer, John Tatum, Mike Leslie, John Varner, Leanne Lamke, Garnetta Lovett, Jefferson Jones, Mario Lightfoote, Charles Mitchell, Werner Bergen, John Pitarri, Barry Fleming, Ted Tyson, Jeff Tickal,, Alvin Sek See Lim, Ann Beth Presley, Renee Middleton, Darrel Hankerson, Alice Buchanan, Ruth Crocker, Ken Tilt, Thomas Smith, Saeed Maghsoodloo, Daniel Mackowski, Richard Good, Kem Kreuger, Bernie Olin, Marlin Simon, Anthony Gadzey, Robert Norton, Thomas White, Bill Shaw Howard Thomas, Saralyn Smith-Carr 

 

 

Conner Bailey called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.

 

He noted that the minutes for the March 8th Senate meeting are not yet available because of the absence on leave of Lakeeta White, the Senate administrative assistant.   The minutes for the Feb 8th meeting were posted.  Conner Bailey called for approval of the minutes of the Feb 8th meeting of the University Senate.  Jim Gravois moved that the minutes be approved.  The motion passed on voice vote without opposition.

 

John Heilman came to speak from the President's office.  He gave a brief update on the dean searches.  He indicated that the Liberal Arts and Library dean searches are progressing.

 

Cindy Brunner asked for an update on the provost search and the timing of the announcement. 

 

Dr. Heilman replied that he had read in the newspaper that Dr. Richardson would have the new provost selected by the April board meeting. 

 

Announcements from the Senate Chair

 

1) The Structure of minutes will be changed.  In recent years, minutes have been transcripts, making it difficult to find actions taken by Senate.  We will move to a shorter, "summary" form of minutes which will be available quickly.  Literal transcripts will continue to be posted.   The change in format should eliminate long delays in preparing and approving minutes and should make it easier to review actions of Senate while retaining the full transcript of discussions.

 

2.  Conner Bailey next thanked Bill Sauser for his service as Parliamentarian and introduced Herb Rotfeld as the new Parliamentarian.

 

3.  Conner Bailey will continue the recent practice of allowing anyone from a represented group to ask questions or take part in discussions from the floor, but asks that if many people want to speak, that Senators be allowed to go first.  He reminded everyone that when we speak, please do so from a microphone, and state name and the unit represented.

 

4.  Sign-up through CAMPUS for university committees is open through Thursday, April 7.  A reminder was sent out.  Conner Bailey asked those present to please look at available committees and volunteer.  Rules will begin meetings April 11th to begin the process of putting people on committees.

 

5.  Conner Bailey provided a report on recent activities of the Senate leadership.

 

a)  Tom Hanley stepped down as Provost at an awkward time when three dean searches, P&T appeals, and Academic Program Review were all underway.   Dr. Bailey and Dr. Larkin met with Dr. McFarland and Dr. Heilman about the provost search process and discussed how to maintain momentum on dean searches and how to handle P&T appeals.  Dr. Hanley chaired the appeals.   The Senate leadership is meeting with Dr Richardson Thursday to discuss provost candidates.  Input from Senators and other interested people to the Senate Leadership was encouraged.

 

 b)  If anyone wishes to suggest an item for the Senate agenda, it should be sent to the Steering Committee, which Conner Bailey chairs.  This committee meets twice a month, typically the day following a Senate meeting and two weeks later.  When our administrative assistant returns from leave, we will be posting agendas and minutes for the Steering Committee on that committee’s website, which you can reach via the Senate homepage.

 

c) In our newly re-organized Senate webpage, there is space for all Senate committees to post reports, agendas, and minutes of meetings, and he urged all committee chairs to forward such material to the Senate secretary, who will see that this material is posted and available.

 

d) Conner Bailey attended the A&P Assembly and Richard Penaskovic attended a Staff Council function last Friday.  Conner Bailey organized a lunch of A&P, Staff Council, and University Faculty leaders to discuss matters of common interest, with the intent to develop closer working relationships among these three groups.  He hopes to meet soon with John Tatum, our new SGA President and Mike Leslie, President of the Graduate Student Council.  

 

e)  Conner Bailey attends Budget Advisory Committee meetings.  He met with Wayne Brewer, chair of Faculty Salary Advisory Committee, and spoke with several deans regarding how salary increases are to be distributed.  The long-standing (1998) Senate position differs from the position taken by deans and the Budget Advisory Committee.   The faculty position is that pay raises should be half across board, half merit.  Deans favor distributing salary increases exclusively on merit.  This matter deserves discussion.  He is asking deans to meet with Senate leadership and faculty salary committee to look at issue.

 

f) Conner Bailey and Richard Penaskovic met with John Heilman and Lee Armstrong on the Electronic Privacy policy, which may be coming back to the Senate.   It was passed by the Senate and reviewed by the Administration.  Changes made in the document are significant enough that Conner Bailey asked the Academic Computing committee to review it and it may come back to the Senate. We may also have to revisit the Intimate Relations Policy after input by the Staff Council and A&P Assembly.

 

g)  Conner Bailey and Willie Larkin initially asked the Handbook Committee to look at the consulting policy issue, but the consulting issue is now moved to the Welfare Committee, which may be the more appropriate place.  The questions are:  Is the existing policy available to all faculty members?   Have outreach faculty members had the same opportunities as others?  

 

Questions:

Cindy Brunner asked what has happened to the planning and priorities committee now that Tom Hanley is no longer chairing it. 

 

Conner Bailey replied that the Senate Leadership meets with the provost twice a month and we will ask that question when we have a provost selected.

 

John Heilman said that priorities and planning process group produced a set of recommendations or goals.  He believes this work will show up in the strategic planning process.

 

Jim Gravois asked for more specific information about the time line on the search for the Dean of Libraries.

 

John Heilman said that specific information should be available either at the end of this week (week ending April 8) or the beginning of next week.

 

Rik Blumenthal said the Faculty Welfare committee is meeting to discuss the consulting policy next Tuesday at 3:30.  He asked those interested in attending, to email him to get information on where the meeting will take place.  Anyone is welcome to come and contribute to the discussion. 

 

Richard Penaskovic asked for an update on the presidential search.

 

Conner Bailey said that he has no information.  The Senate Executive Committee is meeting with President Richardson about the provost position, and possibly the question of the Presidential search will come up.  Conner Bailey has asked Grant Davis to set up a meeting with Mr. McWhorter over matters of mutual interest, but he has not had a reply.

 

Anthony Moss asked John Heilman about the status of reorganization for Agriculture and possible changes affecting Biological Sciences. 

 

John Heilman said that he has no involvement in this initiative and thus had no information.

  

Action items:

 

Rules Vacancy:  Sadik Tuzun volunteered to fill the open Rules Committee spot.  Jim Gravois moved that nominations be closed.   As no objections were voiced, Sadik Tuzun was accepted for the position on the Rules Committee. 

 

Resolution on Change in Time of Appointment for Rules Committee Members:  Kathryn Flynn introduced the resolution to change the date of appointment for new Rules Committee meetings from the current time of March to August.  After a short discussion, the resolution passed on a voice vote without opposition. 

 

Resolution to include an A&P Representative on the Administrator Evaluation Committee:  Harriette Huggins introduced the resolution to include an A&P representative on the Administrator Evaluation Committee.  The resolution passed on a voice vote without opposition.

 

Information Item:

 

Virgil Starks provided a presentation on student athletes and academics.  The PowerPoint visuals from this presentation are available at:  https://auburn.edu/administration/governance/senate/SASS.ppt

 

Questions:

 

Richard Penaskovic noted the increase in students with learning disabilities. 

 

Virgil Stark said that the increase may be due to a combination of parents being more involved and aware and some changes in eligibility rules for students with learning disabilities.   Also, he said that Auburn has good support services and that the institution is comfortable recruiting student athletes with learning disabilities because of these good support systems.

 

Bob Locy said that the Supplemental Instruction program has been valuable to student athletes and wonders what the university can do to find similar programs for all students.

 

Virgil Starks said that we need to find what the weaknesses are and fix them.  Perhaps we could write some joint grants across units. 

 

Isabelle Thompson commented that support from athletics for the English Writing Center has helped the center stay open longer hours and serve more students, which helps a lot of students, not only athletes.  

 

There was no unfinished business or new business.  Judy Lechner moved adjournment, which passed on a voice vote without opposition.

 

Conner Bailey adjourned the meeting at 4:15.