Minutes of the University Senate Meeting
16 November 2010
3:00 p.m.
Broun Hall Auditorium
Submitted by
Russ Muntifering, Secretary
A complete transcription of the meeting is available for theNovember meeting.
Present: Claire Crutchley, Ann Beth Presley, Russ Muntifering, Larry Crowley, Kathryn Flynn, William Batchelor, Gregg Newschwander, Betty Lou Whitford, Lee Evans, Timothy Boosinger, George Flowers, Mary Ellen Mazey, Nidhi Sehgal, Andrew Wohrley, Robin Jaffe, James Wright, Andrew McLelland, James Bannon, Sondra Parmer, Barbara Kemppainen, Jocelyn Zanzot, Gary Wagoner, Paul Swamidass, Yifen Wang, Paul Holley, Evert Duin, Prabhakar Clement, Robert Agne, Sanjeev Baskiyar, Wi-Suk Kwon, Charles Eick, Michael Stern, James Witte, Michael Baginski, James Goldstein, Xing Ping Hu, Keven Yost, John Mazaheri, Shea Tillman, Jared Russell, Pambanisha King, Bill Sauser, Herb Rotfeld, Tin-Yau Tam, Bart Prorok, Stuart Pope, Suresh Matthews, Vicky van Santen, Forrest Smith, Jan Kavookjian, Wesley Lindsey, Guy Rohrbaugh, Mike Bozack, Annette Kluck, Richard Hoerner, Emily Myers, Heather May, Ralph Henderson
Absent, sending a substitute: Amit Mitra (for Bill Hardgrave), Marcia Boosinger (for Bonnie MacEwan), Emily Butler (for Kurt Sasser), Roy Hartfield (for Winfred Foster), Conner Bailey (for Norbert Wilson), Yucheng Feng (for Scott McElroy), Bob Locy (for Anthony Moss), Rebekah Pindzola (for Daniel Phillips), William Daniels (for Russell Wright), Elina Covena (for Fenny Dane), Chase Murray (for Jerry Davis), Bill Schaffer (for Doug Rosener), Gwynedd Thomas (for Yasser Gowayed)
Absent, no substitute: Anne-Katrin Gramberg, Joel Hunter, David Hennessey, Nedret Billor, Werner Bergen, Ronald Neuman, Larry Teeter, David King, Ruth Crocker, Ellen Abell, Monica DeTure, Steven P. Brown, Shelly McKee, Joseph Fetsch
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Call to Order:
Claire Crutchley called the meeting to order and called for a moment of silence for members of the Senate to reflect on the passing of Dr. Marie Wooten, Dean of the College of Sciences and Mathematics.
Remarks and Announcements:
Dr. Gogue (Office of the President) presented several items.
-- Virginia Davis, associate professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, has been selected to receive a Presidential Early Career for Scientists and Engineers Award, the highest honor awarded by the U.S. government to early-career researchers.
-- Seniors Erica Meissner and Krissy Voss have been named Rhodes Scholar finalists.
-- The opening of the Veterans and Transfer Students Resource Center will soon be announced.
-- Recent reviews by Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s reveal that the institution’s bond rating has not been negatively impacted by the current economic situation.
-- The Board of Trustees extends kudos on the new graduate certificate program.
-- GE Aviation has picked Auburn as the location for its new plant that will make coatings for jet engines. It will be located in the Auburn Technology Park and employ 300 to 500 people. The presence of Auburn University was cited by the company for selecting Auburn for the new plant.
Dr. Mazey (Office of the Provost) presented several items.
-- The Veterans and Transfer Students Resource Center on Wednesday will have an open house on Wednesday, November 17 at 11:30 a.m. in 2238 Haley Center. The center will assist with transition of incoming veteran and transfer students under the direction of Johnny Green.
-- The search for a new dean of the College Architecture, Design and Construction is underway. Approximately 50 applications have been received, and the pool will soon be narrowed down to a short list of semi-finalists for airport interviews.
-- A search for the Dean of the College of Sciences and Mathematics will be initiated very soon. In the meantime, Chuck Svarda (Chair of Geology & Geography) has been named interim dean.
Comments from the Chair:
-- Minutes from the October meeting (https://auburn.edu/administration/governance/senate/website/minutes/2010_2011/min_10_19_10.html) were accepted as posted without change.
-- Faculty Research Committee is currently reviewing operating procedures of institutional compliance committees with a view toward achieving increased efficiency and effectiveness of their work.
-- Teaching Effectiveness Committee is currently working toward development of an improved teaching-evaluation instrument.
-- A Nominating Committee for solicitation of Senate officer candidates in 2011 has been seated.
-- IMG Instructional Technology Student Assistants are now available to assist faculty in their own offices with instructional technology.
-- No Senate meeting in December. The next meeting is scheduled for January 11, 2011, the day after classes start in the Spring semester.
Action Items:
-- Ashley Nichols (Vice President of Student Government Association) and Sara Wolf (Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology, representing Academic Honesty Committee) presented proposed changes to procedures under the Academic Honesty Code (https://auburn.edu/administration/governance/senate/website/agendas/2010-2011/Nov10/ProposedAcademicHonestyProcessChangesB.pdf). The proposal passed by a vote of 52 yes, 6 no.
Information items:
-- James Hansen, Director of Honors College, presented an update on the Honors College (https://auburn.edu/administration/governance/senate/website/agendas/2010-2011/Nov10/HonorsCollegeNov2010_Hansen.pdf).
-- Bliss Bailey, Executive Director of OIT, presented information on electronic textbooks and digital course materials. Link to PowerPoint Presentation
-- Sushil Bhavnani, Chair of SACS Quality Enhancement Plan Exploratory Committee, presented an update on status of the committee’s work in preparation for the next SAC accreditation review. Link to PowerPoint presentation.
Unfinished business:
None
New business:
None
The meeting was adjourned at 4:25 p.m.