Minutes of the Auburn University Senate
March 4, 2014
Broun Hall Auditorium
submitted by Judy Sheppard, Secretary

A full transcript for this meeting is available.

Attendance

Officers:
Chair, Larry Crowley
Secretary: Judy Sheppard
Chair-Elect, Patricia Duffy
Secretary-Elect Gisela Bushle-diller

Administrators:
Debbie Shaw, Vice President for Alumni Affairs
John Mason, Vice President for Research
Nicholas Giordano, Dean, College of Science and Mathematics
Chris Roberts, Dean of the College of Engineering
George Flowers, Dean, Graduate School

Senators
Accountancy, Robert Cochran
Aerospace Engineering, Andrew Sinclair
Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Valentina Hartarska
AAES, James Bannon
Agronomy and Soils, Beth Guertal
Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, Dean Schwartz
Architecture, Rebecca O’Neal-Dagg
Art, Barb Bondy
Aviation and Management, Cliff Defee
Biological Sciences, Bob Locy
Biosystems Engineering, Sushil Adhikari
Building Sciences, Mark Taylor
Chemical Engineering, Allan E. David
Chemistry, Eduardus Duin
Civil Engineering, Cliff Lange
Communication and Journalism, Robert Agne
Communication Disorders, Daniel Phillips
Computer Science and Software Engineering, Sanjeev Baskiyar
Consumer Affairs, Wi-Suk Kwon
Economics, Michael Stern
Educational Foundations, Lisa Kensler
Electrical and Computer Engineering, Thomas Baginiski
English, Hilary Wyss
Entomology and Plant Pathology, Leonardo De La Fuente
Finance, Harris Hollans
Fisheries and Allied Aquaculture, Rusty Wright
Foreign Language and Literatures, Adrienne Angelo
Forestry and Wildlife Science, Gary Hepp
Geology and Geography, David King
History, Tiffany Sippial
Horticulture, Amy Wright
Human Development and Family Studies, Ellen Abell
Industrial Engineering, Sean Gallagher
Kinesiology, Leah Robinson
Library, Pam Whaley
Management, Peter Stanwick
Marketing, James Carver
Mathematics and Statistics, Dmitry Glotov
Materials Engineering, Bart Prorok
Music, Matthew Hoch
Nutrition and Foods, Kevin Huggins
Pathobiology, Vicky van Santen
Pharmacal Sciences, Muralikrishnan Dhanasekaran
Pharmacy Care Systems, Brent Fox
Pharmacy Practice, Wesley Lindsey
Philosophy, Guy Rohrbaugh
Physics, Mike Bozack
Political Science, Murray Jardine
Polymer/Fiber Engineering, Gwynedd Thomas
Poultry Science, Tung-shi Huang
Psychology, Daniel Sventek
Special Education, Rehab and Counseling, Jill Meyer
Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work, Emily Meyers
Theatre, Chase Bringardner
Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Annette Smith

Absent, sending substitute:
Dean of College of Liberal Arts, Charles Israel for Joseph Aistrup
Nursing, Valarie Thomas for Iris Mullins
ROTC [Naval] (illegible) for Paul Michael Esposito
Animal Sciences, Werner G. Bergen for Dale Coleman
Curriculum and Teaching, Brian Parr for Jada Kohlmeier

Absent, without substitute:
Industrial Design, Jerrod Bradley Windham,
Outreach, Chippewa Thomas
ROTC Air Force, Jeffrey Hemmes
ROTC Army, Scott Copeland
ACES, Paul Brown

Ex Officio, Present:
President Jay Gogue; Provost Tim Boosinger
Bonnie McEwan, Dean of Libraries
Frank Sturm, Graduate Student Council President
Byron Elmore, A&P Assembly Chair
Steering Committee:
Don Mulvaney
Laura Plexico
Larry Teeter
Mike Baginski

Ex Officio, not present:
Harrison Mills, President of Student Government Association
Jennifer Richardson, Staff Council Chair.

MEETING

At 3:30 p.m., Senate Chair Larry Crowley called the meeting to order, introduced executive officers of the Senate and explained the rules of procedure. Minutes from the Feb. 4, 2014 meeting were approved.

Dr. Crowley introduced President Jay Gogue. Dr. Gogue said that, first, he was impressed by the implementation of the strategic plan, now halfway through the first year. Second, he urged faculty to return their statements of economic interest forms to the State of Alabama. Third, he updated the Senate on economic matters in the Legislature.

Dr. Gogue said that the Senate had passed a $5.9 billion budget range in the special education trust and that AU should not see any cuts within its budget. Further discussions of the state budget will be held, but they will be over Medicare and corrections, not higher education.

Dr. Gogue said he expects the Legislature to lower the age of majority so that students to participate in on-campus research; to pass a reciprocity bill that allows states to participate in long-distance education; and to pass a bill raising the limit on state bids from $7,500 to $15,000.

He offered to answer questions. Hearing none, he sat down. Dr. Crowley said that Provost Tim Boosinger had no remarks.

Dr. Crowley then encouraged faculty to read about candidates for Senate executive officers in the AU Report and, with a petition, consider running themselves.

He said that two items of unfinished business had been addressed. The Teaching Effectiveness Committee will revisit data regarding evaluations, and those who are ticketed because they have to bring a car to campus that has a different license can email Parking Services to have the ticket waived.

The Senate then took up three action items.

Voting for Rules Committee members: Secretary Judy Sheppard invited senators to vote on the five candidates for the three openings. A new clicker system, rather than paper ballots, was being instituted. After some difficulty, senators voted.

Calendar and Schedules Committee: Robin Jaffe, Chair, presented the 2016-2017 academic calendar. Regular semesters require 70-73 days. The fall break, two days this year, will be only one next year, but no one wanted to reduce the Thanksgiving week.

Senator Bob Locy said that courses with large labs might need breaks that rotate between Tuesday and Wednesday. He said that otherwise the labs were throwing away three out of 15 semester weeks.

Robin Jaffe responded that without extra pay for faculty time, and with the constraints of a fall break and holidays, the calendar had to stand. He said that the associate dean of College of Mathematics and Sciences had supported the calendar.

Senator Michael Stern asked about building make-up days into the calendar. Jaffe said it was a great idea but was unsure how to implement it.

Dr. Crowley called for a vote and the calendar passed, 67-4.

Reduction of Core Course Hours to the Engineering Curriculum

Constance Relihan, associate provost for Undergraduate Studies and Chair of the Core Curriculum and General Education Committee, brought forward a proposal for the engineering curriculum allowing a reduction of 3 hours (leaving 9) in humanities courses and 3 (leaving 12) in social sciences. All other engineering schools in the state follow this curriculum. The hope is that the reduction can improve graduation rates and student learning outcomes. She also pointed out that the University Curriculum Committee will have to approve any changes in the college of engineering’s requirements.

Chris Roberts, Dean of College of Engineering, then spoke in favor of these reductions, saying there was wide support in the college, not only from faculty but advisors. This is not a “grab” to fill in more technical hours, he said. He also emphasized that discussion on this matter began long before consideration of a new budget model. Comparison to similar schools have shown that most have fewer hours required in humanities than Auburn’s.

Michael Stern, senator in economics, asked why no specific information about student learning outcomes in engineering students was provided. Dr. Relihan said that learning outcomes are assessed through courses, not majors. Dr. Stern asked what data supported the idea that the graduation rate would increase and that he saw no correlation when comparing AU’s school to others, especially Georgia Tech.

Dr. Crowley then asked Dr. Stern to allow others to speak. Dr. Stern said he wasn’t aware of a time limit. Dr. Crowley said others wanted to speak.

Several senators from the College of Engineering then spoke in favor of the reduction, saying that graduation rates will increase, student learning outcomes will be better, and that data showed a correlation between lighter humanities loads and students’ ability to take advantage of co-ops, internships and grants. These senators were Shawn Gallegher, Industrial and Systems Engineering; Sushil Adihkari, Biosystems Engineering, Andy Sinclair, Aerospace Engineering, Gweynned Thomas, Sanjeev Baskiyar, Allen David and Tom Baginski.

Dave Elton of Civil Engineering, not a senator, said that reduction in hours takes AU further from its goal of being a preeminent land grant university, and that students should learn more, not less, while here.

Dr. Crowley then called for a vote. The motion passed 44-19.

Judy Sheppard then announced the results of votes for Rules Committee members starting in August 2014: Vicky van Santen, Peter Stanwick, and Rusty Wright.

Chair Crowley asked for any new business or any unfinished business. There being none, the meeting was adjourned at 4:50 p.m.