Minutes of the Auburn University Senate
Oct. 8, 2013
3:30 p.m.
Broun Hall Auditorium
Auburn University
Submitted by Judy Sheppard
Senate Secretary
A complete transcript is available for this meeting.
Present:
Officers: Chair, Larry Crowder; Secretary, Judy Sheppard; Chair-Elect Patricia Duffy; Secretary-Elect Gisela Buschl-Diller; Immediate Past Chair, William Sauser.
Administration: Provost Tim Boosinger
Associate Provost Emmett Winn
Dean, Graduate School, George Flowers
Graduate Student Council President Frank Sturm
A&P Assembly Chair Bryan Elmore
Steering Committee, Don Mulvaney
Steering Committee, Larry Teeter
Steering Committee, Mike Baginski
Accountancy, Robert Cochran
Aerospace Engineering, Andrew Sinclair
Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Valentina Hartaska
AAES, James Bannon
ACES, Paul Brown
Agronomy and Soils, Beth Guertal
Animal Sciences, Dale Coleman
Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, Dean Schwartz
Architecture, Joyce Zanzot
Aviation Management and Logistics, Cliff Defee
Biosystems Engineering, Sushil Adhikari
Building Sciences, James Taylor
Chemical Engineering, Allan David
Civil Engineering, Cliff Lange
Communication and Journalism, Robert Agne
Computer Science and Software Engineering, Sanjeev Baskiyar
Consumer Affairs, Wi-Suk Kwon
Curriculum and Teaching, Jada Kohlmeier
Economics, Michael Stern
Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology, 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
Forestry and Wildlife Science, Gary Hepp
Geology and Geography, David King
History, Tiffany Sippial
Horticulture, Amy Wright
Industrial Design, Jerrod Bradley Windham
Library, Pambanisha Whaley
Management, Peter Stanwick
Marketing, James Carter
Math and Statistics, Dmitry Glotov
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
Special Education, Rehab. Counseling, Jill Meyer
Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Annette Smith
Absent, but sent substitute:
Associate Vice President for Research John Mason: Martha M. Taylor
Dean, College of Engineering Chris Roberts: Steve Duke
Dean, Libraries, Bonnie McEwan: Barbara Bishop
Art, Barb Bondy: Zdenko Krtic
Communication Disorders, Allison M. Plumb
Foreign Languages and Literatures, Adrienne Angelo, Pedro Cebollero
Kinesiology, Leah Robinson, Sheri Brock
Mechanical Engineering, Bart Porok, Dong-Joo Kim
Music, Matthew Hoch, Mark Degoti
Nursing, Stuart Pope, Iris Mullins
ROTC Army, Scott Copeland, Stewart Robbins
Sociology, Anthropology, Social Work, Emily Myers, Nana Daronatsy
Absent, without substitute:
Dean, College of Liberal Arts, Joseph Aistrup
Dean, College of Sciences and Mathematics, Nicholas Giordano
Dean, College of Human Sciences, June Henton
Student Government Association President Harrison Mills
Staff Council Chair Jennifer Richardson
Steering Committee, Laura Plexico
Biological Sciences, Bob Locy
Chemistry, Eduardus Duin
Human Development and Family Studies, Ellen Abell
Outreach, Chippewa Thomas
ROTC Air Force, Jeffrey Hemmes
ROTC Naval, Paul Michael Esposito
Theatre, Chase Bringardner
I. Dr. Crowley called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. A quorum was established and the minutes of the meeting on Sept. 27 were approved. Dr. Crowley summarized the rules of the Senate.
II. Remarks by the Provost
Dr. Tim Boosinger presented remarks for Dr. Jay Gogue, who could not be present. He named five major initiatives that have grown out of an agreement between the chancellors and presidents of SEC universities: SEC symposia, the second of which will be on obesity and health challenges; the identification and training of academic leaders; the $10,000 SEC travel grant; a new $25,000 SEC collaboration grant; and the Faculty Achievement Awards.
Dr. Boosinger noted that No. 5 in the Strategic Plan is allocation of funds to maximize university resources and a possible restructuring of the budget model. Consultants from the Huron Group have been working with university personnel and will make a presentation at the November meeting of the Senate. A forum hosting a panel of academic experts is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 19.
Dr. Boosinger also encouraged faculty to participate in the COACHE survey, which is designed to measure faculty vitality, which is No. 2 on the Strategic Plan.
Dr. Patricia Duffy asked about any effect on the university of the current government shutdown. Dr. Boosinger said that so far things have been operating without real interruption.
III. Remarks from the Senate Chair
Dr. Crowley then commented on the importance of Strategic Plan Goal No. 2 and explained that the Executive Committee will be meeting at different colleges with deans and interested faculty to get a sense of how engaged faculty are and how we can more efficiently do what we are tasked to do.
IV. Presentation by Wayne Ceynova on status of AU Flight School (presentation in powerpoint)
Mr. Ceynova noted these recent changes: A new pilot curriculum is replacing a professional curriculum that didn’t fit the university’s needs; a new simulation training tool will save students about $5,000; efforts are being made to remove inefficiency, retain the school’s training and accreditation by the Aviation Accreditation Board International agency; $15,000 could be cut off the total cost of the program; and two tenure-track positions have been created. He also noted that the AU flight school needs more visibility.
Dr. Gwynedd Thomas, senator from polymer and fiber engineering, said she had seen in a copy of Plane & Pilot that AU was not listed as accredited. Mr. Ceynova said some people had been told that this program no longer existed, so the word needs to get out.
V. Presentation by Dr. DeWayne Searcy, chair of the Academic Honesty Committee
Dr. Searcy said the committee’s new system of facilitated meetings, in which one committee member works with the faculty member and the student accused of an academic honesty violation, to bring about consensus on whatever sanctions should be assigned. These are working very well, he said, partly because it’s more efficient and partly because the faculty member feels he or she has a greater say in the sanctions.
Most common problems are forged excuses, plagiarism, and “collaborations” between students in the same classes that end up being submitted as independent work but is not. Dr. Searcy said the most important elements of a syllabus is clarity and guidance.
Dr. Rusty Wright, senator from fisheries, asked if with the new system students could feel that the faculty member had too much control over the outcome. In that case, the student could go to the grievance committee, Dr. Searcy said.
Dr. Michael Stern, senator from economics, asked how many sanctions are actually carried out. Dr. Searcy said he believes that all of them are.
Guy Rhorbaugh, senator from Philosophy, asked if there was a record of how the difference outcomes between the facilitated system and the original one. Dr. Emmett Winn, associate provost, said there was a dramatic increase in sanctions, particularly in those the faculty recommended.
VI. New business:
Frank Strum, president of the Graduate Student Council, said that graduate students had been barred from using the Student Recreation Center and that it had happened without any notice or explanation.
Dr. Crowley asked Jon Waggoner, interim vice president for student affairs, if he could comment. Mr. Waggoner said he had just heard of this today and would be checking into it.
VII. There being no other new business, Dr. Crowley adjourned the meeting at 4:23 p.m.