Steering Committee Minutes
June 20, 2013
Samford Hall #206
3:30 p.m.
Submitted:
Robin Jaffe
Secretary

AGENDA

Present:
Larry Crowley, Tim Boosinger, Larry Teeter, Judith Sheppard, Don Mulvaney, Laura Plexico, Gisela Buschle-Diller, Robin Jaffe, Emmett Winn

Abesent: 

1.  Welcome and introductions

Bill Sauser and Larry Crowley

2.  Approval of the minutes from the previous meeting

Ann Beth Presley Moved
Judy Sheppard Seconded
Minutes approved

3. Update on Senate Related Topics (Crowley)

Bill Sauser Spoke on Strategic Plan 2013-2018 that was presented at the Board of Trustees workshop

Issues that were discussed included Salaries, Development, Performing Arts Center, Salary Compression, New Budget Model and more. President, Provost and Julie Huff did very during the presentation.

Funds for will be available for raises this year Degree completion program

Emmett when asked about discussed the plan for the Degree Completion Program, and this will be for available for people who are working part time and this will be to increase online enrollment from 3,000 to 5,000 students. This program will in no way increase the on campus enrollment at all.

Market research shows that there is a good interest in the plan.

Aviation Management Program is still under review and the program review will follow the process.

CLA Dean search is still under way and the committee

Ombudsman Search is in the middle of the interview process.
Meeting with Cindy Reed during executive committee next week

4. Status of Rules Committee work and nominations (Jaffe)

University Committee Nominees list will be sent for approval by Rules
P & T Committee Interviews will be next week and the first week of July

Steve Duke been promoted to Associate Dean of Engineering and has step down from Rules and the Senate, the vacancy will be brought up in August for Nominations
and voted on in September

Date for Senate meeting in August was discussed

5. Status of various initiatives underway

Teacher Evaluations will be reviewed by Teaching Effectiveness Committee

Larry Crowley asked if the Data could be grouped but Robin Jaffe said that Drew Clark stated the present program cannot do the data search.  

Are numbers actually value enough with all the issues involving students who fail or fail by absence.        

6. Continuing Discussion on Committee Charges for upcoming year

            For Salaries and Welfare Committee

A) Maternity leave needs to reviewed and developed on campus. All departments have treated this differently and even though there is insurance for it is isn’t publicized very well.

B) Tier-Two retirement program needs to be reviewed.

C) Another issue to review is returning to work after retirement.

Non-Tenure Track Committee had concerns that were voiced in their report.
Members voiced they were not being invited to faculty meeting, or only as an after thought.

7. Other items

Provost has been charged by the President with the important branding promotion of the issue that Auburn University has 70% teaching faculty who are tenure or tenured-track, with 30% non-tenured.

Core Curriculum should be looked at and to be reviewed with concerning assessment.
This issue needs to be brought up to the university as a whole.

Reduction of six hours in the core will give everyone more room to work to maneuver.

Majority of budget is from tuition, so to keep up with the lower of state support
most schools (i.e .University of Alabama) have increased non-tenure track faculty.

So to keep our brand and raise salaries for faculty to regional average we have to
raise tuition, this should be reviewed and discussed.

There was discussion of Auburn University Teaching at different sites online or face-to-face, brought up by Don Mulvaney.

There was a discussion of fees for Graduate Students and International Students by Gisela Buschle-Diller. A fee schedule should be set up and posted for review.

Implementation of Strategic Plan will begin next week.

Dr. Boosinger announced finalist for CLA Dean Joseph Aistrup

Final comments and thank you from Bill Sauser

Adjourned: 4:53 pm