Minutes of the Auburn University Senate Steering Committee
Jan. 9, 2014
3:30 p.m. • 206 Samford Hall
Submitted by Secretary Judy Sheppard

Present: Senate Chair Larry Crowley; Senate Secretary Judy Sheppard; Chair-Elect Patricia Duffy; Secretary-Elect Giselda Buschle-Diller; Immediate Past Chair Bill Sauser; Steering Committee members Laura Plexico, Larry Teeter, Don Mulvaney, and Mike Baginiski; Associate Provost Emmett Winn; Jane Hincken (Solid Waste and Recycling program).

Chair Larry Crowley called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. Minutes for the Oct. 31 steering committee minutes had not yet been posted to the website but will be reviewed at the Jan. 23 meeting.

The committee discussed the upcoming (Jan. 14) Senate meeting. Dr. Chippewa Thomas, Director of Faculty Engagement, will give a presentation on the scholarship of engagement and outreach. It was unavailable for review but Dr. Thomas planned to submit it to Ms. Sheppard on Monday for posting on line.

Joan Hincken, coordinator of the Waste Reduction and Recycling Department, previewed her presentation for Jan. 14. Information will include:

The department currently has “full-fledged” recycling capabilities at 100 campus buildings and is working toward setting up the other buildings as well.

The university recycles about 12 percent of university waste and, if construction materials are factored in, about 28 percent.
The department accepts and recycles paper, different kinds of plastic, cans (if lightly rinsed), cardboard, toner and ink cartridges, batteries, kitchen and motor oil, tires and construction debris. The university now makes about $50,000 a year off its paper recycling. The department holds quarterly document shredding days (and can pick up materials at request). The next is Feb. 11, outside Lowder Hall. It also offers an “office clean-out” program and will deliver up to six 95-gallon bins to the site on request.

Dr. Sauser noted that the important thing is that the program is saving money and saving space in the landfill.

The committee then discussed the rest of the Jan. 14 agenda, which includes: comments by President Jay Gogue; a presentation by Gordon Stone, director of the Alabama Higher Education Partnership; and remarks by the chair, including acknowledging the work of Dr. Mulvaney’s teaching effectiveness committee work; and an announcement that the faculty committee volunteer site has been tailored for individual faculty members and is now open to view and to volunteer.

Ms. Sheppard said that Robin Jaffe, chair of the calendar committee, had asked when the steering committee wanted him to present the calendar. Dr. Duffy noted that, since the committee has not yet met, the earliest the calendar could be presented to the Senate itself is March.

Dr. Buschle-Diller asked when academic calendars were posted on line, since they are needed for planning purposes.

Dr. Crowley said he expected Provost Tim Boosinger to invite faculty to the next open forum on the budget model on Jan. 15.
He also asked if anyone had items for the agenda of the monthly meeting of the Executive Committee with the president, to be held on Jan. 13.

Dr. Duffy asked if the COACHE faculty survey was still open, and Winn said it was to be closed on Jan. 15. The response rate currently is considered high – 35 to 38 percent.

The committee also discussed uncertainties surrounding implementing Obamacare provisions. Dr. Baginiski asked the Executive Committee to ask the president about any trends and effects from new laws to university health care plans.

The meeting was adjourned 4:25 p.m.