Minutes of the May 1, 2014
Steering Committee

Present: Chair Larry Crowley; Secretary Judy Sheppard; Chair-Elect Patricia Duffy; Secretary-Elect Gisela Buschle-Diller;  Immediate Past Chair William Sauser; Larry Teeter; Laura Plexico; Tim Boosinger; Associate Provost Emmett Winn; Associate Provost for Academic Affairs Constance Relihan.

Absent: Don Mulvaney; Mike Baginski.

The meeting convened at 3:30 p.m. in 206 Samford Hall.

Minutes from the last steering committee meeting on April 24 were approved.

Larry Crowley introduced Steve Lautz, the Associate Director of the NCCA compliance at Auburn University, who will present information to the University Senate’s next meeting on May 20. Mr. Lautz said that no athlete received any benefits than any other students and that not all athletes are on scholarships. In addition, the NCAA’s definition of academic fraud is the same one applied to non-athlete students. There have questions about faculty asking players for tickets. Faculty members have also asked athletes for autographs, which in some contexts might be acceptable.

Mr. Lautz said there is a question about athletes receiving more food benefits than non-athletes. Judy Sheppard asked for a definition of “food benefits.” Mr. Lautz said that athletes require specialized foods before and after training. Legislation that goes into effect on Aug. 1 will allow this.

The committee discussed the question of what students can dine at what dorms. Some of the cafeterias are limited to student residents. Larry Crowley asked Mr. Lautz to find out who can go into the cafeteria on South Donahue. Secretary-Elect Laura Plexico asked if all dorms were locked. Associate Provost Emmett Winn said that the dorms are not locked during the day but at night.

Chair-Elect Patricia Duffy also asked about the problem of access to classrooms in some dorms and the need for key access. Ms. Plexico asked about how to keep track of who had access to the dorms. Mr. Lautz said he knew there was concern on game day about keeping dorms open or closed and that they are looking at security in the new athletic complex. Dr. Duffy asked if dorms were still using guest books.

Mr. Lautz said he will email his presentation to Ms. Sheppard before the next Senate meeting.

The steering committee then discussed the issue of the recent announcement by Melvin Owens, executive director of the Auburn University Public Safety and Security Division. Under the Clery Act, advisors of campus organizations have been federally designated as members of the Campus Security Authority. Dr. Duffy said that the communication was handled poorly and that faculty would have responded more favorably to an announcement the Provost’s Office. Provost Tim Boosinger agreed. Laura Plexico said that requiring advisors to train and meet qualifications might reduce the number of faculty willing to volunteer. Patricia Duffy brought up the vague definitions of what an advisor should report.

Committee members were then told by Constance Relihan and Tim Boosinger that they were trying extending the window for student evaluations this semester. Patricia Duffy said evaluations could be affected if students see their grades first.

The committee discussed the problem of students not finishing in four years. Chair Larry Crowley asked about students delaying science courses and then failing in sciences. Dr. Relihan said her office is considering several programs to get students into the right majors early so that they graduate in fewer years: a freshman advisory council with high advisor-student ratio; an orientation course to reinforce Camp War Eagle; requiring students to declare a major after 30 hours but with a high advisor-student ratio; a required orientation course to reiterate Camp War Eagle information that could be taken on line; a “Finishing in Four” to fix tuition rates for students moving forward; a “bridge” plan that admits high school students conditionally; and providing a consistent level of full-time advisors across colleges. Some adjustments of tuitions for hours could spur higher graduation rates if courses in addition to the required 115 cost more.

Associate Provost Emmett Winn asked the committee if the minor editing to the Faculty Handbook 3.7.2 would require Senate approval. The committee as a whole said it would not.

The meeting was adjourned at roughly 4:45.