Auburn University Steering Committee
Minutes
Thursday, April 9, 2015
206 Samford Hall

Present: Patricia Duffy (Chair), Larry Teeter (Chair-Elect), Larry Crowley (Immediate-Past Chair), Gisela Buschle-Diller (Secretary),  Laura Plexico (Secretary-elect), Sara Wolf, Mike Baginski, Paula Bobrowski, Robert Holm, James Goldstein,  Constance Relihan, Tim Boosinger, Hulya Kirkici
Absent: Emily Myers, Keven Yost

The minutes of the Steering Committee meeting from March 19, 2015, were approved without modifications.

The first item of discussion was the presentation on SENCER (Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities) that is scheduled as an Information Item for the May Senate meeting. Paula Bobroswki and Bob Holm explained the basic idea behind SENCER and mentioned that small grants are available for course development. Other Information Items will likely be an update on Teaching Technology through the Biggio Center (Diane Boyd) and the report on privileges of Emeritus Professors presented by Michael Kozuh, Chair of the Faculty Salaries and Welfare Committee.

The Special Called March 31 and the April 7 Senate meetings were briefly discussed. In relation to the Information Item on Parking presented by Don Andrae, the suggestion was made to reserve a few A Zone parking spots in different parking areas for faculty for parking after 5:00PM on week nights and all day on weekends. Mike Baginksi offered to draft a request.

The Faculty Salaries and Welfare Committee developed a survey concerning faculty preference for a pay distribution over a 12-month period for 9-month faculty. The survey is to help estimate the general interest across the AU and AUM campus. The original request is coming from AUM. The survey draft has been shared for editorial review by the Steering Committee. A suggested was made that it might be helpful to invite someone from the AU Credit Union for an info session for interested faculty.

Patricia Duffy brought forward three items from the Standards Committee, one concerning the study-abroad guidelines for exemption from the GPA requirement of 2.25. The guidelines had been discussed in depth last fall. Since the guidelines do not present a change in policy, they do not need to be voted on by the Senate. The Steering Committee passed the guidelines and Constance Relihan said that they will be posted shortly. The second item was pertaining to the revised policy on Transient Students. The issue was briefly discussed. The revised policy again does not present a change, but a clarification and was passed by the Steering Committee. Patricia Duffy will mention both items in her remarks at the May 19 Senate meeting.  The third item was on military credits. The proposal defines the course level that would/would not be acceptable for course credit.  This proposal is scheduled to appear as a Pending Action Item on the May 19 agenda which is the revised policy on military credits.

Finally, a Policy on Natural Resource Management Areas was shared.  The item on faculty and GTA waivers for paying Distance Education courses was postponed on Sara Wolf’s request.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 PM.