Minutes
Senate Steering Meeting
September 13, 2022, 3:30 p.m.
Via Zoom

Present: Mark Carpenter (Chair), Todd Steury (Immediate Past Chair), L. Octavia Tripp (Secretary), Lisa Kensler (Chair-Elect), Linda Gibson-Young (Secretary – Elect), Vini Nathan (Interim Provost), Evelyn Hunter, Robert Norton, Arianne Gaetano [sub for Danilea Werner] (Rules appointee), Robert Cochran.

Senate Chair, Mark Carpenter called the meeting to order at 3:32 pm

Welcome to everyone and to Ariane Gaetano who will be taking Daniela Werner’s place while she is out on maternity leave.

Approval of Steering Minutes from August 23, 2022:
Hearing no objections, approved by unanimous consent.

Mark Carpenter asked Octavia Tripp to give an update on senators nominated for the Dean Search Committee for Pharmacy. The following names were presented by Tripp.

• Christine Schnittka - College of Education
• Scot Ketring - Human Development Family Science
• David Biersch – Biosystem Engineering
• Murali Dhanasekaran – Drug Discovery and Development
• Chris Martin - Nursing

Special Guest: Mark Barnett gave a presentation on parking.
Mark Barnett gave a background summary about parking before COVID and during COVID 19.
He stated that parking had been a long-term problem. The Ad Hoc committee of which he is a member had met several times late last spring. Mark Barnett mentioned several bullets that he would make to the senate. They are as follows:

• The current parking system is decades old
• Reponses to faculty and student concerns have been made to a consulting firm headed by Kimberly Horn. There was a holistic review of the parking system and recommendations on changes were made. These changes were not enacted due issues with COVID.
• As a result, an Ad Hoc committee chaired by Kelli Shomaker was formed and it was suggested to add civil engineering and transportation faculty to the committee.
• If there is an assurance\ increased revenue then this revenue could be used to provide parking improvements.
• While the committee made recommendations for small changes, these changes have been put on hold until further notice
• Lastly, it was suggested to do a 3rd parking study.

Lisa Kensler asked a question of what the committee envisioned as purpose of parking at Auburn University. Mark Barnett mentioned that at this time that level of discussion had not been made and that the major question is to decide on whether to implement parking changes.
Robert Norton inquired about a parking study done in 2018. Mark Barnett said that he was not involved in that study. At this point there seems to be no information on the 2018 study. Therefore, it was suggested that there needs to be more clarification of parking studies and that questions should be posed to Kelly Shomaker and General Burgess. Linda Gibson-Young asked for further clarification about the previous study. There was much discussion about parking and specifically about a past parking study. It was discussed instead of presenting the parking problem in October wait and present the parking issue in November. This would allow for more clarification of previous parking studies. The parking studies would provide clearer information about the present parking issue on campus. It was suggested that General Burgess and Kelly Shomaker be invited to answer any questions that senate members might have.

Information Item

Nominating Committee
Mark Carpenter presented to Steering that he had asked the Immediate Past Chair, Don Mulvaney, to form a nominating committee for Chair elect and Secretary elect. This committee should have a total 6 members. Steering will get the names once the senate executive committee approves said names.

Pending Action Item: 

There was a discussion about whether to return face to face for senate meetings. Octavia Tripp reminded steering that someone in the senate meeting made comments about revisiting meetings face-to-face. Discussion about faculty being more active and productive in meetings via zoom were discussed. It was discussed that meeting via zoom increases attendance for Senate meetings. Bob Cochran mentioned that there needs to be a re-vote on the previous vote about meeting in person or via zoom. It was suggested that the senate vote on the open motion concerning meeting in person or via zoom. It was recommended that there be a vote in the next senate meeting coming up in September.

Announcements: None

The steering committee voted unanimously to approve the agenda.

Unfinished or New Business
Adjournment – Chair Mark Carpenter adjourned the meeting at 5:00 pm.