Executive Council
April 27, 2006 - 2:00-3:30 pm
Present: Houston Wood, Kenneth Schwartz, Marcia Day Childress, Teresa Culver
Alison Booth, Steven Nock, William Kehoe, Reginald Garrett, Susan Kirk
Houston Wood, Chair of the Faculty Senate, called the meeting to order.
Recommendation to Professors to Post Course Syllabi on Toolkit
The Executive Council discussed a resolution put forth by Student Council to
"Encourage Professors to Post course Syllabi Ten Days before the Resumption
of Courses." It was decided that Houston Wood would draft a document on behalf
of the Faculty Senate, encouraging faculty to post books required with each
course in a timely manner that informs students of the specific requirements
of a given course well before the course begins.
Faculty Senate/General Faculty Council Joint Committee
William Keene, a member of the Faculty Senate, and a member of the General
Faculty Council, asked the Faculty Senate to support a request to the administration
that all policy changes be distributed to the faculty for review and comments
30 days before the change if the policy. The Executive Council voted unanimously
to support a statement on policy change notification as a good business practice.
This statement will be taken to the full Senate on April 28th, asking for their
support.
Houston Wood, Chair of the Faculty Senate
- Mr. Wood met with the Rector on April 13th. Mr. Wood reported that the
Rector is very interested in the work of the Senate. Mr. Wood also shared
Michael Smith's (past chair of the Faculty Senate), report to the BOV, urging
the Board to include a faculty member on the Board of Visitors.
- Kenneth Schwartz, Chair-Elect of the Faculty Senate, met with Glynn Key,
a BOV member, regarding support for having a faculty member on the Board.
They also discussed the David Harrison Awards for Undergraduate Research.
Susan Dorsey, a BOV member, was in attendance at that meeting. Mr. Schwartz
will meet with the Rector on May 17th to speak about the Senate's work for
the upcoming academic year.
Houston Wood and the Councilors discussed the agenda for the February 28th
Faculty Senate meeting.
PROPOSED AGENDA:
- President Casteen will give an update on the Capital Campaign, a report
on the legislative session, and an update on the Living Wage issue.
- The Executive Council recommends that the Faculty Senate create three standing
committees to work on some of the issues brought forth by the ad hoc groups
that were formed last fall to address the issues raised at the Faculty Senate
Retreat. These committees proposed are Faculty Recruitment, Retention, and
Welfare Committee, Policy Committee, and Communications Committee.
- Marcia Childress will report on the activities of the Planning and Development
Committee, which she chairs.
- Kenneth Schwartz will ask for approval for a change in the Faculty Senate
By Laws to allow for the Chair of the Planning and Development to be an ex
officio on the Executive Council.
- Teresa Culver will offer a recommendation for the Senate to support policy
change notification to allow for faculty review and comments.
- The Academic Affairs Committee, the Faculty Grievance Committee, the Planning
and Development Committee, the Research and Scholarship committee, the ROTC
Affairs Committee, and the Telescope Committee chairs will give year-end reports.
- Elections will be conducted, asking for nominations from the floor.
Timothy Sigmon, Director of Advanced Technology, gave a brief report and demonstration
of a pilot program that is being developed. The Executive Council will be in
the pilot group to use the program. The program will allow for private dialogue
and the sharing of information between designated participants, such as the
Executive Council and the Senate.
The meeting adjourned at 3:50 pm
Submitted by Teresa Culver, Secretary of the Faculty Senate