The Executive Council of the Faculty Senate
Present: Robert E. Davis, Marcia Childress, Michael Smith, Robert J. Davis, Pamela Kulbok, Stephen Wilson, Claire Cronmiller, William Kehoe, Robert O'Connell, Gene Block
Robert E. Davis, Chair of the Faculty Senate, called the meeting to order. The minutes for the February 16, 2004, meeting were read and unanimously approved.
Formation of a New Faculty Senate Committee on Development
The Faculty Senate committee on development will be an ad hoc committee, of medium size. The committee will report to the Executive Council, and the chair of the development committee will be a member of the Executive Council. The term of appointment will be three years, with the potential for renewal. Suggestions were made for possible members of the development committee. Bob Davis asked that additional suggestions be sent to him via email. Mr. Davis will contact potential members to see if they would be willing to serve.
Review of Benefits Discussion
The Executive Council will not create an ad hoc committee on benefits at this time. The Executive Council will ask the Office of Human Resources to meet with them each year in early fall to review human resources issues. The Administrative Assistant to the Senate will remind the Faculty Senate Chair to arrange this event each year.
Marcia Childress, Chair-Elect of the Faculty Senate, suggested that issues regarding benefits, faculty concerns, diversity, and quality of life, be part of the theme for the Faculty Senate retreat this fall.
Inclement Weather Policy
Gene Block, Vice President and Provost, reported on the University's inclement weather policy. A good system is in place to evaluate the weather conditions, and to decide if classes should be cancelled. If classes are not cancelled, the University's policy states that if a professor cannot make it to class, the class must be rescheduled, or the professor must arrange for someone to meet the class.
Faculty Housing
Gene Block reported that faculty housing at the University is an issue that needs to be studied. The administration is forming a committee to address the issue. It was decided that the Faculty Senate will have a representative on this committee.
Gene Block mentioned several other issues that the administration is examining:
Faculty Dining
Robert E. Davis reported that he has not received a reply to the letter that he sent to the Colonnade Club Board, on behalf of the Executive Council. He will follow-up on the status of the letter.
Committee Reports:
Research and Scholarship - Robert O'Connell, Chair
Mr. O'Connell reported that 140 Faculty Senate David Harrison Undergraduate Research proposals have been received. There will be thirteen people reviewing and judging the proposals. Approximately forty awards will be given. Announcement of the recipients will be made sometime in late March.
Academic Affairs - Pamela Kulbok, Co-Chair
The Academic Affairs Committee received 63 applications for Dissertation-Year Fellowships. There will be five Fellowships of $20,000 awarded, with one of the Fellowships earmarked for the School of Education. Fellowship recipients will be announced in early April.
Ms. Kulbok reported that three members of the Academic Affairs Committees have drafted a statement on the Honor System and the faculty's role in the System. The committee members are Kenneth Schwartz, Stephen Gladis, and Marion Moore. The Academic Affairs Committee will meet on March 23rd to review and approve the document. The document will then go to the Executive Council for approval, before advancing to the full Senate.
The Academic Affairs Committee has received requests for the termination of five degrees in the School of Engineering and Applied Science. The Committee has received a letter from the dean of Engineering, supporting the termination of these degrees. The degree terminations have also been approved at a meeting of the Engineering faculty. Pamela Kulbok has contacted James Aylor, School of Engineering, and requested a formal letter of approval for the degree terminations be sent to the Academic Affairs Committee. Robert J. Davis, Secretary of the Faculty Senate, and a member of the School of Engineering and Applied Science, will present the history of the decision to terminate these five degrees to the Academic Affairs Committee on March 23rd.
The Academic Affairs Committee has been asked to make a policy recommendation regarding undergraduate and graduate students' excused absences. The Committee determined that a formal policy is not necessary. Each school should develop its own policy in regard to excused absences.
The next Executive Council meeting will be held on Friday, April 2, 2004.
The meeting adjourned at 1:25 p.m.
Submitted by Robert J. Davis, Secretary of the Faculty Senate