Absent: K. Alley, J. Bannon, R. Bartlett, R. Brinker, R. Burleson, A. Cook, R. Evans, J. Gluhman,
B. Hames, G. Hill, R. Jaeger, C. Johnson, F. Lawing, D. Lustig, A. Magg, R. Mirarchi, V. Morgan,
C. Moriarty, L. Myers, J. Neidigh, J. Novak, R. Perritt, C. Pitts, J. Regan, R. Ripley, D. Rouse, D. Shannon,
T. Smith, A. Tarrer, H. Tippur, H. Thomas, B. Turner, T. Tyson, W. Walker, G. Watkins, M. West,
D. Wilson, R. Wylie

Absent (Substitute): L. Benefield (J. Morgan), B. Burkhalter (J. Fletcher), J. DeRuiter (F. Smith),
B. Felkey (K. Kruegar), R. Gandy (J. Hanson), J. Hool (S. Maghsoodoo), J. Hung (T. Roppel),
Capt. H. Maraman (Capt. B. Kafka), R. Miller (T. McAdams), H. Rotfeld (H. Guffey), L. Waters (R. Guthrie)

One correction was made in the minutes from June 8, 1999. The resolution involving graduate tuition waivers should be credited to Jim Hanson in Physics rather than Jim Hansen in History. No other corrections were made and the minutes were approved with the correction.

A. Senate Chair: Jo Heath

Dr. Muse was unable to attend, and his representative, Dr. Don Large, was unable to attend as well.
The following new reports can be found on the Senate web page at https://auburn.edu/administration/governance/senate/guidelines.html:
*University Retention Committee Report (Paula Blacksheider)
*Dr. Mary Baker’s Gender/Racial Equality Presentation Slides
*Minority Recruitment (Renee Middleton)
*Revised Clinical Professorship Document (Christine Curtis)

The hiring description for faculty was copied to the clinical professorship document. The only change is that the word "faculty" has been changed to "clinical faculty," and information from the faculty handbook was added to clarify what "usual hiring practices" are. Corrections were made in BOLD type, except the entire section on hiring.

Thanks were offered to William White, editor of the Auburn Bulletin and faculty member in the department of Journalism, for his tape recording of the last Senate meeting.

A. Martin Olliff (University Archives), chair of the ad hoc Committee to Honor Mr. Harold Franklin

Olliff presented a revised version of a resolution to nominate Harold Franklin for an honorary doctorate degree. Olliff included the following comments:

An ad hoc Committee put together the resolution to present to the Board of Trustees, which asks them to honor Harold Franklin. He was the first African American to attend Auburn University. He enrolled in 1964, and was able to attend because of pressure from the federal courts. There was massive resistance from Auburn to allow Franklin’s attendance, although Auburn handled it better than University of Alabama or the University of Mississippi.

An honorary doctorate is the highest award this institution can bestow and recognizes the "unusual service to the university" made by the recipient. In passing this resolution, you authorize the procedure to proceed in the Senate’s name. This is important because the Senate gives the sense of the University as a whole rather than a small interest group.

Thirty-five years ago Franklin attended Auburn, overcoming resistance by the governor, George Wallace, and the hostility of many of the citizens. At the risk of his life, Mr. Franklin tested an idea taken by granted today; that the doors of a tax-supported university are open to us based on our merit.

He registered for graduate classes in History and Political Science on January 4, 1964. Franklin spent a year at the university in virtual isolation. Three floors of the west wing were cleared in Magnolia Hall to house Franklin. Auburn would not let anyone be housed in that section of the hall even after an Asian student requested to be placed in a room adjacent to Mr. Franklin. He left before completing his master's degree because his proposal for a master’s thesis was discouraged by his major professor. He then took a teaching position at Tuskeegee University. He moved from Tuskegee to Talladega College, and in 1973, he completed his master's degree in International Politics at the University of Denver. He is recently retired from Talladega College and is employed as a business manager. He broke the race barriers at Auburn University, breaking through barriers and overcoming odds. He demonstrated the highest ideals that we hope to take away from Auburn and hope to instill in our students. "I believe that Auburn University would do well to honor these ideals by honoring this man, and I urge you to pass this resolution."

The entire resolution can be found at: Resolution to award an honorary doctorate degree to Mr. Harold Franklin on the Senate web page.

Dwight Norris ( Management)


Norris strongly supported the resolution, but felt like lines 26-29 indict the university for the past rather than praising Franklin for his merit. He felt these lines should be omitted particularly since lines 15-16 were crossed out.

Martin Olliff:


The indictment of the university may need to remain because of its actions. Clemson University also had similar circumstances, but it did not continue to resist. There was no overt resistance, but plenty of covert resistance at Auburn.

Renee Middleton (Counseling and Counseling Psychology)


Middleton was pleased that the Senate is putting forth the resolution, but would also like to request that the Black Caucus president to sign off as well. It would be an honor for him to sign off as well since the Caucus is made up of African-American faculty. This action was deemed appropriate.

Alex Dunlop (English)


In line 37, the wording "right the wrongs" may be changed to "acknowledge the wrongs."

Cindy Brunner (Pathobiology)


Brunner was confused until line 22. She did not know he enrolled as a graduate student until then and wondered if it would be appropriate to add, "enrolled in graduate studies." She felt that this was significant.

Martin Olliff:


Olliff thought, "graduate" could be added to line 4 between "for" and "classes." The law affected graduate students only, and later was interpreted for undergraduate students. Auburn enrolled undergraduate students the following fall.

Jim Hansen (Physics):


Jim Hansen (Physics) pointed out that it is the AU Senate rather than the AU faculty Senate.

Glenn Howze (Immediate Past Chair)


Howze felt it is about time that Auburn acknowledge the important contribution that Mr. Franklin made to our university and this is an appropriate way to do so.

Olliff has not mentioned the proposal to Franklin in hopes that it would continue on further in the process before doing so.

Jim Hansen (History):


In line 3, it is not mentioned from where Franklin received his bachelor’s degree. Hansen felt it is important to note that he was born in Alabama, and graduated from an Alabama college, and was still not admitted to Auburn.

Bob Keith (Nutrition and Food Science)


Bob Keith (Nutrition and Food Science) felt a biography was not important and should not be included.

Renee Middleton (Counseling & Counseling Psychology)


Renee Middleton (Counseling & Counseling Psychology) felt it is important to note that he was not an outsider, someone from the north making trouble, but a homegrown student. This fact makes the honorary doctorate even more honorary.

Jo Heath (Chair)


This is a resolution to allow the Senate to place a name in nomination. It then goes to the president and the Board of Trustees where it will sit for a year, up to five years, and it is then voted upon. Background information will be included in the packet to the board.

Jim Hansen (History):


Jim Hansen (History) moved that the two biographical facts, one that he is born in Alabama, and two, that he was a graduate of Alabama State College, be added.

There was a second to the motion. The amendment to add the two facts on Franklin in either line 4 or 32 was approved by voice vote.

A motion to strike lines 26-29 was voiced by Dwight Norris (Management). It was second by David Himelrick of Horticulture.

Conner Bailey (Steering Committee) opposed the amendment. He felt that it is the responsibility of Auburn University to recognize its errors of the past, and felt it is consistent with previous language in the resolution as well as the history of the university and the state.

Dale Foster (Library) felt that these lines would hinder rather than help the cause and Mr. Franklin because they demonize the university.

Jim Hansen (Physics) opposed the amendment because the fact that Franklin was the first black at Auburn is not a good reason to honor him, but rather the fact that he showed courage because of the actions of the university is a good reason to honor him.

Terry Brown (Nursing) felt like the lines should remain because they are truthful and part of history.

The amendment to strike lines 26-29 was rejected by voice vote. The resolution was accepted with the assurance that the appropriate changes will be made.

Jim Hanson (Physics) made a motion that the chair of the Senate form an ad hoc committee to help with the background information required, and to keep the Senate informed as to the status of the resolution so that it does not fall through the cracks three years from now.

The current ad hoc Committee to Honor Harold Franklin will continue to monitor this resolution.

Jo Heath (Chair) explained the procedure for awarding an honorary doctorate degree:

A nomination is submitted to President Muse. At the next board meeting, the President submits the name, with documents, to the board. The candidate is eligible for selection after one year and nine affirmative votes are needed. Votes are only taken at the January and the June meetings and the degree would be awarded at the following graduation. After five years, a name is removed from the list. The earliest possible opportunity for honoring Mr. Franklin is January 2001.

A. Personnel Policy on Background Checks

A resolution by the Staff Council was presented and discussed with the help of Human Resource Officer, Angela Erlandson. The resolution was included in the agenda. Originally, background checks were only required for staff who handled cash, those who had access to the dorms, or by departmental request (i.e. those who had keys to office doors, such as night custodians or lock shop employees.) But then electronic transfers of cash and payroll data manipulation became possible. Also, most of the people required to have background checks were minority personnel. Now, it has been decided that all new staff and A & P personnel should be required to have background checks. The results are kept with the application, which is separate from the permanent record. After three years, this information is destroyed.

Angela Erlandson stated that once a background check has been conducted and has cleared, it is kept in the permanent record, but the information within the check is kept separately.

Heath made a motion to accept the resolution that all faculty as well as staff and A & P new hires should be required to have background checks.

Renee Middleton (Counseling & Counseling Psychology) gave a second to the motion.

Cindy Brunner (Pathobiology) commented that the checks also affect transfers within the university as well as new hires. Also the checks not only involve police records, but employment, driving, or any other type of records. It is to include those items, but not limited to those items.

Glenn Howze (Immediate Past Chair) opposed background checks for faculty because the process of application is a very long process. Faculty undergo a type of background check already, but one for academic purposes. He felt that it is unnecessary as well as demeaning.

Ralph Henderson (Small Animal Surgery) raised the question of the cost of these checks and what criteria is used to determine whether or not an individual may be hired or not. If an individual commits first degree robbery, will that prevent someone from being hired and are there lines drawn?

Angela Erlandson stated that the checks ranged from $19.75 to $109, with an average of about $42-$45. The cost depends on how many counties are to be checked. If an individual had moved frequently versus living in only one county, there would be more county checks. She went on to explain that IGI is the contract company the university uses to conduct background checks. The background checks are based on the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and a trace is done of a social security number. Public and criminal records are viewed, but not civil or private records. Driving records are included because a DUI will show up as a moving violation, but not necessarily as a criminal act.

Verification of one’s degree is also checked. Transfer employees are included because background checks have not been done in the past when those individuals were hired. Falsification of an application would be a reason for not hiring an applicant. Human Resources does not handle hiring, but processes the background checks. Every employee must be "bondable" under the university’s blanket coverage. The process can take between 72 hours and five working days depending on the state’s privacy laws.

Ulrich Albrecht (Mathematics) commented that it would be more important to conduct background checks on students than faculty because a professor sits in a classroom with 40 students and one of them may be a felon.

Richard Kunkel (Dean, College of Education) asked Jo Heath to clarify the action that the Senate is to take on this matter.

Jo Heath (Chair)

The motion is whether or not all new employees and transfers should have background checks. The vote is not on the Staff Council resolution. It is only for information.

Cindy Brunner (Pathobiology) spoke against the motion. She felt that it is a solution looking for a problem and it may set the university up for more lawsuits. So far the only thing that would cause a person not to be hired is falsification on an application, and she wondered if a background check is necessary for that.

Angela Erlandson

If an individual has a criminal record and has not falsified the application, then the hiring supervisor and the university would take this into consideration as to whether or not to hire the individual. Insurance must agree to cover this person regardless of the record because of the bondability issue. If a person is not bonded, then they do not meet the requirement of employment with the university. The insurance must cover any losses incurred by an employee if that employee commits a dishonest act affecting the university.

Renee Middleton (Counseling & Counseling Psychology) stated that the staff and A & P are equally offended by this action, and felt that it is unfair to assume that the staff would be more dishonest that faculty.

Jimmy Ferguson (VP for Administrative Services) corrected Middleton by reading the resolution from the staff council, which stated they "enthusiastically support this policy." It was his office’s intent to work through the leadership of the Senate and Human Resources to work out the policy before it was brought to discussion in this manner. There was no discussion with HR or the Vice President for Administration's office before this was put onto the agenda by the Staff Council. He urged the body not take action today, but to allow the proper procedure to take place first, and allow the policy to work through the Provost's office and the Senate leadership.

Conner Bailey (Steering Committee) asked how long the information from the background check is kept and who has access to it.

Angela Erlandson replied that the information is kept in a filing cabinet separate from the application. They maintain three years of information plus the current year; then the information is destroyed. Only the employment personnel have access to the filing cabinet.

Jim Hansen (History) commented on the seemingly inconsistent wording in the resolution; the staff enthusiastically supports the policy and yet they do not want the policy at all if everyone is not included.

Jim Hanson (Physics) speculated that if staff could get faculty on their side, then they may be able to get rid of the policy.

Richard Kunkel (Dean, College of Education) moved to table the motion or postpone it until it moves through the proper channels.

The motion was seconded.

Cindy Brunner (Pathobiology) wanted some assurance that the issue would not be implemented by administration before it was brought back before this body.

Jo Heath (Chair) stated that Senate leadership will work on this issue with the Provost's office.

It was approved by voice vote to table the motion.

A. Academic Standards Committee Proposal: Dr. Ralph Zee

Dr. Zee, a committee member of the Academic Standards Committee presented a proposal that effects the Department of Consumer Affairs. The proposal will require a student to make a grade of "C" or better in the courses within the major to be able to continue in the sequence of courses. This will replace the current policy that requires a student to maintain a GPA of 2.0. For example, a "D" in a major course would count as an "F" and this class would have to be retaken. This policy is also in effect in the College of Business.

No questions. The proposal was approved by a voice vote.

B. ad hoc Committee on the Status of Racial and Ethnic Diversity: Dr. Renee Middleton

Dr. Middleton, Chair of the ad hoc Committee on the Status of Racial and Ethnic Diversity, reminded the body that they were to evaluate the diversity plans of each unit and college and get feedback and endorsement from other faculty. The list of criteria for evaluating the plans can be found on the senate web page.

No further discussion was needed. The motion to approve the criteria developed by this committee was approved by voice vote.