DRAFT MINUTES FOR JULY, 2007 UNIVERSITY SENATE MEETING
3:00 pm Broun Hall Auditorium
Present: Dave Cicci, Ann Beth Presley, Sue Barry, John Heilman, Debbie Shaw, Drew Clark, Drew Burgering, Roger Garrison, Ronald Clark, Norbert Wilson, Barry Fleming, Anthony Moss, Alevin Sek See Lim, Larry Crowley, Debra Worthington, Scott Hodel, Jon Bolton, Robin Huettel, Claire Crutchley, Allen, Davis, Michel Raby, Jim Sanders, Raymond Kessler, Chris Arnold, Saeed Maghsoodloo, Andrew Wohrley, Roger Wolters, Hugh Guffey, Darrel Hankerson, Bart Prorok, Robin Fellers, Jim Wright, Forrest Smith, Salisa Westrick, Anthony Gadzey, Robert Voitle, Dan Svyantek, Peggy Shippen, Howard Thomas, Fran Kochan, Rik Blumenthal, Charlene LeBleu, Tom Williams, Bernie Olin, and Scott Phillips
Absent with Substitute: Robert Gross (Winfred Foster), Annette Klual (Suhyun Suh), Hywownkhoo Kim (Dan Gropper), Judith Lechner (James Witte), and Wendy Pechman (Jenny Swain)
Absent without Substitute: Robert Locy, Richard Penaskovic, Don Large, Royrickers Cook, June Henton, Overton Jenda, Johnny Green, Stewart Schneller, Bonnie MacEwan, Matt Jenkins, Ethan Trevino, Jack DeRuiter, Gary Martin, Jim Bradley, Sondra Parmer, Keith Cummins, Barbara Kemppainen, Brian Gibson, Timothy McDonald, Anoop Sattineni, Robert Chambers, Carol Carruth, Alice Buchanan, Thomas Smith, Richard Good, John Row, Don-Terry Veal, James Shelley, Francis Robicheaux, Randy Tillery, William Shaw, Carole Zugazaga, Carol Centrallo, and David Carter
Dave Cicci opened meeting at 3pm, Broun Hall call to order.
Approval of the Minutes: Approval of June 5, 2007 Senate minutes with two attendance changes corrected.
President’s Office: Provost Heilman making remarks for President’s Office .
My comments surround academic matters. Dr. Heilman congratulated Leeschuck Endowed Teaching award winners Pam Boyd (Curriciuum and Teaching) and Roland Dute (Biological Sciences) over a dozen candidates. This award carries $10,000 stipend a piece. The Leeschucks have done wonderful thing in putting resources into recognition of teaching as of one of the core academic functions of the University. Both Professors Boyd and Dute have made contributions to their areas and deserve congratulations.
Next week, begin series of department chair/head workshops. First time, since early 1990s, for any kind of professional development for department administrators has been organized by the university. All department heads will be participating and several deans. Talked with Dr, Cicci and will be looking for input from him and faculty about information department leadership to hear about.
Bill Sauser (Provost’s Office) has been doing a great deal of work to develop these workshops. Also, Bill has been working on refinement of PTR process. Dr. Cicci will be updating you on this process. This, too, is a work in process.
Board meeting will be on June 28 and 29. The Board is making an additional commitment to academic quality, particularly in respect to writing. Strengthen what we do for students in acquiring good writing skills.
Questions?
Remarks from Senate Chair David Cicci:
Comments revolve around two issues—the PTR process and the arrival of the new president, Dr. Jay Gogue.
Fortunately this is a relatively slow time at the university, so my comments today will revolve around only two issues: the modification of the Post- Tenure Review process for next year and the arrival of our new President, Dr. Gogue.
The PTR process has been refined and hopefully improved through discussions involving the Provost’s Office and the Senate Executive Committee. However, this refinement will be an on-going process as the PTR implementation moves forward from year-to-year.
Next year’s review process will begin early in the fall semester and conclude late in the spring semester. The candidate pool for next year will consist of all faculty granted tenure during the years: 2002, 1996, 1990, 1984, 1978, and 1972 who have not received a promotion since 2002. From the approximately 129 faculty members in this pool, 60 will be randomly selected for review. Those selected will be notified by Oct. 1, 2007.
While the materials submitted for review are the same as last year, the faculty member will have the option of including in the department head’s letter, the outcome of a vote of the tenured faculty members from his/her department regarding the faculty member’s performance. However, in next year’s process, the departmental review committee will be eliminated and all reviews will be conducted by the University PTR Committee.
Faculty members whose performance is assessed to be unsatisfactory will undertake a twelve-month development plan prepared jointly by the faculty member and academic unit administrator, and approved by the dean and provost.
Determinations of unsatisfactory performance by the PTR Committee or the Provost’s determination that a faculty member’s progress has not completed the development plan can be appealed to the President.
Sanctions for unsatisfactory performance may include a letter of notice to the faculty member, withholding merit-based salary increases, and/or referral by the Provost to the dismissal process.
While the Senate leadership believes these modifications will improve the PTR process, we will ask Dr. Gogue to re-evaluate this and other policies and their implementation after his arrival.
Dr. Jay Gogue will begin his term as the 18th President of Auburn University next Monday, July 16, 2007. Like many of you, I eagerly look forward to a new administration.
Having met Dr. Gogue on a few occasions, I believe he is a man of integrity and one that has the potential to move Auburn forward in a manner in which we can all be proud. I believe Dr. Gogue will be a President who understands, appreciates, and participates in the academy. He has a history of strong support for faculty and for shared governance, which will represent a significant change from years past.
I believe all constituency groups of the university, especially the faculty, Senate, and administration, should take advantage of a great opportunity to work together to make Auburn University better in the years ahead. I also believe that this opportunity is long overdue.
Thank you.
Audience Response:
Rik Blumenthal (Senator Chemistry & Bio-Chemistry) In the past, the University
has not made its Attorney readily available to deal with faculty
issues. Has the University made a commitment to make the University
Attorney available for the development of the dismissal for cause policy?
David Cicci: Yes.
Action Item:
Approval of Nominations for Senate Committees, Ann Beth Presley:
Email sent of people sent of people willing to commit Senate committees.
Any discussion or comments?
Move that candidates for Senate committees be approved.
Approved by voice vote.
Information Item:
David Cicci—Interim Faculty Involving Miconduct Dismissal Policy was approved at the June meeting. Continue work on Dismissal policy adding provisions for Academic Performance which Trustees want presented for November BOT meeting. The Steering Committee met and tried to set up proposed timeline for completing this. The committee recommended that the Executive Committee create a document to address Academic Performance as with the Misconduct Policy. Plan to do in July in August and have presented to Senate for info item at the September meeting for discussion. Take comments, suggestions, etc. Present the policy at the October meeting for approval. It will also be presented at the general faculty meeting in October. Plan on presenting the policy to the Administration and Board of Trustees at the November meeting.
Any questions?
Rik Blumenthal (Senator Chemistry & Bio-Chemistry) Question not audible.
David Cicci (Chair) In development of Misconduct policy, we did have access to University attorney. A few contentious times but came out okay.
John Heilman (Provost) I was more or less on sidelines of process. Senate leadership, in particular, David Cicci did an absolutely terrific job in working hard produce a draft proposal very much respected by the administration and Board of Trustees. As faculty, our interests were extremely well represented by Dave’s efforts in this regard.
David Cicci (Chair) Unanimous approval of this body impressed a number of the Board of Trustees as far as willingness of Senate to work with administration on this policy. Your vote at the last meeting was a strong statement. Back to question, expect lots of interaction with general council
Any questions?
David Cicci asked if there was any unfinished or new business.
Meeting adjourned.