Minutes of the University Senate Meeting
12 January 2010
3:00 p.m.
Broun Hall Auditorium
Submitted by
Dennis DeVries, Secretary
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(for a complete transcription of the meeting, go to https://auburn.edu/administration/governance/senate/website/transcripts/TrScrpt2009-2010/transcript_01_12_10.html
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Present: Kathryn Flynn, Claire Crutchley, Dennis Devries, Russ Muntifering, Robert Locy, Richard Guthrie, Anne-Katrin Gramberg, Stewart Schneller, Mary Ellen Mazey, Bonnie MacEwan, April Staton, Larry Crowley, Andrew McLelland, Winfred Foster, Norbert Wilson, Sondra Parmer, Charles Mitchell, Werner Bergen, Barbara Kemppainen, Michael Clay, Christopher McNulty, Paul Swamidass, Anthony Moss, Yifen Wang, Paul Holley, Eduardus Duin, Hollie Lavenstein, Daniel Phillips, Sanjeev Baskiyar, Wi-Suk Kwon, Charles Eick, James Witte, Michael Baginski, James Goldstein, Xing Ping Hu, Keven Yost, Allen Davis, John Mazaheri, Larry Teeter, David King, Mark Fischman, Jennifer Brooks, Ellen Abell, Shea Tillman, Robert Bulfin, Andrew Wohrley, Steve Stuckwisch, Bart Prorok, Howard Goldstein, Constance Hendricks, Claire Zizza, Monica DeTure, Jim Wright, Daniel Parson, Jan Kavookjian, Guy Rohrbaugh, Mike Bozack, Steven P. Brown, Yasser Gowayed, Robert Voitle, Chris Correia, Rebecca Curtis, Scott Lewis, Jon Segars, Emily Myers, Heather May
Absent, sending a substitute: Bob Smith (for R. Lee Evans), Carl Pinkert (for John Mason), Thomas Beard (for Michael Stern), Fenny Dane (for Raymond Kessler)
Absent, no substitute: Larry Benefield, Richard Brinker, Jeff McNeil, Ainsley Carry, Jacob Watkins, James Winfield, Judy Woodrow, David Shannon, Bill Hames, Ronald Neuman, Prabhakar Clement, Casey Cegielski, Edith Davidson, Wesley Lindsey, Del Epperson, Ralph Henderson
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Call to Order:
Kathryn Flynn called the meeting to order at 3:01 PM
She briefly reviewed procedural rules for the meeting.
The minutes of the 10 November 2009 University Senate meeting were approved without change.
Remarks and Announcements:
Kathryn Flynn (Faculty Chair) invited Dr. Gogue, President, to present comments from the President's office.
Dr. Gogue had several items to mention.
--In the Fulbright Scholar program this year, Auburn had four individuals. We typically have two, so this is a good year.
--Jordan Anderson was selected as a Rhodes Scholar. Dr. Gogue said thanks to everyone for their help, and he noted that Jordan was one of only 32 Rhodes Scholars selected in the US.
--We have attempted to bring counselor generals, etc. to campus, and we have already brought in several. This semester, Bob McGinnis will be visiting, along with individuals from Germany, Japan, India and Russia.
--There was a national meeting for land grant universities in November. The US State Department had comments from their new administrator. Africa is still an area of interest and they will award a number of projects. They are looking for US and European and Asian universities to team up with African universities.
--The US Department of Education is interested in STEM initiatives, and Dr. Gogue mentioned the importance of video games to young people. He said he believes that young people can learn from educational video games.
--Budgets in Alabama do not appear good. The legislative session will open today, and will end in April or May. By some reports, the state general fund is down by 50%. The Educational Trust Fund is down by 1.4% in October through December, and in December it was up 13%, so we are looking toward the January numbers.
Questions for Dr. Gogue:
--Richard Penaskovic (not a senator, Philosophy) noted that there are problems with Haley Center with mold on the 5th floor, the outer seal being broken etc. Are there any plans for this? Dr. Gogue responded that Dan Kin had three options last fall that they investigated-- (1) $15 million for repairs to the roof, windows, HVAC, to get 20 more years out of the building; (2) complete renovation for $120-130 million; (3) use Haley Center and pull groups out, build smaller buildings but don't re-create Haley Center. Don Large noted that they have been looking at it for a while. Now option 3 looks to be the best. They are thinking about how option 1 might buy them time to move departments out slowly.
Comments from the Chair:
--Kathryn introduced Margaret Marshall who is the director of the Office of University Writing.
--After the SEC faculty leadership meeting, Bob Locy was contacted by a graduate student who is doing a survey of University Senates, and they are interested in faculty views of athletics
--The next Provost's open forum is tomorrow at 3:00 PM in the library auditorium on facilites, with Dr. Mazey and Dan King.
--Relative to the information item on today's agenda, today is a first step toward getting this information out. Today we will introduce these possible changes, give an overview/summary, and get the information out. We will set up a web site for input and comments. The site will be up and running by 18 January and will be announced via an email to AU Profs. There will also be other venues for discussion.
--At the February Senate meeting, there will be nominations for the Rules Committee.
--Today we will attempt voice votes, and will use paper ballots if needed.
Questions for Dr. Flynn:
--There were no questions.
Action Items:
Proposal to change the meeting dates of the Senate (Claire Crutchley, Chair-Elect)
--The resolution is at: https://auburn.edu/administration/governance/senate/website/agendas/2009-2010/Jan10_agn_items/proposed_senate_constitution_change_calendar.pdf
--In setting the meeting dates for the 2010-2011 calendar year, the officers thought it would be better to meet in August after the semester starts versus in July when many faculty are gone.
--There were no questions or discussion.
--The proposed replacement passed unanimously by a voice vote.
Proposed changes to the Core Curriculum by the Core Curriculum and General Education Committee (Linda Glaze, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies)
--Linda Glaze introduced Pam Ulrich and Michelle Sidler who are members of the CCGE committee who then introduced the topic and presented the recommendations to be considered.
--Each of the three items would be considered separately, one at a time.
--Item 1: Allow more options in Area II (Humanities and Fine Arts) in addition to Philosophy
--Guy Rohrbaugh (Philosophy) recommended voting against all three items today. He stated that the actions were premature and asked why the changes were needed, were they needed for student learning outcomes, flexibility? He needed a clearer picture of what we want, will this affect student learning outcomes? Relative to flexibility, we have not endorsed this in the Senate. Pam Ulrich said we will go forward with a request for proposed courses if voted forward; we can't ask for change if we don' t allow for change.
--Charles Eick (Curriculum and Teaching) said that they would like the flexibility in the curriculum (not the students, but actually the department). They would like to have the chance for change.
--Chris Correia (Psychology) said it was hard to know where to go if alternatives are not on the table. It seems like we may be allowing students to be less well rounded than with current courses. Pam Ulrich stated that programs can require a course if needed for their major.
--Steve Brown (Political Science) asked what the rationale is to reject the recommendation to ungroup the sciences but not here. Michelle Sidler said relative to the science recommendation (to remove the sequence requirement) the student learning outcome is linked to knowledge within one sequence while within the social sciences more than one student learning outcome can apply. Steve Brown followed up by asking if the science student learning outcome trumps flexibility? Michelle Sidler responded that it did.
--Richard Penaskovic (not a Senator, Philosophy) agreed to not require Philosophy, but wanted to know if we have a criteria to decide if a course or discipline belongs in the core-- does it enlighten our understanding of the world?
--Item 1 passed with a voice vote.
--Item 2: Eliminate Auburn's current organization of the Social Sciences into Group I and Group II
--Steve Brown (Political Science) said it was hard to believe that any student could finish a degree at Auburn University without a Political Science course. Pam Ulrich stated that student learning outcomes don't necessarily come from every core course, and that once a suite of courses comes forward they may be regrouped in a new way. Steve Brown asked why we don't see where we are going before ungrouping. Michelle Sidler said that we did that, and we are over representing some student learning outcomes and under representing others.
--Item 2 passed with a voice vote.
--Item 3: Replace requirement for sequences in both literature and history with the requirement for a sequence in one and a single course in the other (i.e. literature sequence and one history or history sequence and one literature)
--Jennifer Brooks (History) proposed an amendment to remove Item 3, and provided a handout with her rationale (proposed CCGEC amendment). This was actually not an amendment, but speaking against the motion.
--Michael Melancon (not a senator, History) urged senators to vote down the motion. These sequences are what generate the breadth of knowledge
--James Goldstein (English) speaks in favor of approving Item 3. We require too much in the core and students with a choice may have better educational experiences. The history sequences may not all address globalization equally.
--Jennifer Brooks (History) noted that the recommendation to vote against Item 3 was a unanimous vote in her department.
--Michelle Sidler said it is pretty overwhelming that students if given a choice will select courses that best fit their needs. This will make sure that courses are relevant, may lead to fewer sections, lighten the load.
--Item 3 passed by a voice vote.
Proposed guidelines for the Lecturer/Senior Lecturer positions (Emmett Winn, Associate Provost)
--the proposed guidelines are at https://auburn.edu/administration/governance/senate/website/agendas/2009-2010/Jan10_agn_items/LecturerTitleSeries_1_5.pdf
--Emmett Winn provided some introduction for the proposed guidelines.
--The motion was seconded by Charles Eick.
--James Goldstein (English) moved for the approval of an amendment that was distributed (proposed Lecturer amendment). He read italicized portions of the amendment and stated that without this language there is a risk of Auburn being placed on AAUP sanction.
--Emily Myers (Sociology) seconded the amendment.
--Mark Porok (Mechanical Engineering) asked if the amendment could be projected better and asked if a better projection system was possible for the Senate meeting room.
--Werner Bergen (Animal Sciences) noted that scholarship is important to tenure track faculty and this is not in the lecturer positions.
--Bob Locy (Immediate Past Chair) asked if this is advisory to the Provost. Emmett Winn responded that it was. Bob Locy then said that if there was no problem with the Clinical and Research Track positions, why is this different language needed for Lecturers?
--Larry Crowley (Steering Committee) spoke in opposition to the amendment, noting that this will make a crisis in the sixth year.
--Larry Gerber (not a Senator, Professor Emeritus) urged support of the amendment, noting it provided protection of job security and academic freedom. We have not had a Research or Clinical faculty go past 7 years and not be discontinued yet and the AAUP cannot act without a complaint.
--Guy Rohrbaugh (Philosophy) spoke in support of the amendment.
--The vote by show of hands was 35 yes, 22 no; the amendment passed.
--The discussion then turned to discussion of the amended motion.
--Richard Penaskovic (not a senator, Philosophy) said there was a problem with the second to the last sentence of Section I. There are departments that would exceed these numbers.
--James Goldstein (English) agreed with Rich and said that the Provost would have to allow for this.
--Norbert Wilson (Ag Econ/Rural Sociology) said that on page 5, the requirement for student evaluations seemed to be too restrictive. Emmett Winn said this was not intended to be too restrictive and can recommend to the Provost that we clarify it.
--The vote on the amended guidelines passed by a voice vote.
Information Items:
Proposed changes to Policies in the Faculty Handbook (Emmett Winn, Associate Provost)
--the proposed changes are located at:
https://auburn.edu/administration/governance/senate/website/agendas/2009-2010/Jan10_agn_items/Faculty_Handbook_Changes_01_13_2010.pdf
https://auburn.edu/administration/governance/senate/website/agendas/2009-2010/Jan10_agn_items/Suggested_P_and_T_Changes_01_13_2010.pdf
--Emmett Winn noted that these are changes to the policies in the Faculty Handbook, and are the start of a process. We will develop a web site for comment, hold meetings, etc.
--Kathryn Flynn invited and encouraged input via the web page and meetings.
Unfinished Business:
There was no unfinished business.
New Business:
There was no new business.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:45 PM.