Minutes of the University Senate Meeting
6 October 2009
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/minutes/2009_2010/min_10_06_09.html)
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Present: Kathryn Flynn, Claire Crutchley, Dennis Devries, Robert Locy, Richard Guthrie, Richard Brinker, Anne-Katrin Gramberg, Stewart Schneller, John Mason, Mary Ellen Mazey, Bonnie MacEwan, April Staton, Larry Crowley, Andrew McLelland, Winfred Foster, Charles Mitchell, Werner Bergen, Barbara Kemppainen, Christopher McNulty, Paul Swamidass, Anthony Moss, Paul Holley, Eduardus Duin, Hollie Lavenstein, Sanjeev Baskiyar, Wi-Suk Kwon, Michael Stern, James Witte, Michael Baginski, James Goldstein, Xing Ping Hu, Keven Yost, Allen Davis, John Mazaheri, David King, Mark Fischman, Jennifer Brooks, Raymond Kessler, Ellen Abell, Shea Tillman, Robert Bulfin, Andrew Wohrley, Steve Stuckwisch, Howard Goldstein, Constance Hendricks, Claire Zizza, Monica DeTure, Jim Wright, Daniel Parson, Jan Kavookjian, Wesley Lindsey, Guy Rohrbaugh, Mike Bozack, Steven P. Brown, Yasser Gowayed, Robert Voitle, Chris Correia, Rebecca Curtis, Emily Myers, Heather May

Absent, sending a substitute: Conner Bailey (for Norbert Wilson), Daun Tucker (for Sondra Parmer), Bonnie White (for Charles Eick), April Hodge (for Jon Segars)

Absent, no substitute: Russ Muntifering, Larry Benefield, R. Lee Evans, Jeff McNeil, Ainsley Carry, Jacob Watkins, James Winfield, Judy Woodrow, David Shannon , Bill Hames, Michael Clay, Yifen Wang, Ronald Neuman, Prabhakar Clement, Daniel Phillips, Larry Teeter, Casey Cegielski, Edith Davidson, Bart Prorok, Scott Lewis, Del Epperson, Ralph Henderson

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Call to Order:
Kathryn Flynn called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.

The minutes of the 1 September 2009 University Senate meeting were approved without change.

Remarks and Announcements:
Kathryn Flynn (Faculty Chair) noted that Dr. Gogue was gone, so that Dr. Mazey would provide comments.

Dr. Mazey had several items to mention.
--Dr. Mazey provided a list of 35 strategic plan goals for 2009-2010. Some of these were new goals, and there are names by all of the goals to indicate responsibility. We are doing what we can to implement the plan even during tough financial times.
--There are currently 4 dean searches underway. The College of Agriculture search is co-chaired by Dean Schneller and Dr. Bannon. The College of Education search is chaired by Dean Henton, and their open forum was held last week. The COSAM search is chaired by Dean Gramberg with their first meeting to take place next week. The College of Business search is chaired by Dean Bennett, and just met prior to the Senate meeting. All searches will involve search firms, and all will full two-days itineraries of on-campus meetings for each interviewed individual.
--The Associate Provost for International Programs search is underway, with Dean Flowers chairing the search committee.
--The task force for the Lecturer/Senior Lecturer positions has been appointed. Emmett Winn is the chair.
--The next Provost's open forum will be on 21 October at 3 PM in the Library auditorium. The next one after that will be on 18 November.
--Relative to the budget: Last year's proration was 11%, and we already have an additional 7½% this year. That amounts to an approximately $100 million cut. Academic units this year will have a 1½% hit. The budget for FY11 could be lower than the 7½% prorated budget.

Questions for Dr. Mazey:
--Conner Bailey (substitute Ag Econ/Rural Soc) noted that the athletics program is successful, and has received increases in budget allocations in recent years. In 2001, the athletics program was paying 1% for general administrative costs while the rest of campus pays 6%; recent numbers have been 2%. The additional costs could amount to $2.9 million.
--Don Large (Executive Vice President) responded that there is a theory behind the decisions that were made relative to athletics operating as a self-sustaining entity, including the lost value of discounted tickets for faculty that could have been sold elsewhere at face value.
--Conner Bailey asked about the budget increases, and Don Large responded that that is what he was talking about.
--Bob Locy (Past Chair) asked about the television contracts with the SEC, with much of the proceeds going to the schools. He noted that Auburn has done a poor job of putting money to academics versus athletics.
--Don Large noted that this is the beginning of these discussions. Dr. Gogue has asked Jay Jacobs to have a plan in place relative to these resources.
--Bob Locy noted that other SEC schools also have discounted tickets for faculty.
--Don Large responded that our discount is larger.

Comments from the Chair:
-Kathryn noted that we are now halfway through her's and Dennis DeVries' terms.
--A nomination committee (for nominations for officers) is being identified by the Executive Committee. Kathryn asked that everyone at least consider running if asked. Leadership positions in the Senate and on committees are important. We now are experiencing a positive relationship with the current administration.
--She noted that next Tuesday is the fall General/University Faculty Meeting.

Action Items:
Calendar Adjustment Resolution (Dr. Claire Crutchley, Chair-Elect)
--The resolution is at https://auburn.edu/administration/governance/senate/website/agendas/2009-2010/Oct09_agn_items/calendar_resolution.pdf
--The resolution was read, and does not require a second given that it comes from the Steering Committee.
--She noted that the resolution provides a range of day numbers, and not a single number.

Questions/Discussion concerning the resolution:
--Tony Moss (Biological Sciences) asked if this would knock out a week of labs. Claire said it depends on when the semester starts, and when holidays occurred. She noted that no one asked for more than 14 weeks of lab. Tony responded that they do not have labs in the first week of classes. so this could work to not cut any.
--Steve Stuckwisch (Mathematics/Statistics) said he polled his department and it was 6-1 against shortening the calendar. They are told they are not teaching them enough, so they cannot shorten the calendar by another 8%. Also, it does not look good to the public to cut teaching time without cutting pay.
--Tony Moss noted that the most vociferous response was against shortening the calendar, as they cannot afford to cut content.
--Michel Smith (Chair, Math/Statistics, not a Senator) noted that the switch from quarters to semesters led to the cutting of 4 calculus classes to 3, with the material packed into those remaining classes. They would have to deal with it if the resolution passes, but they would have to throw the material at the students even faster.
--Herb Rotfeld (Marketing, not a Senator) asked why we couldn't just reduce the summer semester to 7½ weeks to gain the days. Why do some programs need 10 summer weeks? That would give you the extra 2 weeks.
--Guy Rohrbaugh (Philosophy) stated that everyone in his department said that the semester is far too long.

A paper ballot was taken. The resolution passed, with 48 yes votes, 15 no votes, and 1 abstention.

Resolution concerning an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Program (Dr. George Flowers, Dean Graduate School)
--George Flowers provided some introductory remarks.
--The resolution is at https://auburn.edu/administration/governance/senate/website/agendas/2009-2010/Oct09_agn_items/ABM_Resolution.pdf
--The resolution was read.

Questions/Discussion concerning the resolution:
--Tony Moss (Biological Sciences) said he had little comment from his faculty. One important point was whether this would be functioning to increase the numbers of Master's students while we may need to be growing our PhD programs. George Flowers responded that assistantships are an individual departmental decision. There is no requirement for individual departments to participate, and no requirement that financial aid be provided. This could actually help in speeding up students through the program, who would then be good candidates to become PhD students.
--Dale Coleman (substitute Senator, Animal Sciences) wondered whether students could be listed at two different levels at the same time. George Flowers said students would have to apply by the time they reached 96 hours. Dale Coleman followed up by asking if a student enrolled in a 6000-level class but was going to get credit for the piggybacked 5000-level class, would they show up twice. What are the mechanics of this? George Flowers said he guessed that would be the case. Dr. Mazey suggested that they check with peer institutions.
--Mike Stern (Economics) said that they have something similar to this in Economics, where they use 7000-level classes. If they could use 7000-level classes for undergraduates then they could get dual credit. George Flowers said he had not thought of that, but it could be addressed.
--George Crandell (Associate Dean, Graduate School, not a Senator) said that when the department proposes it, they can determine what would be used.
--Bob Locy (Past Chair) asked whether undergraduates need special permission to enroll in 6000-level classes. George Flowers said yes. Bob Locy asked if that would reduce the quality of 6000-level classes with an influx of undergraduates?
--Paul Harris (Associate Director, Honors College, not a Senator) said that he would speak to the numbers of students. Honor's College students are the tops that you should want in your classes. He does not envision a large influx of students, and it depends on the department.
--Bob Locy asked how do we assess the success of the program? George Flowers said that will have to be developed. His expectation is that it will have a positive effect, but that needs to be assessed.
--Yasser Gowayed (Polymer/Fiber Engineering) provided a number of individual comments from his faculty. George Flowers said that the departments do not need to participate, and that courses would not need to be added just for this.
--Chris Correia (Psychology) said that they have a pre-doctoral program and he could see the possibility to increase Master's students to increase funding. He said that academic diversity is important, that it is important to go to other universities, and it could be a problem trying to keep them here for additional degrees. George Flowers agreed, but said that this depended on the field.
--Connor Bailey (Ag. Econ/Rural Sociology, substitute) said this was originally for the Honors College but is now beyond that, and asked why. George Flowers said it was originally seen as incentive for Honors College students, but there was interest beyond that and they wanted to make it more widely available.

--The motion to approve the final committee list of names was approved by a voice vote.

Information Items:
Kathryn noted that given the late hour, Jim Wohl's report from the Ombudsperson's Office would be moved to next month's Senate meeting.

Unfinished Business:
There was no unfinished business.

New Business:
There was no new business.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:25 PM.