Minutes of the University Senate Meeting
5 April 2011
3:00 p.m.
Broun Hall Auditorium
Submitted by
Russ Muntifering, Secretary
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A complete transcription of the meeting is available
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Present: Claire Crutchley, Ann Beth Presley, Russ Muntifering, Larry Crowley, Kathryn Flynn, Bill Hardgrave, Gregg Newschwander, Betty Lou Whitford, Chuck Savrda, Timothy Boosinger, George Flowers, Bonnie MacEwan, Seth Humphrey, Andrew Wohrley, Robin Jaffe, Andrew McLelland, Norbert Wilson, James Bannon, Sondra Parmer, Werner Bergen, Barbara Kemppainen, Gary Wagoner, Paul Swamidass, Anthony Moss, Paul Holley, Evert Duin, Robert Agne, Sanjeev Baskiyar, Wi-Suk Kwon, Michael Stern, James Goldstein, John Mazaheri, Larry Teeter, David King, Ruth Crocker, Fenny Dane, Ellen Abell, Shea Tillman, Jared Russell, Pambanisha King, Bill Sauser, Herb Rotfeld, Tin-Yau Tam, Bart Prorok, Doug Rosener, Suresh Matthews, Vicky van Santen, Forrest Smith, Wesley Lindsey, Guy Rohrbaugh, Mike Bozack, Steven Brown, Chris Correia, Annette Kluck, Richard Hoerner, Emily Myers, Heather May, Ralph Henderson
Absent, sending a substitute: Joe Molnar (for Bill Batchelor), David Riese (for Lee Evans), Charles Israel (for Anne-Katrin Gramberg), Haley Bagwell (for Kirby Turnage), Vishal Salian (for Nidhi Sehgal), Laura Plexico (for Nedret Billor), Nancy Haak (for Daniel Phillips), Sue Barry (for Charles Eick), Maria Witte (for James Witte), Beverly Marshall (for Keven Yost), Kimberly Blake (for Jan Kavookjian), Gisela Buschle-Diller (for Yasser Gowayed), Kat Stofer (for Richard Fox)
Absent, no substitute: Mary Ellen Mazey, Joel Hunter, Jim Wright, Winfred Foster, Scott McElroy, Jocelyn Zanzot, Yifen Wang, Ronald Neuman, Prabhakar Clement, Michael Baginski, Xing Ping Hu, Russell Wright, Jerry Davis, Stuart Pope, Monica DeTure, Shelly McKee, Joseph Fetsch
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Call to Order:
--Claire Crutchley called the meeting to order, and a quorum was confirmed.
-- Minutes from the March 1, 2011 meeting were accepted as posted without change.
Remarks and Announcements:
Dr. Gogue (Office of the President) presented several items.
-- Emily Brennan, a junior majoring in Animal Sciences, has been chosen as a Barry M. Goldwater Scholar for 2011.
-- Deadline for nominations to the Auburn University Board of Trustees is Friday, April 8, 2011. Up to nine seats could be filled this year, and as many as 6 of these could be reappointments.
-- A national search for the position of Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs will commence in very short order, as will an internal search for the interim position.
-- The matter of the Pre-paid Affordable College Tuition (PACT) Plan has come up for discussion once again in the Alabama Legislature.
-- Central administration is currently working on the FY 2012 operating budget for the university. No additional proration is expected for the remainder of FY 2011.
Comments from the Chair:
-- Senators are encouraged to complete administrator evaluation instruments for their respective college/school and department, and to encourage faculty within their units to do likewise.
-- Senators are encouraged to submit nominations for appointment to the Auburn University Board of Trustees, and to encourage faculty in their units to do likewise.
-- Blackboard Learning System is to be discontinued. An ad hoc committee has recommended two possible replacement systems.
-- A number of major items will be brought to University Senate at the May and June meetings.
-- A new instructor/course evaluation instrument for use by students will be presented to University Senate this summer.
Action Items:
-- Kathryn Flynn, Immediate Past Chair, presented a resolution on administrator reviews (amended resolution).
David King, Geology and Geography, motioned to amend the resolution by changing the frequency of comprehensive administrative review of departmental leaders from 3–5 years to 2–3 years. The motion was seconded and endorsed by a vote of 37 yes, 31 no. The amended resolution was then endorsed by a vote of 35 yes, 32 no.
-- Ann Beth Presley, Chair-Elect, presented proposed changes in the promotion and tenure process.
Sue Barry (Curriculum and Teaching) motioned to amend the proposed changes such that individual faculty letters would not be available for review and rebuttal by the candidate, but that only the departmental summary letter and department head/chair letter would be available for review and rebuttal by the candidate. The motion was seconded but did not pass (18 yes, 45 no).
Michael Stern (Economics) motioned to amend the proposed changes such that collegiality would be eliminated as a consideration for award of tenure. The motion was seconded by did not pass (26 yes, 38 no).
The original motion was endorsed by a vote of 37 yes, 24 no.
Information items:
-- Robert Smith (Pharmacy), Chair of Non-Tenure Track Committee, presented a proposal on promotion of non-tenure track faculty.
-- Bill Sauser (Management), Chair of Faculty Handbook Review Committee, made a presentation on proposed changes to Faculty Handbook (PowerPoint file)
-- Doug Hankes, Director of Student Counseling Services, and Christopher O’Gwynn, Risk
Management Specialist, presented an update from Threat Assessment Team.
Unfinished business:
None
New business:
A question was raised about the status of priority seating for faculty at athletic events.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:20 p.m.