Minutes of
The Auburn University Senate Meeting
Jan. 14, 2014
Broun Hall Auditorium

A complete transcript for this meeting is available.

 

Present
Officers:
Larry Crowley, Chair
Judy Sheppard, Secretary
Gisela Buschle-Diller, Secretary-Elect
William Sauser, Immediate Past Chair

Debbie Shaw, Vice President, Alumni Affairs
Chris Roberts, Dean, Engineering
June Henton, Dean, Human Sciences
Bonnie McEwan, Dean, Libraries

Bryan Elmore, Chair, A&P
Don Mulvaney, Steering Committee
Michael Baginski, Steering Committee

Senators:
Robert Cochran, Accountancy
Andrew Sinclair, Aerospace Engineering
James Bannon, AAES
Beth Guertal, Crops, Soil and Environmental Science
Dale Coleman, Animal Sciences
Dean Schwartz, Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology
Barb Bondy, Art
Cliff Defee, Aviation Management and Logistics
Bob Locy, Biological Sciences
Sushil Adhikari, Biosystems Engineering
Mark Taylor, Building Sciences
Allan E. David, Chemical Engineering
Eduardus Duin, Chemistry
Daniel Phillips, Com Disorders
Sanjeev Baskiyar, Computer Science And Software Engineering
Wi-Suk Kwon, Consumer Affairs
Michael Stern, Economics
Thomas Baginski, Electrical And Computer Engineering
Hillary Wyss, English
Leonardo De LaFuente, Entomology And Plant Pathology
Harris Hollans, Finance
Rusty Wright, Fisheries And Allied Aquaculture
Adrienne Angelo, Foreign Language And Literatures
Gary Hepp, Forestry And Wildlife Science
Amy Wright, Horticulture
Ellen Abell, Human Development And Family Studies
Sean Gallagher, Industrial Engineering
Leah Robinson, Kinesiology
Pambanisha Leilani Tanisha Whaley, Library
Peter Stanwick, Management
James Carver, Marketing
Dmitry Glotov, Mathematics And Statistics
Dong-Joo Kim, Mechanical Engineering
Kevin Huggins, Nutrition And Foods
Chippewa Thomas, Outreach
Vicky Van Santen, Pathobiology
Muralikrishnan Dhanasekaran, Pharmacal Sciences
Brent Fox, Pharmacy Care Systems
Guy Rohrbaugh, Philosophy
Mike Bozack, Physics
Murray Jardine, Political Science
Gwynedd Thomas, Polymer/Fiber Engineering
Tung-Shi Huang, Poultry Science
Emily Meyers, Sociology, Anthropology And Social Work
Annette Smith, Veterinary Clinical Sciences

Absent, sending substitutes:
Martha M. Taylor for John Mason, Vice President for Research
David Hinson for Jocelyn Zanzt, Architecture
Brian Parr for Ada Kohlmeier, Curriculum And Teaching,
Jim Witte for Lisa Kensler, Educational Foundations, Leadership And Teaching
Steve Shapiro for Daniel Sventek, Psychology
Mark Degoti for Matthew Hoch, Music

Absent, no substitute:
Don Large, Vice President for Finance
Jane Parker, Vice President for Development
Joseph A. Aistrup, Dean, College of Liberal Arts
George Flowers, Dean, Graduate School
Tim  Boosinger, Provost
Harrison Mills, SGA President
Frank Sturm, GSC President
Jennifer Richardson, Staff Council Chair
Laura Plexico, Steering
Larry Teeter, Steering
Valentina Hatarska, Agricultural Econonomics And Rural Sociology
Paul Brown, ACES
Cliff Lange, Civil Engineering
Robert Agne, Communication and Journalism
David King, Geology And Geography
Tiffany Sippial, History
Jerrod Bradley Windham, Industrial Design
Iris Mullins, Nursing
Wesley Lindsey, Pharmacy Practice
Jill Meyer, Special Education/Rehabilitation/Counseling/School Psychology
Jeffrey Hemmes, ROTC Air Force
Scott Copeland, ROTC Army
Paul Michael Esposito, ROTC Naval
Chase Bringardner, Theatre


Call to order

Senate Chair Larry Crowley called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m., established a quorum, discussed the rules of the meeting and introduced the Senate officers. The Senate approved the minutes of the Nov. 5 meeting without correction.

Remarks and Announcements

President Jay Gogue discussed several items:
The February Auburn University Board of Trustees meeting where several action items will be presented:
1. Initiating the planning and discussion for a new academic building for a College of Business graduate school at an unannounced location. All money will come from private sources.
2. Renaming the Art Department the Department of Art and Art History.
3. Renaming an undergraduate degree in Radio, Television and Film to Media Studies.
4. Three new graduate certificate programs from the College of Agriculture, Design and Construction.

Dr. Gogue said that the groundbreaking for the VICOM building in the Research Park will be Feb. 6. He added that he rarely mentioned athletics, but noted that of the 14 SEC schools Auburn had five Rhodes scholars finalists over the last five years. Also, about 585 student athletes and about 300 have GPAs over 3.0. Only 5 had less than a 2.0. Also, applications are up 20 percent since last year.

A report for the 2013 calendar year shows that over $151 million has been raised. An omnibus bill has received legislative support and could affect earmarking of state funds, which may allow AU to be more competitive for federal grants and money.

Dr. Gogue also praised the Cooperative Extension Service, which has spent a lot of time in the Black Belt recently helping residents understand the new Affordable Health Care Act.

He called for questions, but there were none.

Senate Chair Larry Crowley spoke on behalf of Provost Tim Boosinger, who was ill.
The provost has scheduled an open forum on Jan. 15 on the possible Huron budget model comparing other colleges’ experience. Representatives from four other universities will speak.

He also mentioned Dun Mulvaney and his successful Teaching Effectiveness Committee, which has moved money saved by the move to electronic evaluations. Dr. Crowley also praised Dr. Boosinger and Associate Provost Emmett Winn for helping establishment of a departmental teaching award.

Dr. Crowley also mentioned that the Senate Executive Committee had begun visiting with deans and senators at various colleges to hear their concerns. This is modeled on the College of Agriculture’s monthly meeting. The next meeting is at the College of Engineering with Dean Chris Roberts and senators. Hopefully, there will be dialogue established that will communicate faculty concerns to Senate leadership.

Dr. Crowley also asked faculty to visit the volunteer site on the Senate web pages to sign up for committees. He explained that on the home page the orange button to the left brings up the committees for which all faculty are eligible to volunteer.
He also noted that at the Feb. 4 meeting nominations for the new Rules Committee members will be taken from the floor. Nominees must be senators at the time. It is a two-year term.

Dr. Crowley then introduced Gordon Stone, the director of the Alabama Higher Education Partnership.

Dr. Gordon Stone

Dr. Stone said he was proud of the faculty’s commitment to student athlete excellence that has helped the students succeed academically. He also thanked the faculty for what it has done for various counties and communities. e A speaker from AU soon was coming to discuss careers in agriculture in his hometown.there.

He then briefly recapped the history of the Partnership, which was started in 1997 to be a representative voice for 4-year colleges. He represents 14 universities and educates the public on the fact that colleges are not simply academic but are also economic engines to the state. Many people don’t understand what the universities do. Dr. Stone urged the attendees to consider joining the Partnership at the $100-$250 minimal amount and announced that there would be a Higher Education Day on Feb. 27 at the Alabama State House.

There were no questions.

Dr. Crowley then introduced Dr. Chippewa Thomas, the director of faculty engagement, as speaking for the fourth plank in the strategic plan, Outreach.

Dr. Chippewa Thomas
Dr. Thomas spoke on the significance of the scholarly component of outreach and servicen and that engaged scholars’ work should be recognized as such while also fulfilling Auburn’s land grant mission.

Since 80 percent of research done here is done by faculty, engaged scholars are a large part of productivity. Publication is essential, but other methods of productivity per discipline are also important. Outreach scholarship has also been a part of the SACS affirmation process. Her office is charged with recognizing faculty when they conduct such research, including recognition in the tenure and promotion process. Research Week and Outreach Scholarship Symposium, which is scheduled for Feb. 10 and 11, are important showcases for faculty work.

There were no questions.

Dr. Crowley introduced Ms. Joan Hinken, the new Department Coordinator for Waste Reduction and Recycling.

Ms. Hinken

Ms. Hinken updated the faculty about her department’s advances in educating employees and collecting and recycling waste.

Some containers in offices are for paper only, if stapled or paper-clipped. Other containers accept some plastics, even with caps and labels, and aluminum cans and steel. Binders and scrap metal can also be accepted.

Cardboard placed in specific containers must be flattened, and the department can accept up to three print or toner cartridges.

When people are making a major sweep of papers in their offices, the department will provide a 95-gallon bin for up to 30 days. However, they cannot accept hard-back books.

The office has saved about 137 tons of recycled material from going into landfills and so has saved the university $15,000. However, the university is recycling only about 27 percent of the desired goal.


Senator Emily Myers, Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work
then asked if the university could send shredded paper to the Humane Society.

Ms. Hinken said that the university already does do this, and the department will pick up materials.


Senator Rusty Wright of Fisheries asked about electronic recycling.

Ms. Hinken replied that the department partners with the Surplus Property Department, so anything purchased with university money – like computers and electronics -- would go through that office.Faculty can call and ask if their discarded electronics can be recycled.

Dr. Crowley thanked Ms. Hinken.

He asked if there was any unfinished business or new business or announcements. There being none, the meeting was adjourned at 4:32 p.m.