Minutes of the Auburn University Senate Meeting
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
238 Broun Hall
3:30 p.m.
A full transcript of this meeting is available.
Attendance Record at the end of the minutes.
Minutes submitted by Senate Secretary, Adrienne Wilson.
Chair, Nedret Billor called the meeting to order at 3:35pm
Call for quorum: 71 Senators present, with 45 needed for a quorum; a quorum was established.
Approval of the Minutes from the meeting of June 11, 2019: unanimously approved by voice vote.
Remarks and Announcements
Comments by University Senate Chair, Nedret Billor: Reminder of rules of the Senate.
Concerning Dr. Leath’s departure-thanks for his service and accomplishments during his tenure as university president.
As we all know, Dr. Steven Leath resigned on June 21, 2019. Although the sudden change in campus leadership caused some confusion, our institution continued to function its business as usual and Dr. Jay Gogue was named as Interim President on July 9, 2019. We, the University Executive committee, thank everyone for their input on the matter of President Leath’s departure.
We also would like to acknowledge and express our appreciation to Interim President Jay Gogue and Provost Bill Hardgrave for their efforts to provide transparency in this process. We are grateful for the opportunity to have worked with Dr. Leath during his tenure at Auburn to advance Auburn’s mission. We echo statements by the Board that under his leadership Auburn made strides to become a world-class public university.
Despite the change of leadership, we are happy that Auburn is in good shape in the areas of curricula, programs, standards, faculty appointments, evaluation and development, student academic affairs, libraries and other areas influencing the university’s missions. We are supportive of Interim President Jay Gogue as he continues to move Auburn forward while a search for a new President is launched. A key factor in Dr. Gogue’s support and success is his commitment to shared governance.
Genuine shared governance gives voice (but not necessarily ultimate authority) to concerns common to all constituencies as well as to issues unique to specific groups. We strongly believe that broad, free and open communication within our Auburn Family via shared governance is essential to the prosperity of our institution. Moreover, we strongly believe that stakeholder involvement in these processes is crucial to strengthening the positive working relationship between the Board of Trustees and AU community.
Therefore, in the spirit of shared governance, we, the Executive committee, look forward to working with the Interim President, Jay Gogue and the BOT for the search of a new President and be active in this process.
Remarks from Dr. Gogue:
Dr. Gogue thanked everyone for their kindness and encouragement upon his return. He offered kudos to the success of summer graduation (1350 students) and the readiness for the 5,000 new students for the fall semester. He will be focused on the budget going forward. The budget will be presented to the Board of Trustees on September 12: $1.45 billion, which includes a 7% increase, the largest Auburn has ever had.
Several other items on the Board agenda are some facility related issues: an infrastructure project out at the Research Park, a renovation project at the Stadium, a football facility that’s being discussed, and some housing for students.
Housing issues have been particularly interesting. We have approximately 1200 beds on the Hill dorms that are near the end of their life expectancy. When you try to relate that to all the construction that’s going on in Auburn in terms of housing, discussion continues in terms of what we do regarding housing and the building of new housing facilities. There is also a project out at Ag Heritage Park that Alfa is actually supporting the renovation of, the Red Barn (which may not be the correct name), but that is the visual that you see out there.
Then on the academic side there are 6 or 7 things: in Vet Medicine there’s about $2,000 fee increase for the Vet students; there are 2 degree options in the Human Science area dealing with Child Development [There are 2 master’s degrees in the College of Human Sciences, one is Child Life and the other is Hospitality Management, there’s a PhD in Hospitality Management]; and there is a modification in the Faculty Handbook that is a housekeeping item that focuses on Extension faculty.
There will be some discussion of the Strategic Plan in terms of where we are and the progress that is being made. Most of the key performance indicators have been identified and the final date is October 1 for those to be done.
One area of concern; in the last year or so in the budget process, keep in mind that both Auburn and the University of Alabama are constitutional institutions. We have historically not really dealt as closely with the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE) as those schools that are legislatively created. So, think of Troy and South AL, and all of your community colleges. We have always been handled a little bit differently. There’s been a move and discussion to try to figure out how you merge us all together as it is done in many states, that’s not really good for us. So much discussion is going on with leadership and the legislature and the University of Alabama to try to make sure that we all can stay on the same page relative to our budget as we move forward.
Dr. Gogue has been receiving questions about the details of Dr. Leath’s departure (unknown) and when will the search begin for a new president (also unknown at this time).
As requested by the Senate Executives, the search will strive to include the faculty more broadly in the process and will be as open as possible. Also requested by Senate Executives is to include their comments in any future president’s evaluations.
Questions from Senators to Dr. Gogue:
My question will be: How can we continue to move forward on the Rane Culinary Arts Building and 5 Diamond Hotel and Spa, that has six personal living condos at $3,000,000 a piece, with a roof swimming pool for a price tag of over $100,000,000.00? This is a venue where more than likely most students and family, staff, faculty and administration will not visit let alone be able afford to stay at. Especially when there is a 4 star hotel right next door.
Dr. Gogue responded that this is not on the agenda for the next Board of Trustees meeting and that he needs to find out more details.
Encouraged Dr. Gogue to visit all departments.
Dr. Gogue immediately committed to do so.
Information Items
New Post-Doc Information
Presenters: Michael Fogle, Chair of the Faculty Research Committee, Ann Shore
The presentation explained the changes to the benefits for Post-Docs that will go into effect October 1 (some benefits are staying the same). There will be a new fringe rate with no mandatory retirement requirement, and changes in leave accrual and holiday pay. These changes will help Auburn remain competitive in attracting Post-Doc candidates.
The Graduate School will be the new home for Post-Docs.
A special informational meeting about the changes will be held September 6, 3-4pm, in Mell 2250.
Tony Moss (Senator, Biological Sciences) expressed concern about the cut in leave time and that the changes would make Auburn less competitive; and asked if Post-docs can come to Senate meetings.
Response: post-docs are employees in training and should not be treated the same as a full-time employee; and yes, post-docs may attend meetings.
For more details, the New Post-Doc PowerPoint presentation is posted on the Senate website.
Overview of HIPAA
Presenter: Ronda Lacey, Compliance Manager and HIPAA Privacy Officer
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-explanation regarding privacy, security, breach; PHI-protected health info (past, present, future health care); PII-personally identifiable info.
See HIPPA PowerPoint for details, list of links for resources.
For questions/concerns, please contact.
Overview of FERPA
Presenter: Rick Causey
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act-protects students’ rights at post-secondary institutions regardless of age in regards to educational records.
Presentation included clarification of specific records that are included and not included; directory info that can be shared without consent; non-directory information that is confidential; proper custody of confidential records; family portal.
See FERPA PowerPoint for more specific details.
Email directly with questions.
Questions:
Tony Moss (Senator, Biology); “Can we assume that GID comes up if you search a student?”
Answer: “Everything is restricted unless you think it’s not.”
New Conflicts of Interest (COI) Disclosure Process
Presenters: Kristin Roberts, J.D. Compliance Manager, Mikey Tie, Research Compliance
Starting October 1, all full-time employees must sign a disclosure form annually. The form covers possible conflicts of interest such as board membership, leadership roles, financial interests, employment outside the university.
See COI PowerPoint for more specific details.
Questions: No.
Unfinished Business
Nedret Billor, Senate Chair
Monique Laney, Senator from History, Asked about new Senator orientation.
Chair Billor responded yes, and that all new Senators had been emailed.
New Business
Nedret Billor, Senate Chair
None
Adjournment
Nedret Billor, Senate Chair
Meeting adjourned at 4:47 p.m.
Attendance Record 8-27-19
Senate Officers:
Nedret Billor, Chair; Don Mulvaney, Chair-Elect; Adrienne Wilson, Secretary; Greg Schmidt, Secretary-Elect; Michael Baginski, Immediate Past Chair
Administration Attending:
Joe Aistrup, Dean, College of Liberal Arts; Annette Ranft, Dean, Harbert College of Business; Gregg Newschwander, Dean, School of Nursing; Karen Rogers substituting for Vini Nathan, Dean, Architecture, Design and Construction; Rick Cook, VP Outreach
Administration Absent, not sending substitute:
Chris Roberts, Samuel Ginn College of Engineering; Nick Giordano, Dean, Science and Mathematics; Jane Parker, VP Development; Susan Hubbard, Dean College of Human Sciences,
Jim Weyhenmeyer, VP of Research
Ex Officio Attending:
Bill Hardgrave, Provost; Andrew Whorley substituting for Shali Zhang, Dean of Libraries; Mady Tan substituting for Mary Margaret Turton, SGA President; Kim Brumbeloe, Staff Council Chair; Mark Bransby, A&P Assembly Chair; Jung Won Hur, Steering Committee; Michael Tillson, Steering Committee; Jared Russell, Steering Committee; Robert Norton, Steering Committee
Ex Officio Absent, not sending substitute:
Nima Aliadeh, GSC President
Senators, Attending or Represented by Substitute:
Lisa Miller, Accountancy; Anwar Ahmed, Aerospace Engineering; Valentina Hartarska, Agricultural Economics & Rural Sociology; Katie Funderburk for Molly Gregg, ACES; Jack Wower, Animal Sciences; Chad Foradori, Anatomy, Physiology & Pharmacology; Rebecca O’Neal-Dagg, Architecture; Emily Burns for Kathryn Floyd, Art; Anthony Moss, Biological Sciences; Yi Wang, Biosystems Engineering; Mark Tatum, Building Sciences; Bryan Beckingham, Chemical Engineering; Doug Goodwin, Chemistry; Brian Anderson, Civil Engineering; Robert Agne, Communication and Journalism; Mary Sandage, Communication Disorders; Kai Chang, Computer Science and Software Engineering; Melanie Duffy, Consumer & Design Sciences; David Han, Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences; Jamie Harrison, Curriculum & Teaching; Feng Li, Drug Discovery and Development; Gilad Sorek, Economics; Ellen Reames, Educational Foundations, Leadership; Lloyd Riggs, Electrical & Computer Engineering; Susan Youngblood, English; David Held, Entomology & Plant Pathology; Lee Colquitt, Finance; Ash Bullard, Fisheries & Allied Aquaculture; Zachary Zuwiyya, Foreign Languages & Literature; Wayde Morse, Forestry & Wildlife Science; Haibo Zou, Geology & Geography; Kimberly Garza, Health Outcomes Research and Policy; Monique Laney, History; Daniel Wells, Horticulture; Scott Ketring, Human Development & Family Studies; Carlton Lay, Industrial Design; Andreas Kavazis, Kinesiology; George Stachokas, Library; Alan Walker, Management; Jeremy Wolter, Marketing; Yanzhao Cao, Mathematics and Statistics; Virginia Kunzer, Music; Christopher Martin for David Crumbley, Nursing; Baker Ayoun, Nutrition, Dietetics & Hospitality Mgmt; David Mixson, Outreach; Peter Christopherson, Pathobiology; Spencer Durham, Pharmacy Practice; Eric Marcus, Philosophy; Michael Fogle, Physics; Paul Harris for Stacey Hunt, Political Science; Robert Norton for Ken Macklin, Poultry Science; Tracy Witte, Psychology; Malti Tuttle, Special Ed. Rehab. Counseling/School Psychology; Shashank Rao, Systems and Technology; Kenneth McDonald, ROTC Air Force; Calina Creech, ROTC, Army; Carole Zugazaga for Arianne Gaetano, Socio/Anthro/Social Work; Robin Jaffe, Theatre; Robert Cole, Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Senators Absent, not sending substitute:
Rich Sesek, Industrial and Systems Engineering; Daniel Mackowski, Mechanical Engineering; Willie Billingslea, ROTC Navy