Meeting Minutes of the Steering Committee
9 February 2012
3:30 p.m.  Room 107 Samford Hall
(by Larry Crowley, Secretary)

In Attendance: Nedret Billor, Michael Baginski , Tim Boosinger, Larry Crowley, Claire Crutchley, Laura Plexico, Ann Beth Presley, Bill Sauser, Andy Wohrley
Guests: Emmett Winn, John Weete and Mark Barnett
Absent: Robin Jaffe

-- The meeting was called to order at 3:30 pm

-- The meeting minutes of January 19, 2012 Steering Committee were approved as written.

-- John Weete presented information on Office of Technology Transfer at Auburn University in anticipation of making a presentation at the next senate meeting.

-- Potential Rules committee nominations to be offered from the floor are Steve Duke from Engineering and Forrest Smith from the Pharmacy.  TY Tam was discussed as an additional nominee however he is also in the running for Chair of his department and would then not qualify if appointed to that position.

-- Senate agenda was finalized with 2 action items: 
Action 1) Rules committee nominations presented by Larry Crowley, Secretary
Action 2) De facto tenure status of Instructors presented by Bill Sauser, Chair Elect

Three information items will be on the agenda:
Information 1) Resolution on selection, duties and term of Department Heads/Chairs presented by Claire Crutchley, Immediate Past Chair

Information 2) Auburn’s Office of Technology Transfer presented by John Weete, Acting VP for Technology and Commercialization and Executive Director of ARTF

Information 3) Graduate Tuition Waiver presented by George Flowers, Dean of Graduate School

-- Other topics discussed included:

+ Need for 4 standard questions across the university on the student evaluation of teaching questionnaire and how best to proceed on this issue.
+ Address the appointment of adjunct and affiliate faculty at Auburn University.
+ Administrative review of Heads/Chairs is moving forward with committee chairs having been appointed by the Provost and suggestion that this be addressed in the Chair’s Remarks at the senate meeting.
+ Senate leadership appointment of Sanjeev Baskiyar to the OVPR Cyber-security taskforce or possibly John Wu if needed.  Emmett Winn will ask.
+ Potential for reevaluating the use of Digital Measures software based on information submitted by Evert Duin on experiences of other universities.
+ Renaming of departments/schools that are being considered has gone to the appropriate committees for review and recommendations.

-- The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 pm.