Auburn University Steering Committee
Minutes
Thursday, March 5, 2015
206 Samford Hall

Present: Patricia Duffy (Chair), Larry Teeter (Chair-Elect), Larry Crowley (Immediate-Past Chair), Gisela Buschle-Diller (Secretary),  Emily Myers, Keven Yost, Sara Wolf, Mike Baginski, Don Andrae, Tim Boosinger, Hulya Kirkici

Absent: Laura Plexico (Secretary-elect)

The minutes of the Steering Committee meeting from February 19, 2015, were approved without modifications.

The recent March Senate meeting was briefly discussed and the changes proposed to the Faculty Handbook as presented by the Faculty Handbook Committee were revisited. The tentative agenda of the upcoming General Faculty meeting on March 10 was reviewed and finalized. The 2015 Glenn Howze Academic Freedom Award will be presented, and Kevin Coonrod will give an overview of the work of the Ombudsman’s Office at Auburn University.

At the April 7 Senate meeting, Don Andrae, Manager of Parking Services, will give a presentation on changes to parking on campus. A new license plate recognition system will be put in place in fall which should help reinforce parking. Upcoming construction for new classroom buildings will cause street closure in several areas. Mell Street will be one of the most affected areas, and congestion and disruption of traffic flow will be felt in the entire area around the construction zone. Irrespective of any upcoming construction, more parking spaces are needed and it was discussed how to increase the number of A zone parking after 5:00 PM, B zone parking during the day and general visitor parking on campus. At the Senate meeting, Don Andrae will show maps of current and future plans of parking locations.

Tim Boosinger and Patricia Duffy reported on a recent meeting regarding the Ag Heritage Park and plans of Alumni to renovate the dairy barns and upgrade the area with a kitchen and additional restrooms. A committee will be formed, consistent of faculty representatives of Agriculture, Student Affairs, Facilities, and others to find the best solution for enhancing use of the area while preserving the historic setting.

A tentative agenda for the special called Senate meeting on March 31 was discussed and how to proceed. The ad hoc Strategic Budgeting Committee will deliver a report on the currently proposed new Budget Model with potential modifications. Larry Teeter, Chair of this committee, stated that the committee is in the process of assembling its findings.  It was discussed whether, and if so, when, to call for a vote of the Senate. The April Senate meeting seemed the best approach and a vote on accepting (or rejecting) the report was added to the Action Items of the April meeting.

Finally, the Graduate Council proposal regarding granting Graduate Status for Lecturers was sent to the Non-Tenure Track Faculty Committee. Other issues on the agenda were postponed due to time constraints. The meeting was adjourned at 5:35 PM.