Minutes of Senate Steering Committee
October 26, 2017, 3:30-4:45
Samford 206

Dan Svyantek (Chair), Donald Mulvaney (Secretary), Michael Baginski (Chair-Elect), Beverly Marshal (Secretary-Elect), James Goldstein (Immediate-Past Chair), Jared Russell, Lucretia Tripp and Michael Tillson
Absent: Lisa Kensler, Tim Boosinger (Provost), Emmett Winn (Associate Vice-Provost)

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Svyantek at 3:30 pm and an agenda with attachments was provided. The Steering minutes from October 10, 2017 were approved. An email approved by Chief of Staff Brian Keeter and Associate Vice-Provost Emmett Winn and sent by the secretary to Chairs of University Committees regarding expectations and charges was acknowledged.

Discussion regarding a suggestion to bestow Emeritus title to the Provost upon retirement resulted in an observation the Provost Emeritus title nor even Dean Emeritus does not presently exist but a home department could vote on an emeritus title for retiring faculty.  Chairman Svyantek declared he would check into the procedures.

Steering discussed a request from the Library to place the Research Data Management Librarian (presently Ali Krzton) as a designated continuing member of the Faculty Research Committee.  The committee suggested asking Faculty Handbook to draft language for changes in the constitution to create an ex-officio non-voting position for the Research Data Management Librarian to sit on the FRC.

Steering proceeded to offer perceived strengths and weaknesses of the three candidates (Flowers, Giordano, Hardgrave) interviewing for the Provost position so as to provide Senate leadership input to the Provost Selection Committee. Chair Svyantek recorded inputs.

The status of the survey to be sent to faculty to gain input regarding after hours parking needs is ready to by crafted into Qualtrics.  Secretary Mulvaney agreed to create the Qualtrics template and distribute the link to faculty.

In other business, a question was posed about whether years accrued to allow faculty to apply for a PIL reset with the execution of a PIL or if the years continue to carry forward to allow additional PIL’s. In particular was an example of a faculty member with 25-30 year of service yet having never taken a PIL.

An additional item involved the announcement of an ad hoc committee formed to evaluate the varied works of art, statues and monuments publicly displayed across campus.  Conversation included suggestions that any policies must be approved by the Board of Trustees.  No suggested actions were taken or recommendations made by Steering.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:20 pm.

Prepared by:  D. Mulvaney, Secretary, AU Senate