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

Present:   Dan Svyantek (Chair), Donald Mulvaney (Secretary), James Goldstein (Immediate-Past Chair), Michael Baginski (Chair-Elect), Beverly Marshall (Secretary-Elect), Tim Boosinger (Provost), Michael Tillson, Jared Russel
Absent: Lucretia Tripp and Lisa Kensler

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Svyantek at 3:30 pm and an agenda with attachments was provided. As a first item of business, the Steering minutes from November 9 were approved.

A new policy recommendation regarding matriculating international transfer credit was revisited by steering. It was recommended this item will be mentioned as an Information item at next Senate and this will be relayed to Dr. Relihan by Chairman Svyantek.

Chairman Svyantek shared a calendar framework of Senate voting action items, possible information items and possible update reports to schedule. 

1. The voting item list included: Policy of the Evaluation of international transfer credit, revisions to the faculty handbook regarding timely feedback statements, possible revisions to Faculty Handbook regarding clarifying guidelines on P&T on hire, seating of 2018 Senate Committee memberships and new officer election.
   
   
2. Possible information items included: parking items in general, posting of the results of the after-hours parking survey, scholarship incentive program 2.0, guidelines for understanding and evaluating research impact, survey of a model for a 15 minute between classes, policy on undergraduate final examinations*, behavioral science research IRB processes, update on critical conversations series, develop handbook for committee chairs and senators and interaction with General Counsel regarding multi-year contracts for NTTF.  Examination of attendance policies may be discussed.
   
   
3. Possible additions to schedule include:  Bookstore updates, ad hoc mid-career committee report, Alabama Arts and Prison

Comments about the after-hours parking survey report format were exchanged.  A partial tentative list of scheduled information and action items for 2018 was identified:

January – This Is Research by Steve Taylor; Title IX and Harassment by Kelly Taylor
February – CIA report by Beverly Marshall
March – General Faculty meeting to include administrative and professional assembly by Lawrence Hamberlin and info on AU Staff Council by Charleen Thomas.  Results of the Senate Elections will be announced and a report on the COACHe Survey will be made by Drew Clark.
April – plans for an open forum on Senate and Senatorial roles

* A possible policy on undergraduate final examinations was discussed by the Teaching Effectiveness Committee but referred to policy in place which defaults to department chairs.

The agenda for the Senate meeting for 1/16/2018 will be discussed at the Steering on 1/11/2018.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:30 PM.

Prepared by:  D. Mulvaney, Secretary, AU Senate