Faculty Senate Minutes: March 27, 2009

Attendance:

Faculty Senate Representatives	Name		College	Attendance
1.	Davis	D.	Arts & Sciences	Absent
2.	Fowler	T.	Education	Present
3.	Garick	S.	Health & Behavioral Sciences	Absent
4.	Hamilton	J.	Education	Absent
5.	Haque	M.	Business	Present
6.	Harris	M.	Education	Present
7.	Jordan	T.	Health & Behavioral Sciences	Present
8.	Kincaid	K.	Health & Behavioral Sciences	Absent
9.	Linstrum	K	Health & Behavioral Sciences	Present
10.	McCallum	M.	Arts & Sciences	Present
11.	Owen	R.	Business	Present
12.	Reavis	D.	Business	Present
13.	Walker	L.	Arts & Sciences	Present

     Others in Attendance:   --

Approval of Minutes:

· Minutes were not available.

Report Provost: Dr. Stripling was not present.

Announcements:

Need to hold elections in the spring for all colleges, including the new college.

Reports:

1. Faculty Welfare Committee:

a. This committee discussed the faculty evaluations, specifically, the issue of collaborative authorship of journal articles. This issue needs to be discussed further.

2. Academic Affairs Committee:

a. Cross listing of courses was reviewed by this committee. This committee reports that cross listing does not appear to be a serious problem at this point in time; however, currently there is no policy to address cross listing of courses. The committee recommended the following motion:

i. The faculty Senate requests that course approval forms (“Course Inventory Add/Reinstate” and “Course Changes”) be altered to include:

· A check box indicating when a course is to be cross-listed for undergraduate/graduate credit;

· That a justification/explanation for the cross-listing and the differences in requirements be a stated requirement on the form, and

· Appropriate graduate faculty qualifications are spelled out for teaching the course.

ii. Motion passed unanimously.

b. This committee discussed two issues:  technology and classroom environments, and made the following two motions:

i. The Faculty Senate requests the President create a University Technology Committee that includes staff and faculty representation from each college. This committee will regularly review technology issues, advise the administration and Technology/Distance Education on technology concerns, and will act as a primary communication link between the faulty and Technology/Distance Education and the Administration.

ii. Motion passed unanimously.

iii. The Faculty Senate requests that the Vice President for Academic Affairs mandate the following item be included on the agenda of all regular College faculty meetings: “Concerns and issues about instructional environment and technology.” These concerns are to be communicated to the VPAA and compiled for action followed by a timely response to the faculty.

3. Executive Committee:

a. Will address the constitutional changes to address the new college configurations for the May meeting.

b. Will address the issues of travel, academic program coordinator jobe descriptions with President and VVPA.

c. State Faculty Meeting

i. The state wide meeting keeps us informed about other institutions.

ii. Discussion of university faculty shared governance. UT Arlington and one other university do have shared governance. 

iii. Currently state funding does not look very promising for the next two years.

4. Undergraduate Committee

a. At the last UCC meeting several syllabi were approved and Dr. Wagy presented the new core curriculum.

b. UCC had a lengthy discussion addressing travel courses, credit for travel courses, and expectations.  There is a university wide committee addressing these issues.

5. Graduate Council

a. At the last GC meeting several syllabi, course changes, and program changes were approved.

b. GC continues to work on the syllabus template, forms, charts, examples, and the process of new courses/course changes and new programs/program changes.

New Business

Unfinished Business for next meeting:

Adjournment: Motion to adjourn made by Linstrum; seconded by McCallum; passed unanimously. Adjourned at 2:30 p.m.

Submitted 3-28-2009 by M. Harris, FS Secretary/Parliamentarian