Minutes for March 14, 2005
The Faculty Senate of Eastern Kentucky University met on Monday, March 14, 2005 in the South Room of the Keen Johnson Building. Senator Siegel called the seventh meeting of the academic year to order at 3:30 p.m.
The following members of the Senate were absent:
| D. Discepoli | E. Fenton | S. Fister* |
| D. Jackson | M. McNew | L. Patterson |
| M. Pierce | F. Sharp | J. Taylor |
| S. Wilson | G. Wolf |
*denotes prior notification of absence to the Faculty Senate Secretary
Visitors to the Senate were: Jim Conneely, Student Affairs; Sharon Bailey, English; Paul Blanchard, Government Relations; Megan Hansen, Eastern Progress; Karen Janssen, Special Education; Diana McGregor, Academic Advising; Lance Melching, SGA; Kathryn Polmanteer, COE; Aaron Thompson, Enrollment Management; Elizabeth Wachtel, Academic Affairs; and Melinda Wilder, Curriculum & Instruction
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
The February 7, 2005 minutes were approved as written.
REPORT FROM THE PRESIDENT: Senator Glasser
Senator Glasser extended her congratulations to the men's and women's basketball team for winning the OVC tournament. The men are scheduled to play U.K. in the first NCAA round at Indianapolis, Indiana on Thursday at 12:20 p.m. The women will play Arizona State at Fresno, California on Saturday. Classes will go on as scheduled on Thursday.
The 2006 budget was approved by the General Assembly and forwarded to the Governor for his approval. If approved, EKU will receive $32.85 million for Phase II of the Business & Technology Building and $9 million to fund a new Manchester Center. In addition, EKU will receive $5 million in planning funds for a new science building in this year's budget. Approximately $2.1 million of the total $6.3 million previously cut will be restored to EKU's capital funding.
The tax modernization plan was also approved. The plan includes a state tuition tax credit for up to $375 for 2005-06 and $500 per year in subsequent years.
While the proposed budget is good news for EKU, university-wide financial problems will not be solved overnight. There continues to be an increasing need for competitive salaries and benefits to attract and retain quality faculty and staff. Need-based financial aid for students is another high priority. Deferred maintenance of our infrastructure is also an ongoing and pressing issue.
Senator Glasser is committed to providing a salary increase this year, but an exact figure has not been determined. One new initiative this year is the faculty professional development fund which will supplement existing departmental budgets for full-time tenure-track faculty with faculty development needs.
EKU will have an increase in tuition for next year, but an exact figure has not been determined. That information will be available in the near future.
Due to the wet winter, the campus electrical upgrade and the new Business and Technology building are running slightly behind schedule. The original date for completion was February, 2006 but that will be pushed back a couple of months. There will be some scheduled power outages during the systemic electrical upgrade process, but faculty, staff and students will be notified well in advance.
At the end of February, over 6200 donors had contributed $1.5 million to EKU's capital campaign fund. Alumni support stands at $605,000 which is considerably higher than this time last year.
Alumni Weekend is scheduled for April 29-30. This year EKU will be honoring graduates from the years 1955 and earlier and alumni constituency groups for those years marking every five years thereafter.
Recent faculty highlights include:
- Kevin Minor, James Wells, Kimberly Cobb, Beverly Lawrence and Terry Cox recently had a new book published: "Test Validity in Justice and Safety Training Contexts: A Study Of Criterion-Referenced Assessment In A Police Academy".
- The Kentucky Economics Association has moved the Journal of Applied Economics and Policy to EKU under the editorship of Tom Watkins.
- Cynthia Harter and John Harter have received a grant to study Financial Fitness for Life programs.
- Victor Kappeler will be receiving the Outstanding Criminal Justice Alumnus Award from his Alma Mater Sam Houston
REPORT FROM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Senator Siegel
The Executive Committee met on February 28 and will next meet on March 28, 2005.
Senator Siegel took the opportunity to commend Senator Glasser for not canceling classes on Thursday for the NCAA basketball game. While we are proud of our athletes' accomplishments, this is first and foremost an academic institution.
The next coffee chat will be on Thursday from 8:00-9:00 a.m. in the Faculty Club. Please encourage faculty to attend.
EKU will hold a campus "Clean-Up Day" on Saturday, April 2 from 8:30 a.m. until noon. This is EKU's first year to participate in the "Great American Cleanup Celebration". Students, faculty, staff and administrators are urged to come out and work together to make the "Campus Beautiful" even more beautiful for spring.
Summer and fall registration begins March 21 and ends April 15.
Senator Siegel expressed her appreciation to Senator Glasser for providing cookies for today's meeting.
REPORT FROM THE PROVOST: Senator Chapman
The University Promotion and Tenure process is almost complete. Senator Chapman encouraged the senators to review closely the proposals on promotion and tenure which the Senate will be discussing in the near future.
The $200,000 allocated this year to adjust for salary inequities should be distributed soon. Before additional funds are allocated for next year, Senator Chapman has requested the Faculty Senate Welfare Committee to look at all faculty salaries and to make any needed adjustments to the formula before further distributions are made.
Senator Chapman is in the process of evaluating the lectureship positions. Anyone with specific thoughts or concerns on the lectureship positions should notify their chair or contact the Provost directly.
Senator Chapman encouraged everyone to attend the monthly Coffee Chats from 8:00 9:00 a.m. in the Faculty Lounge. Coffee Chats are on the third Thursday of the month. Senator Chapman tries to join the coffee sessions every Thursday from 8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
REPORT FROM STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION: Lance Melching
SGA student elections will be in April. Election forms are available in the SGA office.
The Colonels Spirit Challenge for the spring season will kick off next Tuesday for the men's baseball game at 2:00 and the women's softball game at 5:00 p.m. Please encourage student organizations to get involved.
On Thursday, televisions will be set up throughout campus for the men's NCAA game; and there will be free food and entertainment.
O.A.R. will be in concert in Alumni Coliseum on April 25 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for students and $25 for non-students.
STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS
Budget Committee. Senator Eakin reported that the committee has drafted a preliminary report on summer school teaching salaries which will be shared with the Executive Committee in the near future to solicit their advice on how to proceed.
Rules Committee. Senator Yoder reported that the committee continues to review the current make-up of the Council on Academic Affairs and consider recommendations for change.
Rights & Responsibilities Committee. Senator Kristofik reported that the committee has completed their review of the recommendations on promotion and tenure and have a document to present later in the meeting.
Elections Committee. Senator DeBolt reported that all but four positions have been filled for next year's Senate.
An online election will be held in the near future to select a new part-time representative to serve for the next two years.
On March 28th an e-mail will be distributed to current and new senators which will include the 2005-06 senators list and a list of all committee vacancies. Nominations will be asked for at the April meeting for the Senate chair and all committee vacancies. At the May meeting, an opportunity will be given to add or delete names from the committee vacancies ballots, and then the votes will be tallied and positions announced.
Committee on Committees. Senator Vance reported that self-nomination forms have gone out to all faculty. She expressed her appreciation to Patsy Renfro in the Provost' Office and Bethany Miller in Institutional Research for their help with this project. The committee hopes to have nomination information available to the Senate chair by the first of April.
Faculty Welfare Committee. Senator Collins reported that in addition to the salary equity issue, the committee continues work on three other charges 1) stopping the tenure clock 2) reviewing the responsibilities of program coordinators and 3) determining what to do for merit in non-merit years.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
Council on Academic Affairs. Senator Chapman moved approval of the following six items, seconded by Senator Collins. The Senate were in agreement and the motion carried.
- Rank II, the Fifth Year Program in Secondary Education: Environmental Education (add an Environmental Education endorsement as an option)
- Masters of Arts in Education: Secondary Education: Environmental Education (add an Environmental Education endorsement as an option)
- M.A.Ed: Elementary Education: Environmental Education (add an Environmental Education endorsement as an option)
- Rank II, the Fifth Year Program Elementary and Middle Grades Education: Environmental Education (add an Environmental Education endorsement as an option)
- Rank I, the Sixth Year Program Elementary and Middle Grades Education: Environmental Education (add an Environmental Education endorsement as an option)
- Rank I, the Sixth Year Program Secondary Education: Environmental Education (add an Environmental Education endorsement as an option)
Report on New Senator Orientation. Senator Robles moved to approve the following motion, seconded by Senator Smith. The Senate were in agreement and the motion carried. The motion will need to go before the Faculty-at-large in August and then on to the Board of Regents for approval.
That the Faculty Senate implement a New Senator Orientation, effective with Senate elections in May 2005, organized and implemented for by an ad hoc Faculty Senate Orientation Committee composed of three appointed Senators and two members of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee.
Report on Senate Chair/Vice Chair. Senator Konkel moved to approve the motion for a vice-chair, seconded by Senator DeBolt.
Senator Schlomann moved to amend the motion to strike item "D", seconded by Senator Kristofik. The Senate were in agreement and the amendment to the motion carried.
The Senate were in agreement on the amended motion and the motion carried.
Senator A. Jones moved, seconded by Senator Robles, to approve the motion regarding the Senate chair.
Senator A. Jones moved to amend the motion, seconded by Senator Ciocca, to add the following statement:
The chair of the Senate will receive one-half release time from teaching in other department and college responsibilities. The chair's home department or unit will receive funds to cover the salary of a part-time replacement for the reduced teaching load of the chair.
The amendment was approved. The Senate were in agreement on the amended motion and the motion carried.
NEW BUSINESS:
Council on Academic Affairs. Items 1-5 are informational items only. Senator Chapman moved approval of item 6. The Senate were in agreement and the motion carried.
- Academic Calendar Guidelines (Informational Only)
- Changes to policy on comprehensive examination. (Informational Only)
- CLEP Proposal. (Informational Only)
- Admission to Teacher Education Requirements (Informational Only)
- Student Teaching and Exit Requirements (Informational Only)
- Career and Technical Education (A.S.) --changing degree title.
- Computer Aided Drafting (AS)--changing degree title, name and CIP code and adding four options.
- Computer Electronics Technology (AS)--program suspended.
- Digital Imaging Design (AS)--program suspended.
- Quality Assurance Technology (AS)--program suspended.
Report on Teaching and Learning Center. Aaron Thompson gave a brief update on the Teaching and Learning Center. Several workshops are being offered this semester through TLC. TLC will again be sponsoring attendance at the Lilly Conference this year in November in Oxford, Ohio.
Report on a General Studies Degree Proposal. Aaron Thompson introduced the proposed general studies degree as an informational item only. This proposal was developed to address two particular concerns: 1) CPE has stated that a completer degree is needed and 2) to allow students the opportunity to graduate who have earned 128 hours but have not met specific degree requirements. The proposal will be brought to the Senate for a vote in the near future.
Update on General Education. Aaron Thompson gave a brief update on the status of the general education program. The guidelines for course submissions have been approved and distributed. Anyone with questions on the course submission process or the assessment process should contact the General Education Committee members.
The committee is in the process of assessing the following courses this semester: MAT 105, ENG 101, 102, 212, HEA 281, ECO 120, 231, 230, NAT 101, BIO 100 and 102.
Report on SACS QEP Process. Kathryn Polmanteer was in attendance to report on the SACS QEP (Quality Enhancement Plan) Process. Next week faculty will be asked to participate in a web-based survey developed by the QEP Committee. Please encourage faculty to participate in this important survey.
Report on New Student Days. Senator Siegel announced that this report will be postponed until the April meeting.
Promotion and Tenure Recommendations. Senator Kristofik announced that the committee's recommendations on Promotion and Tenure were distributed as an informational item in order to solicit feedback from faculty. Comments should be directed to the members of the Rights and Responsibilities Committee.
Elections Committee Motion. Senator DeBolt moved to approve the motion to suspend the internal procedures for one year to try a new voting process, seconded by Senator Smith. The Senate were in agreement and the motion carried.
Academic Survey Report. Senator Yoder shared the preliminary student academic survey results with the senators.
FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER:
The topic of discussion this week was "Strategies for Making Faculty Advising of Students More Efficient and Effective".
Due to time constraints, the discussion was postponed to the March meeting.
ADJOURNMENT:
Senator Chapman moved to adjourn at approximately 5:30 p.m.
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