Minutes for November 6, 2006

The Faculty Senate of Eastern Kentucky University met on Monday, November 6, 2006 in the South Room of the Keen Johnson Building. Senator Eakin called the third meeting of the academic year to order at approximately 3:30 p.m.

The following members of the Senate were absent:

^*denotes prior notification of absence to the Faculty Senate Secretary
^ALT Laurie Rincker attended for M. McDermott
^ALT Steve Barracca attended for L. Noblitt
^SUB Dawn Jackson attended for V. Sanchez

Visitors to the Senate were: Allen Ault, Justice & Safety; Onda Bennett, QEP; David Fifer, SGA; Deborah Newsom, Financial Affairs; Kay Scarborough, Justice & Safety; Mike Sheliga, Technology; Aaron Thompson, University Programs; Virginia Underwood, Chief of Staff; and Marc Whitt, PR & Marketing

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
The October 2 minutes were approved as written.

REPORT FROM THE PRESIDENT: Senator Glasser

Senator Glasser shared the following in her written report.

As previously announced, the University has a fund balance available for one time allocations which includes the following: faculty scholarship and research; faculty recruitment; undergraduate retention and graduation initiatives; graduate recruitment and retention; capital pools for academic equipment, classroom and lab furnishings; technology support for faculty and staff; equipment for academic and administrative support; and infrastructure needs. Senator Glasser thanked the Board of Regent's for their support in authorizing the allocation of these funds to meet campus needs.

Senator Glasser expressed her appreciation to the Foundation's Board of Directors for their recent approval of a one million dollar initiative to further address campus needs. Departments are currently preparing proposals for funding from this unique program.

The five candidates who will be interviewed for the Provost position are: Dr. Linda Calendrillo, Dr. D'Ann Campbell, Dr. Chris McGowan, Dr. Rodney B. Piercey, and Dr. William R. Trumble. Senator Glasser encouraged faculty to attend the campus forums for each of the candidates.

The capital campaign has now exceeded the fifteen million dollar mark and generated gifts and pledges totaling more than sixty percent of EKU's overall goal. In addition, fundraising efforts for the Alumni Fund for scholarships are well ahead of this time last year.

This year's homecoming activities were extremely successful. Events are already in the planning stages for Alumni Weekend which is scheduled for April 27-29, 2007. Additional information will be forthcoming.

The first-ever Circle of Opportunity Dinner was held on the Friday evening of Homecoming. This event is held to honor all donors to Eastern who have given $1000 or more over the prior year. In addition, the event recognizes those who have endowed scholarships at Eastern and provides endowed scholarship donors an opportunity to meet with their respective student scholarship recipients.

EKU's infrastructure support plan has been completed and submitted to the Council on Postsecondary Education. Work will continue internally on the next phases of the formalization of the overall plan and goals in this area. This work is being coordinated through the Regional Stewardship Work Group, chaired by Dr. Jerry Pogatshnik.

CPE is expected to approve tuition parameters in the next several weeks. EKU has requested a tuition hearing before the CPE to be held in January. In addition, the plan is also to take tuition and other budget guideline recommendations to the Board of Regents at its January meeting. By having tuition set earlier than in prior years, financial aid applications can be processed sooner, which should also aid recruitment efforts.

The Budget Office has been working over the past few years to improve budget processes. For next year's budget, the Budget Office has developed a formalized process and a related budget calendar, with the objective of making certain that all academic departments have the opportunity to submit budgets up through their deans in a formal manner. In addition, this process will give departments the opportunity to put forward, with appropriate justification, area needs to meet departmental goals.

Senator Glasser shared several important upcoming dates and events:

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

Report from Council on Academic Affairs

1. Incomplete Grades Proposal
2. Political Science (M.A.) Program suspension
3. Paralegal Studies (A.A.) - Program revision: changing from A.A. to A.A.S.
4. Science for Engineering (A.S.) - Program revision: changing from A.S. to A.A.S.
5. Loss Prevention & Safety (M.S.) - Program revision to add Homeland Security Option

Senator May moved to group items 2-5 into one motion for approval, seconded by Senator Hubbard. The motion carried to group the items. Senator Ciocca moved approval of items 2-5, seconded by Senator Bautista. The motion carried.

Motion on CAA Membership. Senator May moved approval of the motion to include faculty on the Council on Academic Affairs, seconded by Senator Hubbard.

Senator Styer moved to strike the words "Associate Dean or", and leave "Dean's office representative", seconded by Senator Winslow. Senator May suggested a friendly amendment. Senators Styer and Winslow accepted Senator May's revised language. The majority were in favor of the amendment (see below) and the motion carried.

Senator Dieckmann moved to rule the motion substantive and defer the vote to the December meeting, seconded by Senator Ciocca. The motion carried. Senator Eakin stated that a revised motion would be distributed electronically to the senators within the next couple of days.

GENERAL & STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS

REPORT FROM COSFL: Senator Ware

COSFL representatives met on Saturday, October 21, 2006. The following officers were elected: Terry Irons, President; Peggy Pittman-Munke, Vice President; Mixon Ware, Treasurer; Tucker Landy, Secretary.

Representatives discussed establishing a formal mechanism of communication between faculty and CPE staff. The consensus was that a discussion on the COSFL listserv would provide the most convenient means of thinking out a well planned strategy.

CPE Faculty Representative, Mark Wattier reported that the Shared Governance Panel at the CPE Trusteeship Conference was not extremely well attended. In anticipation of this, the proceedings were recorded and a transcript should be available soon.

On another issue, CPE President Tom Layzell announced his retirement. CPE Chair Ron Greenberg appointed a search committee, consisting of the CPE Executive Committee, of which Mark Wattier is a member, and the President's Council. A replacement is expected by May of 2007. COSFL should anticipate taking part in the selection process. Last time, COSFL had a chance to agree upon a set of interview questions, and should have the same opportunity again this year.

REPORT FROM THE PROVOST: Senator J. Chapman

Senator J. Chapman shared the following in his written report.

Senators McKenney and J. Chapman met with faculty for a conversation on faculty workload on October 25, 2006. There was also another discussion with the scholarship learning community group. In both sessions the idea of having faculty complete a distribution of effort plan for the coming year, in conjunction with their chairs, was put forward. This proposal will be discussed at one of the upcoming Chairs Association meetings. Such a document would allow faculty to have a clear statement of what is expected of them before each year begins. This will be helpful particularly to new and junior faculty and for planning purposes.

Subsequent to the last Senate meeting, there has been formal and informal discussion regarding what items need approval from whom. Senator Chapman is working with a number of people to more clearly delineate what needs to go to the Council on Academic Affairs, to the Faculty Senate, to the Provost, to the President, and to the Board of Trustees as well as flow charts for such items.

At a recent Provost Council meeting Dean Pogatshnik reported on several items:

• Three finalists have been selected for the position of Director of Sponsored Programs.
• The University has contracted with an outside firm to review the new policies and procedures manual for sponsored programs.
• Review of applicants for Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Research will begin on November 13.
• The Graduate School has conducted a survey of graduate program coordinators regarding the process of admission to candidacy and as a result the Graduate Council soon will consider elimination of the candidacy process.
• There is a new Graduate School website that contains in the Faculty Information section guidelines and examples for 500/700 courses. This is an area of concern that needs strengthening relative to the upcoming SACS accreditation.

REPORT FROM STUDENT GOVERNMENT: David Fifer
The 2006-2007 University Directories should be distributed by the end of next week.

SGA is partnering with the Association of Fire Science Technicians, the Division of Student Affairs, the Office of Risk Management and the City of Richmond to undertake a public service campaign designed to reduce the number of false fire alarms on campus. This effort includes posters hung in the residence halls, educational programs delivered through University Housing and the freshman orientation programs, and a variety of banners hung around campus.

SGA, in partnership with the Office of the President, Enrollment Management, University Programs, and University Advancement, is releasing packs of playing cards entitled "54 Things To Do At EKU." Each deck contains 54 suggestions for ways that students can better engage themselves in the University community. These decks are currently being printed, and should be ready for distribution in a couple of weeks.

STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Budget Committee. In her written report, Senator Taylor shared the following information.

The survey regarding faculty satisfaction with EKU's current course scheduling system should be distributed electronically to all main campus tenure and tenure track faculty during the week of November 6. Please encourage faculty to complete the survey. The deadline for completion is Friday, November 17. The committee will then review the responses and present a report to the Executive Committee by no later than January 1.

Rules Committee. In her written report, Senator McKenney shared the following:

The Rules Committee met on October 16 and 30, 2006 and continued discussions of its charges, which include updating the Senate Secretary and Vice Chair sections of the Internal Procedures. The committee is also working on proposals concerning the senate parliamentarian and the annual faculty at large meeting.

Rights & Responsibilities Committee. Senator Robles shared the following in her written report:

The Promotion & Tenure Document (revised into Handbook Language) was passed at the Senate meeting last month.

The Rights and Responsibilities committee has met with the Provost and representatives from AAUP and the Faculty Welfare Committee on the faculty workload issue. At this point, the committee is looking at FTE's, committees and other service work, scholarship expectations, and flexibility for departments to work within general parameters of the college and the university. The committee will be meeting with the Provost again on November 7.

Election Committee. Senator Randles shared the following in his written report:

The Elections Committee is continuing to study ways to improve the efficiency of Senate election processes. Two key issues regarding the conduct of the Regent's election and the election of the Part-time Faculty representative are under discussion. A report on these election processes will be submitted to the Executive Committee in early January. Furthermore, the committee continues to review suggestions to better streamline the Senate committee's election process.

Committee on Committee. Senator Dieckmann was elected chair of the committee. The committee will meet again on November 14.

Welfare Committee. Senator Collins shared the following in his written report:

The welfare committee has been actively working on several items for the senate. In response to a question from a faculty member concerning the increase in "two EKU employee+family" health care insurance premium, the committee met with Wally Skiba in benefits to discuss the premium rate structure approved at last year's University Benefits Committee.

In a second matter, the unfunded liability of the optional retirement program was discussed with Gary Barksdale.

Finally, the committee is also working on the trend analysis of faculty lines and administrative/staff positions for the past several years.

Senator Collins also thanked Senator Ware for serving as a liaison between the Welfare Committee and the Rights and Responsibilities committee.

FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER:

The topic of discussion was "What is the Senate's Role in Shared Governance and How Can We Assess That?"

Senator May stated that the proposed CAA motion will do a lot in this regard as it forces the Faculty Senate to have a larger role in shared governance.

Senator Schuester stated the need for more effective communication. One issue of concern for him was the recent change in passenger vans from University-owned to rentals from Enterprise. This information wasn't readily available to faculty until the new policy went into effect.

Senator Reed stated that the best textbook on shared governance is the AAUP red book because it states where precisely the policy and the responsibility of the administration rests, where the faculty decision making rests and their responsibility and then how to put everything together. He encouraged all Senators to become more familiar with the AAUP red book. Senate McKenney stated that she has a copy of the AAUP red book available in her office, and the library also has a copy.

Senator Dieckmann stated that effective government has to be proactive and often requires taking on additional responsibility rather than just voicing a complaint.

Senator Hubbard stated the need for better communication on campus. Her department is in the process of creating a master calendar to keep better track of upcoming deadlines. Faculty often are not aware of due dates for items until the deadline is almost too close to adequately complete the task requested.