Minutes for February 6, 2017

The Faculty Senate of Eastern Kentucky University met on Monday, February 6, 2017 in the South Ballroom in the Keen Johnson Building. Senator O'Brien called the fifth meeting of the academic year to order at approximately 3:30 p.m.

The following members were absent:

R. Baggett	D. Embury*^	T. Giles
B. Mahaney	Z. Marshall*^	B. Polin*^
C. Sommer*

^* Indicates prior notification of absence to the Faculty Senate Secretary
^ ALT Jennifer Christensen attended for D. Embury
^ ALT Joseph Carucci attended for Z. Marshall
^ ALT Karen Hood-Hopkins attended for B. Polin

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Senator Corley moved approval of the December 5, 2016 minutes, seconded by Senator Slusher. Motion carried. (YES = 58 votes | NO = 1 vote | ABSTAIN = 0 votes) (See Also: Individual Votes)

REPORT FROM THE PRESIDENT:  Senator Benson

The CPE retreat was held last week. Six new members have been appointed to the CPE Board by Governor Bevin.

The first ever university-wide Enrollment Summit was recently held on campus which included a broad cross section of regents and campus representatives. The initial conversation went well and it is anticipated that additional sessions will be scheduled in the future.

Below are just a few reasons to enter 2017 with great confidence:

• The launch of the new QEP “Reading with Purpose”.
• A recent anonymous gift of $1.25M to fund scholarships in math and science
• EKU graduate Troy Ellis and his wife Michelle, pledged $50,000 to a newly established EKU Diversity Non-Endowed Fund.
• Continued improvements in student success metrics. Also, construction and renovation projects which will make the campus more attractive to prospective students.
• Remarkable growth in online programs and national recognition for excellence
• Programs such as the Faculty Leadership Institute continue to develop the leadership capacity on campus

Recent faculty and staff highlights include the following:

• Provost Vice is one of two recipients of the 2017 Ohio Valley Conference Thurston Banks Award for Distinguished Academic Service.
• Dr. Thomas Erekson, dean of the College of Business & Technology, worked with leaders of Murakami Manufacturing in Campbellsville and Taylor County Schools to forge an alliance that will provide scholarships and internships to graduates of the school system who attend and graduate from our Applied Engineering Management program.
• Dr. Stephen Richter and Dr. David Brown are the co-principal investigators for a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates grant in support of undergraduate student internships to study disturbance ecology in central Appalachia.

GUEST SPEAKERS:

Introduction to New University Ombud. Senators Mason and Kopacz introduced Ombud Joan Beck to the Senate.

Ombud Beck stated that the university and college ombuds exist to assist faculty and staff when they have questions, concerns or conflicts on the job. The ombud can help you identity the core concerns, brainstorm some remedies, and practice scenarios and can facilitate conversations between people in conflict to produce constructive resolutions. The ombud strives to hold personally identifiable information in confidence to the greatest extent allowed by law. The work of an ombud is guided by four principles: independence, impartiality, informality, and confidentiality.

Ombud Beck’s office is located in room 1408 Commonwealth. Office hours are Monday-Wednesday from 8am-5pm and by appointment. Visit the Faculty/Staff Ombud website to learn more.

Chair O’Brien asked for volunteers to serve on an Ad Hoc Ombud Framework Committee. Anyone interested in serving should contact her through email by noon on Friday. Ombud Beck shared two documents (SOPs & Code of Ethics) from the International Ombudsman Association which may be useful in developing the framework.

QEP Update. Jill Parrott, Co-Director for the QEP program, gave a brief update. The new theme will be “Read with Purpose”.

Visit the QEP website for more information and to learn about upcoming workshops and events.

Enrollment Update. Gene Palka gave an informative update on retention and graduation rates in programs dating back from 2006 until the present.

Financial/Bond Update. Vice President Barry Poynter gave a brief update on bond use for campus projects. The Board approved a bond resolution of up to $75M for student-approved projects such as the new Recreation Center, renovation of the Powell Building and construction of a new pedway on the bypass. As a reminder, the use of the $150 per semester special fee that students are assessed is restricted to debt service.

The university is working on the bid process. Once that information is shared with potential investors, the lowest bid received in terms of an interest rate will be accepted in moving forward with these projects.

Financial updates are provided quarterly and are posted on the Finance and Administration website.

LMS Evaluation Update. Matt Winslow reported for Dean Betina Gardner.

A detailed e-mail has been distributed to faculty encouraging their participation in reviewing and providing feedback on the three LMS systems under review (Canvas, BrightSpace, and Blackboard). In addition, two forums have been scheduled to provide additional information about the three systems on Tuesday, February 14 at 9:30 am and Friday, February 17th at 1:30pm. Both are scheduled in Library 108. The forums will be recorded and shared on the LMS Review website for those who are unable to attend.

Prior to spring break, a survey will be circulated via email to all faculty asking for their system preference. Feedback received will help the committee determine which LMS to purchase.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

Policy 8.1.4 – Recruitment, Appointment & Hiring of Staff. Senator Elliott requested an editorial change on page 3, “Appointments Not Using the Normal Hiring Process”, Item B under “Procedure”, to add the word “hiring” to the following statement.

Subsequent to hiring approval by the President, these documents must be placed on file with the Office of Institutional Equity.

Senator Elliott moved to amend the following, seconded by Senator Christensen.

On page 4, “Non-Renewal or Termination of an Administrative Appointment”, change the following statement:

From: “Nor will an administrator be entitled to a statement of reasons for that action.”

To: “Upon request, a designee subject to non-renewal of an appointment may request a statement of reasons for that action.”

Motion to amend failed. (YES = 14 votes | NO = 40 votes | ABSTAIN = 7 votes) (See Also: Individual Votes)

Senator Hunter moved to accept the policy as originally presented, seconded by Senator Turner. Motion carried. (YES = 48 votes | NO = 7 votes | ABSTAIN = 5 votes) (See Also: Individual Votes)

SACSCOC Update. Vice Provost Robinson reminded that the SCASCOC is a three to four-stage process. In September, the university submitted the compliance certification document which covers 96 standards for accreditation. The report was then reviewed by an off-site team. Feedback from that report was received in November and EKU was compliant on 74 of the 96 standards. One area the university passed with flying colors was on faculty qualifications. The standards EKU was out of compliance on were fairly simple issues which were addressed in a focus report submitted on January 9. The on-site team will closely review those out-of-compliance issues during their visit. The on-site visit is the third stage of the review process. If there are any recommendations coming forward from the on-site team, then the fourth stage would be to submit a follow-up report later this summer. The Commission will not vote on reaffirmation of our accreditation until their December meeting.

Proposal to Remove University Wellness Requirement. Senator Smith moved approval, seconded by Senator Elliott. Motion carried. (YES = 40 votes | NO = 16 votes | ABSTAIN = 2 votes) (See Also: Individual Votes)

NEW BUSINESS:

Policy 4.6.# Evaluation of Library Faculty. Vice Provost Robinson introduced Policy 4.6.# for first read. The policy will be on the March agenda as an action item.

Professional Development at EKU. Senator Carpenter shared information on the Pedagogicon Pre-Conference Workshops, Maria Salazar’s upcoming presentation for the Provost’s Professional Development Speaker Series, Melody Bowdon’s keynote address at the Pedagogicon Conference, and information on Scholars Week.

Visit the website to learn more about the 2017 Pedagogicon Conference in May.

Provost Search Committee Update. Senator Corley reported that the committee met on January 10 to receive their charge, discuss the process, and review a copy of the draft search profile which was later shared with Chair O’Brien who distributed it to all Senate members. It was also shared in EKUToday on January 23 with a request for feedback. Visit the Provost Search website for the search timeline and additional information.

Election to Elections & University Nominations Committee (1 vacancy). Senator Hartch was nominated and elected by acclamation to fill the vacancy.

Report from Council on Academic Affairs. Dr. Sherry Robinson presented the following for approval.

Policy Proposals - Action Item
University Wellness Requirement

1. Proposal to Remove University Wellness Requirement
   (Faculty Senate First Read and Review was December 2016)

Curriculum Proposals - Information Items

Institutional GPA for Graduation (Faculty Senate approved 10/3/16) - Resulting Catalog Revisions.

2. Associate and Baccalaurate Degree Requirements and Honors - catalog revisions to Associate and Baccalaureate Degree Requirements and Honors resulting from previous approval of an Institutional GPA rather than a cumulative GPA for determining graduation
3. Academic Standards/Academic Standing - catalog revisions to Academic Standards/Academic Standing resulting from previous approval of an Institutional GPA rather than a cumulative GPA for determining graduation
4. Requirements for Readmission - catalog revisions to Readmission Requirements resulting from previous approval of an Institutional GPA rather than a cumulative GPA for determining graduation

New Programs

College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences
Department of English and Theatre

5. University Certificate in Theatre Design and Technology
6. University Certificate in Theatre Performance

College of Science
Department of Computer Science

7. Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) in Game Design - create a new Master of Fine Arts degree program in Game Design as a two-year program that focuses on the study of design and development of games.
8. Minor in Cybersecurity and Intelligence - Create a new minor to meet student and industry demands.
9. Minor in Game Content Design - Create a new minor to meet student and industry demands and create an interdisciplinary nature needed to produce competitive graduates in the game asset creation field.

Program Suspension

College of Science
Department of Computer Science

10. Minor in Interactive Multimedia - Suspend Minor in Interactive Multimedia

Program Revisions

College of Education
Department of Special Education

11. Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing B.S. - Revise the program display in the catalog to align with the redesigned elementary program.
12. Special Education / Teaching B.S. - Alignment of LBD ELE dual certification program with the redesigned elementary program.

College of Health Sciences
Department of Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing

13. Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) Post Baccalaureate 2nd Degree Concentration - Add SOC 232 and STA 270 as an option to supporting course requirements for statistics; Adjust total hours in Support and Total hours to complete degree.
14. Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN): RN to BSN Pathway - Add SOC 232 as an option to supporting statistics requirements and adjust hours; Reduce free elective hours.
15. Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) Pre-RN Nursing - add SOC 232 as an option to supporting course requirements for statistics.
16. Master of Science of Nursing - Editorial changes to General Information and Admission Requirements;
    Revise Rural Health Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration: decrease the total number of credit hours for the practicum requirements from 15 to 14, which in turn decreases the total number of credit hours for the program track from 33 to 32; and decreases the total MSN degree with concentration requirements from 41-48 hours to 41-47 hours; Revise Rural Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Concentration:
    Editorial changes - Revise Nursing Administration Concentration: move NSC 837 from the list of practicum courses to the list of core courses resulting in an increase in credit hours of core courses from 9 to 12 and decrease in practicum hours from 15 to 12 (total hours remain the same)..
17. Post-Graduate APRN Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner - Change the credit hours for NSC 876 from 6 to 5.

Exercise and Sport Science

18. Athletic Training M.S. - Decrease the total credit hours of the program from 63 credit hours to 59 credit hours; Lower the admission GPA Requirement; Editorial changes to reflect current accreditation.

College of Justice and Safety
Department of Safety and Security

19. Homeland Security B.S. - Replace two courses in the core. One replacement in the core required a slight modification in the Pre-Program requirements, which is also reflected in this document.
20. University Certificate in Homeland Security - Eliminate HLS 201, add the option for either HLS 260 or HLS 461, and drop courses that are no longer in the curriculum.
21. University Certificate in Security Management - Remove HLS 338 from the electives and add GBU 101 and 201 to the electives
22. Minor in Disaster Management - Replace HLS 201 and HLS 451 with HLS 260 and HLS 491 in the requirements
23. Minor in Homeland Security - Eliminate HLS 201, and add the option for either HLS 260 or HLS 461.
24. Minor in Security Operations - Remove HLS 338, HLS 380, and HLS 443 from the electives. Add HLS 301 to the electives.

College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences
Department of Psychology

25. Clinical Psychology M.S. - Replace PSY 847 with PSY 849
26. General Psychology M.S. - Replace PSY 847 with PSY 849
27. School Psychology Psy.S. - Replace PSY 847 with PSY 849
28. Clinical Psychology Psy.D. - Replace PSY 847 with PSY 849
29. Autism Spectrum Disorders University Certificate - Add CDS 897 as an option for the capstone course requirement; Substitute SED 898 for SED 897 as an option for the capstone course requirement; Add SED 730 as an alternative to SED 790 for students who have previously taken SED 590

College of Science
Department of Biological Sciences - New Concentrations

30. Wildlife Management B.S. - Revise the Wildlife Management Degree curriculum so students have the opportunity to pursue one of two new concentrations, i.e., Game Management Concentration, Conservation Management Concentration.

Items 2-4 were presented for information only.

Senator Eser moved approval of items 5-6, seconded by Senator Zeigler. Motion carried. (YES = 49 votes <| NO = 1 votes | ABSTAIN = 4 votes) (See Also: Individual Votes)

Senator Styer moved approval of items 7-9, seconded by Senator Wygant. Motion carried. (YES = 49 votes | NO = 3 votes | ABSTAIN = 2 votes) (See Also: Individual Votes)

Senator Styer moved approval of item 10 to suspend program, seconded by Senator Kay. Motion carried. (YES = 51 votes | NO = 2 votes | ABSTAIN = 0 votes) (See Also: Individual Votes)

Senator Elliott moved to extend the meeting time beyond 5:30pm so that agenda items could be completed, seconded by Senator Turner. Motion carried. (YES = 40 votes | NO = 12 votes | ABSTAIN = 1 vote) (See Also: Individual Votes)

Senator Eser moved approval of items 11-30, seconded by Senator Wygant. Motion carried. (YES = 47 votes | NO = 1 vote | ABSTAIN = 0 votes) (See Also: Individual Votes)

GENERAL & STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS

REPORT FROM SENATE CHAIR: Senator O'Brien

I offered a report to the Board of Regents on January 30th, and highlighted our consternation about comments made about the process faculty followed in the program review process. In the question/answer session, I attempted to clarify once again the academic approach to program review, the analytical values of faculty and the importance of clear deliberation.

During the Board meeting, the Gender Equity Plan was presented. Also, the Athletic Strategic Plan document has been completed and will be available in the next few weeks. Links will be shared as they become available.

Internal procedures for all Standing Committees must be updated. The monthly workings of each committee will help preserve and sustain the history needed for leadership in the Senate. The Rules Committee is hard at work to get us all up to date. According to an internal procedure for the Senate Chair, I found a task I did not know should be included in the February meeting. As a result, I am alerting you as Senators that the Senate Chair is elected from all members who are serving or have previously served on the Senate.

REPORT FROM FACULTY REGENT: Senator Day

Just before the break I met with two groups of faculty. Both meetings were requested by faculty and both were productive; the first, more immediately so.

The first group was seeking relief from our rising healthcare costs. Drs. Jason Marion, Peter Kraska, Tony Lamanna, and Aaron Sciascia met with Dr. Benson and Finance/HR staff, and a few actionable items were identified. Last spring (and a couple springs before that), the Faculty Senate Welfare Committee’s role had been largely supplanted by the healthcare consultant. The committee basically received information and had no opportunity to shape it. Beginning in March, Sarah Pitts will lead an effort along with the Welfare Committee and others that will examine our coverage choices. The faculty representatives are pushing for an annual review of the institution’s coverage options.

At the suggestion of Senator Lisa Kay, I extended an invitation to a dozen faculty members to meet with a handful of Regents, including Chairman Craig Turner – to just talk. The group included Senators Kay, Shirley O’Brien, Gill Hunter, Brooke Bentley, Ryan Baggett, Scott Hunt, and Todd Hartch along with Matt Pianalto, Sandy Hunter, Minh Nguyen, Lisa Day and Jason Marion. Janet Craig, Alan Long, Collin Potter and I represented the Board. Responses from the participants were uniformly positive and suggested that further talks should occur, but that they should be more narrowly focused on particular topics.

In other news, the Regents approved a bond resolution that allows the issuance and sale of $75 million in bonds to fund a new student recreation center, renovations to the student center (Powell Building) and a new pedway across the Eastern By-Pass on the south end of campus between the coliseum and the Center for the Arts.

The Board also voted to retain its current officers: Craig Turner, chair; Alan Long, vice chair; Barry Poynter, treasurer; and Dana Fohl, secretary.

Nick Perlick reported $3.9 million in gifts and commitments for the first half of the fiscal year.

The Board also heard from Athletic Director Steve Lochmueller who presented the “Gender-Equity Plan for Intercollegiate Athletics.”

The administration successfully lobbied to have Model Lab School added to the list of state “mandated programs. Mandated state programs are essentially “earmarks” that are shielded within the General Fund such that they are not among the competitive funds that some other university might grab. That has the effect of reducing the amount of money we have at risk in the performance fund.

PROVOST REPORT: Senator Vice

Senator Vice shared the following:

• 2016 EKU Advising Survey Results show that:
  • 88 percent of students are satisfied with their faculty advising experience.
  • 90 percent of students say their advisor is knowledgeable about their program of study.
  • 89 percent of students say their advisor helps them to understand the program options available.
  • 91 percent of students say their advisor is responsive to email and phone messages.
  Additional IR data for other recurring surveys is available at http://ir.eku.edu/survey-results and currently active surveys can be accessed at http://ir.eku.edu/active-surveys.
• Increased Diversity in the EKU Honors Program
• Spin the Wheel Study Abroad Scholarships
• QEP 2017-2022: Read with Purpose
  The Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) 2017-2022 kicked off last week. Implementation of the QEP 2017 will begin this Fall.
• Upcoming events in celebration of Black History Month
  • CBT Distinguished Speaker Series - Andrew Page, Eastern graduate (Class of 1992) and Corporate Controller at Under Armor, Inc., Thursday, February 9, at 9:30 a.m. in the Business and Technology Rogow Auditorium.
  • Chautauqua Lecture Series – Bianca Spriggs: The Only Way Out is Within: A Poet’s Path to Surrender at 7:30 p.m. on February 9 in O’Donnell Hall (Whitlock Building).
  • AFA Colloquium Series Spring 2017 – “There is Room for You! Maximizing Opportunities for Blacks in Administration” A Special Panel Discussion - On February 27 at 1 p.m., Dr. Ogechi Anyanwu, History Professor and Director of African/African-American Studies, will facilitate a Special Panel Discussion in Walnut Hall (Keen Johnson Building) with some of EKU’s top-level administrators.
• Meetings with Department Chairs
  These meetings are to discuss a number of topics, including:
  • Survey results from the 2016 Alumni, Advising, and National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) surveys.
  • Performance-based funding.
  • Growth opportunities.
  • College-specific topics, as identified by each dean.

Below is the revised annual program review calendar for Spring 2017:

Below are important dates to add to calendars:

• February 15, 2017 – Update Faculty Profiles and Data in Digital Measures
• February 21-23, 2017 – SACS-COC On-Site Accreditation Visit
• March 2, 2017 – Posters-at-the-Capitol
• April 10-14, 2017 – Scholars Week 2017
• April 14, 1-4 p.m. – Assurance of Learning Poster Showcase, Keen Johnson
• May 18-19, 2017 – Pedagogicon (studio.eku.edu/2017-pedagogicon)
• May 18, 9-11 a.m. – Dr. Maria Salazar: Culturally Responsive Teaching in the Classroom, Crabbe Library (1st floor) (Part of the Provost’s Professional Development Speakers Series.)
  Register at http://studio.eku.edu/salazar.
  May 18, 1-4 p.m. – Pre-Conference Workshop, Crabbe Library (1st floor)
  Dr. Maria Salazar: Leading from the Margins
  Presented in partnership with the ACE Women’s Leadership Network
  May 19 – Pedagogicon, Innovations in Teaching and Learning, Noel Studio
  Keynote Speaker Dr. Melody Bowden: Is Innovation Passé? Strategically Balancing Relevance and Quality for Student and Faculty Success
  Poster Showcase in the Noel Studio Greenhouse

REPORT FROM STUDENT GOVERNMENT: Collin Potter

Student Government Association will be selling the “Tradition,” “Pride,” and “History” posters this semester for $25 per set or $10 per poster. All proceeds will go toward a SGA sponsored scholarship.

SGA will be participating in the Rally for Higher Education on February 13. SGA will be providing transportation for those interested. Departure from campus will be around 10am.

Student Senate is currently revising SGA constitution and bylaws. One particular item that is being visited is increasing the number of student representatives and establishing extended campus SGA representative teams.

Student Activities Council has scheduled the following programs for the Spring 2017 semester:

• Movie Nights
  • February 18th- “Loving” (O’ Donnell - 8 pm)
  • March 3rd- “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” (O’ Donnell - 8 pm)
  • March 25th- “Star Wars: Rouge One” (O’ Donnell - 8pm)
  • April 7th- “Dr. Strange” (The Ravine - dark)
  • April 29th- “A Dog’s Purpose” (The Ravine - dark)
  • May 4th- “Fist Fight” (Herndon - 8pm)
• Cultural Dinners:
  • February 9th- Tsing Tao, Chinese Culture and Chinese New Year
  • March 23rd- Latin America along with LSA
• March 9th- Safe Sex Bingo (Middle Powell 8 pm)
• April 13th- SAC Spring Concert at The Center for the Arts
• April 21st- SAC Field Day (IM fields, Time TBD)
• May 4th- Midnight Breakfast

Below is the SGA calendar of meetings for February:

• Student Activities Council Meetings
  • February 6 – 4:30 pm – Jaggers, Powell Building
  • February 20 – 4:30 pm – Jaggers, Powell Building
  • March 6 – 4:30 pm – Jaggers, Powell Building
• Student Senate Meetings
  • February 7 – 5:00 pm – Kennamer, Powell Building
  • February 14 – 5:00 pm – Kennamer, Powell Building
  • February 21 – 5:00 pm – Kennamer, Powell Building
  • February 28 – 5:00 pm – Kennamer, Powell Building
  • March 7 – 5:00 pm – Kennamer, Powell Building
• Student Court Meetings
  • February 11 – 132 Powell Building
• Executive Cabinet Meetings
  • February 8 – 8:00 pm – 132 Powell Building
  • February 22 – 8:00 pm – 132 Powell Building
• Advisory Board Meeting
  • February 8 – 8:00 am – 132 Powell Building 

STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Academic Quality Committee. Senator Howell stated that the committee meets at 2:30pm before the Senate meetings.

He encouraged anyone with academic concerns to contact him at matthew.howell@eku.edu. One issue brought before the committee which is currently being reviewed is athletes course scheduling.

Elections & University Nominations Committee. Senator Mason reported that the committee is currently working on two items. The first is the university-wide annual election by faculty members to fill faculty vacancies on the following University Standing Committees: General Education, Graduate Council, Intellectual Property, Library, and Research. A survey will soon be distributed to all faculty asking for self-nominations. After the self-nominations are taken, the committee will verify the self-nominees and will then hold an election.

The second item the committee is working on is updating the annual Senate membership list. All departments will be contacted after today’s meeting to confirm their representatives. The table below indicates how many senators an area is entitled to based on the number of faculty in the area. Departmental elections, if needed, should be completed by the next Executive Committee meeting in March.

Number of Faculty	Number of Senators
1-14	1
15-29	2
30-39	3
40-49	4
50-59	5

Senator Spigelman stated that several areas hold their elections at the end of the semester. As such, she requested that the election process should continue on the same timeline previously used for this year and the new timeline should become effective in 2018.

Senator Mason announced that any member of the next Senate who has previously served on the Senate is eligible for Senate Chair. Nominations for Senate Chair are taken in April.

Board of Governors. Senator Ciocca reported that the committee meets regularly on Mondays at 2pm in the Faculty Lounge during the academic year. The committee is currently working on revising the constitution and reviewing usage policies and procedures for similar faculty organizations at other institutions of higher education.

Rights and Responsibilities Committee. Senator Fitch shared that the committee is reviewing and investigating the following items for Spring 2017:

• Inquiry into summer and winter term compensation
• Winter term tuition waiver for faculty
• Parking tag notification
• Faculty perceptions and concerns of eXplorance Blue survey
• Following up on All Faiths calendar

The Rights and Responsibilities Committee would like to publicly acknowledge and thank President Benson for his support in the creation of the Office of the Ombud and the approval of the appointment of Joan Beck as EKU’s Faculty/Staff Ombud.

Faculty Welfare Committee. Senator Mullaney reminded that at the last meeting the Senate passed a resolution rejecting the closure of the Burke Wellness Center. He had a follow-up meeting with President Benson on the issue and learned that while the weight room and the cardio equipment will be unavailable for use, the basketball courts and pool will remain open in the Weaver Building. President Benson also indicated that negotiations will be put into place for discounted faculty and staff monthly rates for use in the new Recreation Center.

The University Benefits Advisory Council meetings will begin at the end of this month and the Faculty Welfare Committee will be working jointly with that committee to determine the benefits package for 2018.

A survey will soon be sent to all faculty to see what features are most important to include in our benefits package.

AD HOC COMMITTEES:

Athletics and Academics. Senator Carpenter reported that the committee met with Athletic Director Stephen Lochmueller to discuss the Senate resolution the committee put forward. The meeting was productive and there is an on-going goal of advancing and opening up lines of communication.

In addition, the committee is also reviewing the gender equity plan for intercollegiate athletics and invites input from fellow senators.

Senate Transparency. Senator Givens reported that every committee has posted their meeting dates for spring and all but two departments have elected senate alternates.

An updated committee checklist and guide for posting and emailing notice of special meetings is available on the Senate website under Standing Rules.

ADJOURNMENT:

Senator Vice moved to adjourn at approximately 6:05pm.

---

click here for printable version of minutes  
(See also:  Polling Results by Motions & by Senator)

You will need to have the Adobe Acrobat Reader plug-in installed on your computer in order to view and print a hard copy of the minutes.