UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA
Faculty Senate
Approved Minutes
25 February 1998
1 and 2. Call to Order and of Roll
The special meeting was called to order by Suzanne McGill,
Chair, at 3:00 p.m. in Library 5. The Secretary called the roll:
Present:
Allison, Arata, Aucoin, Bell, Brandon, Broadus,
Chryslee, Daughenbaugh, Dilsaver, Engebretson,
Evans, Foster, Frederick, Haywick Isom, Labbe,
Lally, Langan, LeDoux, Matthews, McAfee, McGill,
McIver, Moak, Mulekar, Rodgers, Sauer, Sweet,
Swint, Sylvestre, Van Haneghan, Vetroky, Vinson,
C. Wilson, G. Wilson, Zhang
Absent (excused):
Ardell, Ballard, Cromwell, Davidson
Shivers, Donovan, Dorman, Douglass, Fruh, Hain,
Hamm, Honkanen, Izenburg, Kulkarni, Martin, Moore,
Parker, Simpson, Thurston, Tucker, Weston,
C. Wilson, G. Wilson, Yeoman
3. Completion of Pending Business
Minutes of the regular meetings of 12 November 1997, 14 January 1998,
and 11 February will be reviewed for approval at the next regular meeting
on 11 March 1998.
4. Report from the Chair
Suzanne McGill reported on the president's memo to faculty regarding
one-time half-month payment for 15 August-31 August 1998 overlap of old
quarter-based contract year and new semester-based contract year. This
amount will appear in the 1 September 1998 paycheck.
McGill reported on a salary equity/parity adjustment plan recently
approved by the president, and invited Patsy Covey, interim SrVPAA, to
address the particulars. Covey reported that an in-house survey had been
made to address internal inequities owing to compression. This survey would
contrast with the other most recent five-year salary adjustment plan which
was based on inequities identified by an external review (peer
institutions). Caution was taken that the results of merit evaluation were
upheld, when the deans recommended sixty faculty for adjustments, the
majority at the associate and full professor ranks. The total investment is
$280,000; if the amount is less than $1,000, it will be paid effective 1
March, and if more, two-thirds will be paid 1 March and one-third effective
15 August.
McGill reported 1994 data provided by the president's office that showed
USA had a modest percentage of overhead or percent institutional support of
total expenditures (USA 6.6%, UAB 6.5%, UA 11.2%, AU
5.8%).
McGill led discussion of draft resolutions regarding recent
administrative promotions. Information that the president was
Page 2
fully aware of these personnel actions made the resolutions no
longer
appropriate.
McGill led discussion on a resolution regarding promotion increments
for faculty, which was sent to the appropriate standing committee for study
and report to the senate.
McGill led discussion about a resolution regarding football which was
passed unanimously (see below).
5. New Business
The following motion passed unanimously:
WHEREAS each year the Annual Faculty Survey conducted by the Faculty Senate
has provided the faculty of the University of South Alabama the opportunity
to rate the idea of establishing football team, and
WHEREAS more than 70% of respondents to the Annual Faculty Survey have
consistently rated the idea of establishing a football team as very poor or
poor, and
WHEREAS most collegiate football programs lose money, and
WHEREAS in order to sustain a collegiate football program, funds needed to
establish and maintain quality academic programs may be diverted to
athletic endeavors, and
WHEREAS the establishment and maintenance of collegiate football programs
tends to adversely affect the academic reputation of a university,
therefore
Be IT RESOLVED that the Faculty Senate opposes the establishing of a
football team at the University of South Alabama at this time;
further
BE IT RESOLVED that, prior to any action to establish a football team, an
in-depth feasibility study addressing both long range and short range
financial and academic issues be conducted with provisions for faculty,
student a alumni input and response.
6. Adjournment
McGill adjourned the meeting at 4:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
T. Lally, Secretary