UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA

Faculty Senate

Unapproved Minutes

November 18, 1998

 

1.and 2. Call to Order and of Roll

The regular meeting was called to order by Calvin Jones, Chair, at 3:00 p.m. in Library 5. The Secretary called the roll:

Present: Allison, Arata, Ballard, Benoit, Brandon, Broadus, Cepeda, Chryslee, Davidson-Shivers, DeWitt, Dilsaver, Dorman, Evans, Frederick, Foster, Hamid, Haywick, Hitt, Jones, Labbe, Langan, McGinnis, Moak, Morris, Mulekar, Norman, Payne, Strange, Sweet, Swint, Sylvestre, Teplick, Trufant, Tuck-Muller, Tucker, Van Haneghan, Vetrosky, Vinson, C. Wilson.

Absent (Excused): Engebretson, Sternberg, Thurston, G. Wilson.

Absent: Caldwell, Camp, Douglass, Hamm, Honkanen, Izenberg, Ledous, Martin, McAfee, McIver, McIntosh, Parker, Ryder, Weston, Williams, Zhang.

 

3. Completion of Pending Business.

The Minutes of the Meeting of October 21, 1998 were approved.

 

4. Report from the Chair.

Calvin Jones reported the following:

With regard to the Presidential Search, Jones reported that he had mailed a letter and the Senate’s Resolution that had been passed in the October meeting to Mr. Striplin (Chair, Board of Trustees) with copies to other Search Committee members and Trustees.

Jones stated that the Workload Policy has created concern among the faculty. A Committee, chaired by then VP Moulton, was formed last year to draft the document because there was no workload policy in the handbook and because Federal granting agencies require a policy so that they can calculate funding for reassigned time. In recent meetings with President Moulton he has said that the committee had no intention of making either an overt or implicit change in the actual workload policy as it existed in practice. He stated that the policy speaks of the “equivalent of 12 credit hours” and that, for example, greater numbers of preparations or large class sizes could make fewer credit hours the equivalent of 12.

The Senate Handbook and Policy Committee has addressed this issue with strengthened wording, and Mr. Moulton has said that he did not have any problems with the recommended changes. Interim VP Covey said that calculations were made on the basis of both credit hours and contact hours. Both Moulton and Covey reiterated that each college has the option to alter the published standard load by mutual agreement between the faculty member, the chair, and the dean. Moulton said that he thought it was unrealistic to equate teaching and research time, as currently assumed, and that the new percentages are more realistic.

The Budget shortfall may cause reductions in the Colleges operating budgets, depending on the Spring enrollment. The announced cancellation of the Arts and Sciences Support and Development Awards has been rescinded.

One of the greatest concerns of the Senate Executive Committee and the faculty involves the relations between the University and the Foundation. We are distressed that the lack of communication not only reflects unfavorably on the institutions involved, but it also hinders the flow of funding and the development of projects crucial to the university’s mission. The Executive Committee discussed the possibility of offering a resolution on this issue at this meeting, but decided that a resolution would not necessarily move the process forward at this point. We will try to work more informally to try to improve the situation, perhaps by attempting to get the two groups together at a meeting. We can decide whether or not a resolution will be necessary in the future. Listed below are some of the steps the Committee thinks are necessary:

With regard to Departmental Endowments, it appears that money for the four departments going on line this year has been received and a committee has meet to review the guidelines proposed last year.

Interim VP Covey stated that she intends for the Honors Program to proceed next year, although it is not clear from the wording of the Foundation resolution on Honors Scholarships whether or not there will actually be funding for the program at this time.

Plans are moving along for the Library expansion. It is crucial that professionals and clients of the library have full input and that they make their views know soon, since a structure of this importance needs to be designed in the best way possible, as was the case with the Performing Arts Building.

Calvin Jones and Richard Vinson attended the ACCUFP meeting in Tuscaloosa. There will be another meeting in February 1999.

Jones asked that Faculty Senators should inform him of any concerns that they may have or may know about, or of any other areas that they feel he should pursue.

 

5. Reports from Senate Standing Committees.

There were no reports from the Standing Committees at this time.

 

6. Reports of Caucus Leaders.

There were no reports from the Caucus Leaders at this time.

 

7. Old Business.

a. Vacation Policy. This resolution was adopted with an amendment. (See attached).

b. Workload Policy. After lengthy discussion, this resolution was tabled until the next meeting in order to clarify certain wording within the resolution.

 

8. New Business.

Bryce Evans stated that both President Moulton and Interim VP Covey support having a specific place for the Senior Faculty Caucus to meet. The Planning and Development Committee will explore various possibilities.

 

9. Communications from the President.

There were no communications from the President.

 

10. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 4:35 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Jeanne Sylvestre

Secretary

 

The next Senate meeting is scheduled for January 20, 1999.