University of South Alabama Faculty Senate

2004-2005
September 22, 2004
University Library, Rm. 110
3:00 p.m.
Approved Minutes

 

The meeting began just after 3:00 p.m. with Chair, Steve Morris, declaring that, since we were without a quorum at that time, we would begin with the presentation from Keith Ayers regarding JagTran.

Mr. Ayers provided a handout to the senate (which will be included with the formal minutes in the files) on basic transit line information. The system should begin running sometime in the first half of the Spring 2005 semester. Mr. Ayers stated that the main idea was to get students to walk between classes when possible and ride when necessary, but not to drive their own cars between classes. After answering several questions, the senate thanked Mr. Ayers for his time.

The Chair announced a quorum was present.

Present: Ames, Aronson, Beverly, Brown, Bru, Costello, Dickens, Donovan, Flynn,

Godfrey, Guion, Harris, Haywick, Jefferson, King, Kovaleski, Lauderdale,

McCready, Millner, Moore, Morris, Nowlin, Pardue, Parker,

Perez Pineda, Peters, Pillen, Powell, Pruitt, Rattie, Ryan, Sachs, Sanders,

Sauer, Scammell, Spake, Sylvester, and Whitehurst.

Excused: Aldes, Brick, Coleman, Dupree, Giles, McIntosh, Robertson, Swofford, and

Teplick.

Unexcused: Burckhartt, Davis, Hain, Luterman, Manci, Molokhia, Rodning, and

Wooster.

The Minutes of the June 21st meeting were approved with no amendments.

In his Chair’s report, Steve reported on the Executive Committee’s meeting with President Moulton and Dr. Covey in August to discuss faculty raises and the grant incentive and teaching excellence proposals (which are in the "new business" portion of this meeting). Specifics as the process for raises will be in Steve’s newsletter which is forthcoming.

Steve reported that Dr. Covey and Dean Johnson will speak to the Senate at the October meeting (about the grant and teaching proposals).

The Senate’s new office in the Library now has a computer and newly hired student worker who will help set up a system to allow easier searches of Senate records.

Finally, the Executive Committee has been invited to meet with the University Foundation in October.

There being no old business, the Chair began the first area of new business: the grant incentive program proposal and teaching excellence awards. There was considerable discussion as to positive and negative potentialities in the programs. In summary, the two main points seem to be: 1) the policies are not "done deals" and faculty has/should/will have input before the policies are implemented and 2) Dr. Covey and Dean Johnson can better address many of the issues at the October meeting.

Steve continued on to the next item of new business: the Deans’ Council’s action to change the university’s withdrawal policy. The general consensus of the faculty seemed to be that the current policy allows withdrawals too late in the semester (and, so, the policy should not be changed to allow withdrawals on the last day of classes) and/or if late-semester withdrawals are to occur, faculty should be able to assign W-F or W-P type designations. The Senate will use Dr. Covey’s visit in October as a chance to present these concerns.

Reports from standing committees

Academic Development & Mentoring: John Kovaleski reports that 6 of the 25 new faculty members (18 assistant professors, 7 instructors) are signed up for the mentoring program.

There was no report from: Academic Policy and Faculty Handbook, Environmental

Quality, and Evaluation. (In part, from schedule changes caused by Ivan.)

John Sachs reported that Planning & Development had met and would have a survey out soon concerning Faculty interest in (and willingness to support) a Faculty Club.

Steve Teplick submitted a written report of the latest Salary & Fringe Benefits committee meeting. That written report will be attached to the minutes.

Jan Sauer, Technology Utilization, updated the Senate concerning continued efforts as to cooperation between system operators across campus.

Caucus Leaders reports

Allied Health: John Jefferson reports that the college’s new Associate Dean is Dr. Julio Turrens.

Arts & Sciences: Federico Perez Pineda reports the college will conduct its replacement election before the October meeting.

CIS: Harold Pardue reports that, overall, college enrollment is flat to a bit down, but demand for CIS 250 is very high.

Continuing Education: (no report)

Education: The college is interviewing for an Assistant Professor position.

Engineering: (no report)

Library: A request has been made from the Library to Dr. Covey that the college be included in the "Teaching Excellence" proposals.

Medicine: Nick Aronson reports that the college’s outside licensing review has been rescheduled to December.

MCOB: Jim Swofford is the new MCOB caucus leader. The college is interviewing for at least 4 positions (3 Marketing, 1 Finance) and possibly a fifth in Management. The college’s replacement election is underway.

Nursing: Rebecca Ryan reports that the new Associate Dean is in place, the Baldwin Campus is thriving, and the college has experienced quite an enrollment boom. Finally, the Board of Trustees approved measures for a new building on campus to house Nursing and Allied Health.

Richmond Brown raised the issue of whether the Senate should inquire as to the adequacy and processes used in adjusting the university’s activities caused by Hurricane Ivan. The Environmental Committee was charged with the task. During the discussion, praise for the actions of the university’s police and the Resident Assistants came from senators concerning sheltering students in the Humanities building.

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:25 pm.

 

Next meeting: Wednesday, October 20th.