St. Mary’s University
Minutes for 397th Meeting of the Faculty Senate
August 25, 2006    1:30 p.m. Alkek 106
 
 
(1) Opening Prayer
 
(2) Minutes for 396th Meeting
      table – approval of minutes for 396th meeting
 
(3) President’s Report
      Terri – had meetings with CC
            Re: reorganization of top offices
            Re: the way employees were let go
            Re: strategic plan
 
      Need part-time prof. representative on the Senate
 
      The website needs
            archive minutes before May 06
            current Senators
            schedule of meetings
            message and picture from the president
 
      Faculty lounge -
            discussion – please use your lounge
 
      Sept 7 is executive group meeting with Dr. Manuel
 
      Reorganization –
            We have some input and would like to be consulted as
            it appears that there is no representation for academic faculty (?)
      Given the history of non-faculty participation,
            we are requesting faculty representation on committees that decide
            meetings and organizations that impact faculty and the University
 
      Handed out First Day of Class statistics
 
      Academic Affairs Committee of the Board – September first week
            Terri B. will be there
 
           We are going to send a letter to Dr. Manuel to request our input on reorganization
            concerned about reorganization, request a discussion with the Senate officers
 
(4) Senate Committee Structure
            as the need arises, we will form committees –
A,B,C,D by interest and distributed load
 
(5) University Committees
      Standing University Committees
            Alumni – Celine Jacquemin will replace Bob O’Connor
            Athletics – Faculty Senate President fills
            Budget – Leona Pallansch
            Core Curriculum Transition- Rich Wossman
            Campus Environment - Caroline Byrd, if the committee is not defunct
            Software Transition [ERP]- Carol Redfield
            Facilities Master Plan – Senate President
            Institutional Review Board – Andre Hampton
            Student Judicial – Peggy Curet [TBoggess will call Sisoian]
            University Benefits – Rosemarie Cutting
            Parking – Gwen Diaz and Roy Robbins
            Rentention – Kathleen Maloney
 
            If Handicapped Compliance Committee exists, Caroline Byrd
                        Senator suggests that such a committee is needed, so please ask for one; TBoggess will contact Becky Day
 
(6) Old Business
  1. Working Groups follow-up –
    1. Summer Work and Compensation – Jacquemin
    2. Senior Professors Review – Redfield
    3. Sabbaticals – Curet
      Each Senator to continue these working groups
  1. Grievance Process –
Andre Hampton to continue –
Hampton’s report to date: some language has been worked up in the group concerning the pre-formal part of the process (University Peace-Makers, Mediation) and some time lines for the entire process; all that remains is minor language changes, and then the proposed language will be returned to relevant representative bodies
      Hampton will be present at the meeting of the Executive Committee and VP Manuel
      on September 7 when the Grievance Process will be discussed.
  1. Core Curriculum – Wossman and Pallansch
Senators noted that to date there has not been a sufficiently full discussion; this will be topic at the Faculty Convocation on September 1
Several Senators expressed concern that the AVP would come to conclusions prematurely, while there was considerable comment that much more discussion was needed.
Issues to be discussed:
a.       skills or content as teaching focus
b.      fuller conversation with faculty necessary
c.       potential issue frames:
-          liberal arts v. professional school
-          Catholic education v. business
-          Behaviorist model v. persons-with-souls assessment
      Senator Wossman will share with Senate a copy of summary of where the process is
      that he will be sending to the Marianist Brothers
 
(7) New Business
  1. Roy Robbins brought up the AAUP and proposed potential interaction between a chapter if established and the Senate
Senator: in the past, the Senate paid the membership dues of the Senate President; TBoggess said she would pay her own
Hampton proposed a Committee of the Senate on the AAUP –
      Robbins was made Chair; members are Hampton and Hartigan [Comm. A]
  1. Robbins raised issue of credit transfer, particularly of C- grades from other institutions that become D’s and/or do not transfer here.
      Issue: what happens to a grade that would be on our point system in the low C range,
                and what is the fair translation?
  1. Last year the Faculty Development and Scholarship Committee met periodically with VP Manuel. [Committee B] This Committee will continue with Senators Diaz, Poyo and Maloney
  2. Faculty retention and pay equity were raised, including issues of 2% raises that fail to keep faculty salaries at market level and the % of non-tenure-track teachers. Committee C, the Faculty Compensation and Workload Metrics Committee was constituted by Senators Pallansch and Cutting and TBA. Issue, among others: question of the real ratio of students to faculty in classes
  3. Question of length of trek between some classes on the expanding campus building map.
  4. Letter to VP Manuel concerning the proposed reorganization in the AVP office, expressing concern about lack of academic and faculty focus – draft to be circulated.
 
(8) Next Meeting
September 22, 2006, 1:30 PM, Alkek 106,
 
 
Senator Maloney moved and Curet seconded a motion to adjourn after two extension motions, and it was passed unanimously at 3:21.