GENERAL FACULTY MEETING
April 18, 1979
Margaret Wilson, Pr
General
Faculty called b
•
imately 150 faculty memb
ment to the Constitution
Paragraph 2. The origin
Athletic Council and the
nations by the Faculty S
of the Athletic Council
Senate." The Men's and
the adoption of the Cons
structural change only.
sident of the Faculty Senate, called the second meet
the Faculty Senate to order at 3:35 p.m. and welco
s present. One item of business was considered, tha
of the Faculty Senate of Texas Tech University, Arti
1 paragraph reads: "The positions of the chairperso
Women's Athletic Council of the University shall not
nate." The proposed amendment reads: "The position
f the University shall not be open to nomination by
omen's Athletic Councils became one Athletic Council
itution of the Faculty Senate and the amendment refl
The amendment passed unopposed on a voice vote.
ng of the
d the approxbeing an amendle V., Section 4,
of the Men's
be open to nomif chairperson
he Faculty
shortly after
cts this
Wilson expressed he
ing her tenure as At Larg
appreciation on behalf o
Facutly Senate committee
Otto Nelson, Vice Presid
officers who will serve
President; Wendell Aycoc
Grace Frazior, and Senat
on behalf of the Senate
Cecil Mackey, President
thanks to the faculty and the Faculty Senate for th
Senator and as President of the Faculty Senate. Sh
the Facutly Senate to the faculty who have served o
this year. She then recognized the current officer
nt, and Gary Elbow, Secretary, and introduced the ne
uring 1979-80, Gary Elbow, President; Louise Luchsi
, Secretary. Wilson then recognized the Senate Offi
Parlimentarian, Vernon McGuire, and thanked them fo
uring the past year. Wilson then turned the meeting
f the University.
ir support duralso expressed
the 10 ad hoc
of the Senate,
ly elected
er, Vicee Secretary,
their efforts
over to Dr.
President Mackey an
ical Sciences, and Richa
Outstanding Teaching Awa
Gene Hemmle. Music; Eddi
Three other faculty who
* recognized. They were:
Wells Faculty Award for
Research Award; and Eric
Teaching Award.
ounced the appointment of two Horn Professors, Rober
d Saeks, Electrical Engineering; named the four reci
ds, who were Peder Christiansen, Classical and Roman
Palmer, Sociology; and Ronald Smith, Plant and Soil
ave received Dad's Association Awards during the yea
Marion Hagler, Electrical Engineering, recipient of
reative Teaching; Pill-Soon Song, Chemistry, Disting
Kunhardt, Electrical Engineering, New Professor Exc
Baker, Biologients of AMOCO
e Languages;
Sciences.
were also
e Spencer Ray
ished Faculty
lence in
Mackey reported tha , with the exception of State organized research fun
mendations of the Legisl tive Budget Board for 1980-81 were generally favorab
College Coordinating Boa d reacted favorably on the recommendations of the co
versity presidents to in rease funding for faculty salaries, and these recomm
now awaiting legislative action. Mackey further indicated that faculty salar
highest priority of any tern on the Texas Tech budget. However, there has be
in student credit hours enerated by the University this year, especially at
level, which may reduce ormula funding. There is also concern over the poss
2% across the board cut • n all State agency funding which would affect the Un
the bright side, the leg *slature does have before it proposals authorizing th
faculty development leav s for the first time. There is also a possibility t
lature will pass a one-y ar budget in the hope of increased State revenue in
s, the recom. The State
ege and unidations are
s have the
a decrease
he graduate
Dility of a
versity. On
funding of
at the legisle next year.
Ken Thompson, Vice resident for Administrative and Financial Affairs, h s prepared a
budget briefing showing 11 sources of University income and its disbursement
This report
will be presented before the Faculty Senate and can be discussed also before
le faculty of
any college requesting it
III
The President conti ued his remarks, indicating his opinion that the :gen
University, despite budg t problems, is good. He indicated that departmental
have revealed many areas of considerable strength upon which the University c
build. He also called attention to the need for greatly increased private fu
the University is to mai tam n its present level of operation. It was noted t
-al state of the
and area reviews
1 continue to
ling support if
at the Board of
Regents has expressed greater awareness of the importance of private funding t an in the past.
The Regents policies have been codified for the first time, and the Board has pproved a mandatory faculty retirement age of 70. It appears that the legislature will remov the $25,000
ceiling on retirement contributions this session.
The University computer facilities will be upgraded by fall with new equi ent which should
increase capacity by several times its present level. Plans are under way for a centralized
media center to be placed in operation over several years, beginning possibly s soon as fall
1979.
ii
Several endowed or partially endowed faculty positions have been establis
are two chairs in the College of Agricultural Sciences funded by the estate of
Thornton of Colorado, the Briscoe Chair in Banking in the College of Business
and a distinguished professorship to be funded by the Ex-Students Association,
first of several such positions.
ed. Among these
former governor
•ministration,
hopefully the
Mackey went on to note the completion of several construction projects in uding the new
agriculture facilities at New Deal, the Ag Pavilion on campus, and the athletic ticket office
and letter loungenorth of Jones Stadium. Under way are the Electrical Enginee ing Laboratory,
a facility for storage of hazardous materials, a student recreation center, an renovation of
West Hall to house student services and the old library to house the Departmen of Mathematics.
A new facility for the Music Department, completion of the basement of the God
rd Building,
and installation of a women's locker room in the Coliseum are top priority pro ects pending
before the Board of Regents.
The President conclued his remarks by stating that he and his staff have evoted much of
their time during the first two years of his tenure to systems development whi h makes it possible to respond more quickly to new priorities and to better meet previously
ecognized needs.
Mackey then volunteered to answer questions from the floor. Ben Newcomb,
the questions by asking about the state of academic freedom on campus. Mackey
he sees no threat to academic freedom at Texas Tech. Two recent court suits o
Aftstudent demonstration policy were, in Mackey's opinion, settled properly and t
Wrules in question were sustained. The Fqnus matter was not viewed as a matter
freedom since no administrative determination on production of the play was in
History, opened
responded that
-r the University
e University
Df academic
Dived.
Responding to a question from Tom Manning, History, Mackey indicated that
the Library Committee's recommendation to eliminate the Core Collection will b
a decision on
made by fall.
The final question, from Robert Bell, Psychology, was on the University A
policy. Mackey is concerred with the lack of progress in hiring of women and
the University. Continuing efforts are being made to attract more minority st
be necessary to interject additional administrative controls in the department
process in order to insure the employment of minority and female faculty and t
additional costs to the University.
Eirmative Action
inorities at
lents. It may
employment
is could involve
The meeting adjourned at 4: 40 p.m.
Respectfully sub "tted,
Gary . Elbow, Secretary
Facjxlty Senate