Annual Report of Texas Tech
University Faculty Senate
1985-86
During the 1985-86 academic year, the Faculty Senate met in nine regular
meetings (numbers 71 through 79) and two special meetings (April 2, to elect
Senators to serve on the Tenure Task Force; May 5, to vote on the tenure poli
drafted by the Tenure Task Force). President Margaret Wilson presided at al
meetings. The Senate also arranged forums during which faculty members met
candidates for the post of Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research
(January 27, February 3, 12, and 17), and forums to discuss the new tenure
policy (May 1).
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Guests and their Reports to the Senate. Senate guests included Dean Clyde H
of the Graduate School, reporting or criteria for graduate faculty membershi p (September);
porting
Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research Virginia Sowell,
on sick leave policy (Seltember); Edward George, Classical and Romance Langu es,
and Irmgard Hunt, Germanic and Slavic Languages, reporting on the refusal of Tech
and
Press to publish the prozeedings of the Comparative Literature Symposium, "W
Peace; Perspectives in :he Nuclear Age" (December); Vice President for Stud nt
Affairs Robert Ewalt, re)orting on the University's responses to the problem of
AIDS (January);and Amy Love, Student Senate, reporting on the Student Senate'
request that liaison be astablished between the Student Senate and the Faculty
Senate (February).
Reports and Resolutions from Standing Committees.
Study Committee A. Studied student absences and tardiness, but could reconn4nd
no specific action because of logistical complexities (March).
Study Committee B. Recommended that grade appeal procedures be made consist
and clear through several revisions in language (April).
Study Committee C. Reconmended that department or area chairpersons be eval
regularly, and that it ba clear that they serve at the pleasure of their dea
ted
(March).
Study Committee D. Developed an intarim recommended sick leave policy to ad ress
the problem of the legisLature's removal of 9-10-month faculty from the regu ar
sick leave system (April).
Academic Programs. Studiad proposed General Education curriculum and provided detailed
comments which were apprwed by the senate and sent to the General Education Committee
(February). Studied pass-fail gradiag options and terminology, leading to Senate
resolution that students be permitted to take only elective courses pass-fai
(April, May).
Committee on Committees. Submitted slates of nominees for University and/or Senate
committees in September, November, Dacember, January, March, April and May.
Faculty Status and Welfare. Continuad to monitor the intellectual property olicy,
and will be responsible for reporting on that policy in the fall of 1986 (May).
Tenure and Privilege. S.:tidied the refusal of Tech Press to publish the procee ings of
the 1985 Comparative Lit_lrature Symposium, "War and Peace: Perspectives in ti Nuclear
Age" (report in Decemberg . Studied the report of the Tenure Study Committee a
4111 recommended Senate endor7ement
of that report (March).
Reports and Resolutions from Ad Hoc Committees.
Campus and Community Relitions. Recommended the continuation of the Speakers
despite low faculty part_cipation (December).
3ureau
Financial Exigency. Worced throughout the year to develop a financial exigert2) policy,
and hopes to complete it; work in the fall of 1986.
University Status and Pr;gress. Repc rted on declining student quality, facul
and faculty quality (Sep :ember and Nc vember).
morale,
Other Senate Business.
Senate Participation in evision of 1 enure Policy. Throughout the year Vice esident
Haragan consulted with tie Senate, ar d Senate representatives were appointed
the
Tenure Study Committee, /hich recommc nded revisions in its report (March), an i elected
to the Tenure Task Force, which draft ed the new tenure policy approved by the Senate,
ratified by the faculty at large, at d adopted by the Board of Regents.
0
Joint Faculty Senate/Adm-nistration C ommittee to Review Enrollment Procedures
Has
investigated most major trees and rec ommended in its interim report that the
comprehensive degree aud.t be begun 0 n an experimental basis, and that schedu Led preregistration be limited :0 one week ( May). Plans to submit a final report by
October 1.
Academic Publications.
recommended that the Tec
and evaluating manuscrip
Vice President Haragan t
'he Tenure A isory Committee, chaired by Senator Brilk
Press estat lish clear, written procedures for selec:ing
:s submitted for publication. President Cavazos directed
) implement t he committee's recommendations (May).
I
Liaison with Student Sen tte. A repre sentative from the Student Senate will a :t:nd
Faculty Senate meetings mid a faculty senator will attend Student Senate meet Ln s.
Senator Cravens was appo .nted as the first faculty liaison.
Liaisons with Other Grou ,s. Senate P resident Wilson served on the search committee
for vice president for a :ademic affai rs and research. Senate Vice President iav ens
served as liaison with t le Academic uncil. Chairperson Carlile of the Acad mn-c
Programs Committee serve 1 on the Gene ral Education Committee. Senator Rude s rv ed
on the Intellectual Prop !rty Committee.
Respectfully submitted,
13.4\
L4tt
Julia Whitsitt, Secretary