Minutes
Faculty Senate Meeting
February 15, 2012
Professor Girard called the meeting to order at 2:21 PM
Present: Professor Jim Girard, Leigh Riddick, Barlow Burke, Phil Brenner, Joe Dent, Christina
DeGregorio, Larry Engel, Alberto Espinosa, Bryan Fantie, Phil Jacoby, Bob Jernigan, Jonathan
Loesberg, Stacey Marien, Sarah Menke-Fish, Candice Nelson, Gemma Puglisi, Shalini
Venturelli, Patricia West, William Ryan, Lacey Wootton, Provost Scott Bass and Dean Phyllis
Peres
Welcome and Introduction, Jim Girard
Professor Girard called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone. He reminded the Senators
that the time for elections has come again. He stated that there will be an email sent to all faculty
this afternoon which will include two at-large seats that can be filled by any full time faculty
member, five seats on the Grievance Committee and five seats on the Faculty Hearing
Committee. He requested that all senators do what they could by encouraging their colleagues
within their schools and colleges to participate. Elections will take place in March.
Professor Girard informed the senators that there was an issue that has come up since the last
meeting relative to academic misconduct. There is a problem placing the new Academic
Misconduct Policy into the Faculty Manual. The need is to separate “scholarly integrity” from
item 20, page forty of the manual since this will be handled in a different section of the manual.
Provost Report, Scott Bass
Provost Bass stated that it was recommended by legal counsel to take the Scholarly Misconduct
report to the Board of Trustees for final approval since the manual was approved by the BOT. He
stated that he will present this at the May 2012 meeting.
Provost Bass stated that the searches for SPA and SOC are moving forward. There are three
finalists for each school. They are excellent candidates and we are hoping to select the right
match for AU soon.
He also informed the senate that he sent out AU Project 2030 which is a way to chart the future
of the university. The intention is provide a free space to have discussion beyond the department
and school level. These areas include research, enrollment and “niches” that a mid-size
university should be and could be involved with.
Provost Bass informed the senators that Dean Peres and Vice Provost for Academic
Administration Vi Ettle have been serving as the administrators for the Washington
Semester/Allied Programs at the Tenley Campus. They have implemented changes to the
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operations and will soon be starting a dean search. The name has been re-casted and the new
name for now is the School of Professional and Extended studies. The hopes will also include the
opportunity to include continuing education programs at this center.
Professor Riddick asked Provost Bass if he knew when the AU community might know who the
deans will be for SPA and SOC.
Provost Bass replied that searches are moving quickly. They have narrowed the candidates to
three and it looks like within a month an announcement will be made.
Term Faculty ad-hoc Committee Membership – Jim Girard
Professor Girard informed the senate of the nominees for the Term Faculty ad-hoc Committee
membership. These members will be reviewing that action items that are a result of the term
faculty report. I am bringing this list forward for your review and vote. Further discussion was
had and the addition of representation for SOC and Math & Stat was added to the list of
committee members.
The Senate VOTED and the committee was approved unanimously 18 in favor, 0 opposed and 0
abstentions.
Review of the Graduate Regulations, Leigh Riddick
•
Changes to the preamble were reviewed to define the involvement of the Washington
College of Law, (WCL) in this document due to WCL having its own manual.
•
Undergraduate Courses that Count towards a Graduate Degree – Discussion was
had on various scenarios that could happen in different fields of study where
undergraduate classes must be taken if needed to complete a degree. Also, if changes are
made due to interest changes, the student must understand that they may take the 100/200
course at their own expense as well as it will help complete the degree but not count
towards the requirements of the degree.
The senate VOTED on the new language and it was passed 18 in favor, 0 apposed, 1
abstention
•
Credit Requirements to be Accepted for Graduate Academic Credit – New language
was created to clarify the criteria. The Senate VOTED, 18 in favor, 0 apposed, 1
abstention
•
Changes to Ph.D Dissertation Committee Structure – Extensive discussion was had
about the number of members, what credentials they should have, who should qualify to
be the outside reader, and who should come from outside the university.
The Senate VOTED unanimously on the provided 19 in favor
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The senate continued with line by line review of the graduate regulations.
For the Good of the Order
Professor Girard asked if there was any business for the good of the order. Provost Bass
stated that the Graduate Regulations really need to be completed by next week’s meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:45 PM
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