Faculty Senate Meeting
Minutes
September 12, 2011
Please email corrections to Faculty.Senate@nau.edu
I. Call to order/ Acceptance of Agenda:
Larry Mohrweis
Faculty Senate President Allen Reich called the meeting of the NAU Faculty Senate (FS) to order in the
Havasupai A&B Rooms of the Student Union at 3:01 pm.
Members Present: Sara Aleman, TS Amer, Shadow Armfield, Allen Atkins, Charlie Balch (appeared
telephonically), Nancy Barron, Jonathan Bergeron, Laura Blank (appeared telephonically), Blaise Caudill*,
Natalie Cawood, Michael Costelloe, Rebecca Dames, Joyce DeVoss (appeared telephonically), Chris
Downum, Kate Ellis, Heidi Fogelberg, Pam Foti, Bill Grabe, Liz Grobsmith*, Ro Haddon, John Haeger*, Pete
Fule for Richard Hofstetter, Ryan Holder, Lenka Hospodka, Gae Johnson, Astrid Klocke, Ellen Larson, Rich
Lei, Rich McNeill, Phillip Mlsna, Larry Mohrweis, Ishmael Munene, Pin Ng, Roderic Parnell, Ricardo
Pereira, Veronica Perez Rodriguez, Pat Peterson, Lori, Poloni-Staudinger, Allen Reich, Vicki Ross for Jon
Reyhner, Linda Robyn, Nicholas Ross, Claire Schonaerts (appeared telephonically), Karen Sealander, Edward
Smaglik, Rick Stamer, Laura Sujo-Montes, Kathleen Timbers, Walter Vannette, David Williams, and Gerald
Wood.
Members Absent: Kathleen Ganley, Greta Murphy, Erik Schiefer, George Speer, and Ric Wiggall.
(*indicates ex officio members)
Others present: Karen Appleby, Jennus Burton, David Camacho, Cynthia Chilcoat, Dan Kain, Karen
Pugliesi, Blase Scarnati, and Brett Szabo.
Faculty Senate President, Allen Reich presented the agenda for approval. The agenda was approved with
the change to remove President Haeger’s report. President is not expected to be able to attend today’s
meeting.
II. Approval of Minutes
Larry Mohrweis/Action Item
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Allen presented the minutes of the August 8 FS meeting for approval. A motion was made and seconded
to approve the minutes. The motion passed.
III. Faculty Senate President’s Report
Allen Reich
Allen welcomed everyone and asked this year’s new Senators to introduce themselves.
Allen gave a brief overview of the challenges facing the Senate this year and how the Senate can work to meet
those challenges. Two critical concerns he discussed are The Enterprise Initiative and the competitive nature
of higher education. He believes we must embrace positive change; strongly commit to Shared Governance;
and put forth a strong agenda as a Senate. He distributed a handout which referenced relevant sections of the
FS Constitution, FS Bylaws and the Enterprise Initiative. He then elaborated on the implications of the report
and how to address them as a Senate.
IV. Senators Responses on Possible Agenda Items
Allen Reich
Allen distributed another handout entitled FS Potential Discussion/Agenda topics. He explained the process
behind the gathering of this information and asked each Senator to select the three items they deemed most
important. The information will be tallied after the meeting and shared at a subsequent meeting.
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V. Fall Elections
Walter Vannette
Vice President Walter Vannette and Chair of the Nominations and Elections Committee presented a Slate for
consideration by the Senate to fill vacancies on councils and committees. Before calling for further
nominations, Walter discussed the various vacancies still needing nominations and the responsibilities of
those positions. He also explained that per the FS Bylaws, members of the Bylaws and Budget Committees
are to be elected at the first regular meeting of the academic year as well as any vacancies not filled in the
spring election. Walter distributed a handout explaining the charges of the key university committees and
identified those committees that need a FS Liaison. Walter read the slate and called for further nominations.
Nominations were brought forward to fill the slate. There being no vacancies with a challenge, a motion was
made to accept the slate as presented and amended. The motion was seconded and passed
unanimously.
VI. Benefits Committee
Jennus Burton/Cynthia Chilcoat
Vice President Jennus Burton explained the changes to NAU’s employee benefits package which will take
effect January 1, 2012. He also explained the changes to the state budget that necessitated changes and the
various options the Benefits Committee considered. The new plan will see an increase in premiums and copays as well as the elimination of vision coverage. The university will still offer a separate vision policy. The
benefits will be deducted over 26 paychecks rather than 24 in an effort to ease the impact of the increase. He
entertained questions.
VII. First Year Learning Initiative FYLI
Blase Scarnati
Blase Scarnati, Director of the First Year Seminar Program and one of the Chairs of the First Year Learning
Initiative (FYLI) presented a PowerPoint and handout which outlines the charges to FYLI and their
accomplishments thus far. The program focuses on gateway first year courses and seeks to increase student
success. The key areas of the initiative are: socializing students for excellence; course design and alignment.
The program is currently recruiting a new cohort of course coordinators and instructors. Those interested
should contact their chair to discuss participation and contact either Blase or Michelle Miller. For more
information he offered the FYLI website: http://nau.edu/fyli.
VIII. Council on Learning
Ro Haddon
Ro Haddon, Council on Learning Chair, presented a report from the Council regarding Proximity Cards and
Attendance. The Council was asked to research the use of Proximity Cards and their effect on attendance. As
a result the Council concluded that their research supported endorsement of an attendance policy for first year
classes. She then entertained questions and a discussion ensued. It was decided that the Council will present
a proposed attendance policy to the Senate for discussion and action.
IX. Technical Adjustments
Karen Appleby
Senior Assistant to the Provost, Karen Appleby, explained this year’s technical salary adjustments and their
political context. She included an overview of how the decisions were made and where they occurred. A
brief discussion followed.
X. E-Learning Center
Don Carter
No report.
XI. Report from the President
No report.
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John Haeger
XII. Report from the Provost
Liz Grobsmith
Provost Liz Grobsmith began by introducing Jan Brewer. Jan is part of an exchange program of the ACA and
will be working out of the Provost’s office during her stay. Liz next discussed the loss of tenure lines resulting
from the retirement of over 50 tenured faculty in the last two years. She anticipates eleven new tenure line
searches in the coming year.
She noted that President Haeger will address the campus this week at the High Country Conference Center. She
stressed this is not a “business as usual” climate. The President is expected to address his new approach in
addressing: tenure track hiring; teaching more students with fewer faculty; performance based funding; student
success and the DFW rates; and new teaching strategies and technologies.
Liz ended with a few announcements. First, she stated the selection process for Regent Professors is underway.
She noted there have been a great many nominations submitted and she hopes to select three Regent Professors
from among them. She next announced the President has appointed her Chair of the newly formed Committee
on Sustainability. Lastly, Karen Pugliesi announced events taking place during Family Weekend designed to
highlight student achievement.
XIII. Old Business/New Business Items/Announcements
Allen Reich
Allen called for any old or new business. None was brought forward.
XIV. Adjourn
Allen Reich
There being no further business, a Motion was made and seconded to adjourn. The motion passed
unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 4:49.
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