University of Texas of the Permian Basin
Faculty Senate Minutes
May 5, 2010
Members Present: Linda Autry, Derek Catsam, Shirley Davenport, Wilma Dye, James Eldridge, Joanna
Hadjicostandi, Christine Hahn, Jeannine Hurst, Rachel Juarez-Torres, Gae Kovalick, Prakash Pai, Todd
Richardson, Mike Robinson, Chad Vanderford (faculty secretary), Marianne Woods, Xinyun Zhu.
Members Absent: Jim Olson.
I. Call to Order 2:05 pm
II. Approval of Minutes
Senate unanimously approved amended minutes.
III. Senate President’s Report
A. Faculty Senate Election
Dr. Richardson introduced Dr. Hahn as the new Senator from the Chemistry Department.
B. Faculty Advisory Council
1. Raises
At a recent meeting of the Faculty Advisory Council Dr. Richardson learned that two campuses in
the University of Texas system will have no raises for faculty. Several other campuses will have
one-time bonuses in lieu of raises.
2. On-line evaluations
Dr. Richardson learned about the voluntary on-line evaluation system recently put in place at
U.T. Austin. Only one-eighth of the faculty have expressed any interest in participating. They have
found that students generally do not participate in such evaluations, and they note as well that
typed evaluations can be accessed through the freedom of information act.
3. Financial Exigency
Members of the Faculty Advisory Council discussed the proposed rules for financial exigency.
They expressed concern that all rules must remain within the guidelines proposed by the A.A.U.P.
C. Student Clubs
The Senate deliberated on the question whether Faculty Advisors should have to attend an all-day
training session. Some argued that the university should construct an on-line training session that
could accompany the compliance training that faculty members already have to take.
The Senate then unanimously passed the following motion: “Whereas all compliance training is
currently on-line, the Faculty Senate resolves that student club training be moved to an on-line
format, with all guidelines to remain on-line for reference. Faculty Senate further moves that
faculty sponsors should only have to participate in training once during their tenure as sponsor.”
IV. Minimum Course Enrollment Proposal
The Senate unanimously approved the following statement:
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“The Provost recently submitted a proposal that would increase minimum course enrollments from their
current status of ten students in undergraduate courses and five students in graduate courses to new
minimum enrollments of twelve students in undergraduate courses and seven students in graduate
courses.”
“The Faculty Senate rejects this proposal. They believe that it conflicts with the current standards put in
place by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. This proposed standard would shut down many
classes. It would have a negative effect on the graduation rates of several majors. It might also force
departments to ignore course prerequisites in an effort to increase enrollment in certain essential courses.
Furthermore, the Senate fears that this proposal lends itself to an arbitrary standard of enforcement.”
“Recognizing the current political pressures regarding so-called ‘low producing programs,’ the Senate
realizes that some measures of this sort may be necessary. They note, however, that such proposals should
only be made if they include evidence that they will benefit the students, the faculty, the discipline, and
the university as a whole.”
V. Senate Elections
A. Vice-President
The Senate chose Dr. Catsam by acclamation.
B. President
The Senate chose Dr. Richardson by acclamation.
VI. Subcommittee Reports
A. Academic Affairs
1. Graduation Motion
The Senate unanimously approved the following motion: “All candidates for undergraduate
degrees for the Spring 2010 graduation who have met all degree requirements shall be awarded
their respective degrees.”
2. Course Enrollment Overrule
The Senate unanimously approved the following motion: “No extra student shall be added to a
closed course without the permission of the faculty member teaching the course, including parttime faculty and adjuncts.”
3. On-line Evaluations
Chris Stanley made a presentation regarding on-line course evaluations. He argued that the rebubbling of evaluations and the typing of evaluative comments takes a long time and a great deal
of work. The Academic Affairs subcommittee thereby introduced a motion that the University
undertake a pilot on-line evaluation program.
The Senate deliberated on this issue. Several Senators noted that other universities submit written
evaluations directly to the professors. Other Senators expressed privacy concerns about having
student workers type up the comments. They noted as well that on-line evaluations have a very
low participation rate, and that student comments produced in this way become public. The Senate
therefore voted to table this motion. One Senator opposed the motion to table.
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B. University Curriculum Committee
The Senate unanimously approved the following course additions:
BIOL 4303: Principles of Nutrition
COMM 2302: Rhetoric in Western Thought
COMM 3301: Public Relations
MATH 4360: Numerical Analysis
MUEN 3101: Voice Class I
MUEN 3105: Percussion I
SOWK 3360: Cultural Diversity in Social Work
The Senate unanimously approved the following course changes:
ARTS 3320: Painting Oil/Painting
CHEM 1111: General Chemistry Lab I
CHEM 1112: General Chemistry Lab II
CHEM 3113: Experimental Organic I
CHEM 3114: Experimental Organic II
CHEM 3411: Organic Chemistry I
CHEM 3412: Organic Chemistry II
CHEM 4301: Physical Chemistry I
CHEM 4103: Experimental Physical Chemistry I
CHEM 4104: Experimental Physical Chemistry II
CHEM 4174: Experimental Inorganic Chemistry
MUSI 1190: Guitar I to MUEN 3103 Classical Guitar I
SOWK 3355: Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families
SOWK 3356: Social Work Practice with groups
The Senate unanimously approved the following course deletions:
BIOL 3303: Principles of Nutrition
COMM 1159: Media Production
COMM 1321: Business & Professional Communication
COMM 1326: Fundamentals of Digital Media
COMM 2318: Advanced Reporting
COMM 2361: Media in the United States
COMM 3159: Media Production II
COMM 3342: Non Linear Production
COMM 4310: Multimedia Production
C. Faculty Affairs
1. Dual Enrollment
The Senate passed the following motion with two Senators abstaining:
“The U.T.P.B. Faculty Senate moves that the university begin charging for dual enrollment at least
50% of the normal in-state amount per student credit hour, regardless of the format of the course.
They further move that any dual-credit student who subsequently enrolls full-time as a freshman at
the university receive up to twice the amount that they paid to the university as scholarship aid.”
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2. Tennis Program
Senators discussed whether the matter of re-creating the tennis program should not have gone
through the Athletics Committee first. No action taken by the Senate.
D. Student Affairs
No business brought before the Senate.
E. Budget and Governance
No business brought before the Senate.
F. G. E. O. C.
No business brought before the Senate.
G. H.O.P.
No business brought before the Senate.
VII. Adjournment
Senate adjourned at 4:25 p.m.
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