UFS #7
Approved March 28, 2002.
February 21, Minutes
Indiana State University
Faculty Senate, 2001-2002
Time: 3:15 p.m.
Place: HMSU, Dede III
Present: Chairperson J. Cerny, Vice Chair S. Lamb, Secretary C. Hoffman
Senators: E. Bermudez, M. Brennan, D. Burger, G. Christianson, R. Clouse, N. Corey, P. Dutta,
V. French, D. Gilman, V. Gregory, M. Hamm, M. Harmon, P. Hightower, H. Hudson,
R. Johnson, N. Lawrence, K. Liu, S. Macke, R. McGiverin, J. McNabb, D. Memory,
W. Moates F. Muyumba, C. Nicol, T. Nicoletti, A. O'Bryan, N. Rogers, R. Schneirov,
L. Sperry, E. Warner, W. Warren, C. Yoder
Absent: John Allen, B. Frank, R. Goidel, J. Jakaitis, L. Maule
Ex-Officio: President Benjamin, Provost Pontius
Deans: T. Foster, B. Hine, D. Hopkins, C. Ingersoll, R. Libler, B. Passmore, B. Saucier, T. Sauer
Visitors: B. Clouse, P. Engelbach, S. McFadden
I. Memorials
A memorial was read and accepted for Jacob Cobb (Gilman, Corey 30-0-0).
II. Administrative Report
President Benjamin reported that:
(1) He was pleased to present an honorary ISU doctorate to Dr. Cloyd Anthony in Sebring,
Florida.
(2) Greg Goode, Executive Assistant to the President for External Relations, has been appointed.
(3) No definitive budget information is yet available. He noted that health benefits costs are
expected to increase 10%, which will require an additional $900 K next year and that utility and
insurance costs are expected to rise.
(4) He will make an oral report to the Board of Trustees (2/22) on the two meetings of the Ad
Hoc Committee on Governance. He stressed his support of shared governance, but that
"enhanced communication" is necessary. A need exists for clearer definitions of some terms and
an examination of organizational structure. Affected groups will have input through normal
governance channels. He expects to report again to the Trustees in June. He praised the
Institutional Effectiveness Retreat as an "excellent time."
(5) Board of Trustees meeting to be held February 21-22.
Provost Pontius reported verbally the administrative response to the December and January
actions taken by the Senate. Although the three FEBC recommendations were not accepted, the
Provost said he would recommend to the President that a University-wide compensation study be
put in place to parallel with the agreed-upon process for full evaluation of faculty. The provost
also reported that:
(1) A revised contract (appointment) letter, modified to be "more inclusive," will be shared with
the Executive Committee.
(2) Dean Searches -- Business: closure soon
A&S: Third candidate on-campus interviewing
Graduate: Interviewing candidates
(3) Faculty hires are proceeding well, with a number of very good candidates. The cut-off date
for new hires is April 5.
(4) Student Credit Hour (SCH) discussions continue with individual deans, including discussion
of "intensity levels." Report will go to FAC and the Executive Committee. Target for completion
is two years.
(5) Subcommittee reports on the Status of Chairs and Summer School Administration will go to
deans in approximately two weeks.
(6) Deans' Council will discuss the five-year budget plan on 2/25.
III. Chair Report:
In just the past few weeks we have dealt with several stressful incidents that have taxed the
resiliency and resources of the Institution and the character and the steel of our students, faculty,
and staff. The death of a student is an especially tragic event that affects family, friends, mentors,
and indeed the whole campus community. Condolences are extended to Mr. Welsh's family and
thanks to members of the Student Counseling Center and the Psychology Clinic for their efforts
in helping students and staff in coping with this sad event. At the same time, this tragedy reminds
us of the very serious issues that our professional staff and faculty deal with on a daily basis.
A sub-committee of the Executive Committee is still investigating some important issues related
to language in the Handbook. A proposal is expected to be brought to the Senate yet this
semester.
The Chair received a telephone call from Dr. Don Ammeron at Virginia State University, which
is reconstituting its Faculty Senate after the previous governance organization at the University
was dissolved. He informed the Chair that Robert Kreiser at AAUP's central office identified
Indiana State University as one of four institutions that provided an exemplary model of faculty
governance. The other three were the University of Tennessee, Auburn University, and Bradley
University. The Chair was pleased to share ISU's model and also pleased with the recognition
noted by AAUP that connotes that ISU has an effective and reasonably efficient model of
Faculty Governance that works well.
Senate elections will take place shortly. Faculty are encouraged to vote. The names of Senate
nominees were read.
Board of Trustees meeting tomorrow.
Consideration is being given to shortening Commencement: move faculty awards to Faculty
Awards Dinner. While many faculty voiced no objection, some objections have been raised.
Information will be forwarded to Commencement Committee.
IV. SGA Report
No report. The SGA elections are now taking place.
V. Fifteen Minute Open Discussion
Items addressed:
1) Environmental Safety: Additional discussion of health issues raised by recent off-campus fire.
Locus of authority to evacuate buildings should be established. Disaster Plan being revised to
address concerns.
2) Access to on-line books list for fall. Inaccuracies in recent book order forms from Barnes and
Noble.
VI. Minutes for the January 24 meeting were approved. (Gilman, Bermudez 32-0-2).
VII. CAAC Recommendations:
General Education Capstone Course Credit, approved (Clouse, Maule 32-0-2);
Provisional Merger-Science Education Dept. into Life Sciences Dept., approved (Liu, Lawrence
30-2-2);
Music Theater Minor for Music Majors, approved Lawrence, Liu 33-0-1;
B.A./B.S. Social Science Education, approved Clouse, Bermudez 27-2-6.
Agenda reordered.
VIII. New Business
Approved, School of Business Constitution Change (Lamb, Burger 34-0-1):
Item 4. was added to section IV. Standing Committees of the Business Faculty, Part. B.
Membership.
Revision: 4. Student representatives shall be selected by the Student Affairs Committee upon the
advice and recommendation of the Dean’s Student Advisory Committee (DSAC) and of the
relevant Standing Committees. Selection of student representatives will occur in April after the
election of the new members of the Standing Committees. Student representatives shall serve a
one-year term. If a student representative is unable to fulfill the term, the Student Affairs
Committee shall appoint a replacement upon the advice and recommendation of DSAC and the
relevant Standing Committee.
Approved, D. Barnhart, Nursing (Schneirov, Hoffman 33-0-2), and M. Stimley, Education
(Schneirov, Corey 34-0-1), for one-year terms on the 2001-2002 University Promotions
Committee.
IX. Information Items:
Summer School Administration Committee Report--AAC, FAC, FEBC Resolutions
Status of Chairs Committee Report--AAC and FAC Resolutions
Senate Committees Summer Activities, White Paper
X. Standing Committee Reports
Administrative Affairs Committee, K. Liu --The AAC had met three times, discussed the ad hoc
committee on university governance's report and worked on the calendar. The
Committee also approved to conduct a Professional Satisfaction Survey using the same survey
questionnaire that was developed jointly by the university administration and Executive
Committee of the Faculty Senate in 1998-99 academic year.
Arts Endowment Committee, G. Christianson--The AEC had not met.
Curriculum and Academic Affairs Committee, J. McNabb--The CAAC had met three times and
worked on fifteen curricular proposals.
Faculty Affairs Committee, R. Schneirov--The FAC made resolutions on the Summer School
Report, Status of Chairs Report, amendment to the School of Business constitution, requested
that clarity would be given to the grievance procedure in the University Handbook, and began
consideration of the Recommendations to Revise the Status of Non-Tenure-Track Faculty.
Faculty Economic Benefits Committee, R. Clouse--The FEBC had met twice, considered health
benefit issues, supported the Summer School Report, and worked on reports for failed searches
and salaries for faculty and administration.
Graduate Council, D. Memory--The Council had met twice, approved program review proposals
and new courses and discussed miscellaneous items from Graduate Studies.
Student Affairs Committee, M. Harmon--The SAC met twice: considered changes to drop/add
policy and student grievance policy. The committee will meet again 2/23.
University Research Committee, E. Bermudez--The URC met 2/14 and considered nine summer
applications and two spring proposals. Funding for summer and spring proposals will be
approved at the 2/28 meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 4:35 p.m.