Members Present:  College of the Arts: Kimberley Davis, Cheryl Goggin; Shellie Nielsen; College of Business
Administration:  Trellis Green, Scott Magruder, Bob Smith; College of Education and Psychology:  Janet Nelson, Jesse Palmer, John Rachal, Lillian Range; College of Health and Human Sciences:  Jan Drummond, Michael Forster; College of International and Continuing Education:  College of Liberal Arts: Charles Bolton, Michael Dearmey, Linda Dysart Goff, Kate Greene, Kim Herzinger, Alexandra Jaffe, Arthur Kaul, William Powell; College of Nursing: Janie Butts, Norma Cuellar; College of Science and Technology: Delia Anderson, Robert Bateman; Bob Coates, Dean Dunn; Mary Dayne Gregg, Mary Lux, Jerry Mattson; Lawrence Mead, Karen Thrash; Center for Marine Science:  Steve Lohrenz; Gulf Park: Darlys Alford; University Libraries:  Sherry Laughlin, Karolyn Thompson. 

Members Represented by Proxy:  College of Business Administration:  Ernest King (pr. Trellis Green) ; College of Liberal Arts: Stephen Oshrin (pr. Virginia Berry); College of International and Continuing Education:  Mark Miller (pr. Kim Herzinger).

Members Absent: College of Education and Psychology:   Daniel Surry; College of Health and Human Sciences:  Mary Ann Adams, Susan Graham-Kresge; College of Liberal Arts: Stephen Mallory.

FORUM SPEAKER:  Don Cotten, Vice President for Research

Dr. Cotten began by thanking the faculty for allowing him to be part of the administrative team of the University.  He left the University for a time, but missed the academic world.  One goal that has been set is to achieve Carnegie Research II status.  The decision to designate USM as a Carnegie Research II institution will be made by outside people--the Carnegie Foundation.  They look at the University's commitment to research, the number of Ph.D. programs, and the resources or extramural funding (federal) that the University brings in.  We bring in about $13 to $14 million in federal funds per year.

Dr. Cotten has met with representatives from the National Science Foundation who collect the data for Carnegie classifications.  We are not giving ourselves credit for some of the things we are currently doing.  The reasons for this have to do with the way we've been reporting things and also with our rapid growth.  We need to consider and report research activities at all campuses, not just Hattiesburg.

What is the commitment of the Office of  Research?  We want to strengthen communication, internally and externally.  We will be in Washington often visiting and talking with funding agencies.  Internally, we are meeting with programs within the University to talk about opportunities and needs.  Faculty should feel free to communicate often with the Office of Research to discuss their interests and needs.  It is very important for personnel in the Office of Research to understand the University and to create a culture of success within the University.

The Office of Research is working to strengthen relationships with the colleges.  A group is being established with representatives from each unit to serve as a communication network.  The Office of Research worked with the colleges to prepare a report for the University's Strategic Planning Committee.  One of the most important requests to come out of this report was the need for additional graduate assistantships.

Another thing that we must do is to increase our capacity for matching funds when that is required by outside sources.  A funding agency will always ask what you have done to get additional funding.  Dr. Cotten feels that we can double extramural funding within the next 3 to 5 years.  We have many new faculty who have high expectations and energies and we want to build on this asset.  There are many possibilities and opportunities at this University, and we need to work to let people know this.  We want to reinforce USM's presence at the federal level, and we want to work with Bud Ginn at the legislative level.  We want to invite folks here who represent state and federal agencies.  There are many foundations out there that we have not courted.  It takes time and it is a process, but we need to begin doing more of this kind of thing.  We also want to encourage faculty to participate in grant review processes.
 
Business Meeting:
1.0    Call to Order: 2:25
2.0    Approval of Agenda:  The agenda was approved as distributed.
3.0    Approval of Minutes:  The minutes were approved with no corrections.
4.0    Executive Committee Reports 
4.1    President's Report:  Jesse Palmer
Environment Resolution:  President Palmer met with Dr. Linda Gilbert, Vice-President of Finance, to discuss the resolution.  She is supportive of  it and will be moving immediately to address faculty concerns.  President Palmer feels that we have a person concerned about the campus environment in this position. She has approved an inventory of trees on campus.
Summer Pay:  There will be no decision on changes in summer pay until the Strategic Planning Committee has completed its work.
Travel:  We can immediately begin using ProTravel.
IHL:  Research Foundation: The Board approved the creation of a USM Research Foundation, the first in the state of Mississippi.   It is being set up to allow us to receive property (patents, technology, copyright), etc.
Polymer Science Name Change:  There was discussion of changing the name of Polymer Science to include Engineering.  The Board will vote on that at the January meeting, which will be on the 20th and the 21st at USM.
Gulf Coast:  There will also be a vote on Gulf Coast issues at the January meeting.  The Board wants information on detailed costs of the dual campus concept; how will freshman enrollment be limited; what courses does USM propose to teach there.
CABINET:  Athletic Committee:  Dr. Fleming has appointed a committee to study the future of USM athletics.  This committee will parallel the work of the Strategic Planning Committee.
Strategic Planning Committee:  This committee began its work on December 4th.  Subcommittee assignments were made and work was begun.
Telephone Switch:  John McGowan has announced that the new telephone switch is here and will be implemented next month.  It will improve telephone capabilities and will allow voice mail and other services.
SAC Meeting:  Dr. Fleming and Dr. Henry attended the SAC meeting in Atlanta December 5-9.
Stennis Space Center:  The Cabinet met at the Stennis Space Center to review programs and to listen to faculty, staff, and student concerns.
Ann Thomlinson:  Will be leaving at the end of this semester.
Fund Raising Meetings:  Some of the fund raising meetings with colleges were postponed due to an illness in Dr. Redden's family.
MTAG:  MTAG and other state funded scholarships are being reduced by 25% immediately.  The IHL is asking for an emergency appropriation from the Legislature in January.
Freshmen Experience:  We have hired a Director of Freshmen Experience.
December 21st:  All offices should be open on December 21st.
DEANS' COUNCIL:  Summer School Carry Over Money:  Deans were told that the 1998 summer budget was $49,000 in the red, attributable to the fact that about $80,000 went to technology from the summer budget.  The deficit will be spread over colleges.
Announcements:  Faculty will be asked to use a new form for students on suspension.  Faculty advisors will be part of this process.  Faculty are urged to submit grades early  if possible.  STARS will be open January 4-8.  Graduate and Senior registration will take place January 7th, and all students will register January 8th.  The X grade has been eliminated, and there will not be a Z grade.  A student will receive an F in a class they do not attend.  Only two repeats will be allowed, and this change will not be grandfathered in.  Problems arising from this will be dealt with on a case by case basis.  The current policy of changing incompletes to Fs after one semester will be enforced, and students who are academically suspended will have to sit out a semester.  These changes will go into the next bulletin.  
4.2  President-Elect's Report:  Art Kaul  No Report
4.3    Secretary's Report:  Sherry Laughlin  No Report.
4.4    Secretary-Elect's Report:  Shellie Nielsen
Proxies were read and an attendance roster passed.
5.0    Committee Reports
5.1    Academic and Governance Committee:  Kate Greene   No Report.
5.2    Administration and Faculty Evaluations:  Bill Powell   No Report
5.3    Athletic Liaison:  Trellis Green
Attendance is lagging at basketball games.  Tulane just offered their football coach $800,000, but he left for more money elsewhere.  This may be an issue for us in the future.
5.4    Awards Committee:  Linda Dysart Goff
Nominations have been received for all awards.  Decisions will be made next semester.
5.5  Benefits and Work Environment Committee:  Mike Forster
Two resolutions were presented and will be brought forward for a vote at the January meeting:
Proposal for Elected Faculty Representation on the Advisory Committee for the State and Public School Employees Health Insurance Management Board
The State and Public School Employees Health Insurance Management Board has an advisory committee with members appointed by the various agencies that are insured by the plan.  The IHL Board appoints a member to represent the staff and faculty of the Mississippi Institutes of Higher Learning.  The current representative has retired and a new appointment must be made.
RESOLVED:  That the faculty and staff should have a direct influence over health insurance decision-making, and that therefore, faculty and staff of the Mississippi Institution of Higher Learning be represented on the State and Public School Employees Health Insurance Mangement Advisory Board by a member elected by the body of faculty and staff.
Discussion:  We currently have no voice in decisions about our health insurance.  Dr. Layzell is our representative to the board.  Although it is possible that IHL will place the state faculty senates president on this board, we think it would be preferable to elect someone to do this.  Sometimes if you only serve on a board for one year, you don't really have enough time to figure out how things work.  Norma Cuellar said that it would be good to have a representative on this board who knows about the health care field.  Art Kaul indicated that the Staff Council will discuss this resolution at their next meeting.

Resolution to Establish a Process for Faculty Salary Appeals
The Benefits and Work Environment Committee of the Faculty Senate has identified salary compression as an issue within its purview and worthy of its investigation.  The committee defines salary compression as:
    a lag in salary advancement of current faculty relative to the salaries of new hires within the same unit of the
    University.  The lag cannot be due to poor performance as reflected in annual evaluations, nor does it result
    from inequities due to gender or race discrimination.  Salary compression does not necessarily mean that
    current faculty earn less than new hires, though this may happen; rather it means that a current faculty
    member's salary has not kept pace with market forces as measured by the starting salaries of new hires
    within the unit.
The commitee has established that salary compression is of concern to several faculty and some staff.  Currently no process is in place to address salary compression either in a comprehensive or an individual way.  Those who regard themselves as victims of salary compression have no recourse other than to persuade their chairs and deans that they are deserving of some "equity" raise over and above cost-of-living and merit raises, and to request that their deans make special requests during budget hearings.
The Faculty Senate established some years ago an ad hoc Faculty Salary Appeal Committee that is convened solely at the discretion of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.  The charge of this committee is limited to examining the appeals of faculty who believe that the distribution of the previous year's raises was unfair.  It is not within the charge of the committee to examine "historic" or long-term inequities of any origin, despite the fact that some faculty claiming historic inequities have been advised by the VPAA office to submit their appeals to this committee.
Thus the Benefits and Work Environment Committee recommends that the Faculty Senate adopt the following resolution:
RESOLVED:
1)    That the Faculty Salary Appeal Committee be changed from an ad hoc to a standing committee at the University comprised of elected faculty from each of the colleges and schools, and that the Committee meet every fall term to consider appeals (presuming any appeals have been made);
2)    That the charge of the Committee be expanded to examine appeals of all types of salary inequity, including discrimination as well as salary compression;
3)    That the Committee establish appropriate criteria and necessary documentation to be supplied by the faculty member for the Committee's review;
4)    That the Committee make its recommendations to the VPAA/Provost regarding its support of or non-support of individual appeals in time for consideration in the next budget;
5)    That a separate process be identified to examine similar concerns among USM staff.

Discussion: The charge of the current Faculty Salary Appeal Committee is very narrow and limited.  There is currently no mechanism for dealing with salary inequity and perhaps a broadening of this committee's responsibility would provide a formalized process that would allow faculty involvement.
5.6  Constitution and Bylaws:  Sherry Laughlin  No report.
5.7  Elections:  Mary Dayne Gregg
The following list of elections to be required during Spring Semester 1999 was distributed:
College of the Arts:  One Senator from the Department of Art (Cheryl Goggin is eligible for re-election.)
College of Business Administration:  One Senator from the School of Professional Accountancy (Bob Smith is eligible for re-election.)
College of Education and Psychology: One Senator from the Department of Special Education (Janet Nelson is eligible for re-election.)
College of Health and Human Sciences: Three Senators from any area except the Center for Community Health (Jan Drummond and Michael Forster are eligible for re-election.  Mary Ann Adams is not eligible for re-election.)
College of Liberal Arts: Two Senators from any area except Departments of Anthropology and Sociology, Communication, English, History, Journalism, Philosophy and Religion, Political Science or Speech and Hearing Sciences.  (Stephen Mallory and William Powell are both eligible for re-election.)
College of Science and Technology:  Four Senators from the Departments of Biology, Geology, Physics, and Polymer Science.  (Dean Dunn and Lawrence Mead are eligible for re-election. Delia Anderson and Gerald Mattson are not eligible.)
USM Libraries:  One Senator needs to be elected. (Sherry Laughlin is eligible for re-election.)
USM Gulf Park:  One Senator needs to be elected.  (Shahdad Naghshpour is eligible for re-election.)
There is no need for elections from the College of Nuring, the Institute of Marine Sciences, and the College of International and Continuing Education.
By February, Mary Dayne Gregg, will be contacting the current Senators who are eligible for re-election to see if they want to be placed on the ballot for another term.  Senators may serve six consecutive years, and must rotate off for at least one year before they are eligible to serve again.
One thing that is a very difficult part of the election process is to correctly identify who should receive a ballot.  Those eligible to vote are full time faculty without any designation such as acting or visiting.  There is currently no way we can get mailing labels by college or department or in any other order except box number, and sometimes faculty members who should get ballots are not on the lists that we get.  There was discussion about how the election committee can ensure that only individuals who want to serve are placed on the ballot.  An additional point of discussion involved the short turn-around time for voting and returning ballots.  The Constitution and Bylaws Committee is looking at these issues and will bring a recommendation at a future meeting.
5.8  Environment Committee (ad hoc):  Dick Conville
No report.
5.9  Faculty Development:  Norma Cuellar
No report.
5.10  Technology:  Dan Coates
No report.
5.11  University Club:  Kim Herzinger
The University Club has enough money to begin operation.  The Peck House is available and there is interest on the part of the University administration to do it.  There are a few problems, however.  It is necessary to create some legal and financial distance between the University and University Club, and so it is necessary for the Foundation or some other entity to purchase the Peck House and lease it to the Club.  It seems advisable that we consider a resolution regarding the University Club.  President Palmer indicated that in order to vote on the resolution today, we would need to suspend the rules requiring a resolution to be presented at one meeting and voted upon at the next.  Art Kaul moved that the rules be suspended and Bill Powell seconded.  The motion to suspend the rules passed.

University Club Resolution
Pursuant to the mandate provided by the Commission on the Future of the University, the Faculty Senate requests that the Strategic Planning Committee actively take steps to implement the earliest possible reestablishment of a University Club at The University of Southern Mississippi.
The resolution passed.

5.12  Parking:  Bill Scarborough
Bill Scarborough reported on a meeting with the President on October 23rd.  The name of the committee has now been officially changed to the University Transportation Committee.  Walker Parking Consultants of Atlanta, Georgia, has been hired at a cost of $25,000 to conduct a general needs assessment of our parking and transportation systems, which includes the feasibility of a parking garage, gated lots, metered lots, and everything.  It is estimated that this will take nine months.  The committee proposed that it take charge of zone 5 parking decals and the president tabled that.  The proposal to force those persons booted or towed to pay 50% of their unpaid fines this year and 100% next year was approved and will be implemented.  All of the fine money will go for parking improvement.  In the past the fine money has gone to scholarships.  Scholarships will continue but will be funded from another source.  The Business Office is now responsible for collecting fines.  There will now be a payroll deduction for faculty and staff who owe fines; there are now $90,000 in outstanding tickets for faculty and staff.  At the committee meeting on November 4th, Cecil Wilson told us he has ordered two additional boots.  The parking zone signs we asked for were to be delivered in two or three weeks.  Ten new parking meters were installed near the main campus entrance.  Dr. Scarborough asked Royce Pierce to give  an estimate of the time to accomplish various things.  It will take nine months to get the feasibility report on the parking garage and then it will be another two years before construction begins.  There is a pedestrian and bicycle plan for which we expect to apply for a two million dollar grant from theMississippi Department of Transportation in March.  That will be completed in three years.  Construction is to begin on the student plaza in February or March, and the new dormitories are to begin construction in February.  31st Avenue will be re-routed within the next year.  The construction of a lake and exercise trail near the Payne Center and Pride Field will begin  in 18 months.
6.0    Old Business
7.0    New business
8.0    Announcements
9.0    Adjournment 3:20 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,  Sherry Laughlin