Members Present:  College of the Arts:  Kimberley Davis, Shellie Nielsen; College of Business Administration:  Trellis Green, Scott Magruder, Robert Smith;  College of Education and Psychology:  Sheila Alber, Jesse Palmer, John Rachal, Lillian Range; College of Health and Human Sciences:  Susan Hubble, Michael Forster, Susan Graham-Kresge, Mary Frances Nettles; College of Liberal Arts:  Karen Austin, Charles Bolton, David Goff, Linda Dysart Goff, Alan McBride, Alexandra Jaffe, Art Kaul; College of Nursing:  Norma Cuellar; College of Science and Technology:  David Beckett, Dean Dunn, Mary Lux, Karen Thrash; USM Libraries:  Sherry Laughlin, Karolyn Thompson.

Members Represented by Proxy:  College of the Arts:  DeAnne Douglas (pr. Shellie Nielsen); College of Business Administration:  Ernest King (pr. Trellis Green);College of Liberal Arts:  Steve Oshrin (pr. Art Kaul);  College of Nursing:  Janie Butts (pr. Norma Cuellar); College of Science and Technology:  Mary Gregg (pr. Jesse Palmer); Gulf Park: Darlys Alford (pr. Lillian Range);. Institute of Marine Science: Steve Lohrenz (pr. Sherry Laughlin).

Members Absent:  College of Education and Psychology:   Marvin Lanmon; College of International and Continuing Education:  Mark Miller. College of Liberal Arts:  Michael Dearmey, Kim Herzinger; College of Science and Technology: Bob Bateman, Bob Coates, Charles Hoyle, Grayson Rayborn; Gulf Park: J. Pat Smith.

Business Meeting:

1.0    Call to order  The Business meeting was called to order at 2:30 p.m.
2.0    Approval of Agenda  The agenda was approved as distributed.
3.0    Approval of Minutes  The May minutes were approved with one correction.  Mary Lux should be listed as represented by proxy in the College of Science and Technology.
4.0    Executive Committee Reports
4.1    President's Report  Jesse Palmer
President Palmer welcomed newly elected Senators and thanked the Senate for the privilege of serving as President this year.  The Faculty Senate is an important body that allows open dialogue on issues critical to the success of the university.  As we close one year and begin another, the leadership may change, but our goals are still the same:  to stay current with issues facing the university, to debate these issues, to make recommendations as a result of these discussions, and to ensure a strong voice for faculty in the decision-making process at all levels.  The University Strategic Plan has been copied and mailed to all faculty.  Facutly should become familiar with this document, because it will be the basis for decisions and planning over the next few years.  Many of the goals in the document will affect faculty.  For example:
        Revision of the general education core
        Development of a performance evaluation system for faculty based on a different definition of scholarship
        Assessment of summer pay options for faculty
        Realization of Carnegie II status
        Expansion on the Gulf Coast
        Improvement of the natural environment on campus
        Implementation of abbreviated Responsibility Center Management (aRCM)
        Others
Status of Faculty Senate resolutions passed during the 1998/99 term:
1)    Child Care Resolution (6/98):  Efforts are being made to obtain funding to improve child care for students, faculty,  and staff.  The Senate needs to continue to monitor the progress of campus child care.
2)    Environmental Resolution (10/98):  Strong language on environmental concerns has been included in the University Strategic Plan.  A strong commitment has been made by the VP of Business and Finance to protect the aesthetic beauty of this campus and changes have been made in the physical plant structure to accomplish this.  Efforts are in progress to make the campus more pedestrian friendly.
3)    University Club (12/98):  Language has been included in the University Strategic Plan that will help make this a reality.  Location and financing still must be worked out.
4)     Establish a process for Faculty Salary Appeals (1/99):  There most likely will not be a permanent standing committee.  However, an improved process and the communication of that process to faculty should still be a goal of the Senate.
5)    Diversity (2/99):  Was well received by students, faculty, and administrators.  However, diversity issues need to be monitored by the Senate.
6)    Plus/Minus Grading for Graduate Courses (2/99):  Also endorsed by the Graduate Council.  This will lead to a discussion on the use of plus and minus grading for undergraduate courses.
7)    Recommending restoration of Full Faculty/Staff Tuition Benefits and the Portability of these benefits (4/99):  These are most likely dead issues because of the expense involved.
8)    Online Courses (4/99):  Discussions on the use of online courses will need to continue in the Academic Council and in the Graduate Council.  Since 40 courses will be offered online in the fall, discussion in the councils will most likely focus on policies and guidelines when new online courses are created.
Announcements:  There will be a backyard cookout at the President's home on June 25th honoring U.S. Congressman Ronnie Shows.  On June 28th, there will be an all day reunion of the Commission on the Future of the University.  The Senate next meets in September.

4.2    President-Elect's Report  Art Kaul
President-Elect Art Kaul reported on the meeting of the State Faculty Senates Association.  There was not a quorum at the meeting.  The full tuition benefit and the portability of tuition benefits were discussed.  President-Elect Kaul asked that representatives discuss this with their Senates.  There was interest in these issues and they will be pursued at future meetings of the state association.
IHL:  At the last board meeting the IHL agreed to petition Judge Biggers to consider revised admissions standards that are consonant with admissions standards on the Hattiesburg campus.  Judge Biggers will be asked to issue a ruling by September so that the Legislature can deal with fiscal issues.  There is not likely to be a freshman class on the Gulf Coast campus  in August.  There was Senate discussion as to why the original admissions standards were different from USM Hattiesburg.  There was anticipation that some applicants would have to be rejected because of the enrollment cap, and there needed to be a way to select the applicants.  An IHL Board committee has agreed to seek an 18% operating budget increase for the universities for next year.  Next month Dr. Layzell will present some additional special project requests, some dealing with Ayers.  There was discussion in the Finance Committee of presidential salaries.  In recent searches, they have been getting applications from current vice- presidents and provosts who are making more in their current positions than we are offering.  This issue will come up again in July.  Ricki Garrett had questions about the supplements that some presidents get from their foundations.   There is concern as to who the presidents are working for.
4.3    Secretary's Report  Sherry Laughlin   No report
4.4    Secretary-Elect's Report  Shellie Nielsen
Proxies were announced and an attendance roster was passed.  Names were requested of individuals who will need to receive paper copies of the minutes next year.
5.0    Committee Reports
5.1    Academic and Governance  Karen Thrash  No report
5.2    Administration and Faculty Evaluations  Bill Powell  No report
5.3    Athletic Liaison  Trellis Green  The new Athletic Director wants to meet with us and we will get him on the schedule in the fall.
5.4    Awards  Linda Dysart Goff  The Committee has selected a winner of the Harrison Award:  Dr. William J. Lyddon, Department of Psychology. Each year one of the universities in the state selects an oustanding faculty member to receive this award.   There is now information about the award in the University Archives in McCain Library.
5.5    Benefits and Work Environment Mike Forster  No report
5.6    Constitution and Bylaws  Sherry Laughlin  No report
5.7    Elections  Mary Dayne Gregg  No report
5.8    Environment (ad hoc)   Dick Conville  No report
5.9    Faculty Development  Norma Cuellar  No report
5.10  Technology  Dan Surry  No report
5.11   University Club  Kim Herzinger  No report
5.12   Transportation Liaison  Bill Scarborough  No report
6.0      Old Business  None
7.0       New Business
7.1       Election of Officers
President-Elect Art Kaul indicated that Senate officer nonimees were
President-Elect:  Sherry Laughlin and Mary Lux
Secretary Elect:  Mike Forster and Karolyn Thompson
President-Elect Kaul asked if there were any nominations from the floor.  Dean Dunn was nominated for President-Elect by Kimberley Davis, seconded by Karolyn Thompson.  Dean Dunn agreed to be placed on the ballot.  Mike Forster was elected Secretary-Elect in the first round of balloting.  In a runoff between Dean Dunn and Sherry Laughlin, Laughlin was elected President-Elect.
7.2      Passing of the Gavel
The gavel was passed from Jesse Palmer to Art Kaul, who thanked President Palmer for his excellent service to the Faculty Senate during the past year.
8.0     Announcements
President Kaul discussed the task force on the Faculty Handbook which will be formed soon, asked Senate members to express their preferences in committee appointments, and asked for volunteers to serve as the Senate's representative to the American Association of University Professors.
9.0    Adjournment  The meeting was adjourned at 3:45 p.m.

Respectfully submitted:  Sherry Laughlin, Faculty Senate Secretary