Members Present: College of the Arts: Kimberley Davis, DeAnna Douglas, Shellie Nielsen; College of Business Administration: Trellis Green, Bob Smith; College of Education and Psychology: Sheila Alber, Jesse Palmer, John Rachal, Lillian Range, Marvin Lanmon; College of Health and Human Sciences: Susan Graham-Kresge, Mary Frances Nettles; College of Liberal Arts: Karen Austin, Michael Dearmey, David Goff, Linda Dysart Goff, Allan McBride, Alexandra Jaffe, Art Kaul; College of Science and Technology: David Beckett, Douglas McCain, Bob Coates, Dean Dunn, Mary Dayne Gregg, Charles Hoyle, Mary Lux, Grayson Rayborn; Institute of Marine Science: Steven Lohrenz; Gulf Park: James Pat Smith; University Libraries: Sherry Laughlin, Karolyn Thompson.
Members Represented by Proxy: College of Business Administration: Ernest King (pr. Trellis Green); College of Health and Human Sciences: Susan Hubble (pr. Jan Drummond), Michael Forster (pr. John Rachal); College of Liberal Arts: Charles Bolton (pr. John Guice), Kim Herzinger (pr. William Cuskin), Stephen Oshrin (pr. Jan Drummond); College of International and Continuing Education: Mark Miller (pr. Karolyn Thompson).
Members Absent: College of Business Administration: Scott Magruder; College of Nursing: Janie Butts, Norma Cuellar; College of Science and Technology: Lida McDowell; Gulf Park: Darlys Alford.
Business Meeting:
1.0 Call to order The Business meeting was called
to order at 2:00 p.m.
2.0 Approval of Agenda The agenda was approved
as distributed.
3.0 Approval of Minutes The June minutes were
approved as distributed.
4.0 Executive Committee Reports
4.1 President's Report Art Kaul
IHL: *The IHL approved pay raises
for all university presidents, retroactive to July 1, and rejected proposals
to limit university foundation's contributions to presidential salaries.
Presidents of USM, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Jackson State will receive
$150,000 base salary. Foundation supplements currently are: $50,000
at USM, $100,000 at Ole Miss, $150,000 at Mississippi State, bringing total
salaries to $200,000 at USM, $250,000 at Ole Miss, and $300,000 at Mississippi
State. Presidents of Alcorn State, Delta State, MUW, MVSU will receive
$134,000 base salary. Their salaries and that of Jackson State have
not been supplemented by university foundations. It was noted that President
Fleming told a Sept. 13 Cabinet meeting that 1) he did not believe it was
in the long term interest of foundations to fund presidential salaries,
2) that foundations should not subsidize presidential salaries for lack
of state funding, and 3) that he, personally, viewed the matter as a "moral
issue" especially when he noted that staff members earn as little as $12,000
a year. President Fleming knew what the salary was when he came here so
he felt that it wasn't an issue with him. However, in terms of his
successor, salary issues could be a problem in terms of marketplace, etc.
J. Pat Smith asked what was included in foundation packages-automobile,
homes-or are all those things separate from the foundation packages?
A. Kaul understood those things were separate.
Figures he cited were actual dollars laid on top of the state salary.
*The IHL heard an hour long proposal for a multi-billion
dollar development of the Point Cadet area of Biloxi. This proposal
would move USM's facilities from its present location to a site north of
U.S. 90. No action was taken, pending reports from IHL consultants.
There are some interests on the coast such as hotels, the Convention Center,
etc. who want to see Point Cadet developed.
*The College Board approved emeritus status, effective
June 1999, for eight retired USM faculty members: John Alcorn (Psychology),
Lucy Bates (Nursing), Carlos Boyte (Technology Education), Iva Brown (Science
Education), Donna Connerly-Stewart (Technology Education), Kenneth McCarty
(History), Florence Myers (University Libraries), and Mary Sisemore (Nursing).
*In July, the College Board approved the following
construction projects: A $25 million three-story student life center;
$767,000 brick pedestrian plaza; $13 1/2 million for 2 adjacent, four-story
residence halls; design work for a $2.5 million renovation of the Fairchild
Field House; initiation of plans to construct a $5.6 million building for
USM's College of International and Continuing Education; design work on
planned construction of a $2.1 million addition to the DuBard School for
Language Disorders; $250,000 in existing funds for a softball field for
the women's team; $900,000 for six new varsity tennis courts; $153,000
expansion of the 3-D Art facility; $267,000 for fire alarm systems in several
buildings; $295,000 to re-roof the Chain Technology Building; and $585,000
project to install a new heating and air-conditioning
system at the Owings-McQuagge Building.
*The Center for Gifted Studies was named in honor
of Dr. Frances Karnes.
Presidential Cabinet Meetings: *Dr. Anthony
J. Harris was introduced as the new Executive Assistant to the President.
He assumed his duties Sept. 7, replacing Dr. Larry LeFlore. Dr. Harris
served since 1977 as Associate Vice President in the Office of the President
and the Office of the Vice President for Marketing at Texas A&M Univeristy
at Commerce. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Spanish and a Master's
degree in Counseling from USM and a PH.D in Counseling from Texas A&M
at Commerce. President Fleming appointed a seven-member "review committee,"
including the Faculty Senate President, to, in his words, "not function
as a search committee in the conventional sense but . . . advise me in
the hiring of a person whose role and responsibilites are important to
me personally in doing my job effectively." The Review Committee
met with the President on July 26, reviewed 11 applicants (one did not
meet stated qualifications), and recommended five applicants (three internal,
two external) for consideration. Two days later, the committee was
notified that President Fleming had selected Dr. Harris for an interview
on Aug. 2. Four Faculty Senate members participated in the various
stages of the interview process and provided their observations via rating
forms. An Aug. 23 USM Public Relations press release announced
that Dr. Harris had been hired.
J. Rachal, who was at one of the interviews, was asked
to offer his observations. He commented that in a one hour meeting he was
very impressive, very smooth, very articulate, and he could see how Dr.
Fleming might like him.
A. Jaffe asked if he was one of the five candidates.
A. Kaul stated that he was part of the initial pool and one of the final
five.
A. Jaffe asked if anyone else was interviewed.
A. Kaul said no. Dr. Harris was an invited candidate and held aspirations
to be a University President.
*Southern Miss anticipates launching a $100 million
(possibly more) fundraising campaign in Spring 2000, with the goal of raising
$40 million for scholarships, $25 million for faculty development including
endowed chairs, $15 million for Gulfpark, $10 million for library and information
services (technology), and $10 million for athletics. A final feasibility
study is expected to be completed in December 1999. A special cabinet
meeting will be held the first week in October where a presentation about
that feasibility study will be made.
* Vice President for Business and Finance Lynda
Gilbert reported that a legislative mandate will require all state employees,
including university administrators, faculty and staff, to be paid bi-monthly.
She anticipates beginning the bi-monthly pay schedule for staff in January
2000 and for faculty in July 2000. The mandated implementation deadline
for this pay schedule is July 2001.
T. Green asked how it would affect the summer pay schedule
that just changed. A. Kaul didn't think she knew yet. He has
invited her to talk to us in November.
D. Goff - Is there any hint as to the logic behind this?
A. Kaul-Apparently state employees several years back lobbied the legislature
for this. J. Palmer was asked to comment. He said that by going
to this system you would only have two payroll systems. J Pat Smith commented
that another reason behind this kind of system was to help out those state
employees making $12,000-$13,000 a year who are on the edge with every
pay check.
* Legislative Weekend is scheduled for Oct. 16.
Faculty are highly encouraged to participate, especially as Southern Miss
begins budget hearings and negotiations this fall.
* Cabinet members were reminded that "Southern
Miss" is the official nickname of the University--not USM, not Southern,
etc.--and that consistent usage of "Southern Miss" should be encouraged.
Dean's Council: * Graduate School Dean Anselm
Griffin, in a June 1999 memorandum to Provost Myron Henry, reported on
a survey of eight SUG members (including Mississippi State, Ole Miss, &
Alabama) regarding assistantship stipend levels, number of assistantships,
tuition waivers, etc. Dean Griffin stated: "The USM graduate assistantship
stipend levels are the lowest in the group reporting. We also have
a smaller number and percentage of our students receiving University assistantship
support that the others. In dollar amounts for assistantships we
are the lowest. Particularly disturbing to me are the recent assistantship
increases at MSU (GA budget up 10%) and UM (GA budget up 7%) which put
those in-state institutions significantly ahead of USM in this area.
In regard to tuition waivers our current policy seems in keeping with those
of our SUG institutions." A. Kaul stated that apparently we are losing
ground.
J. Palmer - Was there a dollar amount? A. Kaul
- He did not remember if there were dollar amounts, just percentages.
* In July/August a "Chair/Directors Review" policy
was introduced and subsequently approved. According to the policy,
there is no limit to the number of terms they may serve, but Chairs/Directors
must undergo a review before appointment for each five-year term.
The policy requires faculty consultations in the review process.
A copy of the review policy was distributed to Faculty Senate members.
M. Dayne Gregg- When this begins, all Chairs/Directors
would have the five-year time limit, right? A. Kaul- Not sure but
would go to some sort of staggered implementation. Probably older
senior chairs rather than a new chair would probably be the first to be
reviewed staggering the others in. B. Smith corroborated that this
proposal had come out of the Council of Chairs. B. Smith added that the
major motivation was that some people wanted a way to gracefully get out
of a job. The other motivation was that occasionally there had not
been adequate notification of people who needed to get out of a job.
* The Provost is consulting with the Academic
Council regarding revision of the General Education requirements ("Core").
The Academic Council has indicated its willingness to take a leadership
role in the process. The Provost said he would like to finish the core
revision process by the end of the academic year. This is a high
priority agenda item with him. Note: The Academic Council has frozen
all requests to modify the core. They also have established a Task
Force on Distance Learning to review a variety of issues dealing with online
courses and other matters. They are following up on Faculty Senate's
resolution passed in April recommending that "the Academic Council and
Graduate Council be charged with the examination of academic issues surrounding
online courses and the recommendation of policies governing online courses."
S. Lohrenz-Would the Task Force include people outside
the council? I think the Provost mentioned that possibility.
A. Kaul- I'm not sure of the final resolution on that.
He seemed to want to go beyond the Academic Council in this matter. J.
Palmer agreed from his dealings with this last year.
* As of Wednesday, Bucky Wesley ,Dean of
Admissions, reported that enrollment figures for Fall 1999 are "down across
the board." Credit hours are down .4%, FTE's are down .7%, headcount is
down 2.32%.
* Provost Henry encouraged faculty to attend next
Thursday's, Sept. 30, University Convocation in Bennett Auditorium at 3:30
p.m.
State Faculty Senates Association Meeting: *
Association members have been asked to have their respective Faculty
Senates consider endorsing the USM Faculty Senate's resolution on Restoration
of Faculty/Staff Tuition Benefits and the Portability of Faculty/Staff
Tuition Benefits. Mississippi State's Faculty Senate has endorsed
the resolutions. The positions of the other Faculty Senates may be
known at the October State Association meeting. Pending the outcome,
the State Faculty Senates' Association may offer an additional endorsement.
* The Association is expected to consider a resolution
to be introduced at its October meeting regarding "post-tenure review".
This issue was introduced by the MVSU Faculty Senate President, prompting
discussion at the September meeting and a consensus that a resolution on
the matter would be discussed at the next Association meeting. A. Kaul
pointed out that he thinks it will be something different than the annual
review. M. DeArmey commented on Texas and Florida's post-tenure review
that happens about every 5 years. B. Smith commented about recent
tenure issues whereby one could elect to take tenure or get a raise in
salary with a ten year contract.
* The Association also may consider a resolution
at the October meeting regarding efforts to require faculty to sign accountability
forms for state-owned equipment (ie., computers) they use. The issue
was introduced by the MVSU Faculty Senate President. Note: A State field
Auditor's report at the time of USM's property inventory recommended:
"Individuals should sign an accountability form for everything that
is in their area of responsibility." A. Kaul noted the dilemma regarding
labs and the individual instructors being held personally responsible for
everything in that lab.
Misc.: * Bob Bateman from Science and Technology
resigned from the Faculty Senate in June, citing his decision to curb service
activities and devote more time to research. Douglas McCain, who
had served as Bateman's proxy during a sabbatical leave, has been appointed
to fill the unexpired term.
* Bob Smith (Business Administration)
has been appointed to serve as Faculty Senate Representative to the Web
Presence Council.
* Freshman Convocation will be held at 4:00 p.m.
Monday Sept. 27, in Bennett Auditorium. A reception for Pulitzer Prize
winning New York Times Miami Bureau Chief Rick Bragg follows at 5:00 p.m.
in the Administration Building. Bragg's book, "All Over but the Shoutin',"
was selected for the Freshman Experience Summer Reading Program.
* Several errors in the Faculty Senate roster
were published in the 1999-2000 University Committees booklet and brought
to the attention of Dr. Clyde Ginn, chair of the Committee on Committees.
No one knows where the erroneous Faculty Senate listings came from
as none of the Officers were contacted. Efforts will be made to develop
a protocol to assure an accurate and complete published roster.
* A copy of the Campus Master Plan for the Gulf
Coast was passed around.
* At 10:10 a.m. on Wednesday while attending a
Deans Council meeting, Art Kaul got a parking ticket for failure to display
a decal that was expired Aug. 31, 1999. The decal was attached to
the form taken to the police department Tuesday.
4.2 President-Elect's Report Sherry Laughlin
No report, but she got a ticket, too.
4.3 Secretary's Report Shellie Nielsen
It was noted that the 1999-2000 Faculty Senate information
was now posted on the web site. All Senators were asked to check
the information for accuracy and send any corrections to S. Nielsen.
4.4 Secretary-Elect's Report Michael Forster
Shellie Nielsen filled in for Michael Forster. Additions
and deletions of names of individuals who will need to receive paper copies
of the minutes this year were requested. Proxies were announced and an
attendance roster was passed.
5.0 Committee Reports Art Kaul reiterated the
main charges for each committee (see web site/and or handout)
5.1 Academic and Governance Mary Lux
No report.
J. Palmer suggested that their #2 charge be a priority
as some deans have already moved to revamp their College's tenure and promotion
documents.
A. Kaul commented that we are unique in that we don't
have a University-wide reward system for graduate faculty dealing with
doctoral advisement/thesis dissertation service. This is a very time
consuming process and some recommendations need to be made regarding that
issue.
5.2 Administration and Faculty Evaluations Kimberley
Davis
No report.
5.3 Archives Shellie Nielsen
No report
5.4 Athletic Liaison Trellis Green
T. Green asked for volunteers to help serve food at the
tent for the Oct. 16 and Oct. 23 games.
5.5 Awards Lillian Range
The committee is soliciting nominees from each College
for the HEADWAE award (Higher Education Appreciation Day Working for Academic
Excellence). This award, sponsored by the IHL Board, is for a faculty
member who exemplifies excellence in teaching, research and service. A
letter of support, vitae and up to two other letters of support must be
submitted by October 21 for each nominee.
The Faculty Memorial fund is a scholarship awarded to
a full-time student with a 2.5 gpa whose parent does not qualify for a
full tuition waiver. It is in honor of a deceased faculty member.
Any faculty member who came to work here in 1978 or after whose child is
eligible for 1/2 tuition waiver is eligible for this award. The committee
is also seeking nominees for a new award, The Oustanding First Year Student
Advocate. The deadline for this nomination is Oct. 18. This
has come out of the Freshman Year Experience program.
5.6 Benefits and Work Environment John Rachal
The committee submitted a resolution regarding the parking
situation on campus that deals with the issuance of decals prior to the
first day of class, eliminating the grace period for tickets. The following
resolution will be voted on next meeting.
Resolution Regarding Parking
Whereas the current policy of not giving tickets to cars
without decals for the first three weeks of the fall term both encourages
flouting of the normal parking regulations and penalizes faculty and staff,
the Faculty Senate urges the administration to:
1. Devise and implement a system prior
to the next fall term which insures that student decals are purchased and
received prior to the first day of class; and
2. Insure that the campus police begin
rigorous enforcement of the parking regulations beginning the first day
of class.
In a conversation with Vice-President Linda Gilbert,
the question arose regarding all faculty being paid on a 12 month basis
rather than 9 month basis. J. Rachal reiterated to her that it needed
to be a question of choice rather than a mandate for all.
The issue regarding two paychecks versus three paychecks
in the summer was discussed. J. Rachal's survey of his college resulted
in 19 in favor of three paychecks and 1 in favor of two.
K. Davis asked if we should poll our colleagues?
J. Rachal-Yes, especially if it indicates that there is overwheming interest
in three paychecks, she might be receptive to it.
M. Gregg commented that the extra checks may result in
taking out twice as much withholding, retirement etc.
5.7 Constitution and Bilaws Allan McBride
No report.
5.8 Elections Steven Lohrenz
No report.
5.9 Environment (as hoc) -Dick Conville
By being proactive, the committee has found its way into
the Strategic Plan and is now referred to as the University Environment
Committee. Now that the university has acknowledged the committee there
are two major concerns, one that concerns the correction of runoff problems
on campus. Glen Matlock will lead a complete tree survey of every
tree on the campus. The committee will also survey 10-12 institutions
as to how they manage their environment. D. Conville noted that letters
have been written to Linda Gilbert regarding the continued destruction
of trees on this campus, eg., the new sidewalk by Bond Hall where roots
were cut and dirt thrown over the roots, red clay which pushed all the
way up to roots of trees in the new Theatre and Dance parking lot which
will eventually kill the trees, and the death of three large Magnolia trees
that were moved and planted in the heat of summer. Linda Gilbert
has been responsive in a positive way to suggestions. The University
is now trying to hire a grounds man.
A. Kaul commented that this may be the year to make this
ad hoc committee a full standing committee.
5.10 Faculty Development Karolyn Thompson
The Campus Week of Dialogue, which was proposed by President
Clinton to encourage positive racial relationships within college campuses
as well as between the Academic and Municipal communities, will be held
from Oct. 4-8, 1999. The activities were sponsored by the Faculty
Development Committee of the Faculty Senate, the Student Government Association,
and the Staff Council. Activities included a candlight vigil, Judge
Deborah Gambrell as a keynote speaker on "students perception of race relations,"
a faculty/student/staff reception, a "Race Relations Forum", and a community
service.
Oct 28 or 29 the National Science Foundation is coming
to campus to assist faculty.
A. Kaul noted that the statewide Faculty Senate workshop,
which will be dealing with tenure and promotion issues and post tenure-review,
was postponed to spring 2000.
5.11 Technology Dean Dunn
Bob Smith agreed to serve on the Web Presence council
which has officially been recognized as a committee by the Committee on
Committees. B. Smith defined the duties of the Web Presence Council
as a body that approves web pages of groups or individuals that want to
be linked to the University web site. A bi-product of this is their
helpful technical suggestions and advice.
In response to complaints that the USM public announcements
were flooding the USM talk listserv, a new USM PR listserv has been created
to announce the daily and weekly news separate from USM talk.
The Faculty handbook is not formatted to be dumped to
a hard copy. A resolution was presented requesting
the correct formatting for all personnel-related and strategic documents
that were to be accessed via the web site. The following resolution
will be voted on next meeting.
Resolution From the Technology Committee
The Faculty Senate Technology Committee recommends to
the USM Webmaster, Office of Technology Resources, and the President's
Cabinet, that any and all personnel-related and strategic documents now
available only on the USM web page be correctly formatted in Adobe Acrobat
(*.pdf) format, so they may be printed on desktop computers and printers,
thus obviating the need for personnel impacted by these documents to have
to purchase "hard copies" of them.
Furthermore, the Technology Committee requests that the Faculty Senate be contacted for membership nominations to the newly-constituted Technology Resources Management Steering Committee, which apparently replaces the former Technology Assessment and Utilization committee.
5.12 University Club Kim Herzinger
No report.
5.13 Parking Committee Bill Scarborough
A resolution regarding parking was moved to new business.
5.15 Faculty Handbook Task Force David Goff
David Goff requested all members of this task force to
email their available meeting times so they can get going as soon as possible.
He also requested that any concerns regarding the Faculty Handbook be sent
to him.
5.14 AAUP Liaison Michael DeArmey
Michael Dearmey will ask the AAUP to send literature
about their services. It is the professional organization for academicians
based in Washington D.C.
6.0 Old Business None
7.0 New Business
A Parking Resolution written by Bill Scarborough was
introduced. The motion to adopt was made by John Guice, proxy for C. Bolton.
J. Pat Smith seconded the motion. J. Pat Smith moved and John Rachal
seconded that the Senate rules be suspended so that the resolution could
be voted on today. Motion carried.
Discussion: D. Beckett remarked that some of the
hyperbole needed to be taken out citing ". . .this has become so acute
that many faculty members must arrive on campus several hours before the
scheduled time of their classes in order to meet those classes in a timely
manner". The reality is that parking is not a problem here.
You can walk from one part of the campus to the other in 15 minutes.
Other discussion and questions centered around gated lots. J. Guice
clarified that the idea was that you would have a guaranteed place paid
for year by year.
J. Palmer moved to table the motion and Karolyn Thompson
seconded. The motion passed with 2 no votes (J. Pat Smith and J.
Guice)
John Guice, former President of Faculty Senate, recounted
some of the history of the founding of the Faculty Senate, formerly called
the Faculty Council. J. Guice pleaded and encouraged all colleagues
to be vigilant in faculty governance issues and take membership in the
Faculty Senate seriously. He also mentioned that it would be appropriate
for someone to write a history of the Faculty Senate.
8.0 Announcements
*D. Conville announced that the United Way campaign
was about to start. Kathy Hayman from the bookstore is the cochairperson.
The goal this year is $100,000 and part of this money goes to benefit three
agencies on this campus.
He also requested any faculty that are interested in
incorporating service learning to call him directly or the office of Service
Learning.
9.0 Adjournment The Meeting adjourned at 3:37
p.m..
Respectfully submitted, Shellie C. Nielsen, Faculty Senate Secretary