The University of Southern Mississippi

Faculty Senate Meeting

October 19, 2001

Union Hall of Honors

2:00 p.m.

Members Present: College of the Arts: K. Davis, D. Douglas. College of Business: D. Duhon, T. Green, R. Smith. College of Education & Psychology: S. Alber, J. Olmi, J. Palmer. College of Health & Human Sciences: M. Forster, S. Graham‑Kresge, S. Hubble, M. Nettles. College of Liberal Arts: D. Cabana, A. Chasteen, M. Dearmey, R. Esparragoza‑Scott, D. Goff, K. Greene, A. Kaul, J. Meyer, S. Oshrin, B. Scarborough, A. Wallace. College of Nursing: E. Harrison, K. Masters. College of Marine Sciences: J. Lytle. College of Science and Technology: P. Butko, B. Coates, M. Cobb, D. Dunn, M. Hall, M. Henry, C. Hoyle. University Libraries: S. Laughlin, T. Graham. USM‑Gulf Coast: D. Alford, J. Smith.

Members Represented by Proxy: College of the Arts: S. Nielsen (A. Wallace). College of Education & Psychology: J. Rachal (A. Wallace). College of Int’l & Continuing Education: M. Miller (A. Chasteen). College of Science and Technology: D. Beckett (J. Palmer) K. USM‑Gulf Coast: Ka. Davis (D. Alford). After 4:50 p.m., T. Graham became proxy for D. Alford and Ka. Davis; K. Greene became proxy for A. Chasteen and M. Miller.

Members Absent: College of Education & Psychology: E. Lundin. College of Science & Technology: G. Rayborn. USM‑Gulf Coast: S. Naghshpour.

1.0 Call to Order 2:03pm

2.0 Forum Speaker Dr. Aubrey Lucas, University President

The last time you applauded I was leaving. I am back, but not for long. We had a board meeting this week. Delightfully boring. They approved everything we put forward‑‑approvements for buildings, mostly. The most important item had to do with work on the committee for selecting the new president. On October 31, the committee will be here. There is a search committee made up of Board members along with an advisory committee made up of campus and community people. Are there any questions?

Scarborough: Who appoints the advisory committee?

Lucas: The board approves the names submitted to them (by Provost Griffin).

Scar: I think that the faculty is not represented enough. The faculty is more important than outside persons [in this decision].

Lucas: How did you like the last committee?

Scar: I didn’t like it.

Lucas: Was there ever a committee you liked? (Laughs)

Scar: A lot of us have been here for a long time. Whether alumni have been out for years or students who been here for a few years‑‑I don’t think that outside groups should have equal representation with faculty.

Lucas: I think that is a valid point. There will be faculty on the advisory committee. You can influence [the decision] through talking to these members. Once we know who the candidates are, call the institution [of the candidates] and circulate information to the committee. Use your network. If we go only with the references provided by the candidate, we are just hearing from their friends. We need you to ask your colleagues. And if you don’t do it, then, by golly, don’t blame anyone but yourself.

O.K., there is a lot of discussion these days about the makeup of the board. One issue is not using the 1944 congressional districts. That becomes a geographical issue. The issue for us is not geography. You can meet geographical representation, but if the governor still does not appoint USM alumni to the board, the problem is not solved. I’ve said to alumni that contribute to elections of the governor: Go to the governor you’ve helped to elect and say, “I want to be on the board of trustees. Make sure that you appoint a baccalaureate alumnus to the board and if not me, someone.” Each governor usually has about four appointments. In the last three gubernatorial offices, there have been 17 nominations to the board of trustees. Of that 17 only one was a USM alum. That one was one of the four white males that Fordice appointed who were rejected by the legislature. If you think that is fair, I have some swampland that I’d like to sell you.... That is absolutely not fair. I think that those in public service are beginning to see that.

It is important that we make it clear to the governors of Mississippi that this situation is not fair! In recent weeks there has been concern about how that board looks at us. I have not seen anything in the two meetings that I have attended that ought to alarm us. We need to be vigilant, as our Paul Revere (looks at D. Cabana) was at one point, and we need to let them know that we expect to be treated fairly. We have to be friendly. There will be times when there are votes that we wish there were more alums on the board.

Now, you know that this is breast cancer awareness month. Today is Breast Cancer Awareness Day. Minority Relations Committee is presenting a forum on Monday, Oct. 2 in Polymer Science Bldg. You know that our United Way Campaign is under way and even though our income has not improved for two years and it doesn’t look good for a third year, we should do the best we can to contribute.

There is a document published by the IHL Board staff called the System Plan of Excellence, which is a four year plan of what they want to accomplish. (1) Reaching a resolution of the Ayers case. (2) Provide high quality instruction that is accessible and affordable. I am hearing that we are looking at a 3% cut in this year (2001‑2002). Next year is probably 4%. We are not the only state. Kentucky is expecting a similar year. Next year may be 5%. We have got to be thinking about it and be ready. I will look at data, question it always. There was a table under goal 2. Number of accredited programs in the universities. MSU last year had 67 programs eligible for accreditation and 67 accredited. UM had 64 eligible and 60 accredited. USM had 112 eligible and 110 accredited. Now one of the things I am wanting to find out is: Are our sisters and brothers showing all that are accreditable. One of the universities has a music program that claim is accredited. They have NCATE accreditation, yet they certainly teach vocal or instrumental performance classes that are not a part of NCATE. With some examination we need to see if we are comparing apples and apples. If we are, we should ask, given our resources should we be doing that. I haven’t reached a conclusion, I just think that we should talk about it. Let the deans have the benefit of your thoughts. We have about twice the number as UM and that may not be a good thing. Those data are impressive but they need to be looked at.

Lytle: Is the board looking at this as overkill?

Lucas: I have not heard that. I’ve been around long enough to know that that is probably the next shoe to fall.

Henry: Wouldn’t productivity be a more important way to look at this?

Lucas: It would be helpful. There is more data that I have had to look at and one thing is our graduation rates. The 1995‑1996 cohort ‑‑those who graduated over the next six years‑‑ USM is 46.6%, UM is 54.4 %, MSU is 56.5 %, Delta State is 56.3%. I was thinking that our students might be more like Delta State and there is a very big difference [in graduation rates]. We need to be thinking about why and improve the graduation rate. Another comparison is in research proposals submitted by faculty and in 2000‑2001: MSU 1468, UM 276 USM 630. How did we come out in terms of money? In 2000‑2001, MSU got $111M , $72M at UM, and $50M for USM . Now that good. We don’t have agriculture which much of the MSU funding shows. Now we do get some agricultural funding for research involving polymer science (cornstalks to polymers). The other two institutions have a longer history of this. The other two have legislators in DC who watch bills carefully for research funding opportunities. I don’t want to take anything away from them‑‑yes I do, well, not much. We are doing very well. A question was raised in August about our research mission‑‑[to Cabana] That was in August? [reference here is to MSU President Portera’s comment that there should only be two research universities in MS]‑‑and we haven’t heard any more about that thanks to Paul Revere... Those are some things I want to (as they say in church) lay on your hearts. Think about it. As you have thoughts about these things let me know about it. About the Capital Campaign: It is going quite well. We are at $65M. Much of that is what we call deferred giving‑‑charitable trusts‑‑we will have to wait for some of the donors to go on to their rewards until we get it... Much of the money is earmarked. There is not much money laying around in the foundation. Open for questions. How’s parking , Bill? (laughter)

Scarborough: Parking is much improved. Don’t mess it up while you are here.

P. Smith: I was thinking about graduation rates. Our experience at USMGC is that with adult learners (average age 33) they come, drop out for a semester and then come back‑‑it may take several years for them to graduate. This type of student may be more common at this institution than the schools that are not in urban areas.

Lucas: Good comment. The medical school last year brought in $42M. But listen to this, in 2000 we were at $40M and MSU was at $44M. We were doing well. A moment ago I was naming disciplines that have more money available. We don’t have engineering. We do have technologies on campus and lots of engineers. Polymer is only graduate programs. Ms State has many engineers and there is money available.

Scarborough: I want to applaud you for putting staff and faculty raises as your priority when you were President before. It is not acceptable to have young faculty who have not had raises in two years‑‑probably three. I would encourage you in your conversations with the Board and Legislature to emphasize this. This can’t go on year in and year out. Medical and drug costs are going up. I’ve been here 38 years and this is unprecedented. Even with your predecessor‑‑while he was trying to fire me‑‑ I got a couple hundred dollars a year. You read in the paper that there is concern about raising pay for the university presidents and I think that raises for faculty and staff should take precedence over raises for presidents. If worse comes to worse lets take someone who is already here an in‑house person. I think that this has got to be discussed very seriously this year. We are not going to remain passive forever. The money could come from the tobacco trust if the Governor suggests it ‑‑ at least pay the increase in medical costs. I don’t know how much the Foundation has right now, but how about a one‑time, one‑year $1000 bonus. People don’t seem to know how serious this is.

Lucas: The legislative budget committee has already talked about it. People are already taking action. What really gets people’s attention is faculty leavings. Leavings were up 58% last year. You may be waiting a year or do whatever you are talking about doing, but we have to do something now.

Olmi: We have 9 openings. We are not getting applications. The years of not getting raises....

Lucas: I think that the legislators know...Maybe not..... You would ask about my salary! I am getting $31,000 for my compensation. But I have a generous retirement. I want you to know that only $31,000 of our resources are being wasted on me.

Dunn: I know that you raise money by naming buildings, but what is the possibility of naming the new auditorium McCarty Hall?

Lucas: I think it is a possibility. I’m not sure that is something that I will be involved in. We need to bring in private money in large amounts to do what MSU is doing for faculty. I’m not sure our Foundation can do this because our alums are much younger, less wealthy. Our largest gifts have come from UM alums. I try not to talk about the alums because of these differences. I think that it is a possibility (McCarty Hall). That is before us already.

Davis: I have heard that Legislators may freeze state jobs. This would effect everyone.

Lucas: I heard that the open positions may be taken out of next year’s budget. This is being talked about before one Legislative Committee. The governor has a budget, etc. I will go to Charlie Capps and say: tell us what our budget will be and let us make the decisions about how that budget will be used. We are always being lectured about running the universities as businesses. Do you know of a business were some group outside the business tells them how to arrange their budgets. For the legislature to tell me what my budget is and then dictate which positions should be filled when maybe the new position is more important than a position that is still held does not give us the flexibility we need. I have to sit down with these people and write the bill to give us the ability to make these decision. We are told what our tuition is from others, but when it comes to the actual budget locally we need to make the decisions here.

Dearmey: I want to say how happy I am that you are back. Do we have friends at Worldcom?

Lucas: Berney is having a hard time. Berney still has a lot.

Dearmy: Berney‑‑that sounds good.

Lucas: There have been efforts to meet with him and there was a misunderstanding. We have to approach that again.

Dearmey: Is Kurt Reden still here?

Lucas: Yes. He is on vacation this week, but he is still here.

Dearmey: When we got a provost, I thought it would free up the president to raise money. Then he [Fleming] brought in Reden. Reden has created more fundraising positions in colleges. Will we still use that system?

Lucas: You are as bad as you always were. In business they have created an impressive advisory board. I don’t know about the success of those people. I am asking those questions.

Dearmey: There was a committee to adopt a new general education core. I was on the first year committee. We came up with specific objectives. The second year, the committee solicited information about what classes would meet the objectives. When Fleming left, things got put on hold. Where is it now? Will it be approved? Will we have the money to have faculty to meet the needs of those changes?

Lucas: The suggested core changes are very good. I know that writing is a central part and there have to be faculty that can be available to read that writing. I don’t know how we will be able to provide more faculty. I have looked at it and we will continue.

Forster: The most immediate threat is the cuts this year? What are we facing?

Lucas: Fleming did a good job of following directions about holding back “bridge” money and I think it may be enough to handle the cuts this year. Some of us have been through this before. Once we had a campus‑wide committee and we made some difficult decisions and we got through it. We may have been better for the changes from that. I haven’t had enough time to get a clear picture of things. Every time I look up there is someone who is asking to talk to me about things that are near and dear to them.

Henry: We had an increase in tuition. Was the revenue from that significant?

Lucas: Yes, it was. But look at us. We have to get that President’s salary up. We may have internal candidates, but if we bring someone in we have to be competitive. I will tell the candidates about you faculty‑‑about the number of research proposals. I will get them excited about this university, but they will look around at the streets and say... We’ve got to do something about that. We need to keep enrollment up. There just isn’t a lot of money, though we have good balances. There will probably not be an increase in energy costs and will save some money there. There are always some unexpected costs. I think you need to have 5% of your operating costs in fund balances.

Palmer: Are we committed for the long haul to PeopleSoft?

Lucas: I am the last person to talk to about technology. We have made a big investment in money and even more in personnel. Look at what the staff has done. I don’t have a handle about that. Fleming‑‑now he is my friend and I talk to him weekly‑‑Fleming thinks we are on the right track. I really think that we are at the place where we can’t turn back. We may not be able to move as fast as we thought and we might have to adapt some. My concern is that technology is not getting into the classroom. I hope that we will be able to get along with that.

J. Palmer: What about the idea to have one large university system.

Lucas: That has been discussed. There is some talk that the board thinks we are doing the right thing. Once there was a discussion of having universal software with Banner. Right now there is not anything like that being discussed.

J. Miller: It’s terrible, terrible. I’m not a fan of PeopleSoft.

M. Dearmey: If the price goes up we are stuck in a system like PeopleSoft?

Lucas: I don’t like that PeopleSoft dictates to us how to run the university. Services that we used to get from our central data processing. That data is pushed out to the users. I don’t know that clerks may not have the skills to use it.

T. Green: Banner is becoming a standard. PeopleSoft is not flexible enough. I am very unimpressed with it.

Lucas: Let’s change the topic. Jesse Palmer has a framed motto (In God We Trust). I am thinking about this.

B. Scarborough: The liberal arts faculty is opposed for the religious connotations. It doesn’t effect me that much but some of my colleagues are very opposed. Something else that would serve to unify the country might be better....

M. Dearmey: There are some Chinese students who have expressed distress about the religious part of that message. Why would we choose to do something that would divide us. We need to go toward more inclusive symbol or saying. This may lead to more feeling of not belonging.

A.Wallace: I think that the persons who have proposed this want unity. I would hope that we could have something that would certainly unify us.

D. Duhon: It is the U.S. Motto. There has been research that is not a religious issue. The courts have found that it is not religious.

M. Dearmey: It continues to be raised in the courts so it is evidently not decided. It would not unify the students in a diverse student body. We want something that it is not alienating.

K. Greene: I would like to put this issue aside to its place on the agenda.

Lucas: I didn’t see the agenda.

P. Smith: This is a question and answer period for the speaker.

Lucas: I didn’t know that you would be talking about this later. Why don’t I get out of your way?

D. Alford: There is a resolution on the agenda about the motto.

M. Hall: I want to thank you for stepping up to the plate. You want input about the candidates for president. How will we know who those candidates are?

Lucas: The PRINTZ will publish this information. There will be several cuts. After there is screening to bring it down to a reasonable number you are going to know about the Finalists.

M. Hall: There may have been others besides the finalists that would have been good.

Lucas: There isn’t any practical way to look at 100. You will know about the semi‑finalists. I have taken up more time than I intended... Have a good meeting.

3.0 Approval of Agenda : S. Hubble added report by transportation committee and under new business, pay raise, and UFSA resolutions. MOVED to approve with additions: Scarborough. SECONDED, P. Smith. VOTE: Approved with additions.

4.0 Approval of Minutes of September meeting. Several spellings were corrected . MOVED, S. Oshrin. SECONDED, M. Hall. VOTE: Approved as corrected.

5.0 Executive Committee Reports

5.1 President’s Report: Hubble: We welcome Don Cabana back after his illness . We are glad that you are able to be with us today. I have written letter to Amy Tuck to come to the Faculty Senate to speak on issues relevant to higher education. There was some concern expressed about privacy expressed over the requirement of using the Empl ID and SS# on travel vouchers and when participating in activities at the Payne Center. When asked about privacy, Linda McFall said that the SS# would only be required on retirement forms. There is no reason to give the SS# on travel forms when the Empl ID is given. There was concern that some might not know the Empl ID. There is a campus‑wide initiative to delete the SS# from forms.

Dean’s Council: Dr. Bob Lockhead is heading a committee that is investigating how incentives and awards might be given to faculty and staff who are aiding in recruitment and retention of faculty. The chair of the faculty welfare committee of the Faculty Senate (J. Meyer) will serve on that committee at my request Dr. Maureen Ryan is heading a committee that will identify “Highly Visible Programs” that are the focus of the classroom technology grant [we learned about at the last meeting]. If you haven’t been asked by your deans about serving on this committee, talk to them about it. There have been no Cabinet Meeting for the last two weeks.

IHL Board meeting: Dr. Lucas reported earlier that the meeting was fairly uneventful. There is a statewide meeting on Mississippi E‑campus and Adult Career Development Initiative on October 23. IHL will have a career fair for students all over the state. The meeting will be broadcast. There was appointment of an Executive Officer Evaluation Task Force with two board members and two executive officers. This task force is charges with developing a more defined policy for evaluating presidents. The USM Presidential Search Committee met after the meeting. Dr. Griffin has been in contact with Virginia Shanteau‑Newton who is the chair of the search committee. The advisory and search committees will meet on campus on October 31.

B. Scarborough: The board doesn’t know local people so how is the advisory committee selected?

S. Hubble: I provided names of faculty to Dr. Griffin and he asked for input from several other organizations. So Griffin provided information to the Board. I have given Ms. Shanteau‑Newton a copy of AAUP documents (Dearmey from last meeting) that provide guidelines for presidential search procedures for higher education boards. I will get a full copy of these documents to put on library reserve for faculty.

P. Smith: Did the board discuss the Supreme Court case now under consideration (Community Colleges vs. USM)?

S. Hubble: No.

M. Dearmey: I probably said too much. Lucas pushed the president salary issue. We need a creative person so we need people would do good research on candidates‑‑either a creative dean or in‑house person. Then, we can compete with the salary that we have now.

S. Hubble: I think that Newton is committed to getting the very best and serving our interests.

M. Forster: Technology upgrade? Has there been any further talk about what “Highly Visible Programs” will be targeted?

S. Hubble: That is what Dr. Ryan’s committee is working on.

D.Goff: The Presidential Search Committee is coming to campus on October 31? Are there any plans to take a tour of campus? There will be a Halloween Party and that may not be the best opportunity for them to see faculty and staff (in costume). P. Smith: I have heard that there is at least one member of the board who does not have a very good impression of our research productivity. I was thinking that it may be good to have a display or presentation that shows the committee how productive our faculty is (like we did for Lucas when he came to the coast). Show grant money and other evidence of our productivity. This would be a good beginning for the search.

5.2 President Elect’s Report: Don Cabana. I don’t have much of a report. I am the person who is responsible for refreshments and that has been kinda left hanging. I want to thank each and everyone of you who contacted me in the hospital. It meant a great deal to me and my family. Especially in the face of the controversies of the summer. I am pleased to be referred to as Paul Revere. It’s good to be back.

5.3 Secretary’s Report: Darlys Alford, no report.

5.4 Secretary ‑Elect’s Report: Toby Graham (see above for Proxies).

6.0 Committee Reports

6.1 Distributed Learning Committee: Sherry Laughlin. We are still in the information gathering stage. We are looking at our current procedures for business education . I will be reporting back as soon as we have some more detailed information

6.2 Faculty Awards: Bob Smith and Susan Kresge: Please submit nominations for Headwae student and faculty awards. We want to make selections by next week Send nominations to Bob Smith on e‑mail.

MJ McMann: Student nominations are done through Joe Paul.

S. Grahm‑Kresge: For those student nominations that we have received, they should be forwarded to Paul?

J. Palmer: Do we know the guidelines for selection?

S. Graham‑Kresge: There was a mail out already.

6.3 Faculty Handbook Task Force (ad hoc): David Goff: We are focusing on Chapter 11 of the handbook. We have regular meetings set and we will be soliciting input from faculty as we move forward.

6.4 Faculty Welfare: John Meyer: We are at the discussion stage of several issues. With budget concerns and low morale, we are looking about reducing time, shortening the semester. Is there any support around the state? It would raise faculty morale, increase time for research. If no support can be found system wide, are there adjustments that we can make on our own campus? If you have any suggests, I would like to hear from you. The second point is a resolution that was slightly revised from last year. It is the idea that we should use state money to improve health insurance problems. We propose that the State Tobacco money be used to help with this problem.

The resolution follows: In the interest of improving the financial condition of the State & School Employees’ Life and Health Insurance Plan and improving the value of insurance benefits for employees, and to propose a use for existing dollars in uncertain budget times, and to further Governor Ronnie Musgrove’s support for using tobacco trust fund money for health benefits; the Faculty Senate requests the state legislature to consider subsidizing the Plan for not less than the full cost of smoking/tobacco related illness with funds from the state’s tobacco settlement, and that savings thereby accrued be returned to the Plan.

S. Hubble: Thank you. Are there any questions?

J Palmer: Can we waive the rules of order? MOVED, Palmer; SECONDED, Cabana. VOTE: Passed.

S. Hubble: The motion to suspend the rules has passed; let’s open for discussion?

D. Cabana: I urge all of us to vote in swift order. There are not going to be pay raises this year and next it appears. Even a 4% raise will not touch inflation or health costs increases. I take 16 meds a day, which costs $250‑300 a month of my own money. What used to be a co-pay of $12 is now about $28‑$30. This resolution might go further in the legislature. This might go farther than a 4% raise. This might not seem important for one or two prescriptions, but when there is a major illness, it is devastating. We need a unanimous vote.

P. Smith: For faculty on the coast, the only hospital that conducts advanced heart surgery won’t take state Plan.

D. Goff: I would like to add a friendly amendment. Could we ask that UFSA also take up this resolution?

Senator: We are our own vehicle.

D. Goff: Withdraws friendly amendment.

J. Meyer: Thank Jesse for pushing for this quickly.

S. Hubble: VOTE: Passed Unanimously.

S. Hubble: Government Relations and UFSA will continue with this issue.

6.5 Government Relations Committee: Jesse Palmer: We are suggesting that university faculty pay increases be the same as those for teachers ‑‑ committed over several years. We will be behind the board recommendation for raises of 4%. We are not going to have a large meeting with legislators. We will be meeting with them individually over breakfast. November 13, 20, 22 ‑‑ these are tentative dates.

P. Smith: The Legislative Breakfast on the coast will be December 7. There was a Legislative hearing recently in Gulfport with 20 school system groups. There are six hearings around the state. We got to make the pitch about the insurance costs. I feel optimistic that this might go on their agenda too. A lot of those teachers don’t believe that they are getting the proposed raises. They are clear that three years is too long without raises in higher education.

S. Hubble: T. Green is also on the Legislative Committee.

6.6 Sexual Harassment and Assault Committee: Margot Hall: Our first meeting was last week. Ben Valasques is the committee chair. He wants to request funds from the university to support its work and wants the Faculty Senate to voice support also. The committee is advisory to Dr. Lucas. We will be modifying policy and giving support to sexual assault crisis center. We want to work with other organizations that could help this problem. They would like the faculty senate to voice support for this issue. We are not far enough along as yet to bring any resolution.

S. Hubble: Does that committee meet monthly? Could you bring a resolution to us at the next meeting?

M. Hall: I will try.

6.7 Technology Committee: Jim Miller: We identified a privacy glitch in the PeopleSoft. There is a patch that is addressing the problem. Students have been addressing the 10 cents per copy for computer lab printing and have it down to 5 cents. Another problem raised was about how closed classes were becoming overenrolled through PeopleSoft. This is a design glitch. Person can definitely be identified when they do this and will have access privileges revoked after several violations. Lucas said it well of Peoplesoft: It dictates how we run the university. We are interested in any policy that is being affected by PeopleSoft problems. Tell me about this. Let’s not just grouse about it, but try to suggest remedies. Proposals for the classroom technology grants are beginning to come in.

S. Hubble: Are you on Dr. Ryan’s committee? [regarding technology grants]

M. Miller: Yes. We will start making decisions [about proposals] next week

J. Palmer: I feel that we have gone back to the Stone Age in advising. The smart sheet makes me do research to find out what students need. We have to fill out two copies of the registration form. Secretaries are going to enable [on computer] every student that is advised. I have 100 advisees and these procedures are twice as long. Someone told me that the PACE sheet was copyrighted and we can no longer use it. I enjoy students but this is consuming my time.

K. Greene: You can go in an enable all students.

J. Miller: All departments may have different procedures.

S. Hubble: For the first run‑through, everyone will have to be flagged. In the future, departments can decide.

S. Oshrin: Many students don’t have passwords. This is going to be a big problem.

D.Dunn: We will be having to give grades through SOAR. OTR is not providing hardware. Miller will take it to committee.

S. Oshrin: If you tried SOAR this week, it is very slow. In December, when we are putting in grades, students will be trying to access their grades. This will be a mess.

J. Miller: There have been problems this week and I think that it has to do with limited number of licenses.

K. Greene: PeopleSoft was originally developed for Mary‑Kay Cosmetics. Everything else was added on.

6.8 UFSA: Art Kaul: Last month there were three resolutions that UFSA and all three of those were sent to Governor and Lieutenant Governor. Five days later UFSA was invited to meet with the governor. Our talking points include the IHL appointments. There is minority view that each institution be allowed one or more appointees. Primarily this was strongly maintained by JSU and MVSU. There is not strong consensus. We have a position on regional representation, but disagreement on the next step. I find this interesting. Last year the Gov. did not respond and the Lieutenant Gov. acknowledged receiving UFSA resolutions. Now it is the other way around. We want to talk [to the Gov.] about faculty perspectives. Will it do any good? It certainly can’t hurt. I would ask the Faculty Senate to re‑endorse the three resolutions I presented at the last meeting. I will also take this to the full UFSA board.

J. Palmer: I move that we suspend the rules MOVED: J. Palmer SECONDED: D. Cabana.

Dearmey: Isn’t this under new business?

S. Hubble: Yes. Let’s continue this later in the meeting.

6.9 Transportation Committee: Bill Scarborough: Lot to Kelley building is now changed back to commuter and is no longer faculty/staff. Students requested this because there was low use by fac‑staff. This is a very agreeable student group . Underutilized also is the north Dance Bldg. lot, but that won’t change because some of liberal arts parking lot will be closed with new International Studies bldg. In September $161,000 changed in fines but only 5% was collected. They don’t have personnel to enter data. We will deal with business parking somehow. Zone 2 has been broadened to include all students on the north side of the campus. We didn’t know where that was.

D. Dunn: The lot north of Bond Hall. It was a commuter lot, Zone 2, dorm only. We have lost spaces by physical plant. The lot north of Bond on a Wednesday afternoon is about half empty. (Several other comments followed here).

7.0 Old Business

7.1 Resolution about posting the National Motto: Jesse Palmer: Rationale: The Mississippi State Legislature passed and Governor Musgrove sighed into law House Bill #51: “Principals and teachers in each public elementary and secondary school of each school district in this state shall display on an appropriately framed background with minimum dimensions of eleven inches by fourteen inches, the following motto of the United States of America in each classroom, school auditorium and school cafeteria under his or her supervision: IN GOD WE TRUST.” Inn order to eliminate any possibility of confusion, a public school display of the phrase “In God We Trust” must plainly demonstrate that it is the national motto advanced, and not a religious practice of belief.

The constitutionality of the display of the national motto has been challenged on numerous occasions. Three federal courts of appeal (fifth, ninth, and tenth circuits) have ruled that the display of the motto is constitutional. The courts have ruled that the motto has the secular purposes of symbolizing the historical role of religion in our society, formalizing our medium of exchange, fostering patriotism, and expressing confidence in the future. The Tenth Circuit Court ruled in Gaylord v. United States (1996) that “the motto’s primary effect is not to advance religion.” The United States Supreme Court denied review of the Tenth Circuit’s decision. Moreover, the Supreme Court, in numerous cases, cited the national motto as an example of a constitutionally permissible expression of our nation’s long tradition of faith in God.

Resolution: In view of the recent acts of terrorism in our country, The University of Southern Mississippi Faculty Senate proposes that an appropriately framed print of our national motto IN GOD WE TRUST (The National Motto of the United States of America adopted by Congress July 30, 1956), that fosters patriotism, our long tradition of faith in God, and its expression of confidence in the future, be displayed in each classroom. (Proposed by J. Palmer, D. Duhon, C. Hoyle).

The resolution does not make this mandatory and the motto could perhaps be displayed in every building rather than in every room. The plaques would be purchased by raising private funds and would cost the university nothing.

S. Hubble: Are you presenting that as a resolution?

J. Palmer: So moved. MOVED: J. Palmer, SECONDED: J. Lytle.

S. Hubble: Open for discussion.

K. Greene: You cannot make any statement about the Supreme Court ruling on the national motto because the Supreme Court has not ruled on the constitutionality of the motto. The Supreme Court only takes cases when the courts of appeals disagree. There is not a conflict among the circuits. What I tell my students is that they must not assume that the Supreme Court has a position when the Court has decided not to hear a case. The Circuit Court case is one of thousands of cases the Court decided not to hear, but this does not constitute approval or disapproval of the lower court’s ruling. The Supreme Court has ruled that organized prayer in schools is unconstitutional, however, and yet it is still practiced at USM’s graduation ceremonies. Faculty are coerced to go. I oppose the resolution.

M. Forster: I would like to speak in opposition to the resolution. I did a pole of faculty of HHS and half were in favor and half were strongly opposed. I don’t think it is the place for it. The university’s purpose is not to foster patriotism, but to promote critical inquiry through an open forum for ideas. The motto in classrooms might be interpreted as an endorsement of religion.

A. Chasteen: No one in my department supported the resolution.

P. Smith: I would like to propose an amendment to the resolution that the plaque be made available to individual faculty who choose to display it in their own personal offices.

S. Hubble: Hold comments.

B. Coates: Is there a prohibition on posting such a motto in classrooms? What would the resolution actually do?

J. Palmer: The motto represents an appropriate display of patriotism. We are at war.

D. Cabana: I want to support the comments of Dr. Chasteen. There are many who hold a deep personal faith, but I am troubled by how this would be perceived by people of the Islamic faith. They may construe the act as representing a conflict between Islam and Christianity. Whatever the intent, the resolution will be seen as a religious issue. There are other less divisive ways to express patriotism.

D. Dunn: I consulted with colleagues and students. Regardless of intent, the resolution is divisive. Besides Islamic students, there are also agnostics and atheists who are not included.

P. Smith: I move that the resolution be tabled indefinitely. MOVED: P. Smith, SECONDED: K. Greene. VOTE: 26 yea, 10 nay. Resolution Tabled Indefinitely.

7.2 UFSA Resolutions: Art Kaul: I ask that the Faculty Senate endorse the following three resolutions:

(1) Be it resolved that the University Faculty Senates Association petition the IHL Board of Trustees to work directly with UFSA and each of its member Faculty Senates in the development of an orderly, rational, regular and systematic process for providing faculty input into the IHL process of evaluating the performance of college and university presidents.

(2) Be it resolved that the University Faculty Senates Association call upon Gov. Ronnie Musgrove, Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck and the Legislature to provide political leadership:

[1] to avert the immediate and long‑term financial crisis confronting Mississippi higher education and its faculty and staff,

[2] to assure consistent, equitable and fair annual salary increases,

[3] to make the same commitment to college and university faculty and staff that was made to public school teachers to raise their salaries to the regional average, beginning with a 4% salary increase for the 2002‑2003 academic year.

(3) Be it resolved that the University Faculty Senates Association requests that the Legislature revise the process of appointment of members to the IHL to accurately and fairly represent the populations of the State of Mississippi.

B. Scarborough: We won’t get pay raises by passing resolutions. Faculty should join with community college employees who plan to go to Jackson to state their case. Maybe they should boycott graduation. I support the resolutions, but the larger issue is Mississippi’s lack of commitment to education.

D. Cabana: Regarding the evaluation of presidents, at its August meeting the IHL Board expressed some movement toward including faculty input. In regard to the pay increase resolution, Faculty Senate needs to go on record on this issue even it the resolution, itself, isn’t successful. Faculty Senate needs to gather information on how other state agencies (including Corrections) are benefiting at the expense of education, and they need to communicate these facts to the legislature. Faculty need to organize, like K‑12 teachers.

M. Dearmey: I support the resolutions. The AAUP guidelines say that whatever tool is used to evaluate presidents, the resulting information should be forwarded to IHL.

J. Olmi: I support the resolutions and support B. Scarborough’s call for activism. But I am cynical because of the poor turnout for last year’s gathering in Jackson.

D. Duhon: Call the question.

VOTE: Passed unanimously.

D. Duhon: Can we decide to take back our week (16th week of the semester). Let’s take a week off the semester by ending classes early.

S. Hubble: I refer this suggestion to the Faculty Welfare Committee and invite Faculty Senate members to forward other such suggestions to that committee.

8.0 M. Dearmey: AAUP Chapter meeting in October 30, 4:00 pm, Liberal Arts Building, Room 103. We will approve the constitution, elect officers, and Greg O’Brien will speak on how to be effective with legislators. AAUP will discuss the selection process for the University Presidents.

Adjournment: 5:13 pm.