The University of Southern Mississippi
Faculty Senate Meeting
April 7th, 2004
Cook Library Room 123
5:00 p.m.
Members Present and Those Represented by Proxy (listed in parentheses):
College of the Arts and Letters:
Amy Miller, Phillip Gentile, Kate Greene (Bill Scarborough), Stephen Judd, Tony Lewis (Margot Hall), John Meyer, Bill Powell, Bill Scarborough, Paula Smithka, Mary Ann Stringer (Paula Smithka), Susan Malone
College of Business and International Development:
James Crockett, David Duhon, Trellis Green, Mark Miller (Amy Young)
College of Education and Psychology:
Taralyn Hartsell, Janet Nelson (Joe Olmi), Jay Norton, Joe Olmi, John Rachal, Janice Thompson
College of Health:
Joyous Bethel, Margot Hall, Bonnie Harbaugh, Susan Hubble, Amal Khoury (Margot Hall), Kathleen Masters, Stephen Oshrin (Stan Hauer), Mary Frances Nettles
College of Science and Technology:
David Beckett, Randy Buchanan (Ray Folse), Peter Butko, Ray Folse, Mary Dayne Gregg (Ray Seyfarth), Myron Henry, Jerry Mattson (Mary Frances Nettles), Gail Russell, Alan Thompson (David Beckett), Denis Wiesenburg (Gail Russell)
University Libraries:
Mary Beth Applin
USM Gulf Park:
Darlys Alford, Kathy Davis, Shadad Naghshpour (David Duhon), Pat Smith (Bill Scarborough)
Members Absent: J. Norton
1.0 Call to Order (5:04)
2.0 Thoughts from Joyous Bethel regarding the outpouring of sentiment.
3.0 Approval of Agenda (moved/seconded/passed)
4.0 Officers’ Reports
4.1 President
4.1.1 Report from Ad Hoc Committee on Personnel, Processes, and Appointments (defer to Susan Malone): Susan noted the preliminary report that was distributed to the Senators that detailed the actions of the Committee, namely requesting a copy of the vita supplied by Dr. Dvorak during the hiring process and a meeting with between the Committee and Dr. Dvorak. The preliminary copy of the report was reviewed by the Senators and comments were offered regarding recommended editorial changes in format. To summarize the report, three issues were noted with a recommendation offered on the third issue. A brief synopsis follows: Point 1; the validity of public statements regarding Vice President Dvorak’s credentials (no recommendation was offered pending gathering of additional information); Point 2; the process followed by the Administration when hiring Dr. Dvorak (no recommendation offered pending the gathering of additional information); Point 3; the appropriateness of Dr. Dvorak’s role in tenure and promotion decisions at USM given that she is not tenured at USM, has never been tenured at a four-year, doctoral/research extensive university, has never had to meet the requirements for tenure at a four-year, research university, and is involved in tenure and promotion decisions at USM in her current position. In that current policy in both the current and proposed handbook stipulate that only tenured faculty are allowed to vote on tenure applications at USM, the Committee recommended that Dr. Dvorak cease to participate in final tenure and promotion recommendations to the President in the case of any tenure and promotion review of any tenure track faculty member. The full report in its amended form can be viewed at http://www.usm.edu/fsenate/reports/adhoc_comm_report_040704_apr7_rev-2.htm. After much discussion, it was moved/seconded/passed by secret ballot (34-5-2) to accept the preliminary report of the Committee.
4.1.2 Proposed letters addressing the investigation of outsourcing of specific services (bookstore/textbook center and food services) at USM: moved/seconded/passed to amend the current proposed letters to be directed at the persons serving on the individual committees (bookstore/textbook center and food services); the proposed document in its amended form was moved/seconded/passed by acclamation.
4.1.3 Possible second proposed letter from the Planning and Budget Committee requesting an organizational chart of the University’s current administration (Coast and Hattiesburg campuses), the names and titles of who reports directly to the Office of the President; the present salaries of all in the individuals in the aforementioned organizational chart to include any monetary or nonmonetary compensation; additionally, the request included clarification of the Albertson’s building situation and the impact on the School of Nursing, an explanation of the funding for the Trent Lott Center, and the spending plan for the approximately 3 million dollars released to the University when there was no mid-year FY 2004 call back by the State. A motion was made seconded and passed to submit the second request of the aforementioned information from the USM Administration.
4.1.4 FYI: A letter was transmitted by the Senate officers on behalf of the Senate to the Deans regarding the names and process for determining mid-year (spring) salary increases.
4.1.5 Report on Faculty Senate elections: Peter Butko reported that within a week, the ballots will be sent out.
4.2 President-elect: David Beckett reported on the cost of the ad (open letter in the Hattiesburg American) and the need to contribute to the cost (approximately $1,100).
4.3 Secretary: no report
4.4 Secretary-elect: no report
5.0 New Business
5.1 Other: Bill Scarborough reported regarding transportation costs increases next year from $24 to $40.
6.0 Adjournment (6:24)