The University of Southern Mississippi
Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes
June 8, 2007
Union Hall of Honors
2:00 p.m.
9.0 Call to Order (Continuation of May 4, 2007 meeting) 2:00 p.m. Dr. Henry indicated that if President Saunders stops by, we would interrupt the meeting so she can address the Senate. (Report by President Saunders available at the end of June minutes).
10.0 Election of 2007-2008 Faculty Senate Officers
10.1 Election of Senate President-Elect
Stephen Judd announced the slate for President-elect, Patsy Anderson and Steve Oshrin, and asked for nominations from the floor. Don Redalje moved nominations be closed, second by Mary Lux. Steve Oshrin was elected to serve as President-Elect.
10.2 Election of Senate Secretary-Elect
Judd announced the slate for Secretary-elect as Mark Klinedinst, Anita Davis, and Stan Hauer, and asked for nominations from the floor. John Rachal moved that nominations be closed, second by Chet Rakocinski. Stan Hauer was elected.
11.0 Adjournment of May Meeting
Paula Smithka moved to adjourn the May meeting. Second by Stan Hauer. May meeting adjourned.
The University of Southern Mississippi
Faculty Senate Meeting
June 8, 2007
Union Hall of Honors
Dr. Martha Saunders – Guest speaker (began at 3:25 p.m.)
Dr. Saunders stated she accustomed to addressing Faculty Senate at regular meetings (along with the Provost), but she would let USM Faculty Senate decide how communication with the President will occur. She thanked the faculty for enthusiastic welcome and expressed confidence in working together. She will ask that departments clearly outline standards of excellence for promotion and tenure. She expressed a willingness to visit each department. She reported that searches for three dean positions (currently interim) and Director of the Library will begin soon. She is considered using a search firm, but decided against that for deans and director.
Stan Hauer asked about the position of the provost. Dr. Saunders said she is not ready to address that but will be reviewing her entire team.
Dave Beckett asked if searches will be initiated soon for replacing (non-interim) Deans. Dr. Saunders said she had no plans concerning replacing deans at this time.
Tim Rehner asked about revisiting the Office of Graduate Studies and going back to a Graduate School. Dr. Saunders has not heard much about that. Bobby Middlebrooks invited Dr. Saunders to discuss the issue at Graduate Council.
Joe Olmi asked if processes for searching and hiring be reviewed, and how decisions about who may search for faculty positions receive attention by the administration. Dr. Saunders said that hiring at USM is currently being audited.
1.0 Call to Order June Meeting 2:22 p.m.
2.0 Approval of (partial) May Minutes:
Motion to approve partial May minutes by John Rachal, second by Amy Young. Minutes approved.
3.0 Approval of Agenda
Motion to approve agenda by John Rachal, second by Patsy Anderson. Agenda approved.
4.0 Officer Reports
4.1 President’s Report
4.1.1 Cabinet and Provost Council Meetings: Henry reported that there was only one with Dr. Saunders, the cabinet meeting with Thames was cancelled. Henry indicated in the cabinet that Faculty Senate had sent two letters to Dr. Grimes and one to Dr. Exline. Dr. Saunders asked if the Senate had received responses. Dr. Grimes indicated that he had just finished his response and Henry was assured Senate would receive responses. Myron Henry indicated that the discussion for how faculty may be included in the budget planning process continues. Henry reported that the issue of post-tenure review came up as an item of interest from the IHL. Henry reminded the Provost council that USM has a meaningful post-tenure review process and that it is in the Faculty Handbook. Stephen Judd attended the Provost Council and reported that the Dr. Grimes had decided on the alternative learning enrollment policy which is posted on the web. William Powell remarked that the issue should be revisited with the new administration. Judd also reported that the preliminary enrollment numbers for summer were down (4.7%) for the Hattiesburg campus and up slightly on the Coast. Judd also reported that faculty portal for websites is still an issue and requires additional resources because of the two systems being used.
4.1.2 Responses from Provost and Dr. Exline (Remands, Raises and UPC)
Responses from letters were made available to senators.
4.2 President-Elect’s Report
4.2.1 ELR Inquiry Update – Judd indicated that the committee making inquiries concerning the appointment of the chair of ELR required additional follow-up.
4.3 Secretary Report – no report.
4.4 Secretary-Report – no report.
5.0 Committee Reports
5.1 Academic and Governance
5.1.1 Update on Constitutional Recommendations - Bobby Middlebrooks, chair of Academic and Governance, and Randy Buchanan, chair of Constitution and Bylaws) recommended for consideration additions to Section 102 of the Constitution and a statement of the duties of the officers (to be included in Division 3, addition of Article 6, Section 446 which outlines the duties of the officers.
There was a recommendation to establish policies and procedures for hiring faculty to be included in the university policy manual.
Both should be developed and considered in the fall semester.
5.2 Administration
and Faculty Evaluations
5.3 Awards – no report
5.4 Budget – no report
5.5 Constitution and Bylaws (see above 5.1.1)
5.6 Faculty Welfare
5.6.1 Update (Anita Davis, chair) – Anita Davis passed out portions of a spreadsheet from IR and reported on difficulties getting data about salaries, raises, teaching loads and overloads from IR and Human Resources. Davis noted that there appeared to be some problems about course overloads and split teaching loads. Faculty Welfare recommends surveys about teaching assignments, shared loads, and to meet with administration about teaching assignments, shared loads, and building trust in the university. Patsy Anderson pointed out that coast faculty were not included in the data from IR and HR.
5.7 Government Relations – no
report
5.8 Technology
5.8.1 Update – Bill Powell reported about the survey for the need for web space for faculty and updating the web. Ocean is currently a separate system and there is a need for a review.
5.9 Elections – no report
5.10 Other committee and liaison reports
5.10.2 AAUP – Joe Olmi expressed appreciation of celebration at 206 Front.
5.10.3 Facility Management Planning Committee
5.10.4 Alternative Learning Committee – no report
5.10.5 Distance Education Committee – no report
5.10.6 Faculty Handbook Committee
5.10.6.1 Update – Dave Beckett. Beckett reported on the following: 1. Russ Willis pointed out inconsistencies regarding sabbatical pay and this will be corrected very soon in the handbook. 2. A shared governance statement is now in the faculty handbook. 3. Third-year (pre-tenure) review replace “tenure assessment” in handbook. Third-year review now requires a review of departmental decisions by the CAC. 4. Non-faculty titles (such as clinical or research faculty) have been clarified in the handbook. Tim Rehner recommended the handbook committee investigate how an individual acquires such a position (appointed, voted by department). 5. Personnel options for departments were reviewed. 6. Clarification is needed for promotion and tenure committees within departments versus annual review committees in the handbook. 7. The faculty handbook is now available online.
5.10.7 Committee on Advisement – no report
5.10.8 Evaluation of Teaching – no report
5.10.9
Academic/Graduate Council – no report
6.0 New Business – John Rachal reported that there was a subversion by Google, Yahoo, and others of free expression. Rachal suggested that Faculty Senate consider sending a statement of concern to these organizations.
Myron Henry suggested that Faculty Senate send a letter of concern to Dr. Tom Meridith (IHL) regarding no confidence votes and termination of faculty at Mississippi Valley. Motion to do so by Bill Powell, second by Mary Beth Applin, motion passed.
7.0 Old Business - none
8.0 Out-going President’s Remarks and Reflections (see http://www.usm.edu/fsenate/ ) Myron Henry thanked all senators for the opportunity to serve the Faculty Senate, all faculty, and the university.
Accomplishment Highlights:
1. Physical Plant not outsourced
2. Search Advisory Committee in presidential search
3. New faculty orientation – Senate now a part of that
4. Shared governance document now in handbook
5. Senate an effective guardian of faculty handbook
6. Senate effective in not using the “profit and loss spreadsheet” in annual evaluations
7. UPC – a step toward a meaningful process of involvement with planning and budgeting.
8. Pre-tenure review now changed for the better by involvement of CAC
9. Senate effective in highlighting issues in College of Education and Psychology
10. Senate effective in the extreme number of remands in P&T
11. Senate effective in making raises of administrators a public issue.
12. Continued to express concern that process for faculty raises be made open.
13. Senate put together a document of the legacy of the last five years.
14. Senate effective in providing faculty input regarding a number of important issues such as Ad Astra, space committee, and many others.
9.0 Seating of new senators/officers
President - Stephen Judd
President-elect – Steve Oshrin
Secretary Amy Young
Secretary-elect – Stan Hauer
10.0 Passing of gavel to Stephen Judd
11.0 New President’s Remarks
Stephen Judd presented plaques to Myron Henry and Mary Beth Applin in gratitude for their service. Stephen Judd noted that both served two terms as officers over the last five years.
Stephen Judd recognized all past officers of Faculty Senate. Over the past four years the officers were:
Myron Henry (president) and Joe Olmi (secretary) (2003/2004)
David Beckett (president) and Susan Malone (secretary) (2004/2005)
Bill Powell (president) and Bonnie Harbaugh (secretary) (2005/2006)
Myron Henry (president) and Mary Beth Applin (secretary) (2006/2007)
Stephen Judd then spoke about possible priorities for the USM Faculty Senate for the 2007/2008 term.
12.0 Adjournment – meeting adjourned at 5:30.
Members present and those absent [in brackets] but represented by proxy (in parentheses):
College of the Arts & Letters
Anita Davis
Cheryl Goggin
Stan Hauer
Stephen Judd
John Meyer
Greg O’Brien
Bill Powell
Bob Press
Paula Smithka
Amy Young
College of Business
Stephen Bushardt
[Bill Gunther]
Scott Magruder
Catherine Price
College of Education & Psychology
Ann Blackwell
Taralynn Hartsell
Joe Olmi
[Tony Rodriguez-Buckingham]
John Rachal
College of Health
Wendy Bounds
Bonnie Harbaugh
Mary Lux
Steve Oshrin
Tim Rehner
College of Coastal Science
Chet Rakocinski
Don Redalje
College of Science & Technology
Jeff Evans
Randy Buchanan
Jerry Griffith
John Hannon
Myron Henry
[Charles McCormick]
Larry Mead
Bobby Middlebrooks
Gail Russell
University Libraries
Mary Beth Applin (Amy Young)
[Jay Barton Spencer]
USM-Gulf Coast
Patsy Anderson
[Julie Cwikla]
Wil Watson
Members Absent:
College of the Arts & Letters:
College of Business: Bill Gunther
College of Education & Psychology: Tony Rodriguez-Buckingham
College of Health:
College of Coastal Science:
College of Science & Technology: Charles McCormick
University Libraries: Jay Barton
Guests:
Margie Jepson
David Beckett
Martha Saunders
New Senators:
Mark Klinedinst
John Hannon
James McGuire
Trent Gould
Barry Piazza