Jan 24, 2007 Minutes

Chair Stone, Senators Brennan, Conroy, Davidson, Feakes, Hazlewood, Hindson, Homeyer, McGee, McKinney, Montondon, Sorenson, Winek, Wiley

Meeting called to order at 4:00.

Spring PAAG Dates: Spring PAAG are:

·         February 7

·         March 7

·         April 4

·         April 25

Faculty Workload: There is some effort to generate an electronic workload report.  Hopefully, an electronic workload report will enable Chairs to inform their faculties and personnel committee in a timely manner.  Currently, the Chair of one department, the Department of Technology, still has not complied with PPS7.05, Attachment 1, which states that: “…The chair/director will provide each faculty member with a copy of his or her workload report. The chair/director will then distribute a copy of all the departmental/school workload reports, or a summary report, to the departmental/school personnel committee.” 

Council of Faculty Senates: The Council of Faculty Senates will meet, February 16-17.  Senators should be thinking of who will represent Texas State at the meeting.

University Arts Committee: Dr. Angela Murphy, History, was named as the Liberal Arts replacement on the University Arts Committee.

University Curriculum Committee: Dr. Xiao Chen, Computer Science, was appointed to fill a Science vacancy on the University Curriculum Committee.

Student Absences for Military Service: There is a discrepancy in University policy on excused absences. PPS4.01 defines an excused absence as:

• Injury or illness requiring treatment at home or in a hospital.
• Death of a family member.
• Required participation in a University-sponsored activity.
• A field trip or off-campus activity required for a non-elective course essential to the student's degree program.

PPS4.09 includes active military service as an additional permitted excuse.  After discussion, it was decided to suspend the Senate Rules to consider a motion to recommend adding military service as an additional excuse in PPS4.01.  The motion passed and the recommendation for the change in PPS4.01 will to be sent to the Provost.

Joint Senate/CAD Meeting: The Senate will meet jointly with the Council of Academic Deans from 3 to 5, February 28.  Discussion centered on possible agenda items.  Some items that surfaced were:

• College governance structure
• The role of service in tenure and promotion decisions
• The number of Assistant/Associate Deans, their duties and compensation

Break:

Development/Evaluation of Tenure-Track Faculty: The Senate discussed the revisions of PPS8.01, Development/Evaluation of Tenure-Track Faculty. The most notable modification appears to be the removal of the role of service in the evaluation of tenure-track faculty.  It was noted that minority faculty are often appointed to committees without consultation and it is difficult to turn down such appointments when the letter of appointment comes from the President, Provost, Dean or Chair.  One tenure-track minority faculty female indicated that she was regularly appointed to at least five committees annually. Senators are encouraged to gather departmental and college policy on tenure/promotion to determine the role of service at these levels.  Review of the revisions of PPS8.01 will continue next week.

New Business:

·         Classroom Access:  A problem faced by small departments with no first-call classrooms was raised.  Often, classrooms are assigned in various building across campus and, due to security considerations, require a key to gain access.  Therein lies the problem, keys cost a department $50 each and require up to two weeks for delivery. The Chair will investigate what necessitates the high cost and lengthy time required for faculty to obtain classroom keys.

·         Academic Calendar:  A question was raised about faculty input into the determination of the University’s academic calendar.  There was no clear explanation about how it is done.

·         Evaluation of Administrative Assistants:  A question was raised about the role of the departmental personnel committee in the evaluation of administrative assistants.  The general consensus was that there is none.  Individuals should take their complaints to their chair or dean.

·         Travel Reimbursement: A question was raised about how long it should take to be reimbursed for travel.  The general consensus was that two to three weeks was the usual time it takes to be paid.  The case of an application not paid since last spring was brought up.  It was concluded that the application must have been lost or misfiled and clarification should be sought.