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Feb 25, 2009 Minutes

Minutes for 02/25/09

 
Members present: Senators Feakes, Bond, Caldwell, Conroy, Furney, C. Hazlewood, D. Hazlewood, Shah, Stone, Wilson
 
Guests: Rebecca Swindal, Staff Council Representative
 
Meeting called to order at 4:00
 
Grievance Procedure: The Senate approved the recommendation for the grievance process, suggesting only minor changes in gender notation and typefaces.
 
Writing Intensive Courses: After a committee had made the recommendation to Assoc. Provost Bourgeois to change the requirement that a  minimum of 65% of the course grade in a WI course be based on written exams or assignments to 50%, PPS 4.01 was revised and posted without going through the normal review process. The Chair will request that the PPS be sent to the Senate for discussion and possible revision.
 
Piper Professor: Senator Conroy has developed a word template for a Texas State Nomination Form for the Piper nominee selection process. Other Senators who are actually on the Piper Nomination Committee were not at the meeting, so discussion on possible revision of the PPS will be postponed.
 
University Advancement: Dr. Rebecca Prince, Vice Pres., University Advancement, will meet with the Senate next week to discuss scholarships and in-kind donations. Specifically, the Senate is looking for a way to put donations directly into scholarships rather than the money going into some endowment fund where only accrued interest is available for the individual scholarship. One question would be: What is the flexibility that is allowed when particular scholarship funds are set up?
 
Faculty Perception Survey:  Wording for the announcement of the Faculty Perception Survey of the President, Provost and College Deans was discussed. The e-mail announcing the survey will be distributed when the arrangements with the Office of Institutional Effectiveness are complete.
 
New Business:
 
Salary Compression: A question was raised regarding possible faculty morale issues regarding salary compression and inversion. Senators are asked to think about the issue.
PPS 8.01 – Development/Evaluation of Tenure-Track Faculty: A question was raised regarding the renewal of contracts for tenure-track faculty. Current reappointment options are “reappoint for one year,” “reappoint with final contract,” and “do not reappoint.” It was suggested that a fourth option be added: “reappoint for one year, with reservations.” Senators will consider the issue.