Faculty Senate Meeting
February 11, 2003, 3:30 P.M.
Library Multi-Purpose Room

Faculty Senate President David Weissenburger called the meeting to order at 3:30 P.M.
Eighteen senators were in attendance.

I. Minutes of the January 14, 2003, meeting were approved.

II. Secretary-Treasurer Malcolm L. Cross reported a balance of $2149.03 in the Faculty Senate account

III. Dr. Dennis McCabe and Dr. Gary Peer—Budget Reductions: President Dennis McCabe and Vice President for Academic Affairs Gary Peer attended the meeting to discuss Tarleton’s response to Texas’s fiscal crisis and the resulting budget restrictions the state government is imposing on its agencies. Dr. McCabe said that the current state budget deficit will be at least $9.9 billion and possibly as high as $16 billion, that Tarleton has been required to return 7 % of its available funds this year, and that Tarleton has been given only $50 million dollars for the upcoming biennium, a cut from $63 million.
Dr. McCabe said that the current requirement to return 7% of its funds had been met without eliminating either jobs or classes, but that travel funds were being cut and that department heads had the discretion to make more cuts in their budgets by distinguishing between want and need. He said that he was appointing an advisory committee, or task force, to be headed by Dr. Don Keith; it will consist of eight to nine faculty and staff members, who will recommend additional cuts to help Tarleton cope with its reduced budget for the upcoming biennium. Dr. McCabe stressed that in making future budget cuts, the core curriculum and mission will have the most protection, and reductions will be university wide but not across the board. Programs not directly related to Tarleton’s main mission would most likely be cut. He distributed written materials, stressing more formally and in greater detail the principles that will guide him and the advisory committee.
Dr. Peer said that at most campuses summer teaching was being cut, that there would be no changes in summer teaching this summer, but that reductions in summer teaching availability and compensation must be considered by the advisory committee in the future. He expressed concern about the impact of the budget restrictions on the future of Texas’s “Closing the Gap” program, since its success will require more money in the future.
In response to questions from the faculty senators, Dr. McCabe said that he expected
the TAMUS Board of Regents to approve an immediate 8% increase in student fees; that
tuition, currently $44/credit hour, will increase to $46 next fall and may continue to climb
to $50 to $54; and that fees, now $36/credit hour, will eventually rise to $40. Dr. Peer
expressed concern for the burden these increases will impose on students, and about what
can be done in the next budget to lessen the pressure.
Dr. Peer further said that tenure and promotion procedures currently remain unchanged, and that travel which will help tenure-track faculty win tenure was legitimate
and may be included in the upcoming budget, but that those faculty members currently not on tenure track will not be put on it. Also, in granting faculty development leave requests, preference will be given to those seeking a leave of a full year at half pay over those seeking a leave of one semester at full pay. He concluded by voicing his concern that Tarleton’s travel policy be fair, and that faculty members who lost money through travel should appeal to him for possible assistance.
Dr. McCabe concluded by saying that faculty members should seek opportunities to publish and otherwise present research in Texas rather than going out of state .

IV. Announcements.
A. Online Committee Request: Teresa Davidian announced that an Online Committee Request form had been developed and will be posted on the web for use by faculty members requesting assignment to university committees. This method is to replace the previous process by which faculty members used paper forms to specify their committee assignment choices. She requested that members of the Faculty Senate fill out the form to test its efficacy.
B. Salary and Benefits Committee: David Weissenburger announced he had no report at this time, but that the issue remains worthwhile.
C. Research Grant Workshop. David Weissenburger announced that no date for a Research Grant Workshop had yet been set, but that Bert Little is ready to present a workshop, and Pam Littleton, Chair of the University Research Committee, needs to be consulted on the matter.
D. Faculty Handbook Revision: No report.
E. Graduation. David Weissenburger announced that an all-school spring commencement ceremony would be held outside, to be followed by separate college commencement ceremonies. Gloria Campos is to be the main commencement speaker, and each graduate will be limited to five guests.

V. Motions to Approve.
A. Travel Expenses for Representatives to the Texas Council of Faculty Senates
Meeting: The Faculty Senate approved a motion to spend $40.00 to pay the
registration fee for the spring meeting of the Texas Council of Faculty Senates,
and to pay the expenses of Janet Whitley who, with David Weissenburger, will
represent the Faculty Senate at the meeting. David Weissenburger announced that
his expenses will be assumed directly by the Texas Council of Faculty Senates, of
which he is an officer.
B. Other: There were no other motions to approve.

VI. University Committees.
A. Reports.
1. Academic Council: No report.
2. Curriculum Committee: The Curriculum Committee was scheduled to meet Friday, 1/17/03.
3. Employee Benefits Committee: David Weissenburger announced that the Employees Benefit Committee had met, had recommended an increase in the $200 employee scholarship benefit, and had recommended the scholarship be available to Tarleton faculty at the Killeen campus attending CTC.
4. Distance and Distributed Education Committee and TLTR: Judy Cadle distributed a draft of a survey being developed by Darla Fent on Distance and Distributed Education and requested faculty senators who had suggestions for changes in the survey to notify Darla Fent by 2/21. She reported that Gary Peer requested that procedures be developed to ensure that course design and execution follow “best practices” standard standards, and that Dr. Joann Wheeler stated that if we don’t offer adequate student support services for our online students, they may go elsewhere; therefore, the committee will be examining the services available to our online students. George Mollick reported that the TLTR was proposing to upgrade classroom technology, that currently about half the classrooms have computers and data-showing facilities and that 10% have “smart boards,” but that budget restrictions have caused uncertainty over the extent to which technological upgrading can proceed.
5. Calendar Committee: No report
6. EEO/AA: The EEO/AA Committee was scheduled to meet the week of February 21.
7. Planning Council: No report.
8. Other Committee Reports: None.
B. Other Committee Business: None.

VII. Faculty Workload Policy: David Weissenburger announced that that in the development of a Faculty Workload Policy, feedback from other universities is being used, differences among faculty are being recognized, care is being taken to ensure that some faculty will not be overworked while others underworked, and that emphasis is being placed on considering total workload and not just teaching load. Gary Peer said such an approach will protect faculty from being overburdened even though they will be asked to do more with fewer resources.

VIII New Business.
A. Faculty Merit Plus Program.: David Weissenburger announced that, due to budget restrictions, the Faculty Merit Plus Program had been cancelled for this academic year.
B. Faculty Achievement Grants: David Weissenburger announced that, due to budget restrictions, the Faculty Achievement Grants had been cancelled for this academic year
C. Spring Luncheon: Teresa Davidian announced that this year’s senate- sponsored Spring Luncheon will be held on 4/1 in the Travis Room. The guest speaker will be Dr. T. Lindsay Baker, associate professor of history in Tarleton’s Social Sciences Department, and director of the W. K. Gordon Center for the Industrial History of Texas. David Weissenburger announced that given the need to economize in light of current budget restrictions, a senate-sponsored spring luncheon would not be held at the Killeen Campus, but that the members of the Senate Executive Committee might travel to the Killeen campus to attend a reception and meet with the faculty there.
D. Jack and Louise Arthur Award. Janet Whitley handed out materials on the Jack and Louise Arthur Award and announced that faculty senators should supervise the selection of departmental candidates for the award, and that she must have 24 copies of each candidate’s materials by 2/24. The Faculty Senate selected an Award Committee consisting of Sherill Easterling, Janis Petronis, Kelli Styron, Russell Higham, and Barbara Williams.
E. Other New Business. Randy Hines expressed concern that faculty morale may drop with any drop in pay for summer teaching, and suggested that the Faculty Senate needs to revisit this matter. Janis Petronis announced that on 4/25, Tact will host a luncheon for TACT lobbyist Chuck Hempstead in the Thompson Student Development Center.

XI. Adjournment.
The senate adjourned at 4:50 P.M. The next meeting is scheduled for 3/11/03, at 3:30 P.M.
in the Library Multi-Purpose Room