Agenda Items of Business

1. Approval of the Minutes and Treasurer's Report. President Chandler called the February 11, 1997 meeting of the Tarleton State University Faculty Senate to order at 3:30. The minutes of the January 14, 1997 meeting were approved. Secretary/Treasurer Lilly reported that the senate had $6,151.27 in its account. Irma Harrington and Brian Whitecotton were absent.

2. Report from Provost and Vice-President of Academic Affairs Alexander. Vice-President Alexander began by reporting on his January meeting with state-wide academic officers in Austin. He discussed legislative bills introduced by Senator Teal Bivens of Amarillo. These proposed legislation would establish:

• a statewide core curriculum of 42 hours that would comprise an automatic transfer fit
• post-tenure review
• a common application form used state wide
• an accountability measure requiring universities to report failing students to their high schools who must release this information to the local papers.

Dr. Alexander also reported that remediation, certification, and low-productivity programs were going to come under greater scrutiny. Senators asked Dr. Alexander about raising admission standards, abolishing remediation in 4-year institutions, and scholarship programs. He said he believed that TSU had established foundations for improvement in admission standards in the early 1980s and that they should be raised in stages. His concern here was the effect any dramatic increase in admission standards would have on enrollment. He noted that the TASP was an issue in the current legislative session and that the dollar amount of our scholarships need to be looked at by the scholarship committee.

Next, Dr. Alexander stated he supported monthly rates for summer school but advised that we should primarily offer courses that will be productive as possible. This summer's budget of $1.5 million was $75,000 short. He said that salary savings would be used to make up the difference.

Finally, Dr. Alexander reported that he had recommended approval of the Merit Plus Committee's recommendations and that President McCabe had approved the recommendation. He stated that two faculty achievement grants had been funded and that a gender equity salary study would be finished soon.

3. Discussion of Distance Learning Policy. A motion passed to circulate the proposed policy among faculty for feedback.

4. Discussion of Regents Award Selection Procedures. The following senators volunteered to serve on a committee to develop selection criteria for the Regents Professor Service Award:

Charles Howard, chair, Education and Fine Arts

Bill Chandler, Business Administration

Art Low, Arts and Sciences

Janet Miles-Maestas, Agriculture and Technology

The committee will report to the senate at the March meeting.

1. Discussion of What Constitutes a Terminal Degree. In order to address the ambiguities across the university as to what constitutes a terminal degree, the senate decided to pursue the following:

• Charles Howard will talk to department heads to determine what the issues are.
• The senate will research what SAC recognizes?
• Interested faculty will be invited to address the senate at the next meeting.

6. Discussion of On-Campus Office Hours and Course Scheduling Policy. Malcolm Cross submitted a proposal to revise page 47 of the faculty handbook to read:

Full-time faculty members are expected to have classes or other scheduled teaching activities five days a week. The department head may grant a faculty member a teaching schedule of less than five days a week if the faculty member can document, to the department head's satisfaction, that the additional time so acquired will be used for research, service, or other goals supporting the university's mission; that the faculty member receiving such a schedule will continue to satisfactorily discharge all obligations expected of a full-time faculty member; and that such a schedule will in no way harm the department's programs or diminish the access of students to necessary courses. The Dean and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs will be informed of any decisions to grant a teaching schedule of less than five days a week.

A motion passed to circulate the proposed revision among faculty and take up the discussion at the next meeting.

7. Discussion of Using the Senate Budget. Senators agreed that using the budget to fund faculty trips to appropriate conferences and meetings was appropriate and that senators should announce to their faculty that the senate would accept proposals. Senators also agreed that if the budget allowed appropriate guest speakers should be brought to campus. Possibilities put forth included a speaker on retirement planning and population projections.

8. Announcements.

• Dan Hardin submitted a draft of a faculty emeritus status policy.
• Bill Chandler gave senators copies of the Enrollment Management Goals for Fall 1997.
• Bill Chandler gave senators copies of a letter submitted by R. E. Rosiere concerning the impending department name change in his department.
• Art Low reported that the committee studying the curriculum committee makeup will report to the senate at the March meeting.