Faculty Senate President Marlin Priddy called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. Nineteen Faculty Senators were in attendance.

I. Roll Call. Marlin Priddy invited each Faculty Senator to introduce him/herself to the Faculty Senate.

II. Minutes of the April 12, 2005, meeting were approved.

III. Treasurer’s Report: Secretary-Treasurer Malcolm L. Cross reported a balance of
$5413.15, a net increase of $2571.64 over the previously reported balance of $2841.51, reflecting expenditures of $48.96 for refreshments at the 4/12/05 Faculty Senate meeting and $479.40 for the Spring Faculty Luncheon, and income of $3100.00 in the form of the Faculty Senate’s annual allocation from the administration. He noted that the sound financial condition of the Faculty Senate at the beginning of this fiscal and academic year was due to the initiative and leadership shown by past Faculty Senate Presidents Janet Whitley and Kelli Styron in seeking more funding, and to the generosity of VPAA Dr. Gary Peer in supporting the Faculty Senate.

IV. Announcements and Special Guest.

A. Guest Speaker. Dr. Linda Jones, Dean of the College of Graduate Studies and Chair of the Special Committee for Faculty Promotion and Tenure, presented proposed changes to Tarleton’s current tenure and promotion policies as set forth in the Faculty Handbook. She stressed that the purposes of the changes were to put more emphasis on the evaluation of research in hiring and promoting faculty, and to merge the hiring and promotion processes. She further stressed that the changes would effect new hires but would not be retroactive. The Faculty Senate decided to distribute the proposed changes to the faculty to solicit their reaction, and to hold a special meeting on October 25 to discuss and vote to adopt its position on the proposals.

B. Piper Award: Marlin Priddy announced that the deadline for selecting Tarleton’s nominee for the Piper award was 11/23, and that the process for selecting a Tarleton nominee for the Piper Award would soon begin with the distribution of application packets to Faculty Senators, who were to solicit candidates for the nomination from their respective departments. Jeanelle Barrett noted that completing the paperwork was frequently seen as a problem discouraging potential candidates, and said we must begin thinking now of selecting candidates for the nomination who were both qualified to win the award and willing to complete all necessary paperwork. Kelli Styron noted that the Faculty Senate would need to select a nominee at its 11/8 meeting to allow time for the University to complete the nomination process.

C. Excellence in Research Award: Jeanelle Barrett announced that Dr. Leslie Stanley-Stevens, Associate Professor of Sociology in the Department of Social Work, Sociology, and Criminal Justice, was the recipient of the 2005 Excellence in Research Award.

D. University Web Calendar. Marlin Priddy noted that the University Web Calendar should be used for planning events throughout the year and could be seen at: http://www.tarleton.edu/scripts/calendar/default/asp.

E. State Employees Charitable Campaign. David Weindorf, co-chairman of this year’s State Employees Charitable Campaign, announced that this year’s campaign was underway and urged generosity in giving to worthy causes through payroll deductions. He noted that relevant information about the campaign had been distributed at the all-University meeting on 9/2, and that information could also be obtained from him or his fellow co-chairman, Dr. Thomas Daugherty.

F. Fall Luncheon. Kelli Styron announced that the Fall Faculty Luncheon was scheduled for 11/1 and that the speaker would be Dr. Beth Rinard of the Department of Chemistry, Geosciences, and Environmental Science, who would speak on her research on volcanoes in Hawaii.

G. Other Announcements.

1. Constitution Day. Marlin Priddy announced that Tarleton would observe Constitution Day on 9/19/05 and urged Faculty Senators to encourage attendance at a public lecture to be given by Dr. James Aune of Texas A & M University to help develop a better understanding and appreciation for the Constitution of the United States.

2. HUB Vendors. Major Danny Thiebaud announced that every effort should be made to use HUB vendors.

IV. University Committees.

A. Reports.

1. Academic Council. Marlin Priddy announced that the Academic Council will meet on the 4th Tuesday of each month.

2. Ad hoc Academic Honesty and Integrity Committee. David Weindorf announced that he and Mark Holtorf, the Faculty Senate’s representatives on the Committee, will attend a conference in Virginia this October on academic honesty and integrity, and administer a student survey on the subject this semester.

3. Curriculum Committee: No meeting or report.

4. EEOAA Committee. No meeting or report.

5. Employee Benefits Committee. Kelli Styron announced that Carol Barrett was Tarleton’s representative on the System Employees Benefits Advisory Committee (SEBAC).

6. Enrollment Management Advisory Council: Marlin Priddy announced that the Enrollment Management Advisory Council will meet the 4th Thursday of each month and had already had its first meeting with Dr. Jim Cook, Dean of Enrollment Management. Issues discussed included Tarleton’s capacity to supply faculty, scholarships, and classroom space in light of a projected 4% growth rate, as well as the development of programs to address diversity and the Closing the Gap initiative.

7. Ad hoc Faculty Senate Subcommittee for Faculty Development. . George Mollick announced that the Faculty Senate Subcommittee for Faculty Development will soon distribute a policy proposal draft.

8. Ad hoc Faculty Salary and Benefits Committee. No meeting or report.

9. TLTR. George Mollick announced that the TLTR was now the Center for Instructional Technology and Distance Education (CITDE) Advisory Committee. It has not yet met this semester.

10. University Planning Council: No meeting or report.

V. Old or Unfinished Business.

A. Faculty Parking Concerns. Marlin Priddy announced that the Faculty Senate’s proposal to raise parking fines to discourage unauthorized parking in faculty members’ spots had not been endorsed by either the Staff Council or the Student Government Association, and had not been accepted by President McCabe. He further noted that Dr. Peer had suggested the issue be discussed with Vice President for Finance and Administration Jerry Graham.

B. Spring Academic Awards Picnic Contribution. The Faculty Senate, without objection, authorized the payment of $250.00 to help defray the costs of the Spring Academic Awards Picnic, a cost it has traditionally helped pay.

VI. New Business:

A. Election of Parliamentarian. The Faculty Senate re-elected, by acclamation, David Weindorf to be its Parliamentarian.

B. Payment of Dues to the Texas Council of Faculty Senates. The Faculty Senate authorized, without objection, the payment of $300.00 in annual dues to the Texas Council of Faculty Senates.

C. Texas Council of Faculty Senate Expenses for Travel. The Faculty Senate authorized, without objection, the payment of travel expenses to its representatives attending the meeting of the Texas Council of Faculty Senates.

D. The Faculty Senate authorized, without objection, the payment of travel expenses to Marlin Priddy to attend a called meeting with the Chancellor of the Texas A & M university System at College Station on 9/16. Kelli Styron recommended that he raise the issue of raising the System’s contribution to the Optional Retirement Plan to help recruit new faculty.

E. Discussion of Writing Intensive Curriculum. George Mollick announced that discussions have been held to address issues relevant to the implementation of the Writing Intensive Curriculum program, including the role of its director, the location of the program in Tarleton’s administrative structure, and whether the program’s implementation would be through an expansion of the Writing Center or the creation of a new implementation entity.

F. Committee Assignments.

1. Administrative Confidence Committee. Kelli Styron announced the criteria for committee membership, stressing the need to include one faculty member from each college. Faculty Senators caucused to nominate college representatives, who will be contacted to determine if they accept appointment by the Faculty Senate to the Administrative Confidence Committee.

2. Complaint and Grievance Committee. Kelli Styron announced the criteria for committee membership, stressing the need to include one faculty member from each college. Faculty Senators caucused to nominated college representatives, who will be contacted to determine if they accept appointment by the Faculty Senate to the Complaint and Grievance Committee.

3. Faculty Development Leave Committee. Selection for the Faculty Development Leave Committee was tabled until the next regular Faculty Senate Committee.

4, Calendar Committee. The Faculty Senate selected Dena Johnson to serve on the Calendar Committee, on which also serve Richard Sale and Marlin Priddy.

5. CITDE Advisory Committee. George Mollick continues to serve as the Faculty Senate’s representative on the CITDE Advisory Committee, the successor to the TLTR.

6. Diversity Advisory Committee. The Faculty Senate selected Denise Martinez to serve on the Diversity Advisory Committee.

VII. Adjournment. The Faculty Senate adjourned at 5:15 p.m. The next meeting of the Faculty Senate is scheduled for October 11, 2005, at 3:30 p.m., location to be announced.