Faculty Senate President Marlin Priddy called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m.

I. Roll Call. Sixteen Faculty Senators were in attendance.

II. Minutes of the September 11, 2005, meeting were approved.

III. Special Guests. Marlin Priddy invited two special guests to address the Faculty Senate.

A. Dr. Marilyn Robitaille, Associate Professor of English and Assistant Director for Study Abroad with Tarleton’s Office of International Academic Programs. Dr. Marilyn Robitaille addressed the Faculty Senate on her office’s efforts to facilitate and increase student participation in Tarleton’s study abroad programs. She said that last summer 77 students had studied abroad, an increase of 116% since 1991, and that students had recently had the opportunity to study in a wide variety of disciplines in China, Europe, and Latin America. Dr. Robitaille noted that Tarleton currently offers study abroad scholarships financed by a $1 per student per semester (not semester hour) fee, and expressed the hope that the students would, in an upcoming referendum, vote to increase the fee to $4 per student per semester, thereby increasing the scholarship money available from $21,000 to 85,000.

B. Mrs. Christi James, of the American Cancer Society. Mrs. James addressed the Faculty Senate on local efforts to fight cancer, announcing that:
• October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and that a ceremony would be held on Friday, 10/14, at 11:00 a.m. at the Erath County Courthouse to proclaim this; and
• Tarleton is sponsoring its Relay for Life Program, to begin 11/11 at 6:00 p.m. and ending 11/12 at 6:00 a.m., wherein teams of 8 to 15 each would continuously walk and/or run to raise money to fight cancer via research education, advocacy, and service provision. Mrs. James said each member of a team had to pay a $10.00 registration fee and was expected to earn $100.00 in pledges for walking, and that this year’s Relay for Life Program is being held in honor of Mattie McElroy, daughter of Tarleton’s head football coach Sam McElroy.

III. Treasurer’s Report: Secretary-Treasurer Malcolm L. Cross reported a balance of
$4693.79, a decrease of $719.36 from the balance reported at the Faculty Senate’s 9/13/05 meeting of $5413.15, and reflecting expenditures of $300.00 for dues to the Texas Council Faculty Senates, $250.00 to help defray the costs of the annual awards picnic at the end of the spring, 2005, semester, and $169.36 for travel on Faculty Senate Business.

IV. Announcements.

A. Piper Award. Jeanelle Barrett reminded the Faculty Senators to solicit departmental nominations for the Piper Award by 10/18, to arrange a departmental election for a Piper Award Nominee by 10/21, and to have all relevant paper work to her by 10/28 so that materials can be produced and distributed to the Faculty Senate, which is to select the university nominee at its 11/8 meeting.

B. Discussion of Writing Intensive Curriculum. David Weindorf announced that the Writing Intensive Curriculum program would not be implemented by the fall semester of 2006 but that progress was being made in the resolution of relevant issues, including the role of a Writing Center in the implementation of the program.

C. 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.

D. Other Announcements. It was announced that:
• The Faculty Senate would hold a special called meeting to discuss proposed revisions in Tarleton’s Tenure and Promotion Policy as set forth in the Faculty Handbook;
• The Faculty Senate’s Fall Luncheon would be held 11/1/05, and would feature Dr. Beth Rinard of the Department of Chemistry, Geosciences, and Environmental Science discussing her research on volcanoes in Hawaii; and
• TACT would hold a faculty forum in the Special Events Room (Room 125) in the new Math Building, 3:30-5:00, 11/2/05, to discuss proposed changes in Tarleton’s Tenure and Promotion policy, and that Dr. Gary Peer, Dr. Linda Jones, and other members of the committee charged with developing the guidelines would be present to take questions.

IV. University Committees.

A. Reports.

1. Academic Council. Marlin Priddy announced that the Academic Council had discussed at its 9/27 meeting the possible division of the Department of Fine Arts and Communications into two new departments.

2. Curriculum Committee. Richard Sale announced that the Curriculum Committee has begun to meet once a month and that it is handling issues before it smoothly and without contention.

3. Enrollment Management Advisory Council. No meeting or report.

4. EEOAA Committee. No meeting or report.

5. University Planning Council. No meeting or report.

6. Other Committee Reports:

a. Calendar Committee. Richard Sale announced that the Calendar Committee had completed its final draft of the 2006-07 calendar, which would soon be circulated in the Senate and Academic Council for consideration. Of special concern was the May-mester, which the Calendar Committee had standardized by requiring that:
• Classes would meet 5/11-5/25;
• Each class must have the standard 2250 minutes of contact with students; and
• Each class must meet that level by using at least three days a week in each of the three weeks available for the May-mester.

b. Academic Integrity Committee. David Weindorf announced that:
• He and Mark Holtorf were planning to attend a national conference on academic integrity the following week; and
• The Student Government Association was reviewing a survey on academic integrity to be submitted to the students at a later time.

c. Ad hoc Faculty Senate Subcommittee for Faculty Development. George Mollick presented the Subcommittee’s report to the Faculty Senate, which approved it without objection and forwarded it to Dr. Gary Peer. The report recommended that the University create a committee consisting of faculty and administrators to do the following by the fall of 2007, as quoted from the report:
• R1a: Define the role between the proposed Center for Faculty Innovation and academic colleges and departments to support faculty development in a harmonized manner at all levels of the university;
• R1b: Create a proposed campus-wide budget and policy structure for recommended faculty development tactics including release time banking;
• R1c: Examine the relationship between the current Center for Instructional Technology and Distributed Education and the proposed Center for Faculty Innovation and recommend an appropriate organizational structure (e.g., merger, separate structures) that will eliminate overlap and duplication of effort.
• R1d: Create an electronic resource that will provide faculty and the administration the ability to monitor the use and availability of faculty development resources.

d. Environmental Study Committee. David Weindorf announced that the Committee would meet with Dr. McCabe on 10/12.

e. Distance Education Advisory Committee. No meeting or report.

f. Diversity Committee. No meeting or report.

g. Faculty Salary and Benefits Committee. Marlin Priddy announced that:
• He has written in support of the raises implemented by the University over the last two years and in hope that progress will continue;
• Dr. Jeremy Curtoys would continue to chair the Committee for the upcoming year;
• Dr. Gary Peer remains supportive of the Committee’s work; and
• The University will move forward with implementation of Phase 3 of the Committee’s recommendations.

h. Faculty Development Leave Committee. Wendell Sadler of the College of Education was elected to the Faculty Development Leave Committee.

i. Employee Benefits. Kelli Styron announced that Benefits Specialist Carol Barrett of Human Resources was reporting insurance coverage difficulties for some faculty and staff and asked if anyone knew of additional problems.

V. Old or Unfinished Business.

A. Promotion and Tenure Revisions (Faculty Handbook—Chapter 4). Dr. Linda Jones and other members of the committee established to propose changes in Tarleton’s Promotion and Tenure Policy as set out in Chapter 4 of the Faculty Handbook met with the Faculty Senate to discuss issues raised by the faculty. Dr. Jones noted that the purpose of the proposed changes was to increase clarity and consistency among departments and colleges in making recommendations concerning promotion and tenure, and that the proposed changes were recommendations only, subject to Dr. Peer’s acceptance, modification, or rejection.
In response to concerns about the requirement that faculty be five years in rank before promotion and/or tenure, Dr. Jones and other committee members said that the five year requirement would give department heads sufficient time to evaluate candidates for promotion and/or tenure, was consistent with requirements at peer universities surveyed; and was negotiable subject to the approval of the appropriate Dean, as well as the Provost and President.
In response to concerns about retroactivity, Dr. Jones and other committee members said that the guidelines would not be retroactive for candidates for promotion and tenure hired before the guidelines were implemented; they would be covered by the rules in place at the time of their hiring. However, the guidelines, if implemented, would apply to all candidates for promotion and tenure hired after their adoption, and for all tenured faculty seeking promotion to the next rank following their adoption.
The discussion concluded with an agreement to hold a joint meeting of the Faculty Senate with the committee on October 18 at 3:30 to continue the discussion of the guidelines.

VII. Adjournment. The Faculty Senate adjourned at 5:30 p.m. The next regular meeting of the Faculty Senate is scheduled for November 8, 2005, at 3:30 p.m., location to be announced.