Faculty Senate President Kelli Styron called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. Twenty Faculty Senators were in attendance.

I. Minutes of the September 14, 2004, meeting were approved.

II. Secretary-Treasurer Malcolm L. Cross reported a balance of $3136.67, representing an absence of activity in the Faculty Senate account since the September 14 meeting. Kelli Styron announced that Dr. Peer had said he would supply the Faculty Senate with an additional $2000 for the upcoming fiscal year.

III. Special Presentations: Kelli Styron invited two faculty members present as guests of the Faculty Senate to speak on matters of interest to the University community.

A. Dr. Carol Thompson, representing the Environmental Responsibility Committee, spoke on a “Philosophy for Improving Environmental Stewardship at Tarleton State University,” emphasizing that Tarleton could achieve significant savings in energy, water, and their financial costs with a variety of policies, including, but not necessarily limited to:
· The location, design, and construction of new buildings to use:
§ Natural sunlight for daytime illumination;
§ Solar energy for other electrical needs;
§ Radiant cooling systems; and
§ Better insulation;
· The use of porous pavements to maximize storm water absorption and minimize erosion-causing storm water runoff;
· Landscaping with native drought-tolerant plants to minimize water usage; and
· Using GPS/GIS technologies for improved landscaping and resource management.
The Faculty Senate invited Dr. Thompson to write and submit a resolution which, if passed by the Senate, would endorse the adoption of more environmentally friendly policies by Tarleton.

B. Dr. Marilyn Robitaille, Associate Director of International Academic
Programs, spoke on the opportunities for students and faculty to study abroad, emphasizing:
· The need for more study abroad programs to:
§ Promote cultural immersion;
§ Foster an understanding of globalization;
§ Strengthen academics; and
§ Generally offer life-changing experiences;
· Program goals, including:
§ Increasing the number of students and faculty who participate in study abroad;
§ Increasing funding opportunities;
§ Development of a scholarship database to help more students find more funding;
§ Development of a loan database to help more students learn about loans to study abroad; and
§ Increasing the International Education Fee from $1.00/student/semester to $4.00/student/semester;
· Opportunities for students, including:
§ Independent study programs;
§ Affiliated and exchange programs; and
§ Faculty-led courses;
· Opportunities for faculty, including:
§ Faculty exchange programs;
§ The Midwestern British Studies Program; and
§ Opportunities for faculty to design and lead their own courses;
· Current study abroad programs, including those involving:
§ Sociology in Belize with Dr. Carol Key;
§ International Business with Dr. Janis Petronis;
§ Total immersion in Spanish in Guatamala with Burton Smith;
§ Concerts and Music Appreciation in Berlin with Dr. Leslie Spotz;
§ Music History in Europe; and
§ Art Appreciation in Paris;
· Courses of action to be taken by interested faculty, including:
§ Conferring with the International Studies Office and with one’s department head;
§ Planning courses; and
§ Promoting courses with students.

IV. Announcements.

A. Piper Award: Dr. Marlin Priddy reminded the Faculty Senators to have their departments select Piper Award nominees, to have the nominees’ paperwork to him by November 5, and to be prepared to select three nominees at the November 9 meeting.

B. Regents Professor Award: Kelli Styron announced that Dr. Jim Kirby of the Department of Mathematics and Physics was Tarleton’s nominee for the Regents Professor Award. The Faculty Senate congratulated Dr. Kirby for this honor.

C. Symposium on November 10 at 3:00—Dr. Steve Murdock. Kelli Styron reminded the Faculty Senate of Dr. Peer’s desire that as many faculty members as possible attend Dr. Murdock’s program on the proposed Quality Enhancement Plan and relevant Central Texas demographics.

V. University Committees.

A. Reports.

1. Academic Council: Kelli Styron announced that the Academic Council met on October 5 and Dr. McCabe spoke on:
§ Tarleton’s budget;
§ Tarleton’s legislative requests;
§ Current construction projects totaling $52 million;
§ His satisfaction with adjustments in tuition and faculty salaries.
The Academic Council also discussed:
§ Core Curriculum issues, including:
o An ongoing 18-month review;
o Changes linked to the Quality Enhancement Program;
o The assessment of learning outcomes;
§ The October 25 visit of Mary Franes Gibbons to present a workshop on how Tarleton can help meet future SACS accreditation requirements; and
§ Dr. Peer’s examination of current commencement exercise scheduling policies and the feasibility of possible future changes.

2. Curriculum Committee. No meeting.

3. Enrollment Management Advisory Council: Kelli Styron announced it would meet on October 12.

4. Employee Benefits Committee: No meeting.

5. CITDE. No meeting.

6. EEO/AA. No meeting.

7. University Planning Council. Kelli Styron announced that the University Planning Council would hold its first meeting on October 25.No meeting until October.

8. Other Committee Reports.

a. Ad Hoc Committee on Academic Integrity: Mark Holtorf announced that:
§ Dr. Peer wants a campus-wide conversation on academic integrity; and
§ The goal of the Committee was to develop a policy to be voted on by the Senate and, if approved, to be submitted to Dr. Peer.

b. Salary and Benefits Committee: Kelli Styron announced that the Salary and Benefits Committee will:
§ Review salary and benefits at Tarleton;
§ Compare Tarleton’s salary and benefits with those available at other schools in the TAMU System; and
§ Generally continue to work to keep Tarleton’s salary and benefits at the median level within the System, excluding TAMU.

c. Ad Hoc Committee to Study Faculty Development Centers:
George Mollick reported that Dr. Peer wants recommendations from the Faculty Senate concerning the development of ways, means, and organizations within Tarleton to:
§ Support faculty efforts to master instructional technology and develop new teaching methods; and
§ Provide sanctuary for those pursuing teaching, learning, and scholarly development.
Kelli Styron suggested that given Dr, Peer’s desire for recommendations by April, 2005, the Committee should formulate recommendations and present them to the Faculty Senate for review and possible approval in March.

VI. Fall Luncheon: Janet Whitley announced that the Faculty Senate’s Fall Luncheon was scheduled for November 10, reminded the Senate that the purpose of the Fall Luncheon was to recognize the hard work of the faculty, and urged the Senators to both motivate their colleagues to attend the Luncheon and attend it themselves.

VII. Old Business.

A. Parking. Kelli Styron announced she had met with Dr. Peer, Vice President Jerry Graham, and Associate Vice President Mike Moser to discuss faculty parking concerns. To further investigate the issue, Kelli Styron requested three volunteers to examine our parking policy and develop recommendations concerning the merits of retaining reserved parking and adjusting the parking fines. Jeanelle Barrett, George Mollick, and Bill Neff volunteered to study the policy further.

B. Aerobics Payment: In response to the forthcoming generous allocation of an additional $2000 to the Faculty Senate from Dr. Peer, the Faculty Senate unanimously voted to contribute $625.00 to help finance the Faculty and Staff Noon Aerobics and Strength Conditioning Program.

C. Other Old Business.

1. Travel Reimbursement: David Weindorff announced that faculty
attendance at training sessions explaining travel reimbursement polices may help them receive travel reimbursement funds more quickly.

2. Bookstore Issues: David Weindorf noted that the new Campus Store manager seems open to improving the textbook ordering service and had volunteered to discuss outstanding bookstore issues with the Faculty Senate, which voted to invite him to an upcoming meeting.

VIII. New Business:

A. Calendar Committee Issues: Kelli Styron announced that the Calendar
Committee was to meet Thursday, October 14, and asked Faculty Senators
to report on their colleagues’ opinions concerning Calendar Committee
issues. Most Senators reported that their colleagues favored leaving the
Calendar as is. A minority of Senators reported that their colleagues
favored a week-long Fall Break to coincide with the Thanksgiving
holiday.

B. Points of Interest: Kelli Styron announced that if the Faculty Senate did not object, she would forward information to Senators by email of any significant announcements and decisions made by the Faculty Senate immediately after the meeting at which they were made, thereby enabling the Senators to forward the information to faculty who could thenlearn of important developments before the formal approval, distribution, and posting of the relevant meeting’s minutes. No objection was offered.

IX. Adjournment. The Faculty Senate adjourned at 5:10 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for November 9, 2004, at 3:30 p.m. in room 102 of the E. J. Howell Building.