Faculty Senate Meeting
November 12, 2002, 3:30 P.M.
Library Multi-Purpose Room

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

I. Minutes of the October 8, 2002, meeting were approved.

II. Secretary-Treasurer Malcolm L. Cross reported a balance of $3576.03 in the Faculty Senate account. Activity reflected by the balance included the payment 0f $300.00 in annual dues to the Texas Association of Faculty Senates, and the retention, at least temporarily, of $776.03 of unspent funds rolled over from the previous academic year.

III. Announcements.
A. Faculty Development Leave. David Weissenburger reported that the new faculty development leave policy had been approved by President McCabe the previous week and that the Faculty Development Leave Committee had recommended a revised schedule of deadlines, with applications due to department heads on 12/12. David Weissenburger further reported that the publication of the Faculty and Staff handbook had been delayed to include application forms, and that a replacement for Frank Gilman on the Faculty Development Committee was needed.
B. Student Evaluation of Teaching. Janet Whitley reported on the logistics of the evaluation process, noting that evaluations will be submitted for processing in mid-January, and results sent back to the departments in mid-March; that professors’ names and section numbers were to be pre-printed on the evaluations and that she would insist that departments put evaluations in envelopes to promote professorial privacy. She further noted, in response to an inquiry from David Weissenburger, that students’ written remarks would be forwarded to the departments earlier.
C. ITV/Web-Based Course Student Evaluation of Instruction. David Weissenburger announced that Gary Peer supported the Senate’s position that questions evaluating the course instructor should be routed to department heads and that questions evaluating technology and support services should be routed to Dr. Wheeler’s office.
D. On-Line Course Syllabi. David Weissenburger announced that he had received a copy of the Student Government Association’s preliminary proposal for the posting of on-line course syllabi and that he expected to receive a copy of its final proposal soon. Copies of the final proposal will be distributed to faculty senators before the Senate’s December meeting, at which time it will be discussed.
E. Master Syllabi. The development and availability of master syllabi are being encouraged by Gary Peer due to SACS requirements.

IV. Piper Award. The Faculty Senate selected Dr. Jeremy Curtoys, Professor of Political
Science, to be Tarleton’s Piper Award nominee.

V. University Committees.
A. Reports.
1. Academic Council: David Weissenburger reported that:
• Articulation agreements with community colleges had been approved;
• The name of the Department of Chemistry and Geosciences has been changed to Department of Chemistry, Geosciences, and Environmental Science;
• several minor curriculum changes were approved.
2. Curriculum Committee: The committee met on 10/19 and approved numerous course adoptions and/or changes.
3. Equal Employment Opportunity Committee: No meeting.
4. Employee Benefits Committee: No meeting.
5. Distance Education Committee: David Weissenburger announced that the committee had been reorganized into two smaller, more tightly focused Committees—a Teaching, Learning Technology Roundtable and a reconstituted Distance/Distributed Education Committee. Gary Peer appointed George Mollick to serve on the TLTR and the Faculty Senate selected Bill Bane to serve on the new Distance/Distributed Education Committee.
6. Calendar Committee: David Weissenburger distributed the new calendar for 2003-2004, and recommended that faculty senators distribute copies to their departments to solicit comments for the December senate meeting, and said that while the 2003-04 calendar is nearly set, issues such as a fall term break and/or a longer Thanksgiving break may be discussed in connection with the formulation of the 2004-05 calendar.
B. Parking Appeals Committee Appointment. The Faculty Senate selected Russ Higham to be the faculty representative on the Parking Appeals Committee.

VI. Fall Luncheon.
Teresa Davidian reiterated that the senate-sponsored Fall Luncheon would be held on 11/13/02 at noon in the Travis Room, at a cost of $1.00 per person, adding that 60 persons had made reservations to attend and that she had ordered food for 80. She further reported that the guest speaker, Regents Professor Tom Pilkington, would speak on “Confessions of an Aging Bookman.”

VII. Faculty Research Award.
Russ Higham announced that a meeting of the new Faculty Research Award Committee would soon be held. The Faculty Senate selected Stephen Field and Jeanelle Barrett to serve on the committee along with Russ.

VIII. Faculty Work Load.
David Weissenburger reported that he had continued to discuss the issue with Gary Peer and that the discussions had explored the issues of teaching versus other duties, as well as equity within and across departments. He also reported that the document the Senate had prepared last year will be revisited and reviewed, and that last year’s Senate recommendation is being considered with revisions.

IX. Report on the Meeting of the Texas Council of Faculty Senates.
David Weissenburger presented a report on the meeting of the Texas Council of Faculty Senates. A copy of the report will be distributed to each member of the Faculty Senate at the Senate’s 12/5 meeting.

X. New Business.
A. Faculty Development: David Weissenburger reported that at the Senate Executive Committee’s last luncheon with President McCabe and VPAA/Provost Peer, the possibility of using faculty development funds to bring in speakers was discussed. Gary Peer solicited senators’ comments on a plan to set aside $4000 to $5000 each year to pay for outside speakers, with the understanding that the amount would come out of the funds allocated to the existing faculty development fund, and that these set aside funds would be allocated on a rotating basis to each college annually. In the ensuing discussion it was noted that faculty development and other funds are already being used to finance outside speakers, and the reallocation of faculty development funds would reduce faculty research, presentation, and other professional opportunities.
B. Academic Forums: David Weissenburger solicited reactions about the recent academic forums. He noted that Gary Peer had said that faculty had given much input at most of the forums.
C. Salary and Benefits. David Weissenburger reiterated that the spring faculty survey had indicated that the issue of salaries and benefits was the most important concern of the survey participants and proposed the formation of a committee to research the issue further. The Senate created the committee, but deferred appointments to a later time.

XI. Adjournment.
The senate adjourned at 5:05 P.M. The next meeting is scheduled for 12/5/02, at 3:30 P.M.