Faculty Senate President Marlin Priddy called the meeting to order at 10:30 a.m.

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

II. Minutes of the November 8, 2005, meeting were approved, subject to specified corrections.

III. Treasurer’s Report. Treasurer’s Report: Secretary-Treasurer Malcolm L. Cross reported a balance of $3802.02, a decrease of $723.25 from the balance of $4525.27 reported at the Faculty Senate’s 11/08/05 meeting and reflecting the expenditure of $599.25 on the Fall Faculty Luncheon and $124.00 on plaques awarded at the Luncheon.

III. Announcements and Special Guests.

A. Charles Howard: Dr. Charles Howard addressed the Faculty Senate on the proposal to split the current Department of Fine Arts and Communications into two separate departments, a move favored by the current and former department heads, the Dean of COLFA, and most department faculty. He said that the current administrative arrangement was anomalous, atypical, and created the impression that Tarleton had grouped together several tiny and otherwise unrelated programs. To make the split would bring Tarleton’s organization of these programs into line with organizational arrangements in other universities, and create two moderate-sized departments, each of which could more effectively develop and administer its own programs with the needs of the students in mind. No longer would there be conflict within one department concerning “violins versus video cameras.” In response to questions about added administrative expenses, he noted that the only known additional expense would be relevant to the hiring of a new secretary. He said that additional adjuncts and/or regular faculty might be requested, but there was no guarantee that they would be hired.

B. Christina Stradley. Campus Store Manager Christina Stradley addressed the Faculty Senate on textbook acquisition issues. She thanked the faculty for ordering texts early, thereby allowing the Campus Store to more effectively process orders, find more books more quickly, and develop more effective buy-back policies for the students. She noted that the Campus Store must compete with other stores, as well as the internet, for the students’ business, and that to save money through reduced shipping costs it must base the number of books ordered and made available for courses not only on faculty orders but on past book sales. She concluded by pledging cooperation with faculty and students in the acquisition of texts, noting that special orders could be quickly processed with books available within a few days of the orders’ placement.

C. University Web Calendar: Marlin Priddy reminded the Faculty Senate that the University Web Calendar is at:
http://www.tarleton.edu./scripts/calendar/default.asp

D. Other Announcements—The Collegiate Reading Program: Marlin Priddy announced that newspapers including the Wall Street Journal, the Dallas Morning News, and USA Today would be available on campus for purchase for a 2-month trial period during the upcoming Spring Semester.

V. University Committees.

A. Reports.

1. Academic Council. Marlin Priddy announced that the Academic Council met 11/22, and addressed the following issues:
• 2006-07 Academic Calendar: Dr. Boyd Collier discussed the proposed 2006-07 Academic Calendar, noting that the Spring Break would be scheduled for the week before that of St. Patrick’s Day, rather than the week of St. Patrick’s Day, as has usually been customary. The Academic Council will vote on approving the Calendar at its 1/06 meeting.
• Departmental Reorganization: The Academic Council heard Charles Howard’s proposal (summarized above) concerning the division of the Department of Fine Arts and Communication, as well as a proposal to subdivide the Department of Educational Administration, Counseling, and Psychology.
• Curriculum: The Academic Council approved courses referred to it from the Curriculum Committee.
• The Collegiate Readership Program: The Academic Council approved the Collegiate Readership Program summarized above.
Marlin Priddy concluded his discussion by noting that the Academic Council did not bring up the revision of promotion and tenure procedures, but that the proposed changes in Chapter 4 of the Handbook would be addressed at the January meeting. He inferred from a discussion with the Provost that several of the components of the proposed new policy are already in place, including systematic post-tenure review and better efforts to inform new hires of expectations they must meet for tenure and promotion. However, issues still being considered, and requiring more documentation, include retroactivity, the lack of objective standards for tenure and promotion decisions, and the extent to which Tarleton’s policies may put it at a competitive disadvantage in the hiring and retention of faculty.

2. Curriculum Committee. No report.

3. Enrollment Management Advisory Council. No report.

4. EEOAA Committee. No report.

5. University Planning Council. No report.

6. Other Committee Reports:

a. Calendar Committee: Marlin Priddy, who discussed the Calendar Committee’s work while reporting on the 11/22 Academic Council meeting, announced that the work on the 2006-07 Calendar was almost complete.

b. Academic Integrity Committee: Marlin Priddy announced the prospective formation of a new Academic Integrity Committee to consist of about 10 members, including 1 representative from each college, 2 Faculty Senators, 2 representatives from Student Services, and 1 representative from the Student Government Association.
Mark Holtorf reminded the Faculty Senate that the survey on academic integrity would soon be administered by the Student Government Association, and described the upcoming survey as basically educational in purpose, and designed to measure perceptions of academic integrity, included perceived rates of cheating, the extent to which plagiarism is understood, and perceptions about what happens when others are seen cheating. He added that proposals based on the survey and on other sources would be presented to the Provost and the Faculty Senate.

c. Ad hoc Faculty Senate Subcommittee for Faculty Development: Marlin Priddy announced that the Provost was planning to appoint a new committee, to be led by George Mollick, to oversee the implementation of the previous committee’s recommendations, including the acquisition of funds and real estate for a Faculty Development Center, and the recruitment of a guest speaker to come to the campus to discuss faculty development.

d. Environmental Study Committee. No report.

e. Distance Education Advisory Committee. No report.

f. Diversity Committee. No report.

g. Faculty Salary and Benefits Committee. Stuart Warnock announced that the Provost remains committed to the implementation of the recommendations of the Faculty Salary and Benefits Committee, that more data are being collected, and that progress in implementation is being made.

h. Writing Intensive Curriculum: Marlin Priddy announced that the Writing Intensive Curriculum program is scheduled to be implemented in the Fall of 2007, with an initial budget of $52,000, and a Director to be announced in the spring of 2006. Overall responsibility for the implementation of the program will rest with the Deans and department heads.

i. Board of Regents visit to Tarleton State University: Jeanelle Barrett reported that she had spoken briefly before the Board of Regents on the Faculty Senate’s activities when the Board of Regents met on the Tarleton Campus in December. Marlin Priddy reported that Jeanelle Barrett’s remarks had elicited favorable feedback from the Board of Regents.

VI. Old or Unfinished Business.

A. Promotion and Tenure Revisions (Faculty Handbook—Chapter 4): Marlin Priddy announced that Chapter 4 is currently being rewritten for further review.

B. Piper Award: Jeanelle Barrett announced that Dr. Janet Whitley, Associate Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, was Tarleton’s 2005 Piper Award Nominee

C. Faculty Development Leave Committee: Marlin Priddy announced that faculty development leave applications were due by January 23, that in the future such applications should be solicited by 11/1, and that both Janet Schmelzer and Leslie Stanley-Stevens, past beneficiaries of the faculty development leave program, would be making presentations on research conducted while on leave.
During the discussion of the faculty development leave program, the issue of health insurance for faculty on leave was raised. Kelli Styron said that Tarleton should continue to provide full health insurance for faculty on leave; otherwise the number of applications would decline. Marlin Priddy said he or the Provost would talk to the Tarleton Foundation to solicit funds for health insurance for faculty on leave.

D. Faculty Senate Web Page: Marlin Priddy announced a projected January launch for the new Faculty Senate web page.

E. Faculty-Staff Directory: Joe Brocato solicited support for the return of printed faculty-staff directories and urged Faculty Senators to solicit support from among their colleagues.

VIII. New Business.

A. A Representative for the Parking Appeals Committee: Marlin Priddy announced that Rusty Jergins, Associate Vice President for Student Services, had suggested that the Senate be represented on the Parking Appeals Committee.

B. Unfounded/Malicious Complaints by TSU Students: Kelli Styron agreed to draft a policy proposal to handle unfounded and/or malicious complaints brought by students against faculty.

C. Noon Aerobics: The Faculty Senate unanimously voted to allocate $625.00 to support the 2006 Spring Semester Faculty and Staff Noon Aerobics Program, and $312.50 for the 2006 Summer Program, for a total allocation of $937.50.

D. Dr. Jim Kirby’s Letter of Concern and Recommendation. Marlin Priddy announced that Dr. Jim Kirby had written with concerns about the failure of Tarleton to guarantee adequate sick leave to faculty members, and that the Provost had recommended that information relevant to the concerns Dr. Kirby raised be given to the Director of Human Resources.

VII. Adjournment. The Faculty Senate adjourned at 12:30 p.m. The next regular meeting of the Faculty Senate is scheduled for February 14, 2006, at 3:30 p. m., location to be announced.