Present at the meeting were: Stan Sieber, Linda Ramsey, Anna Clark, Jim Nance, Jerald Ogg, Maurice Field, Frank Black, Helmut Wenz, Chancellor Margaret Perry, and Charles Harding. John Overby and Sue Byrd (guests).

Faculty Senate President Stan Sieber presided at the meeting.

1. Minutes for the April 9, 1996, meeting of the Executive Committee were approved as submitted.

2. There was a brief discussion of the August 16 meeting of the Faculty Senate, held from 9:00 - 11:30 a.m. in University Center 201-204. President Sieber thanked the Executive Committee for all their help in organizing this informal Senate meeting.

3. President Sieber brought up the issue of including a representative from International Programs on the Faculty Senate. Charles Harding suggested that the Senate could ask for a motion to suspend the by-laws for the year and appoint an ad-hoc representative from International Programs for this year. This will be considered at the upcoming Senate meeting. The committee concurred.

4. John Overby and Sue Byrd, co-coordinators of UT Martin's Systems Quality Enhancement (SQE), explained the name change (from Systems Improvement Program to Systems Quality Enhancement); gave an brief overview of the nine teams currently in training or operating (Purge Process, Housekeeping, Service Awards, Campus Mail Delivery, Student Information System, Computer Technology, Information Flow Management, Workers' Compensation, and Recruitment and Hiring); discussed how the teams work and how projects are identified, studied, and analyzed; emphasized how the teams reveal the inter-connectedness of the whole university and allow for much interaction and communication; explained that training is emphasized so that team leaders, facilitators, sponsors and teams members will have the tools and techniques to enhance the committee's ability to solve problems. The coordinators will be invited to give a brief presentation at the September 24 Faculty Senate meeting.

5. Committee Reports were given as follows:

• Jim Nance, Budget and Economic Concerns: reported that the committee reviewed the current academic budget. Major issues the committee will discuss will include dental and eye care, the merit pay plan, and the early retirement plan.

• Jerald Ogg, Instruction: announced that the Committee on Instruction met to discuss the availability of library and computer resources. He announced that the library problem has been solved and that the Director of the Library, Mr. Joel Stowers, has assured the Committee on Instruction that the library will be open at 7:50 a.m. and certainly by 8:00 a.m.-early enough for the 8 a.m. classes meeting there to be in place and ready to go at 8:00 a.m. Announced that the following motion passed by the Committee would be brought before the Faculty Senate at the upcoming meeting: We recommend that the Computer Center explore ways of extending general purpose computer lab hours through final exam week.

• Maurice Field, Graduate Council: reported that the committee had approved graduate faculty status for several faculty members. He also said that the committee had reviewed the results of the graduate faculty survey. At the meeting of the Graduate Council, Robbie Kendall-Melton presented information on program review/accreditation report for the School of Education.

• Frank Black, Personnel Policies: summarized ten major tenure concerns that have been identified by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and by various faculty members. These concerns are being studied by committee. Dr. Black also shared with the Executive Committee a newsletter developed by Faculty Senator David McBeth as a means of sharing Senate news and concerns with the Art, Dance, and Theatre faculty.

• Helmut Wenz, Undergraduate Council: reported that the computer courses issue between the School of Business and the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science will be resolved between the two faculties. As for the multicultural issue, Mr. Wenz felt that this issue would probably not be resolved until after the committee on the general education (core) requirements reviews the curriculum and gives its report.

President's Report:
1. Mr. Sieber shared with the committee a letter from Neil Graves requesting Faculty Senate discussion of several issues (whether the phrase "sexual orientation" should be added to our non-discrimination policy and whether fringe benefits should be added for "life partners" of UT Martin employees). The Committee felt that at this time President Sieber should respond through a letter to Dr. Graves.

2. Dieter C. Ullrich, coordinator of Special Collections at the Paul Meek Library, has asked to have a copy of Faculty Senate minutes from the past 10 years. President Sieber will talk with Kristy Crocker about the possibility of making arrangements for minutes to be placed in the library. Chancellor Perry stated that a second copy of Senate minutes should be available.

3. There was considerable discussion of the university attendance policy concerning students away from the campus on university business. The instruction committee will consider this issue.

4. President Sieber announced that the Senate Web page is beginning to look good, thanks to the efforts of Kristy Crocker, Anna Clark, and Bill Zachry. Additions will be made throughout the year.

5. It was announced that the Counselors to the President, Jim Clark, Kay Durden, and Stan Sieber, will attend the October 15 meeting in Knoxville. Please let them know if you have an issue you would like for them to discuss with President Johnson.

6. Reminder: President Johnson's September 11 visit to the UT-Martin Campus. Members of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee are invited to the luncheon.

7. Chancellor Perry gave a report on UT-Martin's graduate enrollment.

8. Charles Harding announced that the winter meeting of the Board of Trustees would be on this campus in February. President Sieber plans to have a reception for the Faculty Senate and all visiting senators.

9. President Sieber asked the committee to consider the possibility giving an Executive Committee award to an outstanding senator for his/her work during the 1996-97 academic year. This will be discussed further at the next meeting of the Executive Committee.

10. President Sieber also commented about additional released time for the Faculty Senate President and release time for other officers. He noted that because of extensive duties and committee work, the Faculty Senate Present should receive half-time release and that other officers should receive quarter time release.

11. Announcement: The Executive Committee will co-host with the Executive Committee of the Faculty Women's Club a reception for new faculty on Friday, September 20, at 7 p.m.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:10 p.m.

Anna Clark, Faculty Senate Secretary
September 13, 1996