MINUTES OF THE UT MARTIN FACULTY SENATE
MEETING
April 29, 1997
CALL TO ORDER
The last meeting of the 1997 Spring Semester was called to order at
3:20 p.m. by President Stan Sieber in the Boling Center Ballroom.
Present were 42 senators, 1 substitute, and 8 visitors, plus many of
the senators who will begin serving their terms Fall semester
(1997).
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of the March 25, 1997, meeting were approved as
distributed.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
There was no unfinished business.
REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES
Executive Committee
President Sieber updated the senators on Sandra Gossum, who is in
Nashville consulting with oncologists. He said that she would
appreciate our cards and prayers, and that he would make her address
available to anyone who wanted it.
Sieber asked senators Bob Sugg and Jimmy Trentham to stand to be
recognized for their years of service to the University and to the
Senate. Both are retiring this year.
The committees have been set for the next year and a list is included
in the Senate packets. Sieber made a correction in the list for the
Committee on Instruction. Randy Cate's name should be removed and
Wes Henson's name added.
President Sieber reported that beginning in the Fall Semester, the
Senate packets will not be duplicated and distributed, but will be
available on the web page. The curriculum committees will continue
to receive copies of the curriculum proposals prior to their
meetings.
Budget and Economic Concerns Committee
Robert Nanney stated that there was nothing to be brought before
the Senate from this committee at this time. He asked Phil Dane to
give a report of the recent THEC meeting. Dane said that there was
much discussion on how to deal with the $40 million proposed
reduction. The Commission voted to implement the cuts on a pro rata
basis. The budget cuts were going to be as expected, a decrease of
about 4.28%. Regarding capital improvements, Humanities Building
bids are looking favorable. Connections have already been made to
connect air conditioning handlers with the library, when that is
necessary. An additional chiller will be purchased for the library,
which will allow EPS to be connected, also. Roofing for Humanities
building should be started within the next four weeks and completed
by Fall Semester. The School of Business project started out to be
just the steamlines in front of the building, but the bids were so
favorable that it was decided to go ahead and replace the
energy-inefficient windows. University Center design drawings are on
schedule. The Brehm Hall renovation project will be presented early
next year to the Governor.
Undergraduate Council
Alice Catherine Carls brought a report of the April 8 meeting of
the Undergraduate Council for Helmut Wenz, who was absent. The
Council had delegated to the ad hoc General Education Task Force
responsibility for recommending how to implement the cultural
diversity course requirement. That chair of that task force had
requested that the Fall 97 effective date for implementation be
extended indefinitely so that the cultural diversity core curriculum
can be adequately addressed in conjunction with their efforts to
devise a core curriculum. The recommendation was brought from the
committee to delay the effective date indefinitely. Motion made and
seconded. Motion carried.
Sieber stated that we will expect a recommendation from the Committee
in the Fall.
The curriculum proposals from the Schools of Agriculture and Human
Environmental Sciences, Arts and Sciences, and Education were
presented as a package, and came before the Senate as a motion and
second from the Council. Motion carried.
Graduate Council
Maurice Field gave a report of the April 10 meeting of the
Graduate Council and brought the following before the Senate, as a
motion and second from the committee:
Curriculum change proposals from School of Agriculture and Human
Environmental Sciences and the School of Arts and Sciences. Motion
carried.
Non-standard formats from the School of Education. Motion
carried.
Instruction Committee
Jerald Ogg brought a report from the April 1 meeting of the
Instruction Committee. He brought the following motion as a package
from the committee regarding mandatory placement and academic
probation:
The following text should be inserted in the catalog immediately after the section labeled "Orientation and Enrollment" (page 9):
Mandatory Placement: Placement in one or more developmental courses is mandatory for students with ACT composite scores less than 20 whose placement results show they need to enroll in any of the following courses: English 080 or 090, Math 070 or 080, and/or Reading 111. Students who do not have ACT scores must take the university's placement tests in English, Math, and Reading and follow placement results. International students must comply with the additional English proficiency requirements listed under item 4 of the requirements for admission as an international student (see admission requirement above.).
Exception: Enrollment in a developmental English or math course is optional for transfer students (i.e., anyone who completed twelve or more college level credit hours prior to first time enrollment at UT Martin) if they have already passed a college level course in that discipline. Enrollment in a Reading course is also optional.
Students must complete all required developmental courses during the first two years of academic study or 60 semester hours, whichever comes first.
The following text should be inserted as a second paragraph under
"Academic Probation" in the section of the catalog labeled "Academic
Continuation" (page 19). Note: The second sentence is a
reproduction of the text already found on page 10 under "Academic
Overload."
Academic Probation: The student must meet with an advisor in Academic Review Services and develop a contract for improving his or her academic success. Probationary students may not register for more than 16 SCH per semester or 8 SCH per summer term, inclusive of correspondence credit, without the prior written approval of the dean/director of their school/division.
After discussion, a motion was made and seconded for separation of
these two items. Motion defeated.
Motion made and seconded to close debate. Motion carried.
Original motion carried.
Library Committee
There was no report from the Library Committee at this time.
Sieber announced that Lisa LeBleu will be the chair of the Library
Committee next year.
Personnel Policies Committee
Frank Black brought a report from this committee. The document
with the tenure policy changes was tabled at the last Senate meeting.
A motion was made and seconded that the report be removed from the
table. Motion carried. Further changes were suggested and made, and
there was a call for the question. A motion was made and seconded to
close debate. Motion carried.
A vote was taken on the proposal as amended. Motion carried.
A vote was taken on the entire package. Motion carried. (Note: a
final copy of the pages affected by these changes will be filed with
the minutes.)
NEW BUSINESS
Sieber thanked the senators for their time and efforts this year.
He turned the floor over to Linda Ramsey, Vice
President/President-Elect. Plaques were presented to Stan Sieber in
appreciation of his service this year as President of the Senate, and
to Anna Clark in appreciation of her service as Secretary of the
Senate. Ramsey also thanked Kristy Crocker for her work this year,
and presented a gift to her.
ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn was made and seconded; the meeting was
adjourned at 4:35 p.m.
Stan Sieber, President
Anna Clark, Secretary