The minutes of the previous meeting were approved as distributed.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
There was no unfinished business.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
President Ogg reported on several items
discussed at the Executive Committee meeting and mentioned several things
that have come up since that meeting.
The first faculty dutch treat lunch (the "Lunch Bunch") was a success, and the faculty were again invited to participate. Information on the next lunch (on October 12) will be distributed when the location is decided.
Ogg, Dan McDonough and Nell Gullett will meet on October 5 with UT President Joe Johnson as Faculty Counselors to the President. Ogg encouraged the senators to talk to their academic units and let any of the Counselors know of any concerns they wanted brought up at that time.
Ogg, Frank Black, and SGA President Jessica Peccolo have been selected for the advisory search committee for the president of the UT System.
Banner implementation is underway. Secretaries will be trained on September 29 and 30 to enter the spring schedule. There will be no advance computer registration by advisors, only walk-in and phone registration for spring semester. Advisor training will be in the Spring 1999.
The Faculty Senate adopted a policy regarding monitoring student attendance at the April 28 meeting. This issue was discussed further at this meeting. Faculty are required to monitor and document student attendance in order to help alleviate university responsibility for defaulted student loans. Ogg told the senators that on the mid-term grade sheet for any student who is given a grade of F, the last documented date of attendance must be noted. The faculty may be contacted in the next few weeks regarding any students who received an F, perhaps as far back as 1995. Further information will be sent out to the faculty. A question was raised as to what kind of documentation would be required. It could be the roll book (with dates showing when a faculty member took attendance) or a test grade. The implied length of retention is for three years. President Ogg was requested to add this to the items for the Counselors to the President meeting.
The subject of a Faculty Club was brought up at the "Lunch Bunch". Ogg said that he was going to form an ad hoc committee on this. Any senators who would like to be on this committee should get in contact with him and he will bring those names back at the next senate meeting.
Ogg distributed a copy of the agenda from the Chancellor's Cabinet Meeting yesterday. Chancellor Conn made a few comments on this, and told the senators that part of this is a cumulative agenda, with a compilation of major issues he thinks we need to contemplate as a University. He stated that several of these items will likely be on that agenda for quite some time. Ogg said that questions would be taken on the agenda during the New Business section of the meeting.
BUDGET AND ECONOMIC CONCERNS
Jenna Wright stated that the Committee
was still discussing Faculty Pay Equity, and Dr. Blanchard will be attending
the next meeting to further discuss this issue. There was nothing to come
before the senate for action at this time.
Wright asked President Ogg to address the Evening School changes. On-campus night courses that have been taught and paid for through the Evening School are now going to be taught through the departments. Many of the students in these classes are already full-time, on-campus students, so no additional income is generated from their enrollment, creating a deficit. This will cause a reduction in the number of sections, adjuncts and night classes. There will be night classes taught through the departments, but the money will be handled through the departments through their schedules. Every effort will be made to not inconvenience any students, i.e. student teachers, etc.
UNDERGRADUATE COUNCIL
Doug Sterrett brought the report from
the Undergraduate Council. The curriculum proposals from the September
1 meeting were brought as a motion and second for approval. Motion carried.
A motion and second was brought from the
council as follows:
Sterrett announced that there was only one item for the next Council meeting (next week), and that it would have to be tabled until a similar request is received from the cross listed course. He said that unless there were objections, the meeting would be canceled. There were no objections.
A problem with the scheduling of the UG Council meetings was brought up by another senator. Ogg stated that he and President-Elect Maurice Field would discuss the schedule for next year and see if they could alleviate some of the problems.
Sterrett stated that the Council asked that the academic units make sure that the effective date on the curriculum proposals be the date of the next catalog, except in the case of an emergency.
GRADUATE COUNCIL
Marti Herndon brought a report from the
September 3 meeting, listing items handled at that meeting as shown in
the minutes, but had no items for action by the senate.
INSTRUCTION COMMITTEE
Dan McDonough brought a report from the
Instruction Committee. It was noted that the suspension rate has risen
slightly, though the ACT scores have risen also. The ACT COMP test will
go out of existence after Spring 2002. The status of the Pilot program,
to test rising juniors, was discussed but there will be no changes made
at present. It was, however, suggested that we stop administering the test
to incoming freshmen, as it will be unavailable when they are seniors.
The observance of Memorial Day was discussed at the Committee meeting. Although Memorial Day is not a state holiday, the university could grant a free day as long as the number of minutes of instruction during the summer term remained the same. This item has been submitted to a sub-committee.
There have been complaints about fraternity parties held during spring study days. It was agreed that Dr. Watkins would discuss with the Chancellor the possibility that these study days would be made "dead" days and that all campus organizations be instructed that no activities are to be planned for study day.
LIBRARY COMMITTEE
No report at this time.
PERSONNEL POLICIES
Aubrey Keller brought a report for Roger
Fisher, stating that there were no items for action at this time.
AD-HOC COMMITTEES
There are no ad hoc committees
at this time.
NEW BUSINESS
Several of the items on the agenda from
the Chancellor's Cabinet Meeting were discussed briefly. (copy attached
to original minutes)
Regarding the post tenure review, one senator expressed concerns about whether the faculty were being informed about their rights. He stated that the university had many lawyers to back up their position, however faculty members would have to consult lawyers at their own expense in order to find out their rights. He asked that a forum be held to inform the faculty more fully. Ogg stated that the Personnel Policies Committee planned to hold forums in the spring semester, but that the Executive Committee would discuss this further.
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m.
E. Jerald Ogg, President
Robert Nanney, Secretary