Academic Senate: Minutes 10/23/12

I.    Call to order:  4:05 pm
II.    Roll Call:
Present:  Michael Andrews, Ellyn Arwood, Julia Balistreri, Ray Bard, Fr. William Beauchamp, Russ Butkus, Rich Christen, Mike Eom, Tom Greene, Kyle Hamm, Christin Hancock, Drew Harrington, Susan Hinken, Aziz Inan, Larry Larsen, Nick McRee, Gary Mitchell, Tamar More, Meike Niederhausen, Dann Pierce, Alex Santana, Susan Stillwell, Karen Ward, Matthew, Warshawsky, John Watzke, Kaye Wilson-Anderson

Not Present: Mark Utlaut
III.    Invocation: Larry Larsen

IV.    Approval of minutes from meeting from September 28, 2012.   
    a.    Minutes were approved

V.    Standing Committee Reports:
    a.    Executive Committee, Larry Larson  
        1.    Executive Committee met on Monday October 1, 2012
        2.    The Committee discussed items to be placed on the October 23 Academic Senate meeting.
    b.    Committee on Committees, Susan Hinken
        1.    The Committee met via e-mail during the month to consider candidates for an Ad Hoc committee on Senate Membership as stated in the by-laws.  Members will be appointed by the Academic Senate chair.   The Ad Hoc committee will be comprised of three regular faculty, who will report their findings to the Executive Committee at its December meeting and present to the entire Academic Senate in January.  
        2.    The Committee recommended 5 faculty members to Fr. Beauchamp for consideration on the CAS Dean Search Committee.   
    c.    Committee on Rank and Tenure, Mark Utlaut
        1.  The Committee is continuing to do its work.  
    d.    Committee on Teaching & Scholarship, Aziz Inan      
        1.    The Committee met with the Controllers office to discuss financial considerations on Butine Fund.
        2.    In the future, the TAS Committee will inform Butine awardees (via the award letters) that they must check with the Committee if they plan to spend their award money in ways different than described in their original proposal.  
        3.    The Committee received 21 Butine proposals.  This included $82,000 in requests, with approximately $50,000 available for grants.
        4.    Dean’s letters for proposals are Due on October 29.
        5.    The Committee will review proposals on November 2 and November 9.
        6.    The Committee Chair will meet with the Provost to discuss procedures.  
    e.    Committee on Faculty Welfare, Tamar More.
        1.    The Committee met at the end of September.
        2.    The Committee is considering holding a session on faculty development day in order to improve communication with the faculty.
        3.    The Committee discussed the importance of having an Academic Senate voice in discussion related to the Core curriculum and Enrollment Management.  This was discussed further under New Business (see below).     
    f.    Committee on Curriculum & Academic Regulations, Russ Butkus.        
        1.    The Committee did not meet, but it received two informational memos.
            a)    The School of Nursing will expand their Master of Science program to include a Nurse Educator option.   
            b)    The School of Engineering will make several changes in their program: a one-credit professional practice course for the capstone; changes in capstone option; change in ENG 360 in response to accreditation; removal of tracks in Civil Engineering and Electrical Engineering; adding 9 credits of electives for Engineering students with an overall increase in one credit.
VI.    Presidential Advisory Committees:
    a.    Committee on Student Media, Kaye Wilson Anderson      
        1.    The Committee has not met, but is corresponding by e-mail and has set up subcommittees.  
    b.    Committee on Athletics, Alex Santana    
        1.    The Committee met September 24.  
        2.    The Committee received an update from Fr. Bill on NCAA rules on recruitment, discussed BYU in the WCC, had updates on Rec Center and on the property below, and was introduced to new Athletic Director.
        3.    The Committee will meet again on November 9, when it will receive reports from Dan McGinty on academic support and Karen Peters on the Crew program and a tour of new athletic facilities.  
    c.    Committee on Health and Safety, Dann Pierce  
        1.    The Committee met in October and had a difficult time coming down from the emotional high of last month’s fire drill.     
    d.    Committee on Information Technology, Gary Mitchell   
        1.    The Committee met on October 9th and finalized the prior year’s report (sections of the report had been submitted late).
        2.    The Committee formed three sub-committees: Administrative Systems; Infrastructure and Access; Student Technology.
    e.    Committee on Sustainability, Rich Christen    
        1.    The Committee met on September 26th.
        2.    The Committee formed three subcommittees: communications; committee; education and curriculum committee; facilities conservation and efficiency.
        3.    The Committee also discussed a proposal for a sustainability coordinator we will be working on this year.
VII.    Other Reports:
    a.    President’s Report: Fr. William Beauchamp   
        1.    Fr. Beauchamp announced that it is time for open enrollment in the Health Plan.
        2.    Fr. Beauchamp also discussed the Health Plan negotiations:  the University asked for RFP’s from other carriers, but they were unable to match the Kaiser offer; our new Plan with Kaiser will have less than a 9% increase; no significant loss of benefits; we will drop one option; there will be a small cost increase for certain procedures.
        3.    The unit budget proposals are due soon.  
        4.    The Administration has hired an HR Consultant to establish job classifications and ranks for staff.  
        5.    The CAS Dean Search committee will be formed soon.  
        6.    The University will conduct the Provost search after the CAS Dean search is completed.  
    b.    Provost’s Report: Thomas Greene
        1.    Two more enrollment management sessions will be held:  Oct 24 and Oct 31.
        2.    The Year 1 Accreditation Report has gone out, addressing issues raised in the accreditation process.  
        3.    The Deans continue to discuss their role in the Core.  The Dean’s are looking forward to working with a University-wide Core Committee.  
    c.    ASUP Report.
        1.      Elections have been held, with over 30% participation (highest ever and 1 seat short of full.
        2.    ASUP will decide next week on how to spend its major project fund, 10% of budget, about $20,000 to spend on either a physical improvement or an event on campus). Top ten list: a major concert; a pub on campus; solar panels;  outdoor seating; a Megan Rapinoe speaking event; more bike racks; bike repair stations;  a drinking fountain in St. Mary’s;  a meeting room for clubs;  and lighting for the Schoenfeldt Hall basketball and volleyball courts.
        3.    ASUP will pay for new lighting and tables and chairs in St. Mary’s.  
        4.    ASUP is working on a finance 101 class which will be a very basic introduction to financial literacy for all students.  
VIII.    New Business
    a. Discussion of a Senate role regarding the changes in Core administration and the work of the Enrollment Management Task Force (brought by Faculty Welfare).      
        1.  Larry Larsen articulated the Key Question: How should the senate be involved in these discussions and help facilitate the Core and Enrollment Management processes.   
        2. Tom Greene proposed that he meet with the Academic Senate Chair, Faculty Welfare Chair, and the CAR chair to discuss which of the Enrollment Management Issues are under the purview of existing Senate committees.   For the Core, Dr. Greene proposed that these individuals be involved in the design and composition of the University-Wide advisory committee for the CORE.  He also pointed out that the Senate has the final say on all Core policies.
        3. Alex Santana and Rich Christen reminded the Senate that faculty should be involved from the beginning of the processes.    
        4.  The Senate expressed consensus support for Dr. Greene’s proposal: a Committee made up of Tamar More, Larry Larsen, and Russ Butkus will meet with the Deans Council to discuss issues relevant to the Core, in particular, the composition of the new Core Advisory Committee.  They will also meet with the Enrollment Management Task Force to discuss issues relevant to the faculty.      
    
IX.    Announcements.
    a.    November 5, 2012:  Executive Committee meets at 2:40.   
    b.    November 20, 2012: Next Academic Senate Meeting.

X.    Adjournment: 4:50 PM

Note: All members of the University community are welcome to attend any meeting of the Academic Senate. The meetings begin promptly at 4:00 pm.