Approved Minutes of the Faculty Senate Meeting

March 15th, 2006

http://www.scsu.ctstateu.edu/organizations/facultysenate

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The eleventh meeting of the 2005-2006 year was called to order at 12:10 PM.

Members Present:

Emenyonu (Accounting), LaDousa (Anthropology), Vu (Art), Slomba (Art),  Pang (Chemistry), Petroski (Communication), Jirsa (Com Disorders/MFT), DaPonte (Computer Science), Smith  (Couns/Sch Psych), Fullmer (Earth Science), Mills (Econ/Finance), Mills (Econ/Finance), Corbett (Education), Diamantis (Education), Madonia (Ed Leadership), Blackmer (English), Johnson (English), Yang (Exercise Science), Rinehardt (Exercise Science), Pelayo (Foreign Language), Piemontese (Foreign Language), Sakalowsky (Geography), Dunklee (Journalism), McGinn (Library Science), Hedreen (Library Services), Reynaga (Library Services), Stepanovich (Management), Prince (Marketing), Dennis (Math), O’Brien (Media Studies), Aronson (Nursing), Young (Part-time Faculty), Gilliand (Philosophy), Buterbaugh (Political Science), Brancazio (Psychology), Bulmer (Public Health), Smith (Recreation/Leisure), Cusato (Science Ed/Env Stud), Dripchak (Social Work), Keenan (Social Work), Bloch (Sociology), Brucker (Special Ed/Reading), Major (Special Ed/Reading), Nye (Theatre)

Members Absent:

Maloney (Athletics), Lerud (Biology), Lawler (Counseling), Larocco (English),  Amerman (History), Madison (History), Brin (Math), Kuss (Music), Wagner (Nursing), Anderson (Part-time Faculty), Roman (Part-time Faculty), Capone (Part-time Faculty), Enjalran (Physics), Sherman (Psychology)

The minutes of March 1st, 2006 were approved as amended.

Announcements:

• There were no announcements

President’s Report:

The President’s Report was distributed.  President DaPonte highlighted the following:

• President DaPonte reminded the senate that the 2^nd AAUP Lobbying Day is scheduled for March 29^th.  He urged as many senators as possible to attend.
• President DaPonte met with Provost Williams to review and discuss pending resolutions, assessment dialogues, low enrollment courses, and faculty research reassignment time.
• President DaPonte indicated his concern regarding the accuracy of the university calendar, specifically as it pertains to the scheduling of faculty conferences.  He noted that there are two important faculty conferences scheduled simultaneously on April 8^th.

UCF Update – Joe Fields

• The UCF is continuing its discussion on the role of the School Curriculum Committees.
• The UCF also has received a letter from the Provost indicating the desirability of including the Deans in the curricular process. 

Graduate Council Update – Jon Bloch

• Senator Bloch noted that the last Presidential Dialogue was scheduled at the same time as the Graduate Council meeting thus preventing council members from attending the dialogue.  President DaPonte is working with the President’s office to correct this situation by not scheduling future Presidential Dialogues on the first two Mondays of the month.

Standing Committee Reports

• Finance Committee
• Senator Lawler was unable to attend the meeting, however she did send a report and it follows, “As of March 8th, 222 full time faculty members received money for travel funds for the academic year 2005-2006.  Ten full time members received funds from travel in 2004-2005.  Part-time numbers are 35 for 2005-2006 and four for 2004-2005.”
  
   “As of today, March 15th, there are 60 full time members waiting for available money and 30 part-time members.”
  
   “Clearly, this is an issue all faculty should be addressing with negotiation discussions.”

• Personnel Policy Committee
• Senator Johnson indicated that the committee is continuing to work on the P&T document and hopes to bring it to the senate in April.

• Rules Committee
• Senator O’Brien noted that the Rules Committee is looking into the question of how membership in the General Education Taskforce should be determined.

• Student Policy
• Senator Madonia noted that the committee will meet with the Vice President for Student and University Affairs, Dr. Ronald Herron, at its next meeting.

• Technology
• Senator Diamantis indicated that there was no report.

• Academic Policy Committee
• Senator Bloch noted that the committee met with Provost Williams and President DaPonte and discussed small course enrollments and research reassigned time.

• Elections Committee
• Senator Corbett noted that the committee will be sending out the ballot for the All-University Elections immediately following spring break with a return date of April 11^th.

• FASP
• Senator Vu indicated that the committee is attempting to get FASP members on all ten working groups for the Academic Strategic Plan.

Old Business

• Senator O’Brien withdrew the resolution on the general education taskforce progress reports and instead, he introduced a resolution:  That the Chair of the General Education Task Force Report to the Senate at the Beginning and at the End of Each Semester.  The motion was seconded by Senator Fullmer.  Following brief discussion, President DaPonte asked for a motion to postpone the motion until the next senate meeting.  The motion was made and seconded and the motion carried by unanimous vote.

• President DaPonte introduced the discussion of Graduate Faculty Status.  As discussion was initiated, there was concern expressed by some senators regarding both the direction and emphasis of the ensuing discussion.
• To permit an open discussion of all pertinent issues regarding the concept of graduate faculty, a motion was made to move the senate into a forum mode.  The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
• Following the forum, the senate reconvened at 1:45.

New Business

• There was no new business

The senate adjourned at 1:46 PM.

Respectively Submitted,

Robert E. Jirsa, Ph.D.

Secretary of the Senate