Approved Minutes of the Faculty Senate Meeting
December 10, 2008
http://www.scsu.ctstateu.edu/organizations/facultysenate
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The seventh meeting of the 2008-2009 year was called to order at 12:10 PM.
Members Present: Emenyonu (Accounting), McGill for Rogers (Anthropology); Vu (Art); Lavin (Art); Pang (Chemistry); Madlock (Communication); Jirsa (Com Disorders/MFT); DaPonte (Computer Science); Fopiano (Couns/Sch Psych); Fleming (Earth Science); Mills (Econ/Finance); Diamantis (Education); Goldberg (Education); Madonia (Ed Leadership); Larocco (English); Shea (English); Johnson (English); Petrie (English); Swartz (Exercise Science); Calahan (Exercise Science); Olson (Foreign Language); Heidkamp (Geography); Paddock (History); Metaxas (History); Dunklee (Journalism); Bielefield (Info & Library Science); Hedreen (Library Services); Toce (Library Services); Page (Management); Scheuermann (Mathematics); Gubitose (Mathematics); O’Brien (Media Studies); Nelson (Nursing); Ciarlone (Part-Time Faculty); Horch (Physics); Buterbaugh (Political Science); Sherman (Psychology); Faraclas (Public Health); Jones (Recreation/Leisure); Cusato (Science Ed/Env Stud); Rofuth (Social Work); Bloch (Sociology); Brucker (Special Ed/Reading); Tamura (Special Ed/Reading); Weiss (UCF)
Members Absent: Maloney (Athletics); Feng (Biology); Lawler (Counseling); Pelayo (Foreign Language); Prince (Marketing); _______ (Music); Rebeschi (Nursing); Carrano (Part-time Faculty); Anderson (Part-time Faculty); Goldblatt (Part-time Faculty); Pettigrew (Philosophy); Colwell (Psychology); Cameron (Social Work); Nye (Theater); Weiss (UCF).
The minutes of November 19, 2008, were approved with Senator Shea abstaining.
Announcements:
ü Secretary Diamantis announced the Faculty Senate’s dates for spring 2009:
February 4, 18, March 4, 18, April 8, 22, and May 6 (13 if needed).
ü Senator Gubitose was recognized by the DRO office for her outstanding services to students.
ü Senator Shea publicly thanked the administration for allowing faculty to post grades by January 6th.
ü Senator Vu announced the summer 2009 program “Southern in Paris” and urged senators to announce to their departments.
ü Senator Olson announced that there are many other international programs that senators should also announce to their departments.
President’s Report ~~ President Johnson distributed the report and opened discussions on the following:
Standing Committee Updates:
ü Technology ~ ~ Senator DaPonte reported that he is seeking recommendations for minimum technology configuration for the classrooms. He also asked for recommendations for the Part Time faculty.
ü Academic Policy ~ ~ Senator Bloch indicated that the committee is working on the transfer credit policy and the language on student’s academic probation. In addition the committee will be presenting the new policy on retaking a course.
ü Elections ~ ~ Senator Swartz reported that there were two emergency elections. The results of elections for the University Grade Appeal Committee : Amal Abd El-Raouf and for the P & T committee: Tarameh Seyed.
ü Finance ~ ~ Senator Brucker reported that there are some money for travel funds. February 1st may result in adding more money to the travel fund from the retraining funds if they are not used by then. In addition, she asked that senators remind faculty that there is a time limitation for faculty to submit for reimbursement, that is 60 days after the travel. After the 60 days, if the request is not submitted the money will be unencumbered for other faculty to use. Senators were asked to remind their department faculty to submit receipts for payments before 60 days.
ü Personnel Policy ~ ~ Senator Cusato reported that when she spoke to Maria Houser, she was informed that the background check is not negotiable at this time. The confidentiality statement is being evaluated by AAUP and faculty voiced great concerns in signing such document. The sense of the senate was unanimous (one abstention) : to oppose signing the confidentiality statement at this time. President Johnson will bring to President Norton the concern of the senators and the sense of the Senate on above issue immediately.
ü Rules ~ ~ Senator O’Brien reported that the committee is trying to contact Bonnie Farley Lucas on the revisions on the By- laws for the Faculty Development Advisory committee and the Outstanding Teaching Awards Committee. He hasn’t heard back from her.
ü Student Policy ~ ~ Senator Madonia had no report at this time.
At this time there was a motion to move to NEW BUSINESS – motion was unanimously accepted.
New Business:
Students Retaking a Course ~~ after lengthy discussions on different amendments on this policy, there was a motion to postpone decision on this policy until February due to time restrictions. Motion to postpone was unanimously accepted. The policy will be presented in the February meeting for action.
UCF ~ ~ Dr. Weiss reported that UCF will be finalizing the Liberal Education and highlighted three key points: simplification and seeking similarity to current program; preservation of faculty positions; and students should have greater flexibility when they choose to change majors. The Task Force will be discussing above issues during the winter break and the new proposed Liberal Education plan will be presented during spring 2009.
UCF has an agreement with the administration to award departments with 6 credits for the process of undergraduate reviews. This will give faculty release time to work on the reviews. It is suggested that the department be allocated 0.6 credits per semester for 5 years, thus 6 credits total. Provost Williams will accept this if the Chair’s Council will vote favorably.
The Senate adjourned at 2:05 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Maria Diamantis
Secretary of the Senate