11/20/2014 3:40 PM | Meeting called to order by Tim Daniels

In Attendance

Senators:  Dr. Shane Warrick, Dr. Timothy Wise, Dr. Christie Hough, Dr. Ron Smith, Dr. George White,

Dr. Matt Lammers, Dr. Juping Wang, Dr. Charles Young, Dr. David Sanson, Dr. Copie Moore, Dr. Abdel Bachri, Dr. Charles Keller, Mr. Tim Daniels, Dr. Sara Day, Dr. Denise Moseley

Absent:  Dr. Neelie Dobbins (proxy given to Dr. George White), Dr. Alec Testa (proxy given to Dr. Denise Moseley), Dr. Svetlana Paulson (proxy given to Dr. Charles Keller)

Visitors:  Dr. Trey Berry, Dr. Scott White, Mr. Roger Giles, Brad Stout

Approval of Minutes

Minutes from the October 16, 2014 meeting were approved; motion by D. Sanson; seconded by S. Day

Unfinished Business

• Progress by the Handbook Committee on consideration of the proposed Faculty/Staff Professional Development Committee
  • Moseley reported that the Handbook Committee would like to submit for consideration the newly constructed Faculty/Staff Professional Development Committee.
  • There must be two specially called Faculty Assembly meetings: 1) for exposure and 2) for voting; these meetings are one week apart.
  • Giles has suggested Wednesday, January 14^th and Wednesday, January 21^st as the exposure/voting dates.
  • Warrick expressed concern about enough faculty showing up to vote; A. Bachri suggested sending out electronically beforehand so that faculty have an idea of the importance.
  • (skipped down the agenda to Reports of Committees…)
• Discussion and update on Faculty Evaluation
  • College of Science & Engineering: meeting for final revision tomorrow.
  • College of Education: has 3 subcommittees working; meeting weekly; using a rubric-style model with parameter language, which is the only element that may differ with the current handbook; proposing three in-class visits with the modified TESS instrument for pure peer evaluation; for online, proposing the Quality Matters or Blackboard rubric.
  • College of Business: took the guidelines in the handbook and added specifics to the criteria.
  • College of Liberal & Performing Arts: no update. S. Day reported anecdotally that she think there is a group working but she is not sure.
• Update on Textbook Committee
  • Bachri provided the Senate a handout with his report and then read the report aloud. T. Daniels commended the ad hoc committee on their work and suggested the report be sent out to ALLUSERS; A. Bachri agreed to do so. G. White questioned what will happen next, other than just recommendations from the committee. S. Warrick spoke to some of the recommendations within the report (specifically #4); R. Giles pointed out that the contract with the bookstore can be negotiated over time. S. White suggested communicating the recommendations to the Deans, as ex officio members of the Senate. T. Daniels suggested we continue the item as old business and bring the matter back up for more discussion at the next meeting.
  • Berry shared that, because of the Senate’s work on textbook costs, J. Kee has launched an initiative through the Foundation (“Giving Tuesday”) for a Student Textbook Scholarship Fund.

Reports of Committees

• Report from the Handbook Committee
  • Moseley reported the recommendations of the Handbook Committee concerning the revised mission statements of the standing committees, as well as these additional recommendations. D. Sanson made the motion to accept; S. Warrick seconded.
    • Delete Archives Committee
    • Delete Technology Services Committee
    • Add certification requirement to IRB Committee
    • Add Archives Librarian to the committee structure of Library Committee
    • Change Assessment Committee name to Assessment Review Council
    • Accept the revised mission statements, as submitted by the committees
  • Discussion indicated some concern with some of the recommendations. S. Warrick made a motion for a friendly amendment to the Handbook Committee’s recommendation to NOT delete the Technology Services Committee and to include the Academic Affairs revised mission statement in the motion; D. Sanson seconded; the motion for the amendment carried.
  • The amended motion concerning committees, including the Faculty/Staff Professional Development Committee, passed with G. White abstaining.

Other New Business

• Questions for the Administration:
  • May we have an update on the Presidential search?
    • Giles reported the search committee is diligently working and have the applicant pool reduced to less than ten. The committee is in the process of checking references and will meet again next week.  Three to four candidates will probably be brought to campus, with campus visits lasting two days (1/2 day at SAU-Tech).  There was brief discussion about feedback from the campus after the interviews, possibly by survey.
  • Southern Arkansas University Mission Statement
    • It was stated in the Systems Portfolio that we would review the university’s mission statement this year. R. Giles has suggested that the Faculty Senate be the body that review the mission statement. Discussion ensued and mention was made that the university learning goals and the mission statement do not currently align. White suggested we wait on the hiring of a new president to determine his vision before changing the mission statement.  A. Bachri made the motion to table the revision to the mission statement and learning goals until the presidential search concludes.  G. White seconded.
  • Attendance/Participation policy for online classes
    • Tabled due to time constraints, although it was noted that this is an important issue that we need to visit at the next meeting. Wise made the motion to table this agenda item; S. Warrick seconded.

Next Meeting

1/15/2015 3:40 PM, Reynolds 205

Meeting concluded at 5:00 PM; Motion to adjourn by S. Day; seconded by A. Bachri

Submitted by Denise Moseley, Faculty Senate Secretary, November 20, 2014