January 2022 Minutes

Minutes of the Faculty Senate

Virtual Meeting in Zoom

January 20, 2022 

Present: Senators Logan, Almotairi, Valenzuela, Pfannenstiel, Oden, S. Schroeder, Coppersmith, Schneiderwind, T. Schroeder, Tucker, White, Fanning, Wilson, Overholser, Nelson, Paulson

Proxies: Karen Landry for B. Hudgens, Angela Stanford for C. Petty.

Ex-officio and guests: Trey Berry, David Lanoue, Donna Allen, Roger Giles, Jennifer Rowsam, Sheryl Edwards, Kayla Rasberry, Gerald Plumlee, Robin Sronce, Kim Bloss, Wilson Impson, Marisa Grippo, Nicole Woods, Tami Underwood

Call to order: 3:42 pm

1. Approval of Minutes

Minutes from November 18, 2021 were approved (motion – Oden, second – Landry).

2. Special Orders of the Day

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Senator Tucker indicated that the Budget Committee has not yet met formally but has drafted a mission statement for the committee and presents it as a report from the Budget Committee.

The Faculty Senate Budget Committee facilitates faculty participation in the University budget process. The Committee considers issues and makes recommendations to the Faculty Senate and Administration regarding budgetary priorities that affect faculty and the larger SAU community.

A motion to approve the report from the Budget Committee and to refer the drafted mission statement to the Handbook Committee for incorporation into the Faculty Handbook. (motion – White, second – Wilson). Motion passes unanimously.

Senator Paulson reports that the Parking Appeals Committee met online to discuss the change in name and mission of that committee and presents those items as a report from the Parking Appeals Committee.

Renaming the Parking Appeals Committee as Faculty Parking, Buildings, and Grounds Committee.

The mission of the Faculty Parking, Buildings, and Grounds Committee is to assist with the resolution of parking issues on campus involving faculty members, and to relay to the Sustainability Committee faculty’s proposals on how SAU grounds and buildings could be improved to better serve SAU and Magnolia community.

A motion to approve the report from the Parking Appeals Committee and to refer the drafted committee name and mission statement to the Handbook Committee for incorporation into the Faculty Handbook. (motion – Schneiderwind, second – Wilson). Motion passes unanimously.

President Schroeder announces that with Dr. Connie Wilson accepting a new role as the Dean of Graduate Studies for the coming year that Dr. Wilson will not be able to serve as Senate President for 2022-2023. In order to prepare for this, President Schroeder in conversation with the other Faculty Senate officers announces that Dr. Lisa Oden has agreed to fill Dr. Wilson’s position as Senate Vice President/President-elect effective immediately. So moved (motion – White, second – Nelson). Senator Oden indicates that she is honored to serve this group. Motion passes unanimously.

3. Old Business

None

4. New Business

Question for the Administration: Is bereavement leave (for three or more days) ever provided to SAU faculty and staff for immediate family members? Some faculty state that they have had to take their sick time for this. Most companies do not expect employees to take personal sick time for bereavement.

VPA Giles responds to the question. Other schools in AR have bereavement leave taken as sick leave and that AR legislation designates bereavement leave under sick leave. President Schroeder asked if that might be for businesses in AR? Giles responds that it is state law. Senator Logan asks if faculty and staff earn sick leave at the same rate? Giles responds in the affirmative; one sick day per month worked.

Comments from SAU President Berry

• Covid-19 case update for the campus and county
• Extra help is available at Health Services with evening COVID testing now available
• New COVID protocols were sent to faculty and staff earlier this week
• The Risk Management Task Force will be meeting weekly this semester
• Enrollment numbers for spring appear to be on par with previous year
• Ad campaign in the works for new Healthcare Administration degree in the Rankin College of Business
• 2022-2023 budget process will start in earnest around March 15^th.

Senator White asks the names of the faculty members on the Risk Management Task Force. President Berry indicates Dr. Shannin Schroeder, Dr. Connie Wilson, Dr. Jennifer Rowsam, Dr. Karen Landry, and Dr. Daniel McDermott. President Schroeder indicates that all of these members are more than happy to convey faculty concerns to the Risk Management Task Force.

Comments from Provost Lanoue

• Thank you to all faculty for what you are doing in the classroom; both COVID-related and otherwise
• Request for feedback regarding the COVID accommodations policy for classes including the Zoom on demand, Zoom by request, and the video recording and posting of lectures policy sent out from the Provost’s office at the start of the spring semester.
• The Provost will be submitting to the Faculty Senate topics for the Handbook Committee to consider including tenure and promotion policies in order to clarify inconsistencies and points that can lead to confusion in the current language.

Senator Nelson asks if other faculty are getting email from students regarding quarantine but are not getting confirmation of quarantine status from University Health Services? Provost Lanoue responds to make sure that those students get in contact with University Health Services immediately. He asks that we take student’s word for it if they say that they are COVID positive and to ask those students to stay away from the classroom until University Health Services clears them to return.

Senator T. Schroeder asks whether excused absences should be granted only for the students with notifications from University Health Services? Provost Lanoue indicates it is up to the faculty but that we certainly don’t want those students in class if they are positive.

Senator Tucker asks if no contact quarantining is occurring at this time according to University policy, should contact tracing and the resources required to do so still be going on? Provost Lanoue indicates that he will but that question on the agenda for the next Risk Management Task Force meeting. President Schroeder adds that Senator Logan as part of the Risk Management Task Force has suggested benchmark levels for various COVID responses by the University and will be presenting at the next Risk Management Task Force meeting.

President Schroeder received a question regarding whether anything entered into the Mentor system is visible and searchable to our colleagues at any time. Gerald Plumlee indicates that this is incorrect; that only research sections are keyword searchable to colleagues. All else is visible to chairs and deans.

Senator Overholser announces that she and Dr. James McQuiston will be chairing a virtual conference to be held on March 4, 2022 with an excellent keynote speaker. Watch for more details.

5. Adjourn

Motion to Adjourn (Motion – Nelson, second – Logan). Motion carries unanimously.

Next meeting of the Faculty Senate is scheduled for Thursday, February 17^th at 3:40 pm.