The Faculty Senate of Murray State University met in regular session on Tuesday, February 2, 1999, in the Curris Center. Twenty-eight senators were in attendance. John Crofton was proxy for Senator Maddox, physics and engineering physics. Absent were Senators D'Arche, art; Sutrick, computer science; Hulick, elementary & secondary education; Reed, economics & finance; and White, biology. The Departments of Music and Special Education were not represented. Senators At-Large Brewer and Schell were also absent. The minutes of the January 19, 1999, regular meeting, were approved.

Board of Regents--Regent Rudolph informed the senate that Dr. Terry Strieter and Dr. Terry McCreary have requested time on the agenda of the board's Faculty & Staff Affairs Committee. They will appear before the committee when it meets on February 12 at 10 a.m. Regent Rudolph was requested to ask the board secretary to list topics of discussion on the committee's agenda in the future.

Academic Policies--No report.

Finance--No report.

Governmental Affairs--Chair Wattier announced that the committee will meet to draft a position paper to grant all faculty retirement options. Senator Tim Miller (accounting) has agreed to help.

Handbook & Personnel--Chair Elwell reported that the committee recently met to look at the tenure policy. Two items that the committee incorporated into Section 2.7.3.3, The Annual Evaluation, were: 1) To define tenure committee of the University Libraries and 2) Further stipulate that departmental committees, chairs, and deans give separate written evaluations in the annual review.

Changes to Section 2.7.4.1, Faculty Performance, require that guidelines be on file in each college and be distributed to all incoming faculty describing procedures of evaluation, detailing measurement criteria, and expectations of teaching, service, and scholarship. Guidelines are to be redistributed as part of the annual performance review and the tenure application.

Other changes were added at the request of the University Tenure Committee; that the committee be able to request the University Attorney to respond in writing to a faculty appeal and that the committee limit hearings to those areas in question (Section 2.7.7, Appeal for Reconsideration). The final recommendation was that vacancies on the University Tenure Committee be filled by election in the college or library tenure committee. Currently, deans are responsible for appointments (Section 1.6.3.2, University Tenure Committee).

Responsibility for maintaining a current copy of the Faculty Handbook on-line rests with the Faculty Senate (Section 1.8.4). The committee intends to meet with Dr. Brockway to channel tabled items. Vice President Call added that some revisions to the tenure policy have already been forwarded to the provost by the senate and await approval. He also added that the administration has said that it sees the handbook, speaking to procedures, as an agreement between the administration and the faculty. However, President Landini noted that the board sets policy and is free to depart from the handbook.

All revisions were unanimously approved (27/0). Chair Wattier asked that senators remind deans of these provisions.

Rules, Elections, & Bylaws--Vice President Call reported that the guidelines for selecting the Regents' Teaching Award recipients have been sent to departments.

Insurance & Benefits--Chair Jacobs asked for faculty input on a proposed sick leave bank. The committee will meet in March to proceed.

Graduate Studies Committee--Chair Muscio reported that the council approved the resolution from his committee asking that in-state tuition waivers accompany graduate assistantships, on a limited basis. He added that the provost's office is considering possible fixed monetary stipends instead of the tuition waivers as a cost containment measure. The registrar has requested that the committee discuss the status of 600 level cooperative courses in relation to 600 thesis and practicum classes.

Undergraduate Studies Committee--Senator Wall, senate representative of this committee, reported that a proposed office systems course in grammar was approved as an experimental course. Senator Kimball (English) noted that a meeting to discuss some of his department's concerns with business faculty was very constructive. Dr. Crofton, representing physics, questioned that such a course should be remedial and not offered for credit. It was suggested that the committee identify weaknesses of students in other majors. The College of Humanistic Studies is already studying this.

Vice President Call noted that proposed changes to freshman orientation curriculum have been tabled by Dr. Brockway until next year. He suggested this might be in part because of the concerns expressed by the senate.

Strategic Plan--Senator Barrett, chair of the senate's ad hoc committee to review the strategic plan, presented recommendations. The committee based its recommendations on the premise that the university's original plan developed several years ago was still appropriate to guide the university. Goals stated in the proposed plan would fit under the original goals as action steps. In addition, the ad hoc committee feels that the university committee's idea to include action steps to incorporate cost benefit analyses is a good one.

The committee recommended that all major decisions in allocating resources should be driven by goals of a strategic plan.

The ad hoc committee sees no reference to the strategic plan since November 1993 when changes recommended by SACS were incorporated. The committee feels that decisions have been made outside the scope of the strategic plan.

In discussion, several senators stressed the importance of incorporating cost benefit analysis in current initiatives being undertaken at the university. Chair Elwell, handbook and personnel, noted that the university committee was appointed without going through the governance process as authorized in the Faculty Handbook. Senator Barrett concurred. Nevertheless, a committee has been appointed and President Landini noted that this committee would have to include the state's strategic plan and SACS recommendations as part of its consideration. Senator Beasley (history) added that the board of regents affirmed a strategic plan and, until changes are recommended, it should stand as the directive for the university. Senator Barrett noted that the ad hoc's recommendations are not intended to stifle initiatives, but to allow for public debate on allocation of resources. Decisions will directly affect faculty. With the passage of a friendly amendment, the ad hoc committee's recommendations were approved (15 for/4 against/2 abstentions) and will be forwarded to the University Strategic Planning Committee.

Review of Academic Structure--Senator Muscio reported that the committee has met and will meet on Mondays at 3:30 p.m. He was elected to chair the committee. The committee has invited the allied health leadership team to future meetings. Ms. Linda Miller, ACTS Director, will assist the committee. She will put up a web page to share information with the university community; to include a current organizational chart of the university; organizational plans of benchmarks; and a forum for comments and ideas. Senator Barrett noted that the strategic plan should be an important part in evaluating any organizational plans and criteria should be adhered to.

Executive--President Landini asked for a volunteer to represent the senate on the Millenium Project Committee proposed by deans and residential college heads. Staff Congress and SGA will also be represented. Topics will be addressed in a campus wide effort with programs being planned for the next academic year. Senator Wayne Beasley will represent the faculty senate.

President Landini and Vice President Call will speak to the board's faculty and staff affairs committee on February 12 to report on the Ad Hoc Committee to Review Academic Structure.

The meeting adjourned at 5:15 p.m.