MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY FACULTY SENATE MINUTES December 1, 1998

The Faculty Senate of Murray State University met in regular session on Tuesday, December 1, 1998, in the Barkley Room of the Curris Center. Thirty-four senators were present. Senators Hulick, elementary & secondary education; Kimball, English; Maddox, physics; and Jean Miller, special education, were absent. Minutes of the November 3, 1998, senate meeting were approved as written.

REPORTS

Board of Regents--Regent Rudolph reported that President Landini and Vice President Call will have the opportunity to address the faculty and staff affairs committee on Friday at 9 a.m. Time will be allowed for other faculty to address the committee also. He urged senators to encourage faculty attendance at this meeting. The committee will meet in WH 333 from 9-10:15 a.m. He asked that faculty channel their concerns through the senate leadership. The executive committee has forwarded concerns already submitted to him including issues regarding policies and procedures outlined in the Faculty Handbook that he will present to the committee.

Regent Rudolph encouraged faculty to attend any or all of the board meetings on Friday; board meetings are open to the public. He briefly outlined three agenda items; 1) recommendation for an associate university attorney, 2) recommendation of 462 December graduates, and 3) committee reports including appointments to the Student Affairs Committee.

Senator Barrett inquired if the board or president had empowered a committee to begin the search for provost. President Landini responded that Dr. Alexander will keep them apprised; he has said that he wants a national search.

Academic Policies--Chair Gray briefed the senate on three agenda items; the virtual university, map reports (the concensus is that as currently designed they are difficult to read and interpret, but, the work required to complete them is appreciated), and the renaming of incentive grants to achievement scholarships. Senators Morgan and Schell are investigating grade inflation on campus and the committee will discuss at its next meeting. The committee presented the following resolution which passed 30 to 2:

WHEREAS, the name Achievement Scholarships is misleading and dilutes the academic reputation of Murray State University; BE IT RESOLVED that the Achievement Scholarship be renamed.

The committee added possible suggestions including tuition reduction award, incentive grant, or incentive scholarship. Senator Richerson (business education) noted that students are required to meet certain academic criteria to qualify for these awards. Senator Morgan (foreign languages) said they are no higher than entrance requirements for other students and do not warrant a reduction in tuition based on this one criteria. A change was suggested to promote these grants at college fairs. Senator Muscio (chemistry) noted that entrance requirements for out of state students is slightly higher than in state residents.

Finance--Chair Guin reported that the committee has two major studies on-going. The committee will meet next Tuesday, December 8, at 3:30 in FH 306 to go over salary data.

Governmental Affairs--Chair Wattier informed the senate that Dr. Gordon Davies, CPE President, will speak to the senate in March. A special invitation is extended to all faculty as Dr. Davies meets with senates across the state.

Handbook & Personnel--Chair Elwell reported the Provost is working with the committee on changes to the Handbook. The committee looked at collegiate criteria for merit pay and recommended three clarifications to guide faculty in determining their activities at the university (included as part of these minutes). The changes were unanimously but conditionally approved by the senate. The committee will revisit the issue of notification of criteria to faculty. Senators questioned that a specific time annually should be noted.

Insurance & Benefits--Chair Jacobs reported that the joint faculty and staff committee met to set its agenda for the year. Vice President Denton has been asked for an update on several recommendations previously forwarded to the administration for consideration. The recommendation to increase KTRS service credit has been forwarded to Dr. Alexander. The committee has requested a written determination on setting up a sick leave bank.

The committee will continue work to enhance the tuition waiver benefit for dependents seeing it as a significant recruiting and retention tool. Research continues on seeking actual costs to the university.

The committee also recommends that the senate pursue lobbying in the legislature for retirement benefit options for current faculty. New hires are given options. COSFL is supporting this across the state.

The committee will meet in January. Issues can be channeled through collegiate representatives on the committee.

Rules, Elections, & Bylaws--Vice President Call announced that the committee will meet next Tuesday, December 8, in the senate office.

Graduate Studies Committee of the Academic Council--Chair Muscio reported that the committee is considering a resolution calling upon the administration to consider liability and academic support of remitting tuition for graduate students who hold fellowships from outside the university.

Executive--President Landini reported that the committee met twice in November in order to bring concerns to the floor of the senate. Faculty dismay over the Hester fire and in response to the Governor's plans to have the universities fund sprinklers in campus housing across the state, the senate was compelled to voice its concerns over safety and that students would be financially penalized. An unanimous plea urging use of existing resources to fund additional safety measures was forwarded to the Governor.

The senate also unanimously articulated its concerns that existing university committees are being bypassed. Board approved policies and procedures seem to be ignored when new committee appointments are made; i.e., ad hoc, task forces. Policies affecting the future of MSU are made circumventing normal channels. No opportunity is given for input into decisions. According to Regent Rudolph, this item will be the main issue of discussion at the meeting of the Faculty and Staff Affairs Committee on Friday.

Vice President Call noted that in the past there has been no response from the administration when concerns were mentioned regarding shared governance. Procedures involving faculty input are stated but not adhered to. The executive committee cited several specific examples of Handbook violations; these will be forwarded to the Faculty and Staff Affairs Committee by Regent Rudolph. Senator Foreman (philosophy and religious studies) noted that equal concern led to a new governance system in the early 1980's.

Senator Barrett (psychology) a member of the newly constituted committee for post tenure review asked for direction in his service to faculty. Senator White (biology) encouraged recommendations forwarded to the senate for approval as stated in Section 1.6.2.2 of the Faculty Handbook. President Landini noted that several reports affecting faculty have gone directly to the board without being seen by the senate. As recommended by the handbook & personnel committee, the senate will monitor and document violations to the handbook. A link will be provided on the senate's web page.

In other business, President Landini informed the senate that Dr. Marlene Campbell has resigned from the senate and also as senate representative to the undergraduate studies committee of the Academic Council. Dr. Ken Sutrick will represent the Department of Computer Science. Adhering to university governance policy, President Landini has appointed Dr. Celia Wall as faculty senate representative to the academic council.

Dr. Landini also encouraged faculty to attend any or all of Friday's Board meetings. She commended Dr. Jack Dressler for his attendance at previous meetings noting that she, Vice President Call, and the faculty regent normally are the only faculty in attendance.

She added that some members of the board have never seen other faculty at board proceedings and that meetings are a good opportunity to be informed and attendance would be appreciated.

She informed the senate that today she received a memo from Dr. Brockway concerning possible reorganization of the academic unit. In order to gain more information prior to today's senate meeting, she called him, but he was in a meeting with Dr. Alexander. Vice President Call noted that this is an example of shared governance working as it should. Chair Elwell noted this as a direct result of the executive committee's resolution. President Landini acknowledged this as recognition of what faculty consider shared governance, however, expressed concern at revisiting academic restructuring. She suggested that Dr. Brockway be invited to discuss this with the executive committee at its January 12 meeting. President Landini sees direction toward more shared governance as very positive.

Old business--The status of the post tenure review committee was discussed. Faculty are well represented on this committee. The board wants further information on this subject. Senators noted several issues to be looked at in developing a policy and question a need with other performance reviews already in place.

New business--Faculty were encouraged to study the revised strategic plan. Comments have been invited. Comments are also being solicited on the MACE website. Chair Elwell noted the importance of reviewing structure periodically and asked faculty to take this seriously. Senator At-large Schell voiced concern that quality is not defined in the plan adding that none of the president's initiatives toward enrollment have ever been subjected to cost benefit analysis. He noted that university objectives should be reflected in resource allocation during the budget process and noted no strategic plan is meaningful without first gaining control of the budget.

Senator Barrett, noting that the governance system was completely bypassed with this preliminary document, stressed that review is part of faculty's institutional responsibility and that feedback from faculty should come through the Faculty Senate. He then proposed that the senate do a complete and thorough review of the proposed strategic plan as formulated by the administration. Senator Foreman seconded the motion. Chair Elwell offered a friendly amendment that an ad hoc committee be formed with a timeline to report back to the senate and forward its review to the administration. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 5 p.m. and the executive committee briefly met and appointed Senators Barrett, Schell, Foreman, and Jeanquart-Barone for this review.