The Faculty Senate convened in regular session on Tuesday, November 2, 1999. The minutes of October 5, 1999, were approved as written.

REPORTS

Board of Regents—Regent Rudolph reported on and asked for input on a suggested cap on the tuition increase. The board also rescinded an earlier decision to raise the graduate tuition differential from 1.1 to 1.3 and increased tuition by 7.5 percent, making it the second highest increase in the state. The next meeting will be in December.

Senator Barrett asked Dr. Rudolph the intent of the board regarding distribution of salary monies. There will be a cost of living raise. Unless the raise is above three percent, no other decisions are needed.

Regent Rudolph also noted that dependents of alumni would now pay the same tuition as incentive counties.

Academic Policies—Chair Morgan presented a summary of faculty responses to reorganization. A copy has been forwarded to the Provost. The committee will co-sponsor faculty development seminars throughout the year to promote creative scholarly activity and research. This is in conjunction with the provost’s office and is being coordinated by Dr. Tim Todd. The committee solicits input from faculty. President Call noted that money is being made available to fund outside speakers and encouraged faculty to suggest presenters.

Finance—Chair Schell reported that the committee has discussed the COLT initiative on campus and the tuition rate increase. COLT is campus on-line learning technology and its purpose is to forward technology on campus. He offered some data on what the tuition increase means for the university.

Chair Schell tried to present a resolution to the floor. President Call shared concerns that the committee did not physically meet. The finance committee via email debated the resolution. President Call noted that email is a medium for discussion. He then asked Senate Parliamentarian, Jay Morgan, who ruled that the resolution was out of order and that the committee must establish a quorum. President Call asked the rules, elections, & bylaws Committee to review this matter and his interpretation of the by-laws. A motion to suspend the by-laws was defeated 12/13. President Call reiterated that the senate should follow its established procedures and insure that items brought to the floor have been properly debated. The rules, elections, & bylaws committee will study rules of meetings in light of current technology.

Governmental Affairs—Chair Wattier reported that COSFL would conduct an ITV meeting on Saturday, November 6, to discuss benchmarks and strategic plans.

Rules, Elections, & Bylaws—The committee distributed packets to senators containing the evaluation of the president’s leadership. Vice President Elwell reported that the committee looked at several assessment instruments, discussed the philosophy of presidential leadership, and had Dr. Winfied Rose brief the committee on presidential leadership. Senators were encouraged to distribute them in person and noted that completed questionnaires will not be accepted by mail. Each departmental senator is charged to handle this process in a confidential manner to insure the integrity of the evaluation. Results will be announced at the December senate meeting.

Insurance & Benefits—Senator Jacobs reported that the committee met on October 20 and elected Dr. Ginny Richerson chair for the current academic year. The committee received an update on the sick leave bank. The policy will go into affect on July 1, 2000. Training sessions will take place next year with enrollment for the year 2001.

The committee will study the $3.2 million cap on the university’s contribution to health premiums in relation to tuition increases and work with the senate’s finance committee in terms of budget. The committee will meet Thursday, December 9, at 9 a.m. on the 2^nd floor of Ordway Hall.

Academic Council

Undergraduate Studies—Senator Schell noted a proposal for new IDC cooperative education courses has been introduced. The committee has noted some initial concerns.

Graduate Studies—Chair Muscio reported that the provost would present any reorganization plan through the channels of the academic council before going to the regents.

Library & Academic Support—No report.

Executive—President Call reported that the senate has not received any changes suggested by the university attorney to the post tenure review proposal and that the provost attended the last executive committee meeting. The committee feels that these meetings are productive and are able to interact quite effectively with the provost.

The President’s Cabinet met on October 25 for the first time. Dr. Alexander noted that he would like to focus on big picture items and asked representatives to summarize activities. He talked about the 2.4 percent state increase in funding and the tuition increase. Western will receive a 4.9 percent increase plus their tuition increase. He noted that a committee out of ITAC has been developed this fall to research and explore the idea of lap top campuses. The committee will report to ITAC and also study campus computing and support. Senators Broughton, Call, and Schell will serve on this committee.

Concerns were expressed on the interaction between ITAC and the academic council. The academic policies committee was charged to examine the respective roles to insure that the role of faculty is properly considered in discussions of computer technology.

President Call asked Dr. Alexander about a name change for the university. Dr. Alexander responded that he has heard the discussion but did not initiate it. The SGA representative noted a goal to increase student ownership of the MSU experience. Staff Congress expressed concerns of reductions in force in respect of the reorganization. Dr. Alexander does not foresee this happening noting that efficiency is not the primary goal of the reorganization.

Dr. Alexander reported that salary comparisons with other universities would be the first issue considered in budget preparations. He also noted that the reorganization is still being developed and that a plan might not be ready for the board until its February meeting. The highest priority for state capital funding is a new science complex.

New business—Senator Pilgrim asked that faculty workloads in relation to distance and web-based courses be reviewed. Vice President Elwell suggested that either the academic policies committee of the senate or the academic council should conduct a broad examination.

Senator Schell noted that his committee would bring a resolution to the floor of the senate at the next meeting noting that none of the proposed postsecondary education centers have been subjected to quantitative analysis. The CPE meets in November. Dr. Schell urges the university to evaluate the necessity for any new proposals and the maintenance of quality instruction.

Senator Barrett asked that the handbook and personnel committee work with the faculty regent, the provost, and the president to develop a salary policy. He noted the importance of established procedures to faculty. Vice President Elwell and Regent Rudolph noted that the board might establish a 100 percent merit policy. Senators Barrett and Foreman reiterated, in any case, that faculty needs to have a voice in that decision and let the board know what it believes reasonable. Senator Schell suggested that this might be best studied at the college and departmental level. Vice President Elwell said that his committee would meet twice in November in order to look at this issue.

The meeting adjourned at 5 p.m.