Meeting of the Senate of the Faculty
September 9, 1999
Chair Fred Laurenzo called the Senate to order at 7:05 p.m. in Conner Hall, Room 112.
Present: J. Atkins, J. Aubrey, B. Avery, B. Barrios, T. Bates, A. Bomba, J. Bradley, L. Bush, B. Choinski, W. Cleland, C. Eagles, D. Feller, V. Frierson-Adams, D. Graves, L. Hanshaw, L. Harper, S. Husni, F. Laurenzo, T. McCarty, K. McKee, P. Malone, C. Mullen, M. Overby, L. Pittman, K. Raber, T. Ray, J. Reidy, J. Rimoldi, K. Sabol, M. Slattery, L. Smith, C. Taylor, M. Tew, Jay Watson, John Watson, C. Williford.
Absent: *M. Baggett, B. Barkdoll, G. Buskes, A. Canty, *J. Cassidy, R. Dale, M. Deighton, R. Ethridge, P. Goggans, S. Hargrove, *J. Martin, W. Mayer, J. Murray, J. Parcher, E. Payne, J. F. Payne, W. Rayburn, *R. Schroeder, H. Sloan, C. Walker, R. Westmoreland, J. Williamson.
*Previous notice given
Guests: Tracey Mitchell and Onice Carter from the Staff Council, Rachel Malone from the Daily Mississippian
1. Chair Laurenzo introduced Mr. Johnny Williams, Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance, who discussed the coming payroll change. He recounted the process that led to the decision to pay everyone twice each month. Project Discover teams had recognized that the University was inefficent in processing over forty payrolls each year. The new plan, that goes into effect, January 1, 2000, will require only 24 payrolls. He also pointed out that the State of Mississippi has mandated that all agencies of the State will execute twice-monthly payrolls beginning January 1, 2001. As the University plans to implement its new management software system this coming January, the decision was made to go forward with the new payroll schedule rather than have to retool the system one year later. Mr. Williams did not know the amount of money that would be held because of the seven-day delay requirement, but said that Bob Dowdy would compute that. Interest drawn from that money will be put back into the salary increase pool for the following year. One question concerned the impact of the change on people about to retire. There evidently had not been an analysis of that impact. The change will not have any effect on nine-month faculty, but they will have the opportunity to have their salaries paid over twelve months. Mr. Williams also reminded everyone that the student module of the comprehensive package is being written at this time and will not go on line in January, 2000. He also noted that the legacy operating system will remain on line as long as is needed.
2. Old Business
The chair announced that minutes from the May meeting will be approved at our next meeting. They have been posted to the Senate web page.
3. New Business
The chair introduced the discussion of the proposed statement on Faculty Governance by giving its history. The SACS team has indicated the need for an official statement that defines the nature of the facultys role in the governance of academic affairs at the University. Early in the summer Dr. Maurice Eftink had asked the Senate to develop such a statement. The task was given to the Senates Faculty Governance Committee, who spent several weeks working on a draft. The draft was then reviewed by the Senate Executive Committee, who also had occasion to discuss it with the Chancellor and the Provost. The draft was distributed to the Senate with the agenda of the September 9 meeting.
Senator Overby moved that the document be approved by the Senate. Senator Taylor seconded the motion.
After some discussion Senator Bradley moved to add four words and delete one in the second paragraph. Senator Malone seconded the motion. The motion passed.
After more discussion Senator Bradley moved to change the wording from good will in the third paragraph to good faith. Senator Husni seconded the motion. The motion passed without dissent.
A question was raised as to whether other organizations, such as the AAUP, have statements that define the role of faculty in academic governance. Chair Laurenzo had with him a publication of the AAUP which did contain such language. He offered it to the members who wished to review it.
Senator Mullen moved that the third and fourth sentences in the fourth paragraph be made a new paragraph. Senator Eagles seconded the motion. The intent was to underscore that faculty should have a significant role in academic governance beyond the items noted in the quotation in sentence two. There was some discussion as to the desirability of arguing that a majority of the faculty should actually have to give consent to academic decisions. The motion passed.
Senator Bradley made a motion to change the wording of the first sentence of the new third paragraph to put the Through clause at the end of the sentence. Senator Malone seconded the motion, and it was agreed to.
The time being near 9:00 p.m., the chair indicated that the main motion would either have to be approved at once or an extension of the meeting would need to be adopted
or the motion would need to be tabled. Senator Bush moved to table the main motion. Senator Husni seconded the motion, and the motion passed by a19 to 9 vote. The following is the document that is on the table.
POLICY ON THE JURISDICTION OF THE FACULTY AND
THE ADMINISTRATION IN ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
The University of Mississippi subscribes to the principles of university governance enunciated in the "Statement on Government of Colleges and Universities" jointly formulated in 1966 by the American Association of University Professors, the American Council on Education, and the American Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. In accordance with that document, the University of Mississippi recognizes that "the faculty has primary responsibility for such fundamental areas as curriculum, subject matter and methods of instruction, research, faculty status, and those aspects of student life that relate to the educational process."
The University recognizes that faculty governance of academic affairs requires the consent of the majority of the affected faculty constituency and seeks to ensure that academic decisions are made through a process of consultation . It is recognized that the process requires further clarification and both faculty and administration are committed to defining it as explicitly as possible.
University faculty have teaching, research, and service responsibilities that are defined by the faculty, either collectively or as appropriate by department or college/school, in collaboration with the academic administration. Any changes in or addition to the agreed upon obligations of the faculty will become effective only when approved by a majority of the faculty involved, whether in a department, college/school, or the entire university.
Effective faculty governance of academic affairs requires good faith on the part of both the faculty and the administration and genuine commitment by each to a process of shared governance.
The Senate adjourned at 9:05.
Respectfully submitted,
T. J. Ray, Secretary