Minutes for the Meeting of the Senate of the Faculty
September 9, 2004 4:45 PM
Thad Cochran Research Center (Natural Products Center), Room 2066
Meeting called to order with a quorum at 4:50p.m.
Present: Edmund Acevedo, Donna Adler, Robert Brown, John Bruce, Daisy Cheng, Alice Cooper, Conrad Cunningham, Gregg Davidson, Tristan Denley, Michelle Emanuel, Laurdella Foulkes-Levy, Garey Fox, Ray Fulton, Greg Johnson, Fred Laurenzo, Diane Marting, Rosemary Oliphant-Ingham, Elizabeth Payne, Michael Repka, Bill Scott, Laura Sheppardson, Warren Steel, Joe Sumrall, Mary Thurlkill, Randy Wadkins, Kristine Willett, Wu Haidong, Alexander Yakovlev
Absent: Milam Aiken, Bahram Alidaee, Victoria Bush, Judith Cassidy*, Laurie Cozad, Rick Elam, Kris Gilliland*, Matthew Hall*, Jamie Harker (not notified of meeting), Charles Ingene*, Ivo Kamps (not notified of meeting), Chris McCurdy*, Jennifer Mizenko, Sidney Rowland, Diane Tidwell*, Joe Urgo (not notified of meeting), Nancy Wicker, Kathleen Wickham (not notified of meeting), John Winkle*
* Prior Notification
Senator Brown made a motion to endorsed
Senator Bruce seconded
Motion accepted
2. Instructor Career Ladder (Instructor Policy) – Dean Hopkins
Senators discussed: How will this proposal impact visiting professors? Who would oversee these instructors? What level of teaching experience is required? Is this promotion limited to full-time instructors? Will this actually present students with the most qualified instructors? Would departments maintain freedom to place instructor? Would the limit of 6 yrs of hiring instructors change? After a couple of yrs, would there be opportunity for re-appointment/re-classification? Could instructors serve on university committees? Has this been cleared with AAUP policies/standards?
Senator Emmanuel made a motion to approve
Senator Davidson seconded
Motion passed without dissent
3. Teacher Evaluations – Assoc Prov Maurice Eftink & Assistant VC Kathy Gates
Senators discussed: Is using paper evaluations legitimate? Will requiring students to complete evaluations be viewed as coercive? Aren’t we looking for balance between reaching acceptable participation rates, incentives, and consequences? Is there an ethical concern with making students complete teacher evaluations? Will these procedures be utilized on the Oxford campus only? There has been course confusion when filling out evaluations. Does this provide more opportunity for course shopping? And is this a good thing? Can faculty opt out of publicizing his or her results?
Senators are encouraged to propose procedures and provide feedback to Eftink or Gates by 9/20 @ eftink@olemiss.edu or kfg@olemiss.edu
Faculty representatives on the UM Web-Site Re-design Committee are Dr. Clif Mims & Dr. Sean Wilson.
4. Faculty and Staff Compensation Incentive Plan
The Administrative Council is considering the compensation plan.
5. Committee on Elections
Elections to University Committees are taking place. Please help with conducting the elections.
Reports from Committees
1. Academic Support Services: Chair, Michelle Emanuel
A memo was sent to the Chancellor outlining a process to follow in addressing the implementation of an Honor Code.
Committee will discuss electronic privacy policies established at other institutions and present proposal at next faculty senate meeting.
2. Faculty Governance: Chair, John Bruce
The Background Check policy has been suspended for the time being.
3. University Services: Chair, Laura Sheppardson
The Academic Council has decided not to support the Contractual Readmission Proposal.
4. Academic Affairs: Chair, Robert Brown
Our responses to the Proposals by the ASB have been forwarded to the Provost and the ASB.
5. Finance Committee: Chair, Rick Elam
No report.
1. Editorial Changes to the Constitution and Bylaws of the Faculty Senate
The Bylaws and Constitution editorial changes were handed out for review. The senate will vote to accept the changes at the October meeting.
Senator Payne made the motion to extend the meeting by 15 minutes
Senator Adler seconded
Motion passed without dissent
2. Faculty Survey
Faculty Senate Chair Acevedo suggested that the senate conduct a survey of the faculty that would assess the faculty’s thoughts on several areas of the university. This would allow for the senate to address issue important to the faculty from a with a move proactive approach. A suggestion was made that possibility the Faculty Governance Committee would initiate this process.
3. ASB Resolutions
The Faculty Senate agreed that these topics will be most appropriately addressed by the Undergraduate Council.
4. Chancellor’s Wine & Cheese Social (Dec. 9)
New faculty and senate are invited to a Wine & Cheese with the Chancellor.
Senator Laurenzo made a motion to adjourn the meeting
Senator seconded
Meeting adjourned at 7:12pm