Faculty Senate Minutes
Meeting –
I.
Meeting was called to order at
II.
Minutes from the
III. Officer Reports:
a. Secretary: none
b. Communications Officer: The Faculty Senate web page needs updating, please e-mail Rick Bower with ideas. To send e-mail to the Faculty Senate use the following list serve address: fsenate-l@listserv.pstcc.edu
c. TBR
Representative: Standardized overload
pay at TBR institutions is being studied.
d. President:
Report from Learning Council – There will be no spring schedule changes from
the established 68 days of classes and 4 days of exams because no one provided
a viable alternative. Enrollment at PSTCC is flat for fall semester. New
student enrollment is up 10% over fall of 2004. The Hope Scholarship will most
likely not be funded at current levels in the future because of incorrect
projections of income vs. outflow. Dr. Bruns stated that there has never been
an official policy in place for the review of department head status. There was
a verbal agreement some years ago to “shake it up” every three or four years
but faculty at that time resisted the idea because they were happy with their
department heads. Departments who want a review can petition Dr. Bruns at any
time. As a result of this report the following was adopted: Faculty Senate
strongly encourages all faculty to complete a department head review annually.
The president asked senators to poll their departments before the next meeting
to get a feel for the desire or lack thereof to implementing a ( + )
( - ) grading scale. It was reported from the offices of Records and
Student Affairs that a Dean’s list for part time students was not recommended
because it would involve too much work for the office personnel. After some
discussion about the importance of this the following recommendation was stated
to be sent back to Learning Council: The Faculty Senate requests that a
Dean’s List for part time students be implemented at PSTCC to underscore
Foundations of Excellence and to improve positive retention.
IV. Committee Reports:
a. Adjunct Faculty: New adjunct member of Faculty Senate – Matt Thompson, History instructor.
b. RODP/Online Courses: Paul Ramp reported that interest in pursuing academic honesty in on-line courses is waning within the PSTCC committee. Dave Vinson reported that the state wide committee of which he is a member is still functioning.
c. Student Scholarships: The 2006 book sale falls to the Natural and Behavioral Sciences Department.
d. Rules: Paul Ramp will serve as chair for this committee as Parliamentarian for the Senate
e. Evaluation: Faculty need to save documentation for promotion/tenure and for annual reviews by department heads.
f. Summer Issues: This committee was put on hold until further need is established.
g. Nominating Committee: Needs to function in the spring semester to fill officer positions needed. Bill Brewer, recording secretary will serve as chair of this committee.
h. Faculty Forums: This committee will be dropped due to lack of interest.
V.
Unfinished Business: Peggy Wilson and Karen Queener addressed the
concerns about faculty disability issues. Peggy stated that a process is in
place as outlined in the employee handbook as to dealing with disability
accommodations, requests etc. Each situation is considered on its own merit. A
faculty member’s performance may be deemed an undue hardship on the college by
the president. If the faculty member’s job performance is in question then TBR
guidelines for dealing with the issue are followed. Alternatives are considered
as to whether a faculty member could perform another function at the college.
Peggy suggested that emotional and mental health issues are difficult to
identify and discern whether they are covered under