Faculty Senate Minutes
November 19, 2008-3:30 PM, Pellissippi Campus
I. Call to Order
Meeting was called to order by Tom Gaddis. Senators in attendance: Martha Merrill (BCT), Denise Reed (BCT), Mae Jean King (BCT), Ken Swayne (EMT), Sami Ghezawi (EMT), David Gilbert (EMT), Lawana Day (English), Trish Roller (English), Sharon Reedy (English), David Key (LA), Charles Miller (LA), Anita Maddox (LA, Daryl Thomas (Math), Brad Rose (NBS), Nina McPherson (Library Services), Caroline Best (Transitional Studies), Tom Gaddis (Business Officer), Jane Stribling (Magnolia Avenue), Mark Fuentes (BCT, President Elect), David Vinson (Math, TBR Rep).
II. Approval of Minutes – Tom Gaddis
Minutes were approved after one correction was made to Section V. Officer Reports. Wording concerning degree audit in the last paragraph was changed to read: Degree audit in Banner will be available prior to priority registration in Spring 2009.
III. Officer Reports
Secretary: Nina McPherson – no report
Communications: Ken Swayne
The new constitution has been added to the Faculty Senate Website.
TBR Representative: Dave Vinson
Dave attended the Faculty Sub-Council meeting three weeks ago and will email minutes before the Thanksgiving holiday.
President: Wanda Scarbro
President Scarbro did email to President Edwards the Faculty Senate motion passed at the October meeting concerning the continued use of trained security personnel for all campuses. She has not received any response from President Edwards.
President Scarbro received an email
from an adjunct faculty member concerning the staff lounge on the third floor
of the McWherter building. She was
concerned that that was the only place she could meet with her students outside
of class. She was also concerned that the
environment of the room is not very conducive to faculty work. She inquired whether computers and printers
could be installed in the room.
President Scarbro did discuss this idea with Dr. Wise, and since
McWherter has one adjunct faculty office space and some in the
President Scarbro received an email from a faculty member who wanted to be able to withdraw students from the class roll if they did not show up for class for an extended period of time. President Scarbro did discuss this request with Dr. Wise who felt that this would be too complicated to intervene. Students might have circumstances that could be adversely affected by this action, such as insurance requirements. Faculty can ask success coordinators to follow-up with students who are not attending classes.
The Faculty Emeritus policy was passed at a Learning Council meeting. It was on the agenda for a President’s Staff meeting. Although in previous preliminary discussions with President Edwards, he did not think a definition of “distinguished service” with specifics was necessary, he had reservations about its present wording so the President’s Staff did not vote on the policy. Faculty Senate does not want to change the policy to include a lot of specificity since it is not required in the promotion/tenure policy. President Scarbro will discuss this matter further with President Edwards.
President Scarbro discussed the possibility of reinstating a computer literacy course requirement for students. Dr. Wise felt that such a course could not be supported at this time due to budget trouble and a prospective tuition increase.
President Scarbro has received an email that the FLAG courses will now be offered on all of the campuses. She inquired how these additional courses would be paid for and was told that existing resources would be used. Students might provide assistance. The courses would be treated almost like independent courses for the students.
IV. Committee
Reports
Adjunct Faculty: Jonathan Morrell – No report
Student Scholarships: Trish Roller
Rooms 225 A and B in the
Rules: Charles Miller
The constitutional changes were legally adopted at the last Faculty Senate meeting.
Nominating Committee: Nina McPherson – No report
Promotion/Tenure: Mae Jean King
An email has been sent to all departmental representatives with the calendar.
Faculty Bill of Rights Ad Hoc: Anita Maddox –
A committee meeting will be held the last week of the semester where assignments will be made.
Computer Literacy Ad Hoc – Mae Jean King
Due to President Scarbro’s report earlier in the meeting concerning her discussion with Dr. Wise about the lack of money for such a computer literacy course, no report was made. Ms. King said that the committee would continue to discuss the issue to see if existing courses might be used to ensure more literacy.
V. Discussion
Budget issues
President Scarbro has had discussions with Dr. Wise about the college’s budget. The outlook is very grim. Reversions will happen again in January and perhaps May. Nothing is definite but there are a lot of rumors. Some of the rumors are: 1% pay cut across the board, furlough during spring semester which might require employees to pay for all of the benefits they receive, faculty would be required to teach one additional course without pay, charging for the use of personal equipment in offices such as refrigerators and heaters, faculty paid at adjunct rate rather than 1/32d of their salary for summer teaching, reduce community outreach activities. Some of the TBR presidents have been meeting with TBR legal counsel to discuss the board’s Financial Exigency policy, Policy 5:02:06:00; http://www.tbr.state.tn.us/policies/default.aspx?id=1492 is the url address for that policy. All of the TBR presidents are supposed to be working on a reduction strategy. Dave Vinson has heard rumors about what some of the other TBR colleges are contemplating, but nothing concrete has been announced by any of the colleges.
EDC nominations
Judy Fethe discussed employee awards with President Scarbro. Senators are encouraged to make nominations for the awards. The nomination forms are online. The award ceremony is scheduled for April 23.
VI. Unfinished Business
Ratification of motion – President Scarbro
The motion to adopt the proposed constitutional changes was legally approved at the last Faculty Senate meeting so no further action was required.
Calendar issues (summer, every day be the day it is, exam week) – President Scarbro
A college wide committee to develop academic calendars was proposed in an email. Dr. Wise does not think such a committee is necessary because a mechanism is already in place for faculty input. He thinks that the academic deans receive this input from their faculty, and that information is then shared in Learning Council. Faculty Senators did not totally agree with this sentiment and were asked to send emails to President Scarbro concerning the whole calendar issue.
After access info – President Scarbro
President Scarbro took comments that had been submitted to her to the Learning Council meeting when this matter was discussed. Both Dr. Wise and David Walton said this policy was not the first step to a total closure of the campus after hours, although they would not guarantee that that option would never happen. The proposed policy was passed by Learning Council and will be discussed at the President’s Staff meeting.
Professional standards (dress code)
Although Faculty Senators felt a proposed professional standard would reinforce a climate of fear, no action was taken at this time. (A motion concerning this matter is included in Section VII. New Business below.) Although the policy will not impact faculty, it will impact clerical and technical support personnel and administrators. Some issues that will be included in the policy will be a definition of suitable dress such as the appropriateness of jeans, appropriate shoe wear, office décor, and format of emails.
VIII. New Business
Anita Maddox made a motion, seconded by Brad Rose, to develop a statement that would be supportive of the clerical and technical support personnel and administrators concerning the proposed professional standards. The statement will be presented for final approval at the Faculty Senate meeting in January 2009.
X. Announcements-Next meeting-Wednesday,
January 28, 2009, at 3:30 PM at the Magnolia
Avenue Campus
XI. Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 4:55pm