Meeting Minutes: November 16, 2017

Faculty Senate Minutes

Regular Meeting

November 16, 2017

The Faculty Senate was called to order by J. McDonald, Chair on Thursday November 16, 2017, in FSHN T101 at 3:30 p.m. Forty-five (45) members were present with twelve (12) absent and seven  (7)  nonvoting members present.

Minutes of  November 2, 2017 meeting were approved as circulated.

1. Announcements (Information items).
   1. Information Items.
      1. Executive Officers met with the provost on November 13, 2017.
      2. Minor Change Bulletin #5  (Exhibit B)\
      3. The Graduate Studies Committee has approved updated Bylaws for the Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program which are available on the department’s website
      4. The Research & Arts Committee has reviewed and approved the 5-year self-study review on the Center for Muscle Biology
      5. The Research & Arts Committee has reviewed and approved the Protocol on Interim Center, Institute, Laboratory (CIL) Status when Extraordinary Funding Events Occur (Exhibit I)
2. Announcements (Reports)
   1. Remarks by J. McDonald
   2. A very productive meeting with the provost.
   3. A bill on taxing Tuition Waivers in the Legislature is causing concern about the negative impact on students and our Legislative Representative is working to oppose this bill.
   4. Faculty suggested an initiative be created to help fund the Performing Arts. More information will be provided. An an invitation to VPs, Mary Jo Gonzales and Chris Keene, which should help answer some of the prior constituent’s concerns raised.
   5. We will also reschedule Dr. Asif Chaudhry to provide an update on the INTO program
3. Additions or Changes to the Agenda.  – Motion to Move Discussion Items#1 to an Action Item. Motion Carried.
   1. Motion to Move Discussion Item #5 and send back to GSC.  Motion to Remove Discussion Item #5.  Motion Carried.
4. Agenda Items (Action Items)
   1. Recommendation from the Academic Affairs Committee to approve the Undergraduate Major Change Bulletin #5 (Exhibits  R   R1  )– G. Crouch
      1. Motion Carried
   2. Recommendation from the Academic Affairs Committee to approve the UCORE Bulletin #1 (Exhibit  T)– G. Crouch
      1. Motion Carried
   3. Recommendation from the Graduate Studies Committee to approve Graduate Major Change Bulletin #4  (Exhibit  U  ) –T. Salsbury/D.Potts
      1. Motion Carried
   4. Recommendation from the Graduate Studies Committee to approve the Revision of the Plan Requirement in PSM in Molecular Biosciences (Exhibits   V  V1) –T. Salsbury/D.Potts
      1. Motion Carried
   5. Recommendation from the Graduate Studies Committee to approve Revision of the Plan Requirement in  M.S. in Applied Economics (Exhibits W  W1  ) –T. Salsbury/D.Potts
      1. Motion Carried
   6. Recommendation from the Graduate Studies Committee to approve the Revised Graduate Certificate in Protein Biotechnology  (Exhibits X  X1 ) –T. Salsbury/D.Potts
      1. Motion Carried
   7. Recommendation from the Graduate Studies Committee to approve Revision of the Plan Requirement in the Ph.D. in Language, Literacy & Technology (Exhibits  Y  Y1 ) –T. Salsbury/D.Potts
      1. Motion Carried
   8. Recommendation from the Academic Affairs Committee to approve the Undergraduate Major Change Bulletin #6 (Exhibits  Z    Z1 )– G. Crouch 
      1. Motion Carried
5. Agenda Items (Discussion Items).
   1. Recommendation from the Academic Affairs Committee to approve the Undergraduate Major Change Bulletin #6 (Exhibits  Z    Z1 )– G. Crouch  – Motion to Move to Action Item.
      1. Motion Carried
   2. Recommendation from the Academic Affairs Committee to approve the UCORE Bulletin #2 (Exhibit  C)– G. Crouch
      1. No Discussion
   3. Recommendation from the Academic Affairs Committee to approve the revisions on Rule 27 – Appropriate credit for the minimum time commitment required of the student (Exhibit D) – G. Crouch
      1. No Discussion
   4. Recommendation from the Graduate Studies Committee to approve Graduate Major Change Bulletin #5 (Exhibit  E  ) –T. Salsbury/D.Potts
      1. No Discussion
   5. Recommendation from the Graduate Studies Committee to approve a new Graduate Certificate in Professional Molecular Sciences  (Exhibits F  F1    )–T. Salsbury/D.Potts
      1. Item removed
   6. Recommendation from the Faculty Affairs Committee to approve the changes to the Faculty Manual – Formal Inclusion of Program Assessment Activities in Annual Review   (Exhibits G  G1)   – B. Walker
      1. No Discussion
   7. Recommendation from the Faculty Affairs Committee to approve the changes to the EPPM, Assessment of Student Learning in Degree Programs (Exhibit J) – B. Walker – no discussion
      1. No Discussion
   8. Recommendation from the Research and Arts Committee to approve the proposal for the Institute for Senior Living (ISL)  (Exhibits H H1 H2 H3 H4 H5 H6 H7 ) – T.Barry/B. John Mariadoss
      1. Discussion: A question arose regarding the certificate program being offered been reviewed by the  Catalog Sub-Committee or the Registrar’s Office.  It was noted that a certificate shall be offered via this institute; it is a non-academic certificate wherein the courses are not in the Registrar’s catalog and it is a non-credit bearing certificate.  The intent is to offer supplemental certification for those not interested in a degree-bearing certificate. Additional concerns arose regarding adequate funding of the program and its teaching staff. It was noted that available internal funds can be utilized to supplement as needed until pending grants and other funding revenues are received. A concern was raised that regarding the lack of a major being offered in this field. It was noted that a major in this field is underway and that no new courses would need to be created, as existing courses offered would be utilized.  
6. Constituents’ Concerns.
   1. GPSA President, Shane Reynolds provided an update on the Tuition Waiver bill noting that testimony from the Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee testified on the negative impact to students as well as the lifetime learning credit would also negatively impact students.
7. Adjournment.                                                     

                      The meeting adjourned at 3:59 p.m.

                                              Amy Nielsen, Executive Secretary