Agenda for the Faculty Senate Meeting
October 10, 2007
Room B-113 Robinson Hall
3:00-4:15 p.m.
I. Call to Order
II. Approval of the Minutes of September
5, 2007
III. Announcements
IV. Unfinished Business
None
V. New Business - Committee Reports
A. Senate
Standing Committees
Executive Committee
Reauthorization of ad Hoc Faculty Task Force on Salary Issues Attachment A
Academic Policies
Budget & Resources
Faculty Matters
Nominations Attachment B
Organization & Operations
B. Other Committees
Technology Policy Committee Attachment C
Faculty Task Force on Salary Issues
VI. Other New Business
Resolution on Emeritus Status Attachment D
VII. Remarks for the Good of the General
Faculty
VIII. Adjournment
Attachment A
Motion
Be it resolved that the Faculty Senate reauthorizes the Faculty Task Force on Salary Issues to continue its work for an additional two years and to report back to the Senate periodically on its progress.
Rationale
At its March 8, 2006 meeting the Faculty Senate unanimously created the Faculty Task Force on Salary Issues with the general goal of determining if GMU’s current salary practices meet the highest standards of professional equity, promote the general well being of the University, and best serve the interests of students, faculty, tax-payers and the general public. The Task Force has reported on its progress at two special meetings and several regular meetings of the Faculty Senate. It continues to meet with the Provost, the Senior Vice-President and their respective staffs to discuss relevant salary issues and how they might be resolved.
Attachment B
NOMINATIONS
Admissions Committee
Peter Pober (CHSS)
General Education Committee
Rose Cherubin (CHSS)
James Harvey (SOM)
John Kulesza (COS)
Peter Winant (CVPA)
Salary Issues Task Force
Rutledge Dennis (CHSS)
Task
Force to Evaluate the Student Course Evaluation Form
Kim Eby (Associate Provost) (Provost appointee)
Cliff Sutton (IT&E)
Mary M. Williams (CEHD)
Attachment C
TECHNOLOGY POLICY COMMITTEE
The University Technology Policy Committee will report on DOIT instructional support problems brought to its attention by several faculty.
Examples include (1) deployment of Microsoft Office 2007 in electronic classrooms and academic computing labs with an announcement date of August 20, with no accompanying documentation or training available, and prior to seeking broad faculty input ; (2) replacement of overhead projectors with Docucameras, again without seeking broad faculty input as regards the desirability of this action or providing advance notice; (3) persistent hardware problems in a few electronic classrooms.
The committee considers problems such as these very serious, even when limited in number. We will work with DOIT to develop a more faculty-input driven and controlled model for classroom design and instructional support.
Attachment D
RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDING EMERITUS STATUS FOR
NOBEL
LAUREATE VERNON SMITH
WHEREAS Vernon Smith joined the Economics Department of George Mason University in 2001 and in the following year was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics which enhanced Mason’s national and international reputation; and
WHEREAS, at age 80, Vernon has decided to leave Mason for Southern California; and
WHEREAS the Faculty Handbook (Sec. 2.2.6) states that professors with “ten or more years of service may be recommended for the rank of Emeritus”, so that Vernon will not have fully met the length-of-service requirement when he departs in January 2008;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE FACULTY SENATE recommends Vernon Smith for Emeritus status in recognition of his past contributions to the University and wishes him well in his future endeavors.
Sponsored by Senator Jim Bennett (CHSS) and Senator Phil Wiest (CHSS)