Minutes of the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate

November 20, 2006 – Mason Hall, room D5; 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Present: Jim Bennett, Phil Buchanan, Dave Kuebrich, Jim Sanford, Suzanne Slayden, Peter Stearns, Cliff Sutton, Susan Trencher

Approval of Minutes: The minutes of our meeting October 23, 2006 were approved.

Admissions Issue: Continuing Discussion

Kelly Dunne, chair of the Admissions Committee 2006-07, met with Andrew Flagel, Dean of Admissions. He stated that he talked with the chair of the Admissions Committee and the chair of the Faculty Senate prior to the publication of the changes in SAT policy announced in The Washington Post (May 26, 2006). Neither Dave Kuebrich (Senate chair 05-06) nor Suzanne Slayden (Senate chair 06-07) discussed this issue with him. In a recent phone conversation with Suzanne, Rose Brenkus (Admissions Committee chair 05-06) said she did receive a report (May 17, 2006) – not in the form “shall we consider” but “it will take place.” As previously noted, Dean Flagel did not mention the proposed change in his address to the Senate on May 3, 2006. Gaps in coverage over the summer for 9 month instructional faculty were also noted.

After some discussion, the following suggestions to improve communication were made:

· The Admissions Committee should meet twice a semester with Dean Flagel; the committee needs to take a more proactive approach than in the past.

· The Provost will discuss with his senior staff a suggestion made by Suzanne Slayden that a liaison be appointed to communicate to the Faculty Senate issues of interest to faculty as they arise. Information about Senate and University Standing Committee charges and membership are readily available on the Faculty Senate website. In what institutional structure(s) is faculty input missing? Where to plug in? For example, the Deans and Directors were consulted about the change in admissions policy; this would also have reached Linda Schwartzstein (Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Vice President for Enrollment Services) before reaching the Provost. A member of the Guidance Office faculty at Robinson Secondary School (Fairfax County Public Schools) was also consulted.

Summer Teaching by Adjuncts: Discussion

Suzanne received a note from a colleague inquiring whether only adjuncts can teach during the summer. Such action would be in violation of the Faculty Handbook. Suzanne will write to him explaining the policy. The irony of impact upon summer school budget of some highly paid faculty members who wish to teach during summer session was noted.

Organization and Operations Committee: Suzanne will write again to the members of the committee requesting they call a meeting. It was noted that one member is on leave during the fall term.

Agenda for Faculty Senate Meeting – November 29, 2006

Faculty Senate Committees

• Academic Policies – Cliff Sutton: Motion: Revision of Requirements for Retention (GMU 2006-07 Catalog, p. 39): Cliff noted the motion is supported by the Academic Policies Advisory Committee (APAC) (a group of Assistant and Associate Deans and administrators chaired by Registrar Susan Jones). A student cannot graduate with less than a 2.0 cumulative average, but can linger for a very long time. The present policy in place since Fall 2004 is too lenient. In the four semesters prior to the change, there were 105 dismissals per semester; in the four semesters after the change, an average of 5 dismissals per semester took place. Students are not receiving warnings/probation which would help them keep on track.
• Budget and Resources – Phil Buchanan: No action items. May have information items after meeting with Donna Kidd tomorrow. Requests include data for special needs raises. The Provost noted that determining the equity aspect of conglomerate raises can be difficult. Information on off-cycle raises (order and magnitude) has also been requested; hopes to have report in January.
• Faculty Matters Committee – no report.
• Organization and Operations – no report.
• Nominations – Jim Bennett: Aimee Flannery, Gerald Hanweck, and Robert Johnston nominated to serve on the Satellite Campus Committee

Other Committees:

• Technology Policy – Stanley Zoltek: report on spam filters.
• External Academic Relations – Dave Kuebrich: report on recommendations adopted by Faculty Senate of Virginia for presentation on Higher Education Advocacy Day

New Business:

• Environmental Task Force Motions – Dave Kuebrich, co-sponsored by Suzanne Slayden and Susan Trencher. The Environmental Task Force has been meeting for about a year. It is composed of some faculty, representatives from Facilities, students, staff, and representatives from University Life. Also supported by Associate Dean for Environmental Projects Brent Ingram – to “green” GMU campus. Impact of Environmental Task Force important – inspirational leadership as well as importance of faculty leadership in curricular matters. Facilities input for greening of campus very important – need to have dialogue with them; increasing importance of graduates as citizens knowledgeable about environmental issues. There are now inter-university recycling committees. Dave will lead workshops in January about inclusion in the curriculum; knows faculty who wish to be involved in this. Suzanne will develop “urgent necessity” text from by-laws for immediate election of task force members if motion approved. Provost Stearns was supportive, acknowledged he has no expertise in this area; and also encouraged appropriate certification. Much is going on in the business community in environmental sciences and engineering.

Discussion: Salary Floors and Merit Raises

Question from a long-time term faculty member: when salary floors were raised (by rank), a term faculty member who performed well this year was told the raise received would include floor (only?). Is this an equity issue? No merit raises?

The Provost responded that units incurred 3% of cost of whatever increase below new-agreed upon levels were made; the (Provost’s office?) added whatever money was necessary beyond this. He sees this as a separate set of issues – floors had nothing to do with merit unless dean said person was so awful they deserved no raise. Decision up to unit: some term, tenure-track, and tenured faculty got big raises if below par (floor) – subsequent raises lower because of increment to floor.

Provost Stearns reports: The Loudoun initiative has encountered new problems and is on hold for now. A committee largely of deans will be set up to look at functions of the Office of Sponsored Programs. Faculty input will be sought. A second Provost’s forum was scheduled in Fairfax as many faculty were unable to attend the previous forum.

Respectfully submitted,

Meg Caniano

Clerk, Faculty Senate