�MINUTES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

OF THE FACULTY SENATE

Friday, August 24, 2007, Mason Hall, room D5: 9:30 � 10:30 a.m.

 

Present:� Lorraine Brown, Phil Buchanan, Jim Bennett, Jim Sanford, Suzanne Slayden, Peter Stearns

 

Approval of Minutes:� The minutes of April 16 and April 23, 2007 were approved as distributed.

 

Announcements/Old Business

�        New Senator Orientation takes place Wednesday, August 29th from 3:00 � 4:00 p.m. in Robinson Hall, room B113.� Executive Committee members are invited to attend if they can.

�        New Faculty Senate Website page has been redesigned by Media Relations. Suzanne demonstrated the new template on a laptop computer, anticipate it will replace the current website by next week.� Template includes two new links to display recent actions by the Senate and box highlighting upcoming events, such as next meeting agenda and draft minutes.

�        President Merten will address the Faculty Senate on November 28, 2007 and April 2, 2008.� Response pending from Rector Volgenau when he will address the Faculty Senate.

 

Reports of Senate Standing Committees for Inclusion in September 5, 2007 agenda:

�        Nominations Committee will present slates of nominations for Faculty Senate Standing Committees, University Standing Committees, and Faculty Representatives to various Committees.� In response to a question raised, term faculty are eligible to serve on University Committees; yes, with one years� service to the University.�

�        Academic Policies Committee: Approval of Dates for Summer Term 2008:� Need for action prior to September 24, 2007 if changes to be made for summer 2008.� General discussion of importance of pedagogy in scheduling, resistance to scheduling during two summer holiday weekends, to try changes for next year to see how it works.� Would changes result in lower enrollment?� Would more faculty cancel classes?

 

Provost Stearns reports:

�        Two (male) faculty members (so far) have applied for Tenure Clock Extension for New Parents.�

�        All are concerned about the Virginia state budget cuts and how to translate into serviceable policies.� GMU will receive a 5% cut; some universities received 7.5% cuts.� Expects to have more details to report by September 5th Faculty Senate meeting.

�        Question raised about enrollment targets not met/acceptance letters sent out late; Provost Stearns responded the letters were not sent out late, but acknowledged the freshman class was smaller than had wanted.� Too few students were admitted, overconfident of yield rates.� State-wide Virginia Tech effect while folks making decisions; all state universities in Virginia went to wait lists; and press effects upon out-of-state applicants.� It looks like we will hit overall numbers.� Unit disparities � SOM, COS, and CVPA up; CHSS and CHHS down.� Budget impact zero, separate from 5% state budget cut. Will fix for next year.� About 120 fewer students than we wanted, but a big surge in freshman enrollment last week; final count available in mid-September.�

 

Ad Hoc Committees and Task Forces:

�        Motion to establish ad hoc committee to review new Teacher-Course Evaluation Form after two cycles usage.� Provost suggests committee interface with Kim Eby (Director, Center for Teaching Excellence and Associate Provost for Educational Improvements and Innovation) and Kris Smith (Associate Provost, Institutional Research and Reporting).

�        Need to approve extension for Task Force on Salary Issues, to ask chair of Task Force to prepare language.� Noted last year that Salary Equity Study Committee did not give report last year; committee reconstituted this year.� Provost questioned not clear who is doing what with two salary committees. (Note:� Budget and Resources Committee also publishes salary data and reports).�

 

Second-level Tenure Review and Faculty Action Approvals:� August 17, 2007 BOV meeting

�        Agenda for BOV meeting August 17 published in docushare on August 14.� There were no committee meetings (scheduled) for the August 17 meeting.� One item on the agenda �Faculty Actions� not posted on docushare although probably in Board book distributed, later placed in docushare by Mary Roper at request of Suzanne Slayden.� Four faculty members nominated for election to Associate Professor without Term (one a Robinson professor) pending BOV approval.� One faculty member�s form signed in February; other faculty members� forms signed this summer.� The new Faculty Senate-sponsored policy on direct hires was approved in April.� Did any of these faculty undergo a second-level tenure review?

�        The Provost responded they were not direct hires; search procedures occurred for all four candidates; there should be a second-level tenure review for every election.�

�        Need for more formality and explanation on approval forms; to go to system that shows more procedure.� For three of four noted above, no reference checks were indicated.� Provost responded he did not think any of these cases irregular; all cases were sent to him, had a book on each case including references.�

�        Impact of absence/demise of David Rossell noted.�

 

Second-level Tenure Review: Faculty Handbook Committee

�        Krasnow Institute working on its by-laws.� ICAR has dropped second-level review.� The Faculty Handbook Committee to revise language to make sure institutes conform to university procedures.�

�        Need for intermediate motion requiring second-level review questioned by some members of the Executive Committee as already required in the Faculty Handbook.�

�        If there is a breach of rules in Faculty Handbook, who sanctions?�

 

Research Misconduct Policy Submitted for Approval at September 5, 2007 Faculty Senate Meeting:

�        Cover letter from Barry Stevens, Director, Research Policy Development distributed; for inclusion on agenda with links to revised policy.� Two important aspects:� policy itself and procedures for handling allegations.�

�        No longer limited to just scientific misconduct; research grants are all over the place.� Must be in conformance with federal law.� One code affecting all employees except students (who are covered by the Honor Code).� For those with a mixture of federal and non-federal grants, two standards unwieldy.�

�        Concerns expressed about adjudication addressed in cover letter: �#6 The policy clearly assigns responsibility for the various steps in a research misconduct proceeding to the respondents� Dean or Director, the Vice President for Research and Economic Development, the Provost, or the President. In doing so, it strikes a balance between unit and central administration and ensures that proceedings are free from both real and apparent lack of fairness. (and) #7 The policy includes all the protections for participants in research misconduct proceedings (respondents, complainants, witnesses, and committee members) that are required by Federal law and adds a number of others, including provisions intended to protect respondents against unfounded allegations.�

 

Motion to establish a Task Force to Improve Research Productivity:� Draft resolution in circulation; to be sponsored by individual Senators, not Executive Committee.� Task Force will need to conduct a survey to determine concerns of faculty.� Some schools lack mechanisms to deal with (some) situations as they occur.�

Other Concerns:

�        Lack of adequate office space: is there anything we can do?� May affect term faculty more.� Lack of privacy in Thompson Hall; repairs not finished over the summer.

�        Search for Vice President for Development still in progress.� To the extent that University raises money, it may mean a big increase in gifts to the university if hire a good director.� Reorganization of office may delay capital campaign.

�        Concern expressed about state budget cuts.�

 

Respectfully submitted,

Meg Caniano

Clerk, Faculty Senate