GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

APPROVED MINUTES OF THE FACULTY SENATE

MAY 5, 1999

 

Senators Present:  K. Alligood, A. Berry, E. Blaisten-Barojas, D. Boileau, L. Bowen, L. Brown, J. Censer, R. Coffinberger, J. Crockett, S. deMonsabert, M. Deshmukh, R. Ehrlich, E. Elstun, J. Flinn, K. Gaffney, D. Gantz, H. Gortner, E. Gunn, M. Holt, D. Kuebrich, M. LeBaron, C. Lont, B. Manchester, J. Metcalf, L. Miller, S. Muir, J. O'Connor, J. Reid, L. Rigsby, D. Rine, L. Rockwood, R. Ruhling, J. Sanford, J. Scimecca, A. Sofer, C. Sutton, E. Thorp, H. Tongren, S. Weinberger, S. Zaccaro, S. Zoltek

 

Senators Absent:  T. Brawley, R. Carty, K. Clements, T. Domzal, G. Galluzzo, M. Grady, L. Griffiths, J. Hale, L. Lederman, K. McCrohan, A. Merten, E. O'Hara, A. Palkovich, D. Potter, D. Struppa, A. Taylor, K. Vaughn, P. Wilkie, H. Williams, J. Zenelis

 

Guests Present:  M. Berlucchi (Student Senate), K. Bumgarner (V.P. University Services), G. Cook (Athletic Council), L. Irvine (Provost's Office), S. Jones (Registrar), M. Kruck (English), J. Lin (Math), K. McNamee (ICA), G. Mellander, G. Pender (Bookstore), M. Vance (Academic Support & Advising), J. Wood (Provost's Office)

 

I.   Call to Order

Chair E. Elstun called the meeting to order at 3:05 pm.  An announcement was made that should the Agenda for this meeting not be completed by 4:30 pm, that it would be recessed and continued on Wednesday, May 12, at 3:00 pm.

 

II.   Approval of Minutes

The Minutes of the April 14, 1999 Faculty Senate Meeting were approved as distributed.

 

III.   Announcements

E. Elstun announced that announcements had been distributed via e-mail.

 

A. Berry announced that the first phase of the Bookstore takeover is beginning.  He indicated that K. Bumgarner, Senior Vice President of University Services, was here to introduce Gail Pender, the new General Manager of the University Bookstore under Barnes & Noble.  G. Pender remarked that Barnes & Noble will provide high quality service to faculty, students and staff, and that she should be contacted if you have any suggestions for improving service.

 

IV.   Unfinished Business

1.   Senate Composition Task Force

A. Sofer reintroduced the motions from April 14.  Following an extended discussion of the first motion, a vote was called for and seconded and the motion passed.  Motion two, the motion to amend Section C of Article One of the Faculty Senate Charter, was seconded and passed.  The third motion was discussed briefly and an it was moved and seconded to amend the motion to remove the phrase "teaching load or" the motion to amend passed.  The Committee also accepted a friendly amendment to the motion.  Following the amendments, motion three was moved and seconded, and passed as amended.  The fourth motion was moved, seconded and passed.  The motions as they were passed are included at the end of these minutes as Attachment A.

 

V.   New Business

 

A.   University Standing and Ad Hoc Committee Reports

 

1.   Athletic Council

 G. Cook submitted the following report: Several significant things have happened this year in the athletic program at our university.

 

In academics, 80 percent of the student athletes earned GPA's of 2.0 or higher and 35 percent earned GPA's of 3.0 or higher.  Approximately 15 percent made the dean's list.  Team GPA's averaged over the Spring '98 and Fall '99 ranged from a low of 2.05 for Men's Track, to a high of 3.23 for Women's Tennis.

 

With respect to competitive performance, our Men's Basketball Team won the CAA Championship Tournament as well as the regular season title.  Our Women's Track Team won the Indoor ECAC Championships.  Maurice Wignall of the Men's Track Team was the National Champion in the Indoor Long Jump.  Several student athletes were named All-Americans and a larger number made All-Conference Teams.

 

There was very little business for the Athletic Council this year following the very busy year of 1997-98.  Only one meeting was held, and this was primarily for an update on the Academic Support Office, new athletic facilities and the Department of Athletics as a whole.  Of particular interest was the Aquatic Center, which opened last Fall.  It now serves as a fitness and recreation center available to the entire university community and also provides a facility for our new intercollegiate swim teams.  Coaches for Swimming and for Diving have now been hired.

 

Exit interviews with graduating student athletes revealed that most of them are satisfied with the education they have received at our university and with their respective athletic programs.  In eighty percent of the cases, when asked, "If you had it to do again, would you choose to play a sport and would you choose GMU?" the answer was "Yes!".

 

2.   Grievance Committee

J. Fletcher reported that he was elected Chair of the Committee in the Fall, and that two faculty members asked for information about potential grievances, but that neither of the inquiries led to any action by the Committee.

 

3.   Library Committee

J. Reid reported that A. Palkovich and  C. Thaiss received the Fenwick Fellowship Award.

 

4.   Ad Hoc Catalog Committee

J. Wood reported that the work of the Committee is now finished and asked that the Senate dismiss the Committee.  It was moved and seconded that the Committee be dismissed with the thanks of the Senate for its work.  The motion passed.

 

B.   Senate Committee Reports

 

1.   Executive Committee

E. Elstun reported on her "presentation" to the BOV Faculty and Academic Standards Committee regarding the ROTC for credit issue.  She reported that her presentation was interrupted, and left incomplete, by Board discussion which led to a motion by the Board to arbitrarily settle on 14 hours of credit as a compromise between the faculty recommended hours and the number of hours requested by students.  The matter was postponed until the May 12 meeting of the Board of Visitors, and would be an action item at that meeting.  E. Elstun stated that at President Merten's instruction, Joe Wood prepared a report on the issue.  J. Wood provided the Senate Academic Policies Committee and Senate Chair Elstun the opportunity to comment on the report and provided feedback.  The question was raised as to whether a special meeting should be held to address the larger more important question regarding the BOV's hasty action.

 

It was moved and seconded to recess until Wednesday, May 12, at 3:00 pm.  The motion passed.

 

 

GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

APPROVED MINUTES OF THE FACULTY SENATE

May 12, 1999

(continued from May 5, 1999)

 

Senators Present:  K. Alligood, A. Berry, E. Blaisten-Barojas, D. Boileau, L. Bowen, T. Brawley, L. Brown, J. Censer, R. Coffinberger, S. deMonsabert, M. Deshmukh, R. Ehrlich, E. Elstun, J. Flinn, K. Gaffney, D. Gantz, H. Gortner, J. Hale, M. Holt, D. Kuebrich, C. Lont, B. Manchester, J. Metcalf, L. Miller, S. Muir, A. Palkovich, L. Rigsby, L. Rockwood, R. Ruhling, J. Sanford, J. Scimecca, A. Sofer, C. Sutton, S. Weinberger, S. Zoltek

 

Senators Absent:  R. Carty, K. Clements, J. Crockett, T. Domzal, G. Galluzzo, M. Grady, L. Griffiths, E. Gunn, M. LeBaron, L. Lederman, K. McCrohan, A. Merten, J. O'Connor, E. O'Hara, D. Potter, J. Reid, D. Rine, D. Struppa, A. Taylor, E. Thorp, H. Tongren, K. Vaughn, P. Wilkie, H. Williams, S. Zaccaro, J. Zenelis

 

Guests Present:  J. Lin (Minority & Diversity Issues Committee), M. McDermott

 

I.   Call to Order

E. Elstun called the continued meeting of the Faculty Senate to order at 3:10 pm.

 

II.   Announcements

E. Elstun announced that Provost David Potter will be leaving George Mason to accept the Presidency of Delta State University.  E. Elstun expressed "warm thanks to David Potter for his collegial attitudes and his positive interaction with the Faculty Senate over a long period of time" and for his "civility and seriousness approaching the matters" addressed by him and the Senate.

 

 E. Elstun announced that since this will be the last meeting for the 1998-99 Academic year, a new Chair must be elected, and to ensure that this occurs given the full agenda, the election of the new Senate Chair will be moved in the Agenda to the first item of New Business.

 

III.   Unfinished Business

 

1.   Executive Committee Report

E. Elstun reported that at the last Executive Committee meeting with the Provost, the next steps in the university-wide academic initiative were discussed.  It was reported that the faculties of CSI and IB3 are working on a merger proposal which will continue over the Summer and will be presented to the Senate in the Fall.  Concerning other initiative proposals, it was agreed that discussions involving faculty would continue into the Fall, and that the Executive Committee and the Provost would identify at a future meeting the proposed initiatives that require Senate involvement.

 

E. Elstun reported that at a Special Called Meeting of the Faculty Senate on May 7, 1999, a Position Statement was adopted and sent on Saturday, May 8, to all members of the Board of Visitors.  This Statement was received by all members of the Board.  The BOV Faculty and Academic Standards Committee met at 1:30 pm today, and the ROTC item was acted upon before E. Elstun came to today's Senate meeting.  The Board passed a motion to allow between 12 and 18 hours of ROTC credit and stated that the policy will be implemented for the 2000-01 academic year.  Rector Murray went on to state that with regards to academic policy issues, the Faculty Senate has: a)resisted changes to allow more democratic and complete representation among its members; b)been wrong in its assertion that determining credit is within the purview of the Senate.

 

After some discussion of the Board's handling of the ROTC issue, it was moved and seconded that Chair Elstun appoint a 5-7 person Committee to engage the BOV to achieve "educational" goals and to act as an ad hoc Committee.  The value and effectiveness of such a committee as well as the appropriate composition was discussed and then the motion passed.  It was also stated that the new Senate Chair should contact the President to facilitate discussions with the Administration on this matter.

 

IV.   New Business

 

A.   Election of New Senate Chair

Don Boileau was nominated from the floor.  After a call for any other nominees, a motion was made, and seconded, that nominations be closed and that a unanimous ballot be cast.  Don Boileau was elected as the new Senate Chair.

 

B.   Senate Committee Reports

 

1.   Academic Policies Committee

L. Bowen reported that there were 13 items referred to the Committee during the 1998-99 Academic year.  The Committee's Annual report, which was submitted to the Faculty Senate Office and is available by request through that office, outlines each of the items and describes the corresponding action taken by the Committee.  The policy items include:  Martin L. King holiday; ROTC credit; catalog corrections; exit exams/student dismissal; administrative failure grade; plus/minus grade appeals; Summer calendar; concurrent enrollment/approval of credits taken outside GMU; distance and technology-enhanced education; honors designation on diplomas; students in academic difficulty; 60 hours at GMU for graduation with distinction; and, making computer/communication technology use part of course requirements.  It was then moved that the honors designation on diplomas be applied effective May 1999.  The motion passed.

 

2.   Facilities & Support Services Committee

S. Zoltek reported that the Committee's final report, which is available in the Faculty Senate Office, identifies all items which the Committee addressed, as well as whether the item is a completed or continuing item.  It was also stated that the construction of the clock tower never passed through the Committee for review.

 

3.   Faculty Matters Committee

The Committee's full final report is available in the Faculty Senate Office.  It was reported that the ad hoc Committee on Compensation and Working Conditions for Part-Time faculty is looking into health benefits in greater detail.  There was a motion to renew the term of the ad hoc committee to extend through May of 2000.  The motion passed.  Regarding the Evaluation of Administrators, the electronic version of the survey appears to be going well, but a more detailed report on the Evaluation will be brought to the Senate in the Fall.  Regarding the Summer Session Salary issue, it was moved to re-establish the ad hoc sub-committee of the F.M. Committee to better investigate this issue during the Summer term.  After some discussion, the motion passed.

 

4.   Nominations Committee

L. Miller reported that the Committee will be sending out a Committee Nominations Memo in the Fall and encourages all interested faculty to volunteer to serve on one or several committees.  Additionally, the Committee is trying to fill vacancies on a steering committee and four task forces dealing with the Copyright policy and practices.

 

5.   Organization & Operations  Committee

E. Blaisten-Barojas reported on the functions of the Committee to date, having logged in more than thirty items.  The Committee also resolved several items in Committee.  In addition, the Committee performed several activities without a logging number, these include:  a)created a motion to facilitate all committees reporting to the Senate at least twice a year; b)assisted several committees commence activity; c)surveyed committee members to ascertain potential improvements in organizational aspects of the University and Senate committees.

 

In addition to the report, O&O has two action items for consideration.  Motion one, to create a Committee on External Academic Relations, was introduced and discussed briefly, the motion passed.  Motion two, to change the membership of the Writing Across the Curriculum Committee, passed as included in the Addendum to the Agenda of the May 5 Faculty Senate Meeting.

 

C.   Other Reports

 

1.   Senate Liaisons to the Board of Visitors

A. Sofer reported that the ROTC issue was approved unanimously by the full Board, deciding on no fewer than 12 and no more than 18 hours as acceptable.  Regarding the New Century College Review, the Board heard a presentation from Dean Galluzzo and heard briefly from Dean Struppa.  Visitor Feulner moved that the Faculty and Academic Standards Committee recommend to the full Board that NCC not be renewed upon its expiration, and that the B.A. in Integrated Studies be merged into CAS.  By this plan, NCC students after the 2000-01 year would become CAS students.  The motion passed at the F&AS level, and the issue will be an action item for the full Board at the June meeting.

 

Karen Oates was promoted to full professor by the Board, even though Visitor Murray suggested the promotion might be inappropriate since NCC will no longer exist.

 

Cultural Anthropology was not discussed, but the subject will be heard in the Fall.  And, following a presentation by Dean Grady, School of Law, the Board decided it would wait to discuss the SOL budget.

 

ALL OTHER COMMITTEE REPORTS were deferred to the Fall due to time considerations.

 

V.   Other New Business

 

1.   Sense of the Senate Resolution

The following is a Sense of the Senate Resolution which was moved, seconded and passed as amended, as a means of expressing the Senate's dismay and to make the BOV aware of the strong concern which now exists.  The Sense of the Senate Resolution is to be directed to the members of the Board of Visitors and President Merten, and shall be distributed via electronic cc to all faculty. 

 

Regarding the actions of the President and Board of Visitors on academic issues, including the granting of academic credit, the Faculty Senate affirms that the Faculty must continue to have primary responsibility for decisions relating to curriculum and academic policy.  We further affirm that a disregard for the Faculty's primary role in such decisions would have the gravest possible consequences for the future of the University, and for the way it is perceived locally and nationally.

 

2.   Special Presentation to Esther Elstun

D. Gantz presented Esther Elstun a plaque in recognition of her years of service and outstanding contribution to George Mason faculty governance.

 

The Faculty Senate commends Esther Elstun, who has led the Senate with efficiency and integrity.  She has been courageous in adversity, organized in confusion, patient with volubility and controlling in disarray.  Thank you, Esther!

 

VI.   Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 5:25 pm.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Donald T. Gantz, Secretary

George Mason University Faculty Senate

 Attachment A - Motions of the Senate Composition Task Force

 

Whereas part-time and restricted-term faculty at George Mason University include among their ranks faculty who have been teaching at this University for many years and/or faculty who have taught hundreds of George Mason University students, faculty who have acquired expertise in education and a familiarity with the needs of George Mason University's students, faculty who are devoted to George Mason University, and who are committed to its mission of education, and

 

Whereas at present the service of the part-time and restricted-term faculty is crucial for George Mason University to accomplish its mission of education, and

 

Whereas George Mason University entrusts to its part-time and restricted-term faculty as well as to its full-time faculty in the fulfillment of its mission of education, and

 

Whereas, part-time and restricted-term faculty are currently ineligible to serve in the Faculty Senate, and

 

Whereas, the Full Time Equivalents generated by part-time and restricted-term faculty  are utilized in the allocation of  representatives to collegiate units in the Faculty Senate, even though these faculty are not eligible to serve on the Faculty Senate,  and 

 

Whereas, the Faculty Senate could only but benefit from the collective educational wisdom, experience, and perspective offered by these faculty,

 

Be it resolved that

 

1.  The membership of the Senate be expanded to include full-time restricted-term  and part-time instructional faculty holding the rank of Instructor or above, under the provisions set forth:

a) At the time of service on the Senate, restricted-term and part-time faculty must have at least one academic year of continuous service at George Mason University; and

b) Part-time faculty must have completed at least two (2.0) Full Time Equivalents in appointments at George Mason University.

 

2.  Section C of Article I of the Charter of the Faculty Senate shall be amended from:

 

Elected Senators shall be members of the constituent Faculties they represent on full-time tenured or probationary appointment in the rank of assistant professor or above with at least one year's full-time service at George Mason University.  These qualifications may be waived for emerging collegiate units so that the full time Faculty Senate membership quota may be met, except that all Senators must be on full-time appointments.

 

to:

 

Elected Senators shall be members of the constituent Faculties they represent. A faculty member is eligible to serve on the Faculty Senate if the faculty member holds

            a.  A full-time tenured or probationary appointment in the rank of Instructor or above with at least one year's full-time service at George Mason University; or

            b.  A restricted-term full-time instructional appointment in the rank of Instructor or above with at least one academic year of continuous full-time service at George Mason University; or

            c.  A part-time instructional appointment in the rank of Adjunct Instructor or above, with at least one academic year of continuous service, and if the faculty member has completed at least two (2.0) Full Time Equivalents in appointments at George Mason University.

 

The minimal service qualifications may be waived for emerging collegiate units so that the full Faculty Senate membership quota may be met.  Faculty members studying for a degree at the University are ineligible to serve on the faculty Senate.

 

3.  The Faculty Senate views with favor actions that may be taken by colleges, schools and institutes to help support the service of restricted-term or part-time faculty elected to the Faculty Senate. Possible actions could include a reduction in teaching load or class size, or assistance in grading, or an upgrade in the pay-matrix scale, or provision of improved working space, facilities, and equipment. 

 

4.  The Faculty Senate encourages each collegiate unit to develop policies for electing part-time and restricted-term faculty consistent with and appropriate to its governing structure.

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