George Mason University
Approved Minutes of the Faculty Senate
September 3, 2003
Senators Present: K. Avruch, J. Bennett, R. Berroa, A. Berry,
P. Black, D. Boehm-Davis, B. Brown, L. Brown, P. Buchanan, R. Carver, R. Coffinberger,
S. deMonsabert, M. DeNys, C. Douglas, E. Elstun, M. Ferri, H. Gortner, E. Gunn,
K. Haynes, M. Houck, K. Johnsen-Neshati, C. Kaffenberger, R. Klimoski, J. Kozlowski,
D. Kuebrich, B. Manchester, K. McCrohan, L. Monson, P. Moyer-Packenham, L. Pawloski,
D. Polsby, E. Roman-Mendoza, S. Ruth, J. Sanford, J. Scimecca, S. Slayden, C.
Sluzki, R. Smith, P. Stearns, E. Sturtevant, C. Sutton, J. Tangney, S. Trencher,
P. Wiest, S. Zoltek.
Senators Absent: S. Cobb, M. Deshmukh, J. Gorrell, M. Grady,
L. Griffiths, M. Kafatos, W. Kurkul, C. Lerner, J. Mahler, A. Merten, J. Metcalf,
R. Nadeau, W. Reeder, P. Regan, L. Rockwood, F. Shahrokhi, D. Struppa, J. Zenelis.
Guests Present: D. Bitler, D. Faxon, D. Fox, S. Greenfeld,
D. Haines, R. Herron. S. Jones, W. Rankin, D. Walsh.
I. Call to Order
Chair Jim Bennett called the meeting to order at 3:04 pm and welcomed everyone
to the new academic year.
II. Approval of Minutes
The minutes of May 7, 2003 were approved as distributed.
III. Announcements
A. Chair’s Announcements and Introductions
The Board of Visitors has approved a Faculty Representative to serve on its
Faculty and Academic Standards Committee.
The Provost has asked Dave Rossell to do feasibility studies on recitation sections
for large lectures and faculty study leaves at GMU and report to the Faculty
Senate this fall.
Mr. Sidney Dewberry has been reappointed to the GMU Board of Visitors. Three
new members were also appointed: Mr. William Johnson, Commissioner of the Revenue
for Fairfax City; Mr. Knox Singleton, President and CEO of Inova Health Systems;
and Mr. Byron Marchant, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and CAO of
Black Entertainment Television.
Susan Trencher is heading up a Task Force to create a faculty lounge.
The Chair thanked the Senate Standing Committee Chairs—Lorraine Brown,
Phil Buchanan, Rick Coffinberger, Marty De Nys, and Esther Elstun—for
their dedication and hard work last year and throughout the summer. He also
recognized David Kuebrich, Secretary of the Faculty Senate; Suzanne Slayden,
Parliamentarian; and Carol Kaffenberger and Cliff Sutton, Sergeants-at-Arms
for their service to the Senate last year.
The following appointments have been made:
1. Carol Kaffenberger and Cliff Sutton have agreed to serve another term as
Sergeants-at-Arms.
2. Rick Coffinberger has been appointed to the search committee for a new University
Equity Officer.
3. Lorraine Brown has been appointed to the Bookstore Advisory Committee.
4. Esther Elstun, Rick Coffinberger, and Joe Scimecca have been appointed as
liaisons to the BOV, and Lorraine Brown will serve as an Alternate.
5. Linda Monson has agreed to serve as Chair, Pro Tem for the AY2003-2004.
6. Linda Fauteux, Secretary of the Staff Senate, will serve as the Staff Senate’s
liaison to the Faculty Senate.
The Faculty Senate AY2002-2003 financials are now available on the Faculty Senate
website.
President Merten responded to the Faculty Senate’s Resolution on Library
Governance. He is creating a Library Task Force and the Senate Chair is requesting
that a faculty representative be appointed.
CVPA Dean Reeder is considering a “Cheap Seat Program” that would
allow faculty members to buy tickets the day of performances at below-market
price.
The Faculty Senate and the Provost’s Office are co-sponsoring an Open
Forum on the proposed George Mason University campus in Dubai on September 15th
at 3:00 pm in Johnson Center Assembly Room B. The Senate office sent an e-mail
notice to all faculty, and staff and student leaders with the details.
This academic year marks the 30th anniversary of the Faculty Senate (1973-2003).
B. “Civility on Campus” – Provost Stearns
The Provost remarked that, in all of his years in academia, he has never seen
such a lack of civility among faculty as he has observed among some at George
Mason University. Not only are these personal antagonisms a waste of time and
energy, but they are also forcing decisions and logistics to be made in light
of personal grudges instead of objective reasoning. He noted that some areas
of the University actually seem proud of their reputation for nastiness and
acerbic attacks.
Provost Stearns laid out a few solutions to the lack of civil discourse on campus.
Grievances can be phrased in ways that foster solutions instead of constituting
personal attacks. Grievances should be processed through the proper channels
and not become fodder for rumors and innuendos. Developing a rivalry with a
comparable university, such as other universities have done, would allow frustrations
and competitiveness to have a constructive outlet instead of being expressed
destructively within our own ranks.
IV. Approval of Meeting Schedule for Coming Academic Year
The proposed meeting schedule for Academic Year 2003-2004 was approved.
V. Election of the Secretary of the Senate
David Kuebrich was nominated and elected by unanimous vote to continue as the
Secretary of the Senate.
VI. Election of Members of Senate Standing Committees and Members of
the University Committees – Rick Coffinberger
The following nominees were presented by the Nominations Committee and elected
unanimously by the Senate for the Senate Standing Committees:
Academic Policies
Continuing Members: Carol Kaffenberger, Jim Metcalf
Nominees: Esther Elstun, Cliff Sutton, Susan Trencher
Budget & Resources
Nominees: Kevin Avruch, Rick Coffinberger, Charlene Douglas,
Esperanza Roman-Mendoza, Joe Scimecca
(Since this is a new committee, staggered terms will be determined for the members)
Faculty Matters
Continuing Members: Marty DeNys, Lisa Pawloski, Jim Sanford
Nominees: Patricia Moyer-Packenham, Larry Rockwood
Organization & Operations
Continuing Members: Phil Buchanan, Brack Brown, Hal Gortner
120
Nominees: Julie Mahler, Linda Monson
Nominations
Continuing Members: David Kuebrich, Stephen Ruth
Nominees for this committee must be nominated from the floor. Lorraine Brown,
Mark Houck, Suzanne Slayden, and Phil Wiest were nominated. Since there were
four nominations for three vacancies, a ballot was cast and compiled by the
Sergeants-at-Arms. Lorraine Brown, Mark Houck, and Phil Wiest were elected.
The following nominees were presented by the Nominations Committee and elected
unanimously by the Senate for the University Standing Committees:
Academic Appeals
Continuing Member: Don Boileau
Nominees: Kristin Johnsen-Neshati, Doug Mose, Colleen Shogan,
Min Wan
Admissions
Continuing Members: Georgine Redmond, Eddie Tallent, Iosif
Vaisman
Nominees: Deborah Boehm-Davis, Pamela Cangelosi, Don Faxon
Athletic Council
Continuing Members: Gerald Cook, Phil Wiest
Nominees: Gerry Hanweck, Saleet Jafri, Steve Klein
Communication with the BOV
Continuing Members: Robert Nadeau, Mary Meixell, Ariela Sofer
Nominees: Marion Deshmukh, Betty Sturtevant
Effective Teaching
Continuing Members: Richard Entrikin, Karen Hallows, J.E. Lin,
Egon Verheyen, Jennie Wu
Nominee: Elizabeth Gunn
External Academic Relations
Continuing Members: Debbie Sprague, Chris Thaiss
Nominees: Bob Nadeau, Steve Ruth, Bob Smith
General Education
Continuing Members: Alok Berry, Peggy Feerick, Michelle Marks,
Anita Taylor
Chair: Marilyn McKenzie, Associate Provost for Educational
Programs
Nominees: Peter Black, Bob Ehrlich, Jim Heath, Terry Zawacki
Grievance
Continuing Members: Jane Flinn, Joe Reid
Nominees: Charlene Douglas, Bob Pasnak, Linda Samuels
Minority and Diversity Issues
Continuing Members: Molly Davis, Ellen Fagenson-Eland, J.E.
Lin
Nominees: Heibatollah Baghi, Rei Berroa
Non-Traditional, Interdisciplinary, and Adult Learning
Continuing Members: Tracie Good, Doug Mose
Nominees: Frieda Butler, Michelle Davidson, Farnoosh Shahrokhi
Salary Equity Study
Continuing Members: Elyse Lehman, John J. Miller
Nominees: John Crockett, Molly Davis, Jim Kozlowski
Technology Policy
Continuing Members: J.P. Auffret, Nanda Dabbagh, Andrew Finn,
Stanley Zoltek
Nominees: Rich Carver, Maria Dworzecka, Steve Klein
Writing Across the Curriculum
Continuing Members: Susan Durham, Priscilla Regan, Beth Schneider,
Terry Zawacki, Stanley Zoltek
Nominees: Tamara Maddox, Tom Owens
The newly elected Senate Standing Committees were instructed to meet immediately
after the meeting to elect their chairs. After adjournment, the Committees reported
that the following Senators were elected chairs: Academic Policy: Esther Elstun;
Budget & Resources: Rick Coffinberger; Faculty Matters: Marty De Nys; Nominations:
Lorraine Brown; Organization & Operations: Phil Buchanan.
The newly elected University Standing Committee members will be notified by
the Faculty Senate office with instructions to meet and elect their chairs.
VII. New Business
Susan Trencher, Rick Coffinberger, and Evans Mandes met with Vice President
Scherrens this summer to discuss the creation of a faculty lounge. They would
like to offer coffee, tea, and pastries, while giving the faculty a place to
relax, talk, and get to know each other better. Dr. Trencher and Christi Chisler,
Director of University Services, will identify a location for the lounge and
announce it at the October 1st Faculty Senate meeting.
Rick Coffinberger attended the BOV/President’s Council meeting in August
and announced that the BOV is considering a proposal for tuition waivers for
family members of the University’s faculty and staff beginning in Fall
2004.
The Chair reiterated that the Faculty Senate Executive Committee is committed
to get the faculty a non-voting seat on the BOV.
It was noted that the Physical Plant has done a wonderful job this summer fixing
up the campus and making needed repairs.
VI. Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 3:40 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
David Kuebrich
Secretary, Faculty Senate