SENATE MINUTES

Meeting Date:

11/15/01

Status of Minutes:

APPROVED

Senate Session:

XVIII

Meeting Number:

7

Present:

P. Travis, S.A. Davis, N. Sidell, C. D'Ortona, B. Ganong, M. Syrett, B. Cunningham, A. Ghods, K. Sullins, A. Longoria, S. Thornsley, B. Wallace, J. Ulrich, B. Holtman, R. Dodson, M. Matarese, A. Gaskievicz, J. Werner, M-D. Schmid, I.Newman, M. Chester, S. Brown, R, Keller, A. Mabe, M. Lane, N. Cooledge, C. Coleman.

I.

P. Travis called the meeting to order at 3:32 p.m.

II.

Minutes of November 1, 2001 were approved as electronically distributed (Ghods/Chester).

APPROVED

III.

Treasurer's Report (C. D'Ortona)

The account balance is $674, enough to cover the spring scholarship payment. A book scholarship may be possible. Faculty reps can request a list of who has paid in each department by e-mailing the treasurer.

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APPROVED

IV.

Announcements

1. Amendments to the Senate Constitution were approved by the required majority (43 yes and 2 no votes).
   
   
2. The Provost's Brown Bag lunch is set for 11/26 from 12 &endash; 1:30 in 307 AHSC. The topic will be drafts of mission-related activities and quality proposals.
   
   
3. J. Halstead announced the 137th Commencement speaker on 12/15: Hamilton Jordan. Mr. Jordan served as Chief of Staff during the Carter Administration, is an author of two best sellers and is a cancer survivor.
   
   
4. At today's Trustees meeting, the medical coding and medical transcription programs were approved and will be forwarded to the Board of Governors.
   
   
5. J. Halstead approved the Senate curricular action of 11/1, the abbreviated distance education course approval procedure.

    

    

   
   

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V.

Committee Reports

A.

Academic Affairs (A. Gaskievicz)


Three motions were presented by AAC:

MOTION ONE: AAC moves to approve the policy statement on the "Maximum Hours Accepted as Transfer" as distributed as a curricular action notice on 10/31/01.

Discussion: P. Travis requested that this motion be redistributed in a CAN on 11/16, as there were distribution problems. The motion was deferred until the next meeting.

MOTION TWO: AAC moves to approve changes in course numbering for ENG 308 to ENG 268; ENG 309 to ENG 269; ENG 310 to ENG 278; and ENG 311to ENG 279.

Discussion: The rationale for this motion is a more logical sequencing for majors. This will not impact students needing upper level courses. MOTION APPROVED.

MOTION THREE: AAC moves to approve change in catalog description for CHM 102 - Organic and Biochemistry and CHM 201 - Introduction to Biochemistry

Discussion: none. MOTION APPROVED.

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B.

Academic Planning (B. Ganong)

Several program changes are being looked at in parallel with AAC. 

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C.

Administrative Affairs & Elections (P. Travis)

P. Travis indicated that the electronic voting on constitutional changes went well and spring elections are planned electronically.

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D.

Student Affairs & Admissions (D. Rotella)

No report.

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E.

Information Technology (B. Holtman)

No report.

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F.

Library Advisory (M. Syrett)

A focus group was held last week. Findings are being compiled and a report will follow.

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G.

Provost (M. Lane)

It was announced that the Board of Trustees was very positive and supportive of the two new programs considered today, medical transcription and medical technology. A search committee has been formed to replace Mary Burger who is retiring. Her position title has been changed to Vice-Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs. One additional brown bag has been scheduled to discuss mission-related activities. It appears that we will be addressing a value-added component in writing/analytic skills and perhaps non-credit continuing education/community service activities. The final plan will be forwarded to APC and the Cabinet.

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VI.

Old Business

1. Mabe asked for clarification on the IG approval process. Do course submissions to the IG Committee need to include a course change form and be processed through AAC and Senate? When a course is granted I or G status, the course catalog will be changed. This issue did not come forward as part of a motion or checklist when IG was created, but the intent was not to go through the course change process. Requiring course change forms would slow the IG approval process considerably. This is different from the W process, which is instructor, not course-specific. If a course is rejected as I or G, AAC would hear an appeal. It was decided that AAC will discuss the issue and bring forward a motion to streamline the approval process.
   
   
2. R. Keller questioned the creative alphabetizing found in the current course catalog. Currently courses are listed by prefix, not name. For example, Social Work (SWK) is listed after Spanish (SPA). M. Lane indicated that the catalog needs to be more user-friendly for students and faculty. R. Keller will e-mail her request to M. Lane, and others were encouraged to e-mail recommendations or suggestions as well.

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VII.

New Business

1. Longoria asked if others were experiencing problems with students use of buildings for class-related purposes. He has a meeting with J. Maresco to discuss the issue that has emerged with theater students. Students have been told that if projects are class-related, they could not use student buildings to work on them. A. Ghods expressed concern with use of Elliott. S. Brown asked if students were going through the correct channels to reserve rooms. J. Halstead encouraged the use of common sense in the discussion, as academic life should enrich student life in our learning community. M. Lane and J. Maresco will look at this issue further.
   
   
2. M. Lane announced that 2/7/02 is the deadline for Senate action on changes for the 2002-2003 catalog.

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VIII.

Meeting adjourned at 4:02 p.m. (Longoria/Chester).

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Respectfully Submitted,

Nancy Sidell
Secretary of Senate