Appalachian State University

Faculty Senate Minutes

 

February 13, 2006 (Approved)

 

The faculty senate meeting was called to order by Chair Moore at 3:20 p.m. in the William Strickland Conference Room in I.G. Greer on Monday, February 13, 2006.  Senators Cramer, Ehnenn, Kaenzig, Lambert, and McCaughey were not in attendance.

 

I.     Announcements

        A.  Chair Moore welcomed senators and visitors to the meeting.  Visitors were Dr. Sara Zimmerman, Dr. Wilber Ward, Dr. Dave Haney, Dr. Tim Burwell, and Dr. Morgen Alwell.

 

        B.  Senator Marland presented Senator Ramsey with a bottle of Pomegranate juice and two 64 oz. bottles to the Faculty Senate to help allay Senator Ramsey’s distress regarding the escalating cost of his favorite juice.

        C.  Chair Moore announced that he needed to receive from the senators, who will be attending the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on February 20, 2006, any agenda items that they want to be addressed.

 

        D.  Chair Moore introduced Mr. Sam McGuire from the School of Music to the Faculty Senate who is replacing Senator Bill Jones.

        E.  Chair Moore announced that Senator McCaughey and the ASU AAUP has created an award to recognize a faculty member who has contributed to academic freedom and/or faculty governance at Appalachian State University.  As a point of information, Chair Moore noted that he recommended that the award be given out during the fall faculty meeting.

        F.  Other Announcements – None.

 

II.    Visitors’ Reports

None

 

III.   Minutes

         A.  Chair Moore asked for a motion to approve the January 9, 2006 faculty senate minutes.  Senator Jamison moved to approve the minutes with the correction that he was in attendance at the January 9, 2006 but had not handed in his voting sheet, therefore he was listed as absent.  Senator Marking seconded.  Senator Horton and Senator Strazicich were added to the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee.  Motion passed.  (See Vote #1).

IV.    Nominations

 

        A.  The Committee on Committees nominated Senator Marland to replace Dr. B.J. Yoblinski on the Traffic Policy Committee.  No second required. Motion passed.  (See Vote #2).

 

V.     Provost’s Report

        A.  Dr. Aeschleman announced that the Board of Governors approved the tuition increase package on Friday, February 10, 2006.  Dr. Aeschleman provided an update on pending resolutions as follows:

 

Motion on Faculty Office Hours (FS05-06/10-01): Insert the following text in substitute for section 5.4 of the Faculty handbook.

Every full-time faculty member is required to be available seven (7) hours per week during the regular academic year to consult with students.  Requirements for part-time faculty will be prorated according to the number of hours taught.  Each department will maintain an office hours policy that establishes standards regarding a mix among formal office hours, meetings in other locations, and electronic communications appropriate for faculty members and curricula in that department.  A schedule indicating the times available for formal office hours, meetings in other locations, and electronic communications must be posted on the faculty member’s office door, listed on course syllabi, and provided to the departmental office at the beginning of each semester. Electronic communication addresses, URLs, and/or phone numbers must be listed on course syllabi and also provided to the faculty member’s departmental office. During the term of a summer session in which a faculty member teaches, office hours expectations are half of those during the regular academic year.

 

 Response:

Approved

 

FS05-06/11-01 - Resolution Concerning the Removal of the Appalachian Cultural Museum from University Hall.

 

Response:

All options will be explored until a suitable location is found.

 

 

FS05-06/12-01 Whereas, the Provost requested Faculty Senate to clarify the appointment and reporting of search committees within departments in Faculty Handbook section 4.1.4.2;

 

Therefore, Faculty Senate affirms that a new section 4.1.4.2.1 be inserted as follows:

 

“Search Committees that recommend to the departmental chair are established by the department or by the departmental chair with departmental approval. Search Committees that recommend to the DPC are established by the DPC, with departmental approval.”

 

Senator Felkel noted that there is already a section number 4.1.4.2.1. in the Faculty Handbook.  Chair Moore responded that the numbering sequence needed to be changed.  Motion was approved. 

 

Response:

Approved

 

FS05-06/12-02 Whereas, the Provost has requested clarification of the committee(s) concerned with a chair search, including whether conducted internally or externally, in Faculty Handbook section 4.5.4

 

Therefore, Faculty Senate affirms that throughout section 4.5.4 the term “nominating committee” should be changed to “Chairperson Search Committee.”

 

And Whereas, consistency in using the same term requires changes to Faculty Handbook section 4.5.4.3.5;

 

Therefore, Faculty Senate affirms that section 4.5.4.3.5 should be changed as follows (bold shows additions):

 

4.5.4.3.5 When a search committee/departmental personnel committee Chairperson Search Committee conducting a search for a departmental chair has identified and voted to recommend candidates to the dean Provost, the committee may recommend that an appointment with tenure should be made search committee/departmental personnel committee members will attach additional recommendations to those names that an offer be made to the selected candidate for appointment with permanent tenure.

 

Response:

Approved

 

 

 

FS05-06/12-04  Whereas, Appalachian is committed to diversity in its fullest expression;

 

Therefore, Faculty Handbook section 4.5.4.2. should be changed as follows (bold shows additions):

 

4.5.4.2 Charge to the Nominating Committee

Prior to the selection of the committee, the dean will meet with the department and charge it. In this meeting the dean will emphasize encourage the faculty to consider gender and race representation on  consideration of the University’s commitment to diversity when electing representatives to the committee.

 

Response:

Approved

 

FS05-06/12-05 Whereas, Faculty Handbook section 4.1.2.2 needs clarification of who should chair the DPC in the absence of the departmental chair;

  

4.1.2.2 The departmental chair shall serve as non-voting chair of the personnel

committee and preside at all meetings. The chair shall establish called meetings when two or more committee members make written request for a meeting of the DPC. When the personnel action being considered involves the departmental chair, the DPC will elect for that action a chair from among its tenured members.

 

 

Response:

Approved

 

 

FS05-06/12-06 Whereas, the Faculty Senate in motion 03-04/04-03 April 19, 2003 passed a resolution in support of students’ religious diversity being accommodated in classes, but did not request any specific policy be established and assumed the resolution to only apply to non-Christian religious observances;

 

And Whereas, the provost, in response to that motion, affirmed Academic Affairs’ “support for its spirit and objectives,”

 

And Whereas, section 5.3.1.1 of the Faculty Handbook needs to make more clear student attendance policy;

 

Therefore, Faculty Senate affirms the changes to section 5.3.1.1 as noted below (bold shows additions).

 

 

5.3 Student Absences From Class

 

5.3.1 General Attendance Policy:

 

5.3.1.1 It is the policy of Appalachian State University that class attendance is

considered to be an important part of a student's educational experience. Students are expected to attend every meeting of their classes, and are responsible for class attendance. No matter what bases exist Regardless what reasons there may be for absence, students are held accountable for all academic activities, and faculty may require special work or tests to make up for the missed class or classes. In addition, faculty members are encouraged to make reasonable accommodations for students requesting to miss class due to the observance of religious holidays.

 

Faculty, at their discretion, may include class attendance as a criterion in determining a student's final grade in the course. On at least the first day of class, faculty must inform students in writing of their class attendance policy and the effect of that policy on their final grade; both policies must be clearly stated in the class syllabus. If class attendance is to affect a student's final grade, then a statement to this effect must be a part of the course syllabus distributed to each student.

 

(NOTE: A student who does not attend a class during one of its first two meetings

may, at the discretion of the academic department, lose her or his seat in that class. Further, if a class meets only one time per week - e.g., a laboratory or an evening class - the student must attend the FIRST meeting of that class or risk losing her or his seat.

 

 

Response:

Approved

 

 

FS05-06/12-07 Whereas, the same principles for respecting religious diversity that apply to students also ought to apply to faculty;

 

And Whereas the Faculty Handbook in section 5.2 can be more clearly stated;

 

Therefore, the Faculty Senate affirms the following text replace the present text of section 5.2 in the Faculty Handbook :

 

5.2 Faculty Absence

 

Whenever a faculty member will be absent from class, she or he must notify the departmental chair. The departmental chair will make appropriate arrangements for the missed classes to be taught. Absences for observance of  religious holidays should be accommodated and planned with the departmental chair. All absences from classes for any reason should be reported to the dean of the college/school by the departmental chair.

 

Response:

Approved

 

 

FS05-06/12-08 Whereas, The Faculty Handbook in the second paragraph (labeled as NOTE) of section 5.3.1.1 implies that all departments must have a policy regarding students’ absences from the first two class meeting days— see the reference “at the discretion of the academic department”;

 

Therefore, Faculty Senate requests the Office of Academic Affairs to ensure that all departments have such a policy and that it be included in published departmental policies.

 

Response:

Approved

 

 

FS05-06/12-09 Whereas, the principle of faculty governance of curriculum matters is essential, and that the Provost has recognized it by agreeing that the AP&P committee be chaired by a faculty member and not an administrator,

 

And Whereas, The Core Curriculum Committee should also be chaired by a faculty member and not by an administrator, even in a co-chair capacity,

 

Therefore, Faculty Senate affirms that the present Faculty Handbook section 7.3.2.4 be deleted and replaced with the following text: “Every committee will select a chair for the academic year at their first Fall semester meeting.”

 

Response

Approved beginning Fall 2006

 

 

FS05-06/12-11 Access to recreation center

ASU faculty and staff be granted access to the new recreation center (at the corner of Bodenheimer and Rivers St.) without payment of a fee for its use.

 

Response

Use of the new recreational center will be added to the access to the Quinn Center and the Mount Mitchell Life Fitness Center at the current monthly rate of $4.00 for an individual membership and $8.00 per family membership.  These funds are solely for the purchase of new and replacement equipment.  The majority of institutions in the UNC system charge a substantially higher fee.

 

Motion FS05-06/12-12:“Whereas, there should not be conflicts between academic and athletic activities at Appalachian, and especially due to football post-season play;

 

And Whereas, commencement activities are of fundamental importance to the purpose of the university, and they must be planned to avoid foreseeable or potential time conflicts and to represent the actual completion of a student’s academic requirements as Appalachian;

 

Therefore, be it Resolved, that the Faculty Senate requests the Chancellor to implement as soon  as possible a commencement policy that holds both Fall and Spring semester commencements occur after the last final grading deadline of the respective semesters, which may require other adjustments in the academic calendar necessary to making commencement a fully meaningful symbol for students and for faculty, both of whom have worked together to make possible granting the appropriate academic degree.”

 

Response:

Pending

 

 

                    Senator Strazicich asked the provost for an update on the textbook rental system and inquired if 15% of the tuition increase will be earmarked for faculty salary raises as an addition to the normal faculty raises.  The provost responded that the textbook committee is still looking into the textbook rental system and is conducting a survey.  Fifteen percent of the tuition increase is for faculty pay raises. 

 

VI.     Committee Reports (Committee Chair in caps.)

         A.  Academic Policies (HUELSMAN, Butts, Ehnenn, Mamlin)

 

Motion FS 05-06/02-01 re supplemental pay:

 

Whereas, the Provost submitted a proposed Policy on Supplemental Compensation to the Faculty Senate for consideration at its January 9, 2006 meeting, and

 

Whereas, the Provost expressed his desire for feedback from across the university community, and

 

Whereas, a majority of faculty had neither seen this proposed policy nor knew its details prior to the publication of the Agenda for the January 9, 2006 Faculty Senate meeting, and

 

Whereas, the proposed policy was drafted with little participation by the faculty at large, and in particular without the participation of important key stakeholder groups,

 

Therefore Be it Resolved that the Faculty Senate asks the Provost to appoint a committee to examine and revise the proposed policy and collect data on its effects in a transparent fashion, open to the participation and feedback of all faculty. The committee should be composed of representatives from at least the following stakeholder groups: Faculty Senate, Council of Chairs, Deans, Program Directors, Academic Affairs, Extension programs, faculty currently working on grants (or who have recently done so), and faculty who teach off-campus. At least one-half of the committee should be faculty members.

 

Dr. Aeschleman shared with the faculty senate the Supplemental Pay Policy timeline from the date ASU received notification from the Office of the President of the Board of Governors to the most recent committee meeting in December, 2005.  The provost stated that he wants to take the policy back to the Board of Trustees for further discussion and consideration.  There was further discussion regarding the SPP as it related to the College of Education.  Chair Moore offered a point of clarification indicating that the Council of Chairs opposes the SPP and will establish a committee to further review and analyze this matter.

 

Senator Marland called the question.  (See Vote #3).

 

Motion FS05-06/02-01 regarding the Supplemental Pay Policy failed.  (See Vote #4).

 

              Senator Marking moved that a number of senators, equal to the number of Council of Chairs members, meet jointly to respond to the Supplemental Pay Policy.  Senator Mamlin seconded.  Motion passed.  (See Vote #5). 

 

              B. Agenda Committee (MOORE, Marking, Harris, Aeschleman)

                            No Report

              C. Budget Committee  (STRAZICICH, Kaenzig, Pier, Staub)

                             No Report

              D. Campus Planning Committee (MARLAND, Jamison, McKinney)

                           

FS 05-06/02-02 Support for Traffic Policy Committee Resolution

 

We move that the Faculty Senate support the resolution of the Traffic Policy Committee (as noted herein) and encourage the university to implement those recommendations beginning in the Fall semester of 2006.

 

Motion FS05-06/02-02 passed, one abstain.  (See Vote #6).

 

              E. Committee on Committees (MALLOY, Cramer, Jones, Lambert, McBride)

                            No Report

              F. Faculty Handbook Committee (Arnold, Gates, MARKING, Moore)

                           

Motion FS 05-06/02-03 re EOA elections

 

Whereas the present practice of selecting the departmental EOA from among the tenured members of the departmental DPC is contrary to the Faculty Handbook in section 4.1.2.3;

 

Whereas a majority of faculty think the present practice of selecting the departmental EOA to be a simple and effective way of accomplishing an important task.

 

Therefore, be it resolved that the Faculty Senate recommends that the Faculty Handbook be changed as follows:

 

4.1.2.3 Each Every department's faculty shall elect the departmental personnel committee using the procedures in Robert's Rules of Order as currently revised, and determine the length of terms on the DPC. In departments with an adequate number of faculty, no faculty member may serve more than three consecutive years on a DPC. Persons who hold academic rank7 within a department, whether or not their salaries are from state-appropriated funds, shall be eligible for the committee. At the beginning of each every fall semester, every all departments will elect from among its the tenured faculty of their DPC an Equal Opportunity Associate. This person will represent the University’s Office of Compliance Programs in all departmental personnel affairs.

 

7Eligibility of persons under this provision shall be consistent with the stipulations of Article II, Section 3 of the Faculty Constitution.

 

 

4.1.4.1.12 Guidelines concerning the roles and responsibilities of the Equal Opportunity Associate (EOA) are available from the Equity Office specified in the EPA Affirmative Action Plan.

4.1.4.2.5 Guidelines concerning the roles and responsibilities of the Equal Opportunity Associate (EOA) are available from the Equity Office specified in the EPA Affirmative Action Plan.

 

Motion FS 05-06/02-03 passed.  (See Vote #7). 

 

              G. Faculty Welfare and Morale Committee (FELKEL, Harris, Horton, McCaughey)

                            No Report

 

              H. Welfare of Students Committee (RARDIN, Ramsey, Scherlen, Smith)

                            Report on SPARC withdrawn.

 

              I. Ad Hoc Committee on Faculty Retirement (MOORE, Terry Cole (CMU), Marvin Hoffman (PS/CJ), Len Johnson (HRS), Harold McKinney (MUS), Susan Keefe (ANT))

              No Report

 

              J. Ad Hoc Committee on the Role of the Faculty Senate (ARNOLD, Gates, McBride, Rardin, Scherlen)

              No report

 

              K. Report of the Vice Chair regarding Faculty Elections (MARKING).  Senator Marking reported that the election ballots will be mailed on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 and the deadline for completed ballots to be returned to the Faculty Senate office is Thursday, February 23, 2006.

 

VII.     Unfinished Business

              None

 

VIII.   New Business

              None

 

Chair Moore asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting.  Senator Felkel moved and Senator Smith seconded.  (See Vote #8).  The meeting was adjourned at 4:50 p.m.

 

 

Appalachian State University

FACULTY PRESENT AND VOTING SHEET for February 13, 2006

Y = Yes             N = No               A = Abstain

 

SENATORS

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Arnold, Edwin

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Butts, Jeff

Y

Y

Y

A

Y

Y

Y

Y

Cramer, Beth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ehnenn, Jill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Felkel, Brian

A

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Harris, Tim

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Horton, Julie

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Huelsman, Tim

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Jamison, Tom

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Kaenzig, Rebecca

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lambert, Monica

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Malloy, Mark

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Mamlin, Nancy

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Marking, Martha

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Marland, Eric

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

McBride, Jeff

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

A

Y

Y

McCaughey, Martha

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

McGuire, Sam

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

McKinney, Harold

Y

Y

Y

A

Y

Y

N

 

Ramsey, Colin

Y

Y

Y

N

 

 

 

 

Rardin, Patrick

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Scherlen, Allan

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Smith, Steve

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Staub, Susan

Y

Y

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strazicich, Mark

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

 

 

Vote #1:                          To approve the January 9, 2006 Faculty Senate minutes.

Vote #2:                          To nominate Senator Eric Marland to replace Dr. B.J. Yoblinski on the Traffic Policy Committee.

Vote #3:                          Motion FS 05-06/02-01 regarding Supplemental Pay Policy.

Vote #4:                          To call the question on Motion FS05-06/02-01.

Vote #5:                          Senate representatives to meet jointly with Council of Chairs to respond to the Supplemental Pay Policy.

Vote #6:                          Motion FS05-06/02-02 to support the resolution of the Traffic Policy committee.

Vote #7:                          Motion FS05-06/02-03 departmental EOA selection.

Vote #8:                          To adjourn the meeting.