Minutes Faculty Senate Meeting
September 25, 2002
Wednesday - 3:00 PM
SCI. Bldg. Room #208
|
Members Present: |
Members Absent: |
|
Ed Beaty
Diane Bellinger
Larry Duron
Lester Hall
Herman Hauschildt
Mary Hays
George Johnson
Dee Joseph
Van Lopez
Tim Nealon
Sean Nighbert
Sylvia Phillips
Eleanor Seiferth
Sandra Snavely
Emily Staats
David Weaver
James West |
Ken Poff
James West |
Guests:
Call To Order
Tim Nealon called the meeting to order at 3:02 p.m.
Approval and Correction of Minutes
On September 25, the minutes for the August 28, 2002 meeting were approved.
While preparing the minutes for the September 25 meeting, however, Sylvia Phillips discovered that the attendance roster for the August 28 meeting needed corrections.
Sylvia Phillips also discovered that under the "Promotion Appeals Committee" heading, "Time" should be "Tim."
The corrected minutes will be forwarded through email.
Treasurer’s Report
Sandra Snavely stated that the $227.28 previously in the treasury had been lost. As of September 1, the treasury currently has $1500.
Old Business
Committee Reports
Faculty Hearing Committee
- This committee is needed for responding to faculty grievances.
Promotion Appeals Committee
Tim Nealon reported that this committee has still not been conceived.
There was discussion that the person on the committee with the most seniority should serve as chair.
The question arose, "Can membership on Faculty Senate (FS) committees be extended?"
Larry Duron read in the FS constitution that committees "stand."
Ed Beaty has been asked to assemble the Promotion Appeals Committee for a meeting.
Members of the Promotion Appeals Committee include John Thomas Davis, Physical Therapist Assistant Program, Edward Beaty, Occupational Therapy Assistant Program, Rita Castro, Learning Resource Center, James West, Counseling, and Sandra Snavely, Interior Design, SW Campus.
Constitution Committee
- Larry Duron asked us to review the constitution and make recommendations for corrections and/or changes.
Professional Concerns Committee
- Herman Hauschildt reported that The Faculty Handbook has been completed. Dr. Runnels has now formed a committee to determine the interpretation of the handbook according to ACCD district policies. The goal of this committee is to insure that the handbook is as user-friendly as possible.
Awards Committee and Faculty Development Committee
- Lester Hall gave an extensive report about the Awards Committee. Members of the 2001-2002 Awards Committee included Tim Nealon, Phil Raue, Ed Beaty, and Dee Joseph.
- During the 2001-2002 academic year, a clearly defined process was established for nominating faculty for these awards. Dee Joseph complimented Lester Hall for improving the quality of the Awards Committee.
- In 2001-2002, Tim Nealon was nominated for the Piper Award and Dee Joseph was nominated for the Faculty Excellence Award.
- The Piper process will start all over again this year.
- Last year, faculty participation in the awards was poor.
- Procedure
- Usually, faculty is notified through mailbox stuffers.
- Also, a peer nominates a fellow faculty member.
- NISOD nominees may include faculty or staff.
- Hall and the committee welcome input for improving the faculty selection process.
- The deadline for submitting information for the Piper Award is November 18, 2002.
- Time-Frame Limitation
- Hall proposes that we consider time-frame limitations for the Piper Award of either three years or five years. The purpose of this limitation would be to improve the pool of candidates.
- Emily Staats asked what would happen if a person is first-runner up for the award. Must that person wait three to five years before re-applying for the award?
- Sean Nighbert was more concerned about candidates running for three years in a row. What if the criteria change?
- Dee Joseph wanted to know the criteria for the Piper award.
- Currently, Piper gives no input about the selection process.
- St. Philip’s currently solicits nominations faculty wide.
- Herman Hauschildt recommended a packet of criteria.
- Lester Hall noted that candidates do not want to complete the application.
- Dee Joseph stated that candidates must fulfill three out of five of the requirements stated in the Piper application.
- Emily Staats wanted to know if the portfolio submitted for the Piper could be the same as the ones submitted for tenure and promotion.
- Tim Nealon wondered if the criteria for the Piper would deter potential candidates from applying.
Teaching Loads
- Tim Nealon is speaking with the administration about teaching loads. Amanda Salinas is currently serving on a committee that will prepare a report for the Faculty Senate.
Ceremonial Mace
- Sandra Snavely, Interior Design, Southwest Campus, said that having the Southwest Campus construct a ceremonial mace is feasible. The mace will be made from wood purchased from Alamo Hardwood. The metal medallion will be constructed of aluminum or possibly another material. A stand will also be created so that the completed mace may be kept in the president’s office. The personnel who build the mace have yet to be determined. Design students will have a two-week contest for the design of the mace.
Chair Evaluations By Faculty
- This issue is in progress.
Instructor Approval for Student Grades
- There has been a multiplicity of problems because administrators are changing student grades without consulting with instructors first. This issue is still being worked on.
Dropping Before Census Date
- Records and registration should not drop students before the census date.
Fall Employee Development Day
- Dee Joseph reported that Employee Development Day will begin at 8 am Monday, October 14 at San Antonio College. Dr. Runnels wants everyone there. There will be a teaching and wellness strand. Dr. Runnels urges everyone to be there. This day is not to be used as a day to stay in the individual offices to catch up on work.
- One of the senators asked if there would be a Faculty Senate symposium. Dee Joseph stated that although past FS symposia have been quite successful and popular, none is scheduled for this year.
Meeting Time for 2002-2003 Faculty Senate Meeting
- The senators voted to stick with the current meeting time of 3:00 pm, fourth Wednesday of the month, in Room #208 of the Science Building.
New Business
Faculty Senate President’s Report
President’s Cabinet Meeting
- Tim Nealon received a memo from Kitty Flores, the Executive Secretary in the Office of the President, stating that the meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 1 had been cancelled.
- The memo from Kitty Flores stated that the name "president's cabinet" had been changed to "the president's council."
Academic Affairs Meeting
- Dee Joseph attended the Academic Affairs meeting for Tim Nealon.
- There is a need for more adjuncts.
- A steering committee for strategic planning met Tuesday, September 24.
- Bill Lisensby is the St. Philip’s representative for United Way.
- The school is attempting to raise $20 million for scholarships.
- Dr. Runnels is raising funds for a lecture series.
- Although the Learning Resource Center now opens on Sundays at 1 p.m. instead of 8 a.m., students are still arriving there before 1 p.m.
- Dr. Runnels wants faculty to use "SPCFAC" instead of "SPCALL" because she feels too much unnecessary email is being distributed.
TCCTA Conference for Faculty Leaders
- Sylvia Phillips will go to the October 11-12 TCCTA Conference for Faculty Leaders as the Faculty Senate representative. Due to prior commitments, neither Tim Nealon nor Dee Joseph will be able to attend.
Letter of Gratitude to Dr. Robert Ramsey
- The Faculty Senators felt a letter of gratitude should be written to Dr. Robert Ramsey. Van Lopez, the corresponding secretary, will compose the letter, and Tim Nealon, the president, will sign it.
Student Grievance Procedures
- We need to make sure students follow the chain of command: instructor, department chair, dean, vice president.
- Sean Nighbert wanted to know if students receive student handbooks.
- George Johnson said that he requires his students to pick up student handbooks on the first day of class.
Faculty Parking
- The faculty parking situation is being monitored more closely.
- Currently, students receive a five-day grace period for parking.
- Tim Nealon says he will speak with security about the parking situation.
- St. Philip’s has the largest enrollment ever, yet our parking, learning resource center, cafeteria, student center, and other similar facilities are not keeping pace with the growth.
Equitable Treatment of Faculty
- Tim Nealon felt that this issue was covered under "Instructor Approval for Student Grades" and "Dropping Before Census."
Electorate To Be Heard
Fran Rettig of Nursing reported on the Smoke-Free Committee. St. Philip’s is phasing in a policy of "no smoking" anywhere on campus, neither indoors nor outdoors. The goal is to have SPC and SWC smoke-free within a year. This initiative does not apply to the entire ACCD.
UT Health Science Center is entirely smoke-free.
There will be an open forum about the situation in the Heritage Room at 3 pm on October 23.
Beginning on November 21, the day of the American Cancer Society "Stop Smoking" day. There will be no smoking in entryways of buildings.
The Smoking Committee is holding its next meeting Wednesday, October 2, in Science Building Room #208 at 2 pm.
Additional Items
- Larry Duron spoke on behalf of the Faculty Workstation Committee. Fifty-four new workstations are available for faculty. The computers are Dell Dimension and Dell Optiplex models consisting of 19-inch monitors and 250 megabytes. Flat screens were rejected in the interest of purchasing as many workstations as possible. The first phase of installations will begin sometime this semester. Larry distributed an email memo about the workstations on September 25.
- Audrey Mosley will hold a distance learning faculty meeting. For further details about date, time, and place, contact her.
Adjournment
- The Faculty Senate meeting adjourned at 4:10 pm.
S i g n a t u r e s
|
___________________ _________ |
___________________ _________ |
|
Sylvia E. Phillips, Ph.D. Date
Recording Secretary
Faculty Senate 2002-2003 |
Timothy J. Nealon, Ph.D. Date Date
President
Faculty Senate 2002-2003 |