University Faculty Senate

Executive Committee (EC) October 7, 2008 Minutes
2008- 2009

INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
Faculty Senate Executive Committee
2008-2009
October 7, 2008

EC#6
Approved October 14, 2008
October 7, 2008 Minutes

Indiana State University
Faculty Senate 2008-09

Present: V. Sheets, S.A. Anderson, A. Halpern, C. Hoffman, J. Fine, S. Pontius, T. Sawyer and D. Worley

Absent: S. Lamb

Guests: President Bradley, J. Gatrell, M. Boyer and M. Green

I. Administrative Report
M. Green reported for J. Maynard

a) Working with the task force for faculty evaluation to develop a policy for implementation. (M. Green)

b) Working on a 4 day/week summer school schedule.

President Bradley’s Report

a) First President’s Council meeting was held this morning (Sheets also attended).

b) The President will be going to Bloomington on Friday to do Budget presentation. He expects questions related to Financial Aid, FTE, and Friday classes, etc.

c) Interviews with firms desiring to assist ISU’s strategic planning begin next week. There were originally 4 firms being reviewed to help ISU with a Strategic Plan. One did not seem viable and another pulled out of the interview process. The President stated that the final two companies will be interviewed next week.

d) C. Hoffman questioned the need for the university to hire an outside consultant/ firm to help ISU with a Strategic Plan. The President stated that it is his experience that an outside consultant is needed to facilitate a plan so that everyone can feel a part of the process. The presence of the outside consultant also minimizes chances that immediate emotions will override logical decision-making.

e) Diann McKee will be going to Indianapolis next week to argue for funding for HVAC and Central Chiller projects for campus.

II. Chair’s Report

a) Sheets stated that he attended the President’s Planning Council today. It was their first meeting. The Council is to address potential campus-wide policy matters. They talked about the issue of collecting data for retention and the need for leadership development opportunities.

b) The President’s Installation Committee is planning a ceremony for the new President of ISU on Thursday, November 13, at 2:00 p.m. The Installation week will be a celebration of ISU’s Community Engagement.

III. The EC September 30, 2008 minutes were approved as corrected. 8-0-0.

IV. Fifteen Minute Open Discussion

a) A. Halpern reported that the retention task force has concluded its business today. He wanted to alert members to the fact that about $215,000 in base budget funding will be recommended for professional advising. It is possible that these funds might have to come from faculty lines.

b) Sheets stated that the recruitment task force has also completed its work and included recommendations for transfer scholarships.

c) J. Gatrell mentioned that the 21st century scholars programs was also targeted for expansion.

V. New Business

a) Policy of Grad Council for fast-tracking curricular proposals. By acclamation M. Boyer and J. Gatrell were invited to the table. M. Boyer clarified the role of the CAPS manual as related to GC practices and noted the value of having an analogous fast-track practice for graduate curricular proposals as used for undergraduate proposals.

b) Revised Thesis and Dissertation Handbook
1) Boyer stated that there have been many changes to the Handbook due to the expectations of people working on theses and dissertations since 1995 when it was last officially approved. Most of the changes were not incorporated into the document formally. The present document also excludes many of the coulds and shoulds to emphasize what “must” be true with regard to TD formatting.

2) It was also noted that there was a need for greater flexibility across disciplines.
A motion was made to accept this document with some corrections and with several noted changes if an electronic TD policy is established. SP/DW 8-0-0. J. Gatrell stated that he would send a revised copy of the document to the Faculty Senate office so it can be included in the packet being sent to the FS members for the next Senate meeting on October 23.

VI. Chair’s Queries of EC (not on agenda)

a) CoNNH Organization structure was originally approved by AAC and GC but CAAC requested revisions. It was unclear if the document should go back to AAC and GC. Sheets mentioned that CAAC, the committee responsible, is the academic organization. The EC recommended that the changes were not substantive and that it did not need to be returned. Sheets will put it on next week’s EC agenda.

b) Sheets mentioned that S. Gick forwarded questions from the minus grade implementation committee that needed to be addressed. Should the implementation committee be empowered to respond, the EC, or should they be sent to SAC? It was the consensus that
a) whereas the questions are academic/curricular; b) whereas the answers are needed fairly quickly for the implementation group to complete its work in preparations for next fall’s catalog, and c) the questions are largely straightforward extensions of current policy/practice rather than developing anything new, EC will address them directly. Sheets will place them on next week’s agenda

. c) Questions had been posed to Sheets about voting status of adjunct faculty. Some discussion ensued but the consensus was that the Senate Executive Committee and the Senate had made clear statements on this during 2006-07 and 2007-08. Sheets was instructed that his response should highlight those statements.

VII. Committee Reports

a. AAC none
b. AEC none
c. CAAC
d. FAC - will meet tomorrow.
e. FEBC – doing research related to spousal educational benefits.
f. GC – none. Already discussion.
g. SAC – S. Pontius has not been contacted yet. Sheets asked Pontius to call P. Hightower remind him re liaison.
h. URC – J. Fine stated that they are meeting this week.
Meeting adjourned at 4:48 p.m.