Faculty Policies Committee Minutes , April 21, 2003

 

Present, committee members for 2002-4:

Michelle Benedict, Gordon Eisenman, Cliff Gardiner, Jeff Heck (secretary), Bill Reese (new chair), Sabina Widner

                Present, Rotating into the committee for 2003-5:

                Tom Crute, Marc Miller, Katherine Sweeney, Wendy Turner, Donna Wear, Janice Williams
                Present, Rotating off the committee, ending 2001-3 terms:
                Barbara Coleman, Bill Dodd, Jim Garvey, Andy Hauger (chair), Donna Hobbs, Jana Sandarg

 

 

Minutes of April 14, 2003 were approved as revised.

 

 

Agenda items:

 

1. New Members for 2003-5

            Chair Andy Hauger welcomed new members of the FPC for the 2003-5 term.

 

2. Committee on Committees

            Katherine Sweeney, Michelle Benedict and Wendy Turner volunteered to assist Cliff Gardiner in upcoming work on setting committee assignments. Andy Hauger will provide Excel assistance.

 

3. Review of Ongoing Projects

            Andy Hauger listed continuing and future projects for the new FPC members, including reselling of faculty-owned textbooks on campus, swimming pool hours, Cullum changes, and informing new faculty of employee benefit options. He reminded the members that an agenda should be published to the general faculty prior to each FPC meeting.

 

4. 2001-3 members

            Andy Hauger dismissed the 2001-3 committee members, with compliments and his thanks.

 

5. Election

            Andy Hauger led elections for the 2003-4 FPC. Bill Reese, Sociology, and Sabina Widner, Psychology, were nominated for the position of chair. Widner declined; Reese was elected unanimously. Jeff Heck was elected as secretary. Following the election, Andy Hauger departed amid applause from the new committee.

 

6. Chair Charge for New Committee

            Bill Reese charged the committee to consider strategy on topics that are passed within the committee but find conflict when forwarded to other bodies of the university. He also reviewed methodology for conducting meetings, including a request that all members check their calendars to be sure Mondays from 3-5 p.m. are clear for next Fall.

 

7. Review of Previous Projects
            Individual FPC members from 2002-3 reviewed ongoing projects for the new members, providing background and context, to help the FPC determine if action was needed on any of the projects during the remainder of Spring semester or during Summer semester. No immediate action was needed unless the issue of a protest site presents itself again.

            Upcoming Projects:

 

Informing new faculty of employee benefit options through mentoring. Janice Williams suggested contacting the Board of Regents attorney for an opinion on the legal liability incurred by offering a formalized mentoring system for new faculty. Cliff Gardiner will forward the suggestion to the committee on employee benefits. Bill Reese will include information on the paper trail relating to this issue for the first meeting in the Fall.

 

Pool hours. It would help more faculty to use the pool if it were open hours in addition to the afternoon and evening free-swim slots currently available. While the FPC will review the issue, changes may be constrained by funding of lifeguards or availability of lifeguards to serve during the additional hours.

 

Book reselling on campus by faculty / Vendor policy – why should a percentage of the sale price go to the bookstore?

 

Fall Break – issues of a true Fall Break and a possible break for 1st term summer students will be examined now that Spring Break has been in place             long enough for a review of its benefit.

 

Faculty Role Model credit for foreign teaching – not currently provided. Programs offered during the summer require intensive preparation during the remainder of the year.

 

Cullum – followup to ensure the class changes currently working through the system go through

 

Parking – ensure spaces for faculty

 

Speech issues – propose changes to ensure freedom of speech on campus while avoiding disruption. The committee discussed alternative sites for designated free speech areas such as the lawn to the east of Allgood Hall. Terminology needs clarification on “protests,”  “events,” etc.

 

 

8. Agenda Methodology

            Marc Miller asked how faculty provide items to be placed on the agenda. Bill Reese replied that items may be sent through any media to any committee member for inclusion.

 

Adjourned 4:15 p.m.

First meeting for 2003-2004:
August 25, 2003, 3 p.m., Science Building, room 1012