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Faculty Senate Minutes
8 October 1997
Senate Members in Attendance:
| Phil Sell | Bob Hirnle | Rosemary Adang | Alicja Janovich | Craig Schwartz |
| Michael Allen | Helen Burn | Barbara Hunter | Patricia Haggerty | Moria Fulton |
I. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order, by the Chair, Bob Hirnle, at 2:32 pm.
II. Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the previous faculty senate meeting were approved as submitted.
III. Agenda Review
The agenda was approved, with an additional topic for discussion. What is the mission and authority of the Senate?
IV. Announcements
Senate meetings are held the second Wednesday of every month at 2:30 pm in the Board Room of the Library, except next month the Board Room is not available. Bob Hirnle will send out a calendar with dates and locations of future meetings.
V. Reports
A. Chair
Bob Hirnle presented some thoughts regarding the work of
the Senate for the upcoming year:
1. Finishing the unfinished work regarding the Constitution and addressing the issue of
Senate governance.
2. Developing and sponsoring faculty forums, the first one possibly dealing with the
Constitution.
3. Exploring the route that policies approved and recommended by the Senate take. Where do
they go and what happens next? Further discussion recommended to follow up on the status
of last year’s work and recommendations regarding the withdrawal and residency
requirements to incorporate these changes before the catalog gets reprinted this year.
4. Viewing the Senate as a representative body of the faculty, any issue of importance to
the faculty that is pertinent to academics should and can be brought to the Senate.
B. President
No report
C. Senators at Large
Alicja Janovich reported that she and Rosemary Adang will be soliciting nominations
for vacancies on Senate and college committees.
D. HCEA
No report
E. FACTC
No report
F. ASHCC
No report
VI. Action Items
No action items.
VII. Discussion Items
A. Faculty and exempt positions.
It has been noticed that some new positions that have a teaching and coordination
component have been designated as exempt positions rather than as faculty positions.
Questions raised were who decides and how is it decided what is a faculty position? What
is an exempt position? Advantages and disadvantages of each category, implications, and
trends. It was decided that more information and clarification was needed. Bob Hirnle
would contact Sue Williamson to come to the next Senate meeting.
B. Constitution.
The faculty voted and accepted a new constitution but it was defeated and rejected by
the Council of Councils as well as other groups in the process. A recurring question is
where do things get decided and what is the faculty in charge of? The new constitution
appeared to define the role of the Senate more clearly. Phil Sell will forward a copy of
the old and new constitution to each senator. He will contact the faculty committee who
worked on the constitution to help in presenting a faculty forum in mid-November.
C. Policy on Policies.
The current process requires that policy changes be presented at several councils
before the Council on Councils makes a decision and recommendation to the President. This
process has been described as cumbersome, at best. The issue has been raised that branches
of the college that are not directly related to instruction are able to impact decisions
regarding academics. It was also noted that recommendations from the previous
accreditation team state that faculty participation in the development of academic
policies be strengthened by a more direct channel of communication, as well as a
clarification and review of the organizational structure of committees and councils,
including the Council of Councils was in order. A committee was formed to dialogue with
the president and vice-presidents concerning the pros and cons of changing the Policy on
Policies and Council of Councils. Contact Phil Sell or Bob Hirnle if interested in being
on this committee.
D. Nominations for Senate committees.
All senate committees and college committees have openings: Professional Rights and
Responsibilities (3); Scholastic Review (5); Advisory Committee on Curriculum (3);
Commencement (1); President’s Symposium (3); Outreach Action (1); College Health and
Safety (4); Graduation Review Board (1); and Discipline (3). While there was discussion
about the structure and relevancy of some committees’s work, they nevertheless are
existing standing committees and need to be filled. All senators were requested in seeking
committee nominations from their divisions.
E. Future discussion items.
Senate members were to solicit from their divisions future items for discussion by the
Senate and forward them by e-mail to Bob Hirnle.
The Faculty Senate meeting was adjourned at 4:07 pm.
Alicja Janovich, substitute Secretary