Seneate Executive Committee Meeting
Approved Minutes from the January 8, 2008 Senate Executive Committee Meeting
President Wright called the meeting to order at 3:00 pm.
Members Present
Sheila Wright – President
Donald Fricker - President Elect
Karen Czarnik - Immediate Past President
Dominick Hart - Provost
Faculty/Guests
Barbara Becker and Carol Szymanski, Ad hoc Committee for Bylaws
Jackie Battalora, President, SXU Chapter, American Association of University Professors
Item I: Ad hoc Committee for Bylaws
Barbara Becker and Carol Szymanksi, members of the Bylaws Ad hoc Committee provided a progress report regarding their work with the revised Faculty Bylaws and Handbook. Thus far, information on the SXU website has not been updated. It was agreed that the website should be updated immediately for faculty reference. Members will work with the Bylaws and Handbook Committee to accomplish this and review the HEEA suggested table of contents to determine additional work needed. It was also agreed that a prototype of the new handbook is needed to facilitate the review/approval process and that a volunteer from the ad hoc Committee would assume the lead in accomplishing this goal. A preview of the prototype is expected at the March 4, 2008 Executive Committee Meeting. It is further understood that the Bylaws and Handbook Committee will review the prototype, prior to sending this to Senate. If possible, the goal is to have a finished prototype available for faculty review at the General Faculty Meeting in April.
Item II: Academic Freedom and Due Process
Jackie Battalora, President, SXU chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) presented possible revisions to an Academic Freedom and Due Process proposal reviewed/approved by Senate in May 2006. The initial proposal was forwarded to the 2005-2006 Faculty Bylaws and Handbook Committee, who subsequently suggested that the proposal be sent to HEEA for further review. However, no further action was taken, which led to the current AAUP revisions. In follow-up to Senate decisions in December 2007, Provost Hart met with Jackie to discuss possible language to AAUP’s revised proposal, which were included and distributed to the Executive Committee for further consideration. The revised proposal was approved by the SXU chapter of AAUP and included guidelines adapted from the national AAUP Redbook. The Executive Committee made further suggestions for revisions and agreed that Provost Hart and Jackie Battalora would communicate further, as needed, to finalize language. Jackie plans to discuss the proposal with the Bylaws and Handbook Committee, where the discussion last resided in 2006. The Executive Committee will review the proposal again on February 5, 2008 with the intent to place this on the agenda for further consideration by Senate at the February 19 meeting. The goal is to have the proposal ready for distribution to faculty members by April 14 in preparation for discussion at the April 25 General Faculty Meeting.
Item III: APC and Transfer Credit Policy
Michael Bathgate will forward a proposed policy revision for Faculty Senate consideration at the January meeting. The proposal was original presented to APC by Maureen Wogan, Vice Provost, Advising and Educational Planning Services and Records and Registration Services
Item IV: January Senate Agenda
The College of Arts and Sciences will have multiple curricular revisions. In a related matter, the Executive Committee granted the School of Education an extension on curriculum proposals until the February Senate meeting.
Item V: Protocol for Senate Minutes
Request that all titles and positions be listed after the names of participants for later clarification.
Item VI: Request for Time Change: General Faculty Meeting
Several faculty members requested moving the General Faculty meeting from 2:30-4:00 to 3:00-5:00 in order to accommodate those teaching classes or arriving from off-campus locations. Decision postponed.
Item VII: Announcements/New Business
No announcements or new business.
The meeting adjourned at 5:00pm
Prepared by President-Elect Donald Fricker
Approved (with revisions) by President Sheila Wright