Faculty Senate Minutes - 5/3/2001
FACULTY SENATE MINUTES
May 3, 2001
Call to order
President Mikkelsen called the meeting to order at 4:15 p.m.
Senators present
Bargar, Cadden, Caldwell, Greiert, Hamzaee, Klostermeyer, Mikkelsen, Nelson,
Radmacher, Roberts, Tapia, Williams
Senators absent
Blessing, Fowler, McLear, Noynaert
Ex-officio
James Roever, vice president for academic affairs, Missouri Western State
College
James Scanlon, president, Missouri Western State College
Guests present
Larry Andrews, professor of criminal justice, and senator-elect
William Church, lecturer of English, and senator-elect
Elizabeth Latosi-Sawin, professor of English, and chair of faculty senate
academic standards and regulations committee
Kathyrne Mueller, administrative assistant to vice president for academic
affairs
Denise Smith, assistant professor of business, and chair of faculty senate
scholarship committee
Carolyn Windsor, assistant professor nursing, and senator-elect
Approval of minutes
The minutes of the April 19, 2001, meeting were approved as presented
(Nelson/Hamzaee).
Approval of agenda
The agenda for today's meeting was approved by unanimous consent with one
alteration the report from the Faculty Senate Academic Regulations and
Standards Committee was placed ahead of the report from the vice president for
academic affairs (Roberts/Bargar).
Report from college president
President Scanlon reported on several items. First, he updated the faculty
senate on developments regarding the state legislature and the budget for
higher education. At the moment, the core budget for AY 2001-2001 remains
intact, except for $90,000, which is our inflationary increase that is
supposed to be directed toward technology. Therefore, with the removal of
that money from the budget for higher education, no new money is available for
technology.
Second, state allocations for capital projects are still on hold. Scanlon
stated that there is no indication about their release time for realistic
plans for the coming year. If that money is not forthcoming, then Scanlon may
shift the Fine Arts addition ahead of the Alumni Training and Development
Center project, while trying simultaneously to use the college's reserve funds
to pay for the latter.
Third, Scanlon said that he would be meeting on May 16, 2001, with the
commissioner of the Coordinating Board of Higher Education as well as that
entire body to discuss the overall mission of MWSC. Scanlon intends to ask if
this college can reassess the financial proposals for the addition to the Fine
Arts Building in order to increase the amount of funding for that capital
project.
Scanlon announced that, as a registered lobbyist, he would fight for the
restoration of $1.3 million of funding for MOBIUS. The Missouri State Senate
version of that bill has cut that amount of financial support for MOBIUS, and,
if successful, will wipe out the central administration of MOBIUS. That
funding, however, remains in the Missouri House budget bill. Otherwise,
Scanlon stated that all campuses would be "taxed" to maintain the whole
project of MOBIUS.
Scanlon indicated that MWSC is asking for responses from community leaders and
organizations to the document-in-work on the mission, values, and vision of
the college. The next stage of the process will involve identifying strategic
goals. At the same time, Scanlon will present a draft of the "mission,
values, and vision" statement to the CBHE at the meeting on May 16, 2001.
Included in this draft will be a projection on budget and facilities at MWSC
for the next five years. Jeanie Crain, serving in the capacity of assistant
to the president, will accompany Scanlon to that meeting.
Finally, Scanlon said that he had scheduled a meeting for May 10, 2001, to
discuss the recommendations regarding salary proposals from both the Faculty
Senate Salary Committee and the ad hoc Salary Committee. Those invited to
that meeting include Faculty Senate President-elect Robert Klostermeyer,
current Faculty Senate President Mark Mikkelsen, Todd Eckdahl, chair of the
Faculty Senate Salary Committee as well as member of the ad hoc committee, and
James Roever, vice president for academic affairs and member of the ad hoc
committee.
Report from faculty senate academic regulations and standards committee
Elizabeth Latosi-Sawin, chairwoman of the Faculty Senate Academic Regulations
and Standards Committee, presented the final report of that committee.
Discussion followed. The Faculty Senate received the report from this
committee with the following correction. Senator McLear, liaison from the
Faculty Senate to this committee, should be cited as a member of
(HPG, LAS) rather than (GSS, LAS). (See Attachment A)
Report from vice president for academic affairs
James Roever, vice president for academic affairs, talked briefly about the
topic of grade inflation. He also commented very favorably on the general
performance of faculty at MWSC.
Roever discussed the ongoing strategic planning process at MWSC, particularly
emphasizing the enrollment planning process and the freshman experience
process. He noted that he has developed an all-inclusive report on proposals
for academic programs and capital projects.
Report from faculty senate executive committee
President Mikkelsen recognized outgoing senators, thanked them for their
service to the Faculty Senate, and presented those who were present with
plaques of appreciation. The outgoing senators included Aschermann, Bargar,
Fowler, Hamzaee, McLear, and Roberts.
Mikkelsen called for approval of the most recent committee appointments
recommended by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee. They included the
following appointments: Bonnie Alsbury replacing Carolyn Brose and completing
the third year of that term on the Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee; Mark
Johnson to the Faculty Senate Evaluation of Faculty Committee; Cary Chevalier
to the Faculty Senate General Studies Committee; Sue Gille to the Faculty
Senate General Studies Committee; Virendra Varma replacing Kimberly Callicott
and completing the final year of that term on the Faculty Senate Grievance
Committee, ending on December 31, 2001; Virendra Varma replacing R. J. Dick
for the entire new term on the Faculty Senate Grievance Committee to begin on
January 1, 2002, and ending on January 1, 2004. The appointment of Kathleen
Andrews to the Faculty Senate Salary Committee had to be rescinded because she
had already served three consecutive years on that committee. Another term of
service for her would have violated Faculty Senate by-laws. Each of these
appointments and changes on Faculty Senate committees was approved unanimously
by the Faculty Senate. (See Appendix B)
Mikkelsen encouraged Faculty Senate liaisons to have their respective
committees meet as soon as possible to select officers. This is imperative in
order that each committee will be ready to work in an efficient and timely
manner according to the Faculty Senate by-laws.
Mikkelsen commented on the upcoming meeting with Scanlon, Roever,
Klostermeyer, and Eckdahl regarding the salary proposals emanating from the
Faculty Senate Salary Committee and the ad hoc Salary Committee.
Mikkelsen announced that Klostermeyer has been added to the Strategic Planning
Committee. That body will now include four faculty: Mikkelsen; Klostermeyer;
Larry Lawson; and John Rushin.
Mikkelsen also reminded the Faculty Senate that Klostermeyer, as
President-elect, will be responsible for initiating the discussion of charges
for the Faculty Senate committees for AY 2001-2002.
Report from faculty senate scholarship committee
Denise Smith, chairwoman of the faculty senate scholarship committee,
presented the final report of that committee. She raised a question
concerning scholarships that went unclaimed because of a dearth of applicants.
Roever suggested talking with Judy Fields, research analyst in his office, to
have her check the database for information on possible candidates for
scholarships. The Faculty Senate received the report from this committee.
(See Appendix C)
Old Business
SR00-01.12 (Noynaert/Tapia) To support Recommendation #1 of the Faculty Senate
Fringe Benefits Committee that the life insurance benefit provided to Missouri
Western State College employees be changed from $10,000 per employee to 150%
of the annual salary of each employee.
Discussion ensued focusing on questions raised by Senators Bargar and
Radmacher concerning the cost of this proposal. The question was called
(Nelson/Williams). Vote totals were: Yes 9; No 0; Abstentions 2; Absent
4. The motion passed.
New Business
SB00-01.06 (Nelson/Greiert) To support the recommendations of the Faculty
Senate General Studies Committee as stated in Appendix D with one revision on
lines 2 and 3 under Group IV proposals (change "an entire line" to read "a
line"). (See Appendix D)
A motion was made to suspend the rules so that the Faculty Senate could
address this bill at this meeting (Nelson/Radmacher). Vote totals were: Yes
4; No 2; Abstentions 4; Absent 5. Confusion arose when a question was
raised over whether or not "abstentions" should be counted as votes. A motion
was subsequently made to reconsider invoking the emergency clause to suspend
the rules regarding SB00-01.07 (Nelson/Williams). Total vote: Yes 9; No
1; Abstentions 0; Absent 5. The motion passed.
At this point, Mikkelsen ruled that "abstentions" would count as votes. The
question to reconsider was called (Nelson/Greiert). Senator Greiert requested
a roll call vote. Secretary Greiert read the roll: Bargar Yes; Blessing
Absent; Cadden Yes; Caldwell Absent; Fowler Absent; Greiert Yes;
Hamzaee No; Klostermeyer Abstain; McLear Absent; Nelson Yes; Noynaert
Absent; Radmacher No; Roberts Abstain; Tapia No; Williams
Yes. Total vote: Yes 5; No 3; Abstentions 1; Absent 5. Since it
takes 2/3 majority to suspend the rules, the motion failed. It will be
revisited under New Business at the next Faculty Senate meeting on May 17,
2001.
SB00-01.07 (Greiert/Klostermeyer) To support the recommendations of the
Faculty Senate Professional Leave Committee as stated in Appendix E. (See
Appendix E)
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 5:25 p.m. (Cadden/Roberts)
Respectfully submitted,
Steven Greiert
Secretary
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