Minutes - 5/2/2002

Missouri Western State College
Faculty Senate Minutes

May 2, 2002

Call to order:

The meeting was called to order at 4:09 p.m. by Senate President Robert Klostermeyer.

Senators present:

Larry Andrews, Mike Cadden, Ben Caldwell, Bill Church, Steven Greiert, Marilyn Hunt, Robert Klostermeyer, Mark Mikkelsen, Barry Nelson, Evan Noynaert, Sally Radmacher, Keith Rhodes, John Tapia, Kelly Williams, Carolyn Windsor

Senators absent:

Brenda Blessing, Mike Smith

Ex-officio members present:

None

Guests present:

Christa Adam, Todd Eckdahl, Scott Herrick, Shauna Hiley, Monica Nandan, Robert Nulph, Denise Smith, Victoria Wacek

Approval of minutes:

The minutes of the previous meeting of April 18, 2002 were approved (Tapia) with the following correction:
in "New business," correct the last motion's number to "SB 01-02.13."

Approval of agenda:

The agenda for today's meeting was approved (Rhodes) with the following amendment: move "Appointment of curriculum committee (tabled)" to the position immediately following "Old Business."

Report from Faculty Senate executive committee:

President Klostermeyer presented commemorative plaques of appreciation to the retiring senators: Sally Radmacher, Michael Cadden, Evan Noynaert, and Kelly Williams.

Klostermeyer then reported that the executive committee had met with President Scanlon yesterday (May 1, 2002) regarding the most recent news concerning Missouri state appropriations/cash flow problems. Due to the critical problems in state funding and the impending likelihood that Western's funding may be severely affected, Scanlon announced the following actions to be implemented immediately:
1) A temporary moratorium is being placed on hiring into vacant full-time or part-time administrative, professional, and support staff positions;
2) A temporary moratorium is being placed on hiring into vacant full-time faculty positions;
3) A temporary moratorium is being placed on purchase requisitions and chargebacks in excess of $100, except telephone, central duplicating, and mailroom chargebacks. (Authorization for waivers will be limited and must be made by the appropriate vice president.)
4) A temporary moratorium is being placed on the use of procurement cards, except for travel-related expenses.
In the meeting, President Scanlon announced that the funding parity issue is still alive, but "on the back burner" due to the more critical funding problems.

Klostermeyer reported that the executive committee had met on Monday, April 29, with members of the curriculum committee, including chairperson Robert Nulph, for the purpose of discussion and exchange concerning whether he should continue as chair of the committee or, should even continue as a member of the committee. After the meeting, in which persons spoke either in favor of or in opposition to the concern, the executive committee decided to bring a motion to the Senate which would remove him from the committee (See "Appointment of curriculum committee (tabled)" below.)

Scholarship committee report:

Monica Nandan, chairperson of the scholarship committee, distributed the "Report from the Scholarship Committee (2001-2002)" (Attachment A). After some brief explanation and discussion, she then distributed "Scholarship Committee Report May 2002," which included some statistics on awarded scholarships, in addition to three recommendations for future procedures (Attachment B).

Old Business:

SB 01-02.09 (Rhodes): that the Faculty Salary Parity Plan, as detailed in the ad hoc salary committee report (reference Attachment B, April 18, 2002) as presented by the ad hoc salary committee be adopted.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.


SB 01-02.10 (Rhodes): that the Western Faculty Merit Plan, as detailed in the ad hoc salary committee report (reference Attachment B, April 18, 2002) as presented by the ad hoc salary committee be adopted.

Senator Rhodes moved to table the motion to a future date no later than September 30, 2002, so that faculty would have adequate time for consideration of the plan. The motion to table passed by unanimous vote.

SB 01-02.11 (Rhodes): that the Active Career Program, as detailed in the ad hoc salary committee report (reference Attachment B, April 18, 2002) as presented by the ad hoc salary committee be adopted.

Senator Tapia moved to amend the motion so that part "d. Performance levels required" would read as follows (changes underlined for reference):
"The professor seeking recognition through the active career program must be able to document a consistent pattern of exceptional performance in the areas of teaching and professional growth. The applicant must document consistent and high quality professional growth through significant involvement in the professional community and significant contributions to the body of knowledge available to that community. Teaching effectiveness must be judged exceptional when compared with other MWSC faculty. Regular participation and leadership in departmental, institutional, and community affairs is also required."

After some discussion, the amendment passed by majority vote. Senator Tapia then called the question on the motion as amended. Senator Greiert called for a roll call vote. The motion, as amended, then passed unanimously.

SB 01-02.12 (Mikkelsen): insert the words "newly elected" before the word "President" in B.3 of the Senate's Bylaws (2001-2002 MWSC Policy Guide, p. 252) so that it reads as follows (change indicated in CAPS):

"At the time the Senate makes committee appointments, the NEWLY ELECTED President shall appoint liaison members for each standing committee, using Senate volunteers in so far as is practical."

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

SB 01-01.13 (Mikkelsen): change the word "six" to "three" in D.2 of the Senate's Bylaws (2001-2002 MWSC Policy Guide, p. 253) so that it reads as follows (change indicated in CAPS):

"Each committee shall submit a written annual report to the Senate at least THREE weeks prior to the beginning of the final examinations in the spring semester."

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Appointment of curriculum committee (tabled):

Senator Greiert moved to remove the appointment of the curriculum committee from the table. The motion to remove from the table passed unanimously.

Senator Greiert moved to remove Robert Nulph from the committee slate of candidates. Discussion followed, including comments from senators, from visitors, and from Nulph. Following discussion, Senator Greiert called for a roll call vote. The motion then failed, with a vote of 6 YES (Andrews, Greiert, Mikkelsen, Nelson, Williams, and Windsor), 7 NO (Cadden, Caldwell, Church, Hunt, Noynaert, Radmacher, and Rhodes), and 1 ABSTAIN (Tapia).

The vote to accept the proposed slate of members for the curriculum committee then carried by a majority vote.

Senator Nelson then proposed that the slate of senate committee liaisons as compiled by Senator Greiert be accepted. The slate was approved by unanimous vote. (See Attachment C for the approved roster of 2002-2003 senate committee members, except for the yet unassigned liaison to the curriculum committee .)

Adjournment:

The meeting was adjourned at 4:58 p.m. (Church).


Respectfully submitted,




Barry Nelson
Faculty Senate Secretary