Minutes - 9/6/2001

Missouri Western State College
Faculty Senate Minutes
September 6, 2001

Call to order:

The meeting was called to order by Senate President Klostermeyer at 4:05 p.m.

Senators present:

Larry Andrews, Brenda Blessing, 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:

Mike Smith

Ex-officio members present:

James Roever, vice president for academic affairs

Guest present:

Kathyrne Mueller, associate to the vice president for academic affairs

Approval of minutes:

The minutes of the previous meeting of June 1, 2001 were approved as reported (Mikkelsen).

Approval of agenda:

The agenda for today's meeting was approved as proposed (Tapia).

Report from college president:

(None)

Report from vice president for academic affairs:

James Roever, vice president for academic affairs, reported that he, along with college president James Scanlon and administrative vice president Earl Milton, will attend a meeting on September 17, at which possible retirement options other than (or in addition to) MOSERS will be discussed, after which he will bring back an informative report to the Senate.

Roever also stressed the importance of expediting the work of the Senate General Studies Committee, since the matrix of general education objectives must be posted on our web site by October 5, allowing response from interested parties. Furthermore, the general education matrix must be validated within one year of the posting.

Roever further reported on the discussions/deliberations with President Scanlon regarding new faculty appointments and terminal degree considerations. President Scanlon has directed that, beginning in academic year 2001-2002, all new appointments at the assistant professor and the associate professor level shall have their terminal degree at the time of appointment (with the possibility of some rare exceptions). Roever indicated that, as a result of this, definitions of "terminal degree" currently in the Missouri Western State College Policy Guide should be reviewed. Roever further reported that all new positions (including faculty and staff) must be justified at the college cabinet level.

Roever then reported that President Scanlon has confirmed that the final year for maintaining college "lecturer" positions is the current academic year 2001-2002. These positions may be continued as "instructor" or "professional staff" positions, with the necessity of advertising nationally for any instructor positions. The three current math lecturers have already become professional staff positions. According to Scanlon, these former lecturer positions, if converted to instructor positions, will not be promotable and will not be tenure-track positions.

Roever then entertained considerable discussion by Senate members, centered around the conversion of lecturers to instructors, terminal degrees, and the apparent inconsistencies that may be in the Missouri Western State College Policy Guide concerning faculty promotion and tenure. The discussion concluded with the consensus that further and careful analysis is needed in order to avoid inconsistencies and confusion regarding these converted positions.

Report from Faculty Senate executive committe:

Robert Klostermeyer, Faculty Senate president, reported that the Senate executive committee met on Tuesday, September 4, at which time several issues or topics were discussed. Klostermeyer noted that the invitation to the Kansas City Chiefs professional football team to adopt Missouri Western as their practice location is still open. If the invitation is accepted by the Chiefs, this would require the construction of two or three "NFL quality" practice fields. In addition, the arrangement would require a change in the college's academic calendar (introducing a one-week delay in the start of fall classes).

Klostermeyer further reported that, according to word from President Scanlon, the position of "Vice President for Institutional Advancement" is being advertised in the Chronicle of Higher Education. This position will encompass some of the duties of the former Executive Vice President James McCarthy.

Klostermeyer then stated that, as reported by the computer center, the college server will be changed so that "Griffon" will no longer be used for college e-mail. Also, Eudora will be phased out as a supported e-mail program, with support being finally cut by July, 2003. Eudora will be replaced by "Groupwise" and "NIMS" for a more centrally structured e-mail/server package. Furthermore, college web mail will be phased out as of January, 2002. Considerable discussion ensued centering around why the computer support personnel can make such decisions with no or very little faculty input.

Senator Greiert reported on Senate committee replacements as follows: Victoria Wacek (CS/M/P) filled a vacancy on the Curriculum Committee; Dan Trifan (H/P/G) replaced James Buglewicz (CS/T) on the General Studies Committee; Gerald Zweerink (Che) and Greg Kriewitz (H/PE/R) were added to the General Studies Committee; Deborah Bogle (Edu) replaced Nader Vargha (Eco) on the Grievance Committee to serve until January 1, 2002 (since Vargha has moved to the LAS Division); Sharon Wagner (Bus) replaced Reza Hamzaee on the Promotion & Tenure Committee (since Hamzaee also moved to the LAS Division).

A motion was made to accept these committee changes (Blessing); the motion passed unanimously.

It was also noted by Vice President Greiert that Najafi will have to be replaced on the Promotion and Tenure Committee, since Najafi is on leave from the college for the current academic year.

Discussion on Senate committee charges:

President Klostermeyer recommended that the Senate concentrate on (1) the development of the "strategic plan," and (2) the implementation of an "enrollment management" system for this academic year. Other possible issues he presented were evaluation of faculty, midterm grade reports, and evaluation of administrators.

The Senate committee charges (Attachment A), which had been previously distributed by e-mail or by handout immediately preceding this meeting, were then presented and discussed. Senator Blessing moved to delete the words "minutes and" from the proposed Promotion/Tenure Committee charge number 2, so that it would read:
"2. Provide the Senate executive committee regular reports, including attendance records, of all committee meetings, and a final report which will be presented to the entire Senate (tentatively scheduled for April 2002)." The motion passed unanimously. Senator Noynaert then moved to adopt the slate of committee charges as amended; the motion passed unanimously.

President Klostermeyer then informed the Senate that room SU220 will normally be used for Senate meetings. In addition, he distributed a proposed schedule of 2001-2002 Senate meetings. Finally, he stressed the importance to faculty for attending the upcoming strategic planning meetings.

Old business:

(None)

New business:

(None)

Adjournment:

The meeting was adjourned at 5:39 p.m. (Radmacher)



Submitted October 4, 2001
G. Barry Nelson
Faculty Senate Secretary