Minutes - 1/24/2002

Missouri Western State College
Faculty Senate Minutes
January 24, 2002


Call to order:

The meeting was called to order at 4:08 p.m. by Robert Klostermeyer, Faculty Senate President.

Senators present:

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

Senators absent:

Marilyn Hunt

Ex-officio members present:

None

Guests present:

Kathyrne Mueller, Judy Grimes, Christa Adams, Alicia Sindt, Shauna Hiley

Approval of minutes:

The minutes of the previous meeting of December 6, 2001 were approved as submitted (Greiert).

Approval of agenda:

Senator Tapia presented an observation affirming that the current meeting was not legal, as the meeting had been called without sufficient notice as required by the Constitution of the Missouri Western State College Faculty Association. President Klostermeyer accepted the observation but respectfully disagreed, indicating that sufficient notice had been given.

Notwithstanding, the agenda for today's meeting was approved as proposed (Blessing).




Report from Faculty Senate executive committee:

Robert Klostermeyer, Faculty Senate president, reported that the Senate executive committee had met with President Scanlon this morning, at which time Scanlon reported that there has been a ten percent reduction of the core budget for higher education in Missouri for the coming fiscal year. All Missouri state colleges and universities, including Missouri Western, will face this shortfall in their core operating budgets. Missouri Western’s share of the reduction is approximately $ 2.2 million. Scanlon indicated that an increase in tuition will likely be necessary, as well as a “tightening of belts” for all Western departments. This reduction takes us back to the 1999-2000 core budget level, and will likely require about five years to recover to our current levels of core funding.

The senate executive committee also met on this past Tuesday to review these minutes.

In addition, Klostermeyer urged senate liasons to clarify report dates for their senate committees. Furthermore, he indicated that the ad hoc grievance committee needs to report with suggested revisions during the February 21 meeting. Senator Andrews suggested a longer than normal work session for February 21 in order to accommodate anticipated heavy discussion and/or the multitude of proposals likely to be included in that committee report. Klostermeyer then announced that the general studies committee and the fringe benefits committee will report to the senate on February 7.

Finally, Klostermeyer apologized for the cancellation of last week’s senate meeting, indicating that he had unavoidable scheduling conflicts.

Curriculum committee report:

Alicia Sindt distributed the summary document of all curriculum proposals that the committee had dealt with (see Attachment A). She noted especially that the many proposals of the biology department had resulted in a cascade of other proposals needed to accommodate those proposed biology proposals. She then summarized the many proposals of the departments of biology; history, philosophy and geography; criminal justice and legal studies; communication studies and theatre; computer science, mathematics, and physics; chemistry; English, foreign languages and journalism; health, physical education and recreation; nursing; business; engineering technology; music; and government, social work and sociology. In addition, she summarized a proposal from the professional studies division which would add a new program of Associate of Applied Science Degree in Paramedic Technology, in addition to a proposal from the liberal arts and sciences division which would add a new program of Bachelor of Science Degree in Multimedia Design.

In addition, Sindt distributed a document outlining proposed changes to the Missouri Western State College Policy Guide (see Attachment B). Shauna Hiley then explained the rationale for the proposed changes, indicating that a concerted effort was made to make changes which would standardize some of the language variations and eliminate some duplication in policies related to curriculum changes and the work of the committee. Of special note was her indication that the statement from the North Central Accrediting Association, to wit: “Curriculum is developed by faculty and approved by faculty,” was intended for inclusion in these recommended changes but inadvertently omitted.

Finally, Sindt announced that a hard copy of all current curriculum proposals can be viewed in the college library by Missouri Western faculty members, but would not be available on the college web site (for security reasons).

Senator Blessing expressed thanks on behalf of the Senate for the outstanding work of the curriculum committee with regard to the many curriculum proposals and recommended policy guide changes.

New business:

MOTION SB 01-02.02 (Mikkelsen): That the changes to the Missouri Western State College Policy Guide as proposed by the curriculum committee be adopted.

Senator Cadden presented the possibility of seriously looking at Senate committee makeup, especially in terms of providing more continuity from one year to the next. Some discussion ensued, in which the possibility of reviewing all Senate committees (in terms of function, membership, etc.) was presented.

Senator Church indicated his continued concern for possible modifications to the 4.0 grading scale, for which a motion may be forthcoming in the near future.

Adjournment:

The meeting was adjourned at 5:32 p.m. (Tapia)


G. Barry Nelson
Faculty Senate Secretary