Faculty Senate Minutes - 1/18/2001

FACULTY SENATE MINUTES
January 18, 2001



Call to order


President Mikkelsen called the meeting to order at 4:07 p.m.


Senators present


Aschermann, Bargar, Cadden, Caldwell, Fowler, Greiert, Hamzaee,
Klostermeyer, McLear, Mikkelsen, Nelson, Noynaert, Radmacher, Roberts,
Tapia, Williams


Senators absent


None


Ex-officio


James McCarthy, interim president, Missouri Western State College


Guests present


Kathyrne Mueller, administrative associate to vice president for academic
affairs


Minutes of the previous meeting


The minutes of the December 7, 2000, meeting were approved as presented
(Nelson/McLear)


Meeting agenda


The agenda for today's meeting was approved by unanimous consent
(Nelson/Greiert))


Report from college interim president


MWSC interim President James McCarthy reported that a lawsuit has been
filed by a member of the Missouri state legislature and that this lawsuit
would be heard by the Missouri State Supreme Court. This lawsuit involves
the Hancock amendment and the reimbursement to the people of Missouri
approximately $400 million. If this lawsuit is upheld, MWSC would be
adversely affected, because the money allocated last year for capital
projects at the college would disappear from the state budget. McCarthy
remarked that the state of Missouri is already looking at a tight
budget. The shortfall on tax revenues within the state for this fiscal
year is close to $307 million. MWSC is considered a state agency of
higher education. Other state agencies outside of education are currently
facing a hiring freeze and a possible 10% reduction in jobs. Colleges and
universities have been, thus far, excluded from those two directives.. At
the same time, lack of funds for the two capital projects is exceedingly
disappointing.


McCarthy said that the CBHE (Coordinating Board of Higher Education) has
recommended a budget increase for MWSC. This recommendation will now go
to the governor's office. McCarthy explained from past experience that a
new governor is notoriously cautious. Therefore, McCarthy and Dr. James
Scanlon, the newly appointed president of MWSC, will meet with Governor
Holden in February to discuss MWSC budget issues. McCarthy indicated that
the outlook for success in these financial matters was not good.


McCarthy explained that Scanlon will spend eight days in St. Joseph late
in January. The new president will take over the Master Plan Committee
leadership after he arrives on campus in March.


McCarthy noted that the representatives of the professional staff and the
support staff at MWSC are going to hire an outside consultant to discuss
their salary proposals and their reclassification system.


McCarthy announced that on February 1, 2001, he will be moving out of the
president's office and returning to his previous office for his final
month as interim president. He expressed his appreciation to the Faculty
Senate for its cooperation during his tenure as interim president of the
college.


Report from vice president for academic affairs


Kathyrne Mueller, administrative associate to vice president for academic
affairs, reported for James Roever, vice president for academic affairs,
who had other college business off campus. She stated that registration
for the Spring semester, 2001, had gone very well. She thanked the
faculty for their contributions to that effort. Statistics indicated that
the number of students attending MWSC in the Spring semester had increased
slightly, while the number of credit hours had decreased by a small
amount.


Mueller said that Roever had completed his review of tenure materials and
had forwarded them to the Board of Regents along with his recommendations.


Mueller reminded the senators that the Registrar's Office will be closed
on Friday, January 26th , and Monday, January 29th, while the staff
working in that office moves from their temporary quarters in the JGM
building back to their remodeled offices in the SSC building. The
Registrar's Office will re-open for business on Tuesday, January 30th.


Report from faculty senate executive committee


President Mikkelsen distributed a St. Joseph News-Press article on the
Missouri State Supreme Court and the potential impact of its decision on
the capital projects to which McCarthy had earlier alluded (see Attachment
A). Mikkelsen also handed out a revised schedule for faculty senate
meetings during the Spring semester.


Mikkelsen requested and received approval for scheduling a general faculty
meeting on January 30, 2001 at 4:00 p.m. He explained that the faculty
senate is required by its own by-laws to hold such a meeting at least
thirty days before a vote can be held on proposed amendments to the
Association's Constitution. Since petitions for amendments to the faculty
senate constitution have been collected with the requisite number of
faculty signatures, it will be necessary to present those amendments to
the entire faculty at the general meeting. Another item of business at
this general faculty meeting will be discussion of the salary plan under
development by the faculty senate salary committee.


Mikkelsen reiterated that a MAFS meeting was scheduled for February 5th
and 6th in Jefferson City. Senators Nelson and Noynaert will represent
the MWSC faculty senate at that meeting.


Mikkelsen mentioned again the Conference on Transfer and
Articulation. This meeting will occur on February 7th- 8th at
Tan-Tara. Members of the MWSC faculty senate general studies committee
and other college representatives will attend this meeting in order to
participate in discussions of statewide general studies guidelines.


Mikkelsen noted that Mark Mabe, director of the computer center, has
agreed to honor the request of the faculty senate to retain the Pine
e-mail system through January 31, 2001. On his own volition Mabe extended
its duration through February 28, 2001.


Mikkelsen requested the approval of the faculty senate to appoint an ad
hoc committee to address significant grievance committee issues raised by
the faculty senate grievance committee chair (Larry Andrews) in his
earlier report to the faculty senate on October 19, 2000. Mikkelsen wants
this ad hoc committee to address charges based upon Andrews' report. (See
Attachment B) He recommended three faculty members as prospective
nominees: Larry Andrews; Phil Mullins; and Sally Radmacher. They received
unanimous approval. This committee will not be expected to report to the
faculty senate before the end of the calendar year.


Vice president Nelson explained that a nominee from the faculty was needed
to replace Denise Bartles on the faculty senate promotion and tenure
committee. She had earlier replaced Shiva Nandan. But Bartles has a
course conflict with the scheduled meeting time for the
committee. Therefore, she must step down from the committee. Nannette
Wolford has indicated her willingness to serve on this committee in place
of Bartles. The faculty senate unanimously approved her appointment.


Nelson put forth the following questions regarding election
procedures: 1) Shall the faculty senate endorse a campaign meeting at
which candidates could meet with faculty-at-large to discuss issues and
concerns of the faculty? 2) Shall the general election ballot include a
brief, optional, campaign statement from each candidate? 3) Is it
appropriate, even if it is constitutional, for the incumbent faculty
senate vice president to conduct an election in which she/he is one of the
candidates seeking office? He asked the faculty senate to consider these
questions and to discuss them at the next faculty senate meeting.



Report from the faculty senate curriculum committee


Senator Cadden, one of two faculty senate liaisons to the faculty senate
curriculum committee, presented a final report from that body. Gerry
Walker, chairperson of that committee, was ill and unable to attend
today's meeting. The faculty senate received this report (See Attachment
C). The CGAC will consider it at its meeting on January 25th.


Old Business


None.


New Business


SR00-01.01 (Nelson/Greiert): The Missouri Western State College Faculty
Senate fully supports all efforts to provide for faculty representation on
the governing boards at each of the public colleges and universities in
the State of Missouri. Such faculty representation shall be selected from
names submitted to the Governor of the State of Missouri by faculty
governance bodies or by the president and/or executive committee of the
faculty governance bodies at each of the state's public colleges or
universities.


A motion was made to invoke the emergency clause for immediate passage of
SR 00-01.01 (Radmacher/Noynaert). This motion passed unanimously. The
resolution itself passed unanimously.


SB00-01.03 (Noynaert/Bargar) To change the wording of the MWSC 2000-2001
Policy Guide (OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT, p. 50, paragraph 3) from: "Furthermore,
professional consulting work that requires the use of MWSC equipment
and/or facilities must be approved by the Vice President for Academic
Affairs and suitable overhead/facility charges assigned." to:


"Furthermore, professional consulting work that requires the use of MWSC
equipment and/or facilities must be approved by the Vice President for
Academic Affairs and suitable equipment and/or facility charges assigned."


A motion was made to invoke the emergency clause for immediate passage of
SB00-01.03 (McLear/Hamzaee). This motion passed unanimously. No
discussion ensued. The bill itself passed unanimously.


SB00-01.04 (Greiert/Klostermeyer) To change the wording of the MWSC
2000-2001 Policy Guide (Section III. SALARY ADMINISTRATION, C. FACULTY
SALARY, 1., p. 121, paragraph 3) from: "The Faculty Senate Salary and
Fringe Benefits Committee will meet with the Vice President for Academic
Affairs by November 1 of each year to evaluate the appropriateness of such
initial salary adjustments and the advisability of continuing to do
so." to:


"The Faculty Senate Salary Committee will meet with the Vice President for
Academic Affairs by November 1 of each year to evaluate the
appropriateness of such initial salary adjustments and the advisability of
continuing to do so."


SB00-01.05 (Aschermann/McLear) To add to the wording of the MWSC 2000-2001
Policy Guide (Section III. SALARY ADMINISTRATION, C. FACULTY SALARY, 2.,
p. 122, paragraph 3) the following sentence: "The new salary may not
exceed the salary that the faculty member would have if he/she had been
originally hired at the new educational level without prior approval of
the Department Chairperson, the Divisional Dean, and the Vice President
for Academic Affairs."


SB00-01.06 (Cadden/McLear) To change the wording of the MWSC 2000-2001
Policy Guide (Section V. FACULTY OBLIGATIONS RE: DEPARTMENT, DIVISION,
INSTITUTION,
C. CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT, 1., p. 57, paragraph 8) from: "Unless an
informational report, all proposals from one department or program are to
be submitted to the Curriculum Committee as a package. Such suggestions
and recommendations should be executed on forms provided by the Curriculum
Committee. Eighteen copies must be supplied. If the proposal requires
Coordinating Board approval, those forms should also be completed and
submitted with the proposal." to:


"Unless an informational report, all proposals from one department or
program are to be submitted to the Curriculum Committee as a
package. Such suggestions and recommendations should be executed on forms
provided by the Curriculum Committee. Seven copies must be supplied. If
the proposal requires Coordinating Board approval, those forms should also
be completed and submitted with the proposal."


Other


None.


Adjournment


The meeting was adjourned at 5:22 p.m. (McLear/Klostermeyer)



Respectfully submitted,



Steven Greiert
Secretary