Meetings
TAMU Faculty Senate Meeting Agenda
May 13, 2024
3:00pm, via Zoom (link sent directly to Senators)
https://facultysenate.tamu.edu
Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZQy2EcxEHLe0uYbOQzzfTg
CALL TO ORDER
SPEAKER COMMENTS
MINUTES
April 8, 2024 – Minutes – Attachment B
CONSENT AGENDA
Graduate Council
New Courses
CHEM 678: Writing for Research Chemists and Allied Professionals
FINC 659: Innovation and PropTech in Commercial Real Estate
INTA 742: The U.S. in the Middle East - From the Arab Spring to an Uncertain Future
ISTM 657: Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence Business Transformation
LAW 709: Online Dispute Resolution
PHSC 721: Research Methods in Pharmaceutical Science
PHSC 746: Advanced Pharmacology II
PSAA 629: Nonprofit Advocacy in the Policy Process
PSAA 664: Climate and Sustainability
SCSC 608: Water in Soils and Plants
Change in Courses
COSC 606: Mechanical and Electrical Construction
COSC 622: Construction Economics
COSC 631: Advanced Productivity and Lean
GEOL 648: Stable Isotope Geology
PHEO 605: Chemical Hazard Exposure
PHEO 639: Hazardous Materials Management and Compliance
PHEO 674: Environmental and Occupational Health Research Methods
PLAN 635: Concepts in Ecological Planning and Design
Change in Programs
School of Public Health
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health
MPH-PHEO: Master of Public Health in Environmental Health
Undergraduate Curriculum Committee
New Courses
DIVE 310: Techniques in Boat and Wreck Diving
DIVE 440: Decompression and Mixed Gas Procedures
MSEN 448: Failure Analysis in Materials Science and Engineering
Change in Courses
AFST 209: Psychology of Culture and Diversity
BMEN 353: Biomedical Engineering Device Design II
ECON 470: Data Science for Economic and Social Issues
GENE 302: Principles of Genetics
MARB 214: Evolutionary Biology
MARB 310: Introduction to Cell Biology
MARB 420: Comparative Animal Physiology
MEFB 497: Supervised Clinical Teaching
OCEN 351: Rigid Body Dynamics For Ocean Engineers
PBSI 105: Psychology as a Major and Profession
POLS 302: The Mass Media and Politics
TEED 425: Supervised Clinical Teaching
TEFB 426: Supervised Clinical Teaching
TEFB 429: Supervised Clinical Teaching
Change in Programs
School of Architecture
Department of Architecture
BS-USAR-GPD*: University Studies - BS, Global Arts, Planning, Design and Construction Concentration
Change in Programs
Mays Business School
Department of Business
BS-USBU-BUS*: University Studies - BS, Business Concentration
Change in Programs
School of Agricultural and Life Sciences
Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
MINOR-AGSM: Agricultural Systems Management - Minor
Change in Programs
School of Public Health
Department of Public Health
MINOR-GHLT: Global Health - Minor
Change in Programs – Inactivation Proposal
School of Public Health
Health Education Programs
BS-CHLT: Community Health - BS
Change in Programs – Inactivation Proposal
School of Public Health
Health Education Programs
BS-HLTH-AHO: Health - BS, Allied Health Track
Change in Programs – Inactivation Proposal
Mays Business School
Department of Business
CERT-EUBS: European Union Business - Certificate
Change in Programs – Inactivation Proposal
Mays Business School
Department of Business
CERT-LABU: Latin American Business - Certificate
Change in Programs – Inactivation Proposal
School of Public Health
Health Education Programs
W&C Courses
Courses with C – Certification
NONE
Courses with C – Recertification
MART 410-C: Integrated Navigation III: Bridge Watchstanding
Courses with W – Certification
ARCH 205-W: Architecture Design I
ECCB 460-W: Nature, Values, and Protected Areas
ECON 459-W: Games and Economic Behavior
HMGT 450-W: Financing Hospitality, Hotel, and Tourism Services
KINE 439-W: Exercise Evaluation and Prescription
MARS 461-W: Capstone Undergraduate Research Experience II
RDNG 371-W: Multicultural and Interdisciplinary Literature for Middle Grades
Courses with W – Recertification
AREN 200-W: Architectural Engineering Foundations
BIOL 402-W: Communicating Biological Research to the Public
COMM 440-W: Political Communication
End of Consent Agenda_____________________________
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
COMMITTEE REPORTS –Core Curriculum Council Report – Attachment C
Core Curriculum Recertification:
Foundational Component Area: Core Creative Arts (KCRA)
Foundational Component Area: Core Life/Physical Sci (KLPS)
KINE 223-GE: Introduction to the Science of Health and Fitness
NEW BUSINESS
Item Honorary Degree Attachment A - 11.07.99.M1 University Rule
STATE OF THE FACULTY SENATE ADDRESS
Speaker Tracy Hammond
PASSING OF THE GAVEL
VOTING FOR FACULTY SENATE OFFICERS AND EXECTUIVE COMMITTEE AT-LARGE:
Candidates for Speaker Elect:
Andrew Klein-College of Arts & Science
I am a Professor in the Department of Geography and hold the EOG Teaching Professorship in Geosciences. I was first elected to the Senate in 2003 and served as its Speaker in 2019-2020. Today I am running for Speaker-Elect. The political and legislative landscape of the next two years promises be difficult for higher education. I believe my experience and extensive service will help the Senate navigate what could be turbulent waters. While recent administrative changes bring the promise of improved communication and shared governance at Texas A&M, its Faculty’s voice still needs to be strengthened. For many years I have worked diligently on behalf of the Senate and have developed a reputation as a trusted and reasonable voice in effectively communicating the concerns of the Faculty. As Speaker-Elect I will continue to strongly advocate for shared governance and academic freedom protections for our Faculty across the university.
Candidates for Secretary:
Patricia Bartoskewitz – Mays Business School
Patricia is an Executive Professor in the James Benjamin Department of Accounting at Mays Business School. She teaches courses in Corporate Taxation and Accounting Data Analytics, both in-person and through the MS Accounting Flex Online program. Prior to joining Texas A&M in 2022, Patricia spent 30 years at EY, a global consulting firm, where she served as a partner in their Tax practice. Patricia is committed to active involvement in university governance, and since November 2023, she has served as a member of the Faculty Senate and was recently re-elected. Patricia is a graduate of Texas A&M with a BBA in Accounting and Finance, and an MS in Accountancy, and she understands the culture, spirit and values of our university. If elected to the Executive Committee, Patricia will bring her passion for academic excellence, collaborative spirit, and dedication to the role and is excited about this opportunity to serve.
Dave Tarvin-College of Arts & Science
Dr. Dave Tarvin is an instructional associate professor and the director of the undergraduate departmental honors program for the Department of Communication & Journalism. He teaches courses in public speaking, intercultural communication, and rhetorical theory, all with a strong focus on humor and sustainability. Dr. Tarvin serves as the department coordinator for education abroad and he strongly advocates for students to participate in such transformative experiences. This past year, he served as the Secretary/Treasurer for the Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society TAMU Chapter and will serve as President-Elect next year. Dr. Tarvin won the A&S Undergraduate Mentoring Award in 2024, the Director’s Award for Outstanding Service to Honors Programs in 2023, Aggies Celebrate Teaching Award in 2020, was named a namesake for Transfer Camp in 2020, and a namesake for Fish Camp in 2019. He is running for the Executive Committee to contribute to the continued success of our university.
Candidates for Executive Committee at-large:
Patricia Bartoskewitz – Mays Business School
Patricia is an Executive Professor in the James Benjamin Department of Accounting at Mays Business School. She teaches courses in Corporate Taxation and Accounting Data Analytics, both in-person and through the MS Accounting Flex Online program. Prior to joining Texas A&M in 2022, Patricia spent 30 years at EY, a global consulting firm, where she served as a partner in their Tax practice. Patricia is committed to active involvement in university governance, and since November 2023, she has served as a member of the Faculty Senate and was recently re-elected. Patricia is a graduate of Texas A&M with a BBA in Accounting and Finance, and an MS in Accountancy, and she understands the culture, spirit and values of our university. If elected to the Executive Committee, Patricia will bring her passion for academic excellence, collaborative spirit, and dedication to the role and is excited about this opportunity to serve.
Mark Burge-School of Law
Mark Burge is a passionate believer in the values of university shared governance and academic freedom and in promoting those values through constructive dialogue and persuasion. Mark is a professor with the School of Law, where he teaches contracts, commercial law, and legal skills courses. He is a Contributing Editor for the Hawkland Uniform Commercial Code treatise and for the ContractsProf Blog. Mark has been in legal education since 2005 and on the faculty of Texas A&M University since 2013. He has twice been chosen by students as Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing Professor of the Year, and he received the Texas A&M Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Award – College Level for 2023-2024. Mark currently serves on the Faculty Senate Legislative Affairs Committee and would cheerfully bring a lawyer’s perspective—along with his faculty perspective—as an at-large member of next year’s Executive Committee.
Eduardo Gildin-College of Engineering
I have been a faculty in Petroleum Engineering since 2010. I rose through the ranks to become a Professor in 2015. I have served on the Faculty Senate for a number of years now (this is my second term) and I continue to learn and understand the "machinery" of the university system. I have also served as the Engineering Caucus leader for the 2021-2022 term. As a dedicated member of our faculty, I am commitment to academic excellence, and a deep understanding of the needs and concerns of our faculty community. Serving on the EC will help me achieve my ultimate goal of fostering collaboration and advocating for the interests of faculty members across all engineering departments and, most importantly for the university at large. I have full confidence that I will excel in this role and will make invaluable contributions to the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate.
Tracy Hammond-College of Engineering
Dr. Tracy Hammond is the Speaker of the Faculty Senate, Director of the TAMU Institute of Engineering Education & Innovation, Director of the Sketch Recognition Lab, and Professor of Computer Science & Engineering. Hammond holds a Ph.D. in EECS and FTO (Finance Technology Option) from MIT and has four degrees from Columbia University: an M.S in Anthropology, an M.S. in Computer Science, and a B.A. in Mathematics, and a B.S. in Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics. Hammond has received over $14 million in research funding from NSF, DARPA, Google, Microsoft, etc. Hammond is an ACM Distinguished Member and an IEEE Senior Member, has received numerous best paper awards, and is the recipient of the 2023 ASEE Zone III Campus Rep, 2022 TAMU University Distinguished Achievement Award for Teaching, the 2021 ASEE Chester F. Carlson Award, the 2020 TAMU College of Engineering Distinguished Achievement Award for Teaching, and the 2011 Charles H. Barclay, Jr. '45 Faculty Fellow Award. Hammond has been featured on the Discovery Channel and other news sources. She is the Speaker of the Faculty Senate and previous to her Speaker position was an executive committee member of the Council of Principal Investigators. Hammond is dedicated to inclusivity, as reflected in her publications, research, teaching, service, and mentoring. She has been the chair of 43 completed undergraduate theses, 32 completed Master's theses, and 13 completed Ph.D. dissertations. More details are at http://srl.tamu.edu and http://ieei.tamu.edu. Dr. Hammond is passionate about shared governance, faculty advocacy, and academic freedom. Dr. Hammond would like to continue to support the faculty in her role as former Speaker of the Faculty Senate to help provide continuity.
Adam Haney-Texas A&M University at Galveston
Colleagues, I have been honored to serve on the EC for this past year. Together we weathered events from Banks' departure to attacks on tenure and are recovering from the disastrous MGT debacle. I have learned a lot from the current EC team and especially our EC veterans. We still have much to do. We need to brace for the next Legislative session and whatever new challenges we face, I'm confident that we will have the courage to face it all. We must continue to listen to one another and while we will not always agree on the best course of action, we must remember that we serve the Faculty and not outside forces nor at the behest of Administrators. Friends can disagree, but our focus must remain on what is best for Faculty so that we can serve our University, State, and Country. Please consider voting for me. Thanks!
Shelley Holliday-School of Architecture
Shelley Holliday, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs/Professor of Practice with the School of Architecture. Shelley has served on Faculty Senate for 10+ years. Shelley has received Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Awards teaching at the Department/College/University. As senator, she enjoys being a vital member with experience as a faculty senator, educator, administrator. She serves on the Core Curriculum Council and been apart of Cultural Discourse implementation. She realizes importance of our Senate and importance of communication especially for shared governance. We need communication. Faculty senate needs to lead this communication. I served on many committees: core curriculum, 2 working groups path forward, operations committee looking at path forward one year forward, APT committees, many more. It’s important to have an active Faculty Senate with an engaged Executive Committee. We need to make sure that the Executive Committee represents the Senate as a whole and that discussions at EC always come back to Senate. I would like to continue with my goal to contribute and practice shared governance as a representative of the Executive Committee of Faculty Senate.
Fadi Khasawneh-Irma Lerma Rangel School of Pharmacy
As a junior faculty member at the time (2008), Fadi realized that teaching and research are not the only components in a professor’s job. Thus, he has been engaging in volunteer, service and leadership activities throughout his career in academia. This included serving as chair of several committees at all institutional levels as well as being elected to volunteer positions at the national level (e.g., American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics). In terms of shared-governance, which is something he is very passionate about, and while he is new to the TAMU Faculty Senate, he actually was selected to the Faculty Senate at two previous institutions. In fact, he had the pleasure of serving in the capacity of Chair and Secretary. Fadi has been representing the School of Pharmacy (SOP) for one year now, and he resides on the Kingsville campus. He hopes to be the first EC member in the history of SOP.
Andrew Klein-College of Arts & Science
I am a Professor in the Department of Geography and hold the EOG Teaching Professorship in Geosciences. I was first elected to the Senate in 2003 and served as its Speaker in 2019-2020. Today I am running for Speaker-Elect. The political and legislative landscape of the next two years promises be difficult for higher education. I believe my experience and extensive service will help the Senate navigate what could be turbulent waters. While recent administrative changes bring the promise of improved communication and shared governance at Texas A&M, its Faculty’s voice still needs to be strengthened. For many years I have worked diligently on behalf of the Senate and have developed a reputation as a trusted and reasonable voice in effectively communicating the concerns of the Faculty. As Speaker-Elect I will continue to strongly advocate for shared governance and academic freedom protections for our Faculty across the university.
Blanca Lupiani-School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
I am a Professor in the School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences and am pleased to run for a seat on the Executive Committee (EC) of the Faculty Senate. I have served in the EC this past year. For 10 years, I served in different administrative roles in the Office of the Dean of Faculties, where I advocated for faculty rights and supported shared governance. In 2010, as a faculty member, I was elected to the EC of the Faculty Senate and later served as an ex-officio member as Dean of Faculties. This dual membership in the EC made me appreciate the EC's important role in representing the faculty and advocating for shared governance. My understanding of university rules and processes will be a strong addition to the EC, especially at a time when faculty-related rules and processes are being revised because of a lack of compliance, as we saw during recent events. The Faculty Senate as a whole, and more specifically the EC, will play an important role in helping our University heal and move forward, and if elected, I am willing to contribute to the effort.
Krista Oldham-Texas A&M University Libraries
I have witnessed first-hand the important work that the Faculty Senate does, thoughtfully raising concerns to faculty and administrators on matters including academics, campus-climate and scholarship, and striving to find solutions that foster an intellectually-vibrant campus. I have embraced every opportunity to deepen my engagement with shared governance at TAMU because I believe that I have a responsibility to contribute to the processes that shape the University. Our institution continues to thrive in an ever-more complex educational environment, with an outreach and research mission that requires, more than ever, constant faculty input and dynamic involvement to find constructive solutions for challenges that arise daily. I strongly believe in the need for transparency in these matters and an open platform for discussion, with the aim of fostering collaboration and interaction among the faculty and administration across the university. Hence, I believe that serving on the Executive Committee will further these goals.
Daniel Pugh-School of Education & Human Development
While having only completed my first year as a member of the faculty senate, I have been a member of the Texas A&M community for 9 years, having served as an executive-level administrator for six years. During that time, I had numerous interactions with the Faculty Senate, including monthly meetings with faculty that included past faculty senate speakers. I am exceptionally familiar with the current opportunities and issues facing Texas A&M and am also a faculty member in the Higher Education program where I teach a variety of courses that are directly applicable to the position.
Mark Sicilio-School of Medicine
Having grown up in College Station, Mark Sicilio, M.D. has witnessed over 5 decades of growth in the international reputation of A&M, thus bringing an historic perspective and devotion to Texas A&M University.
Mark pursued undergraduate premedical training at A&M while serving in the Corps of Cadets. He was a member of the Charter Class of the College of Medicine. Mark was the initial physician for the Scott & White Clinic, College Station, where he worked 35 years and currently in the College of Medicine coordinates instruction of Pediatrics for the pre-clinical years, serves as interim Vice-Chair, Department of Humanities in Medicine, Vice Chair of the Student Promotions Committee, and representative to the Honor Council.
On the Faculty Senate Executive Committee, Mark has closely collaborated with colleagues to insure post-tenure faculty review utilizes consistent standards throughout the University; election of faculty peers, in addition to appointed personnel to serve on such review committees; and being excellent stewards of the state’s resources in helping faculty achieve their best for students and society.
Mark would be honored to continue representing the Health Science Center and College of Medicine on the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate.
Dave Tarvin-College of Arts & Science
Dr. Dave Tarvin is an instructional associate professor and the director of the undergraduate departmental honors program for the Department of Communication & Journalism. He teaches courses in public speaking, intercultural communication, and rhetorical theory, all with a strong focus on humor and sustainability. Dr. Tarvin serves as the department coordinator for education abroad and he strongly advocates for students to participate in such transformative experiences. This past year, he served as the Secretary/Treasurer for the Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society TAMU Chapter and will serve as President-Elect next year. Dr. Tarvin won the A&S Undergraduate Mentoring Award in 2024, the Director’s Award for Outstanding Service to Honors Programs in 2023, Aggies Celebrate Teaching Award in 2020, was named a namesake for Transfer Camp in 2020, and a namesake for Fish Camp in 2019. He is running for the Executive Committee to contribute to the continued success of our university.
Grace Townsend-Texas A&M University at Galveston
I am an Instructional Associate Professor from Galveston and have served multiple terms on Faculty Senate and the Executive Committee. During my career at A&M, I have seen a lot of change, some of it good, some not. Through the years we have expanded, relocated, and shut down campuses. While we hope for time without change, I believe it is inevitable in some form. Currently we have challenges in growth, expansion, and budget constraints. One of the best ways to support you during this time, is by giving your committees robust charges, enabling you to work more effectively. My time on EC has taught me the importance, and responsibility, of looking past a personal agenda. EC members must consider all aspects of the university and the incredible faculty who keep it going. If elected to EC I will strive to thoughtfully consider each of you and the interests you serve.
DISCUSSION ITEM
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
ADJOURN