FACULTY SENATE MEETING

Minutes

December 10, 2007

3:15 p.m., 601 Rudder Tower

http://www.tamu.edu/faculty_senate

Present: Louise Abbott, Derya Akleman, Wendi Arant-Kaspar, Carisa Armstrong, James Aune, Wolfgang Bangerth, Guy Battle, Robert Bednarz, Michael Benedik, Tom Blasingame, James Boyd, Tahir Cagin, Gwendolyn Carroll, Antonio Cepeda-Benito, Walter Daugherity, Janice Epstein, John Fackler, Richard Feldman, Holly Gaede, Melinda Grant, Michael Greenwald, Mike Hanik, Paul Harms, James Heilman, Richard Hise, Arthur Hobbs, Joe Jaros, Eluned Jones, Guido Kanschat, Larry Kelly, Ann Kenimer, Andrew Kirkendall, Antonio La Pastina, Andre Landry, Robyn Lints, Carol Loopstra, Clinton Machann, Clint Magill, Sam Mannan, Lanny Martindale, Robert McGeachin, Mary Meagher, Michael Messina, Rosana Moreria, Tim Murphy, Ramona Paetzold, David Peterson, Angie Hill Price, Khalid Qaraqe, Sanjay Reddy, Lynn Ruoff, Roger Schultz, Doug Slack, Robin Smith, Karen Snowden, Kathleen Speed, John Stallone, William Stein, Robert Stewart, Bob Strawser, Frank Thomas, Douglas Thornton, Ellen Toby, Theodore Turocy, Jyotsna Vaid, Gary Varner, Tom Vogel, Hank Walker, Gwendolyn Webb-Johnson, William West, Gary Wigenbach, Kirk Winemiller, Thomas Woodfin, Jim Woosley, Debra Zoran

Watson (Dean of Faculties)

Absent: Charles Bollfrass, Richard Carlson, Keith Chaffin, Ifte Choudhury, Rainer Fink, Kishore Gawande, Andrew Klein, Tom Linton, Leon Luxemburg, R.N. Mahapatra, Peter McIntyre, Frederic Pearl, Roger Reese, Cynthia Riccio, Elisabeth Rich, Morgan Scott, Susan Stabile, Winfred Teizer, Hamid Toliyat, Nancy Volkman, Robert Warden, Matthew Whiteacre

Call to Order:

The meeting was called to order at 3:15 by Speaker Angie Hill Price.

Speaker Comments:

Speaker Price opened the meeting by welcoming guests and Senators. One senator from Galveston and two senators from Qatar were present via videoconferencing. The Speaker then went on with the meeting stating:

As you know, we have a new sole finalist for the Presidency of TAMU, Dr. Elsa Murano, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Our Board of Regents apparently disregarded the faculty and shared governance when they deliberately chose not to allow her to go through the same process as the other candidates. In doing so, they apparently ignored Imperative 10 of Vision 2020 to which they should have been committed, and they needlessly placed an undeserved burden on their choice for president. They chose to name the finalist at a time when fully 1/3 of the response period of 21 days would be when the University is closed for the holidays. Instead of allowing the candidate to receive the unbiased feedback that a search advisory committee can provide before a decision is made, they prevented her from easily learning the true opinions of her future constituents about the state of affairs at this university. How very unfair to Dr. Murano to place her in this position – to no purpose.

Chairman Jones said “It was never the board’s intent to exclude any group from the process. However, the individuals that were considered for this position are all highly placed and currently employed. Confidentiality was imperative and moving forward deliberately yet efficiently was important.” The Search Advisory Committee had done their work confidentially with highly placed and employed individuals for over eight months. I cannot imagine that any other candidates would have been treated differently, and I am sorry that anything less was implied. I wish to thank them and especially Doug Slack, our former speaker, who worked tirelessly on this search, talking with the Board even Thursday to gain their support for the process.

I am concerned that faculty will take these actions as a sign that shared governance is not deeply entrenched here at TAMU. Well, it may be at the system level, but not at this University. Under our next president, I have no reason to believe that that will change. I suggest that we work very hard with Dr. Murano to improve this University and to continue Bob Gates’ vision to institutionalize shared governance and take the Chancellor up on his offer at our last meeting to improve shared governance at the system.

Speaker Price then introduced our guest speaker, Dr. Valerie Balester, Executive Director of the University Writing Center to come up and speak. Dr. Valerie Balester presented a proposal to change the W-course requirement by allowing a department to use a C-course in place of a W-course, where a C-course is one certified as meeting communication requirements. After giving the rationale for the proposal and requesting feedback, Dr. Balester responded to a few questions and comments.

The November 12, 2007 Minutes were approved as corrected by Motion Passed F.S.25.74

Senators Daugherity and Greenwald. Attachment A

Consent Agenda

As an editorial comment, Senator Daugherity pointed out that the course prefixes for courses from the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department have been changed from ELEN to ECEN. The Consent Agenda was approved with this change.

Graduate Council

New Courses – November 1, 2007      Motion Passed F.S.25.75
AGEC 606                  Water Resource Economics                                    Attachment B1

AGRO 657                  Environmental Soil Science                                    Attachment B2

ALEC 622                   Data Collection, Analysis, & Interpretation in       Attachment B3
                                    Research in Agricultural Leadership, Education,
                                    & Communications                                                  

ANTH 609                   Culture and Evolution                                            Attachment B4

ANTH 638                   Proposal Writing in Anthropology                         Attachment B5

BIOL 627                     Principles of Neuroscience I                                  Attachment B6

BIOL 628                     Principles of Neuroscience II                                 Attachment B7

BMEN 652                  Cell Mechanobiology                                              Attachment B8

BUSH 638                   Health Economics and Policy                                 Attachment B10

CEHD 603                  Writing for Publication in Education & Human      Attachment B12
                                    Development Research

ECEN 621                   Mobile Wireless Networks                                      Attachment B13

EHRD 634                  Introduction to Gender and Education                   Attachment B14

EHRD 649                  Feminist Pedagogy                                                  Attachment B15

EHRD 650                  Gender and International Education                       Attachment B16

ECEN 619                   Internet Protocols and Modeling                            Attachment B17

EPSY 626                   At-Risk Hispanic Families & Their Young Children    Attachment B18

ESSM 675                  International Sustainable Community Development   Attachment B19

FSTC 629                   Microbiology of Food Irradiation                                 Attachment B20

KINE 642                    Self-organization in Motor Neuroscience                   Attachment B21

MARS 683                  Field Practicum in Marine Sciences                           Attachment B22

MEPS 620                  Plant Cell Structure and Function                               Attachment B23

POSC 628                  Advanced Poultry Meat Processing                           Attachment B24

POSC 629                  Microbiology of Food Irradiation                                Attachment B25

Change in Courses – November 1, 2007                                       
AGEC 684                  Professional Internship                                               Attachment B26

EHRD 627                  Research & Development in Educational Human     Attachment B27
                                    Resource Development                                           

EHRD 630                  Adult Learning                                                             Attachment B28

EHRD 631.                 Foundations of Adult Education Attachment B29

EHRD 670                  Women in Education                                                  Attachment B30

EHRD 683                  Practicum in Educational Human Resource              Attachment B31
                                    Development

KINE 606                    Psychological Aspects of Sport & Physical Activity  Attachment B32

KINE 640                    Motor Skill Learning and Performance                      Attachment B34

KINE 625                   Disabling Conditions and Health Impairments           Attachment B35

Revised New Courses – September FS Meeting Motion Passed F.S.25.76
SENG 660                  Quantitative Risk Analysis                                          Attachment C1

University Curriculum Committee Motion Passed F.S.25.77
New Courses – November 9, 2007                                                   Attachment D
BICH 464                    Bacteriophage and Genomics
CLAS 322                   Advanced Latin Poetry
CVEN 424                   Civil Engineering Professional Practice
EURO 406                  Propaganda and Dissidence
FILM 406                     Propaganda and Dissidence
HIST 280                     The Historian’s Craft
HIST 308                     History of Native Peoples in the U.S. South
JAPN 110                   Functional Japanese: History and Culture
SPMT 482                   Seminar
SPMT 483                   Practicum in Sport Management      

Change in Courses – November 9, 2007
CLAS 321                   Advanced Latin Readings
CVEN 307                   Transportation Engineering
CVEN 446                   Structural Steel Design
KINE 217                    Foundations of Sport Management
KINE 333                    Sport Management
KINE 336                    Diversity in Sport Organizations
KINE 337                    International Sport Business
KINE 402                    Pre Internship Field Experiences
KINE 420                    Sports Facility Planning
KINE 421                    Legal Aspects of Sport
KINE 422                    Financing Sport Operations
KINE 423                    Marketing Aspects of Sport
POSC 381                  Seminar
WFSC 201                  Wildlife Conservation and Management
WFSC 409                  Integrating Natural Resources for Classroom Use

W Courses Motion Passed F.S.25.78
Certification: Attachment E
BUSN 289                   Integrated Worklife Competencies
COMM 447                 Communication, Group Processes, and Collaboration
ECON 312                  Poverty, Inequality, and Social Policy
FREN 336                   Contemporary France
HIST 280                     The Historian’s Craft
PHIL 413                     Modern Philosophy
RPTS 460                   Development and Management of Protected Areas
WFSC 410                  Principles of Fisheries Management

Recertification:
ATMO 463                  Air Pollution Meteorology
COMM 458                 Global Media
COMM 470                 Communication in Health Contexts
COMM 480                 Religious Communication
RDNG 302                  Teaching Reading through Children’s Literature
RDNG 371                  Multicultural & Interdisciplinary Literature for the Middle Grades

Committee Reports

Graduate Council Motion Passed F.S.25.79

Special Consideration – November 1, 2007                                               Attachment F
Bush School of Government and Public Service
Change in Course Prefixes and Major Prefix Code

Amended from November 20, 2007:
New Courses Motion Passed F.S.25.80

ANTH 643	Australopithecine Paleocology	Attachment G1
EDCI 676	Evaluation and Implementation of Electronic Learning Materials	Attachment G2
EPSY 635	Educational Statistics	Attachment G3
SOCI 661	Sociology of Gender	Attachment G4

Special Items Motion Passed F.S.25.81
Special Consideration – November 20, 2007                                             Attachment H
Collaborative effort of TAMU Libraries, College of Liberal Arts,
College of Engineering, & College of Education & Human Development
Digital Humanities Certificate

Special Consideration – November 20, 2007                   Motion Passed F.S.25.82
Collaborative effort of Departments of Nutrition & Food Science, Attachment I
Kinesiology & Nuclear Engineering
Certificate in Space Life Sciences

University Curriculum Committee

Special Consideration (curriculum change) – November 9, 2007 Motion Passed F.S.25.83
Dwight Look College of Engineering Attachment J
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
B.S. in Electrical Engineering

Special Consideration (curriculum change) – November 9, 2007 Motion Passed F.S.25.84
College of Liberal Arts Attachment K
Department of Performance Studies
B.A. in Music
B.A. in Theatre Arts

Special Consideration – November 9, 2007 Motion Passed F.S.25.85
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Attachment L
Department of Entomology
Minor in Entomology - changes

Special Consideration (curriculum change) – November 9, 2007 Motion Passed F.S.25.86
Texas A&M University at Qatar Attachment M
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
B.S. in Electrical Engineering

Special Consideration (curriculum change) – November 9, 2007 Motion Passed F.S.25.87
Texas A&M University at Qatar Attachment N
Department of Chemical Engineering
B.S. in Chemical Engineering

Special Consideration (curriculum change) – November 9, 2007 Motion Passed F.S.25.88
Texas A&M University at Qatar Attachment O
Department of Mechanical Engineering
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

Special Consideration (curriculum change) – November 9, 2007 Motion Passed F.S.25.89
Texas A&M University at Qatar Attachment P
Department of Petroleum Engineering
B.S. in Petroleum Engineering

Core Curriculum Council Motion Passed F.S.25.90

3 December 2007 Approved Courses Attachment Q

Executive Committee Motion Passed F.S.25.91
Senate Resolution - Presidential Search                                                     Attachment R

Senator Greenwald moved that the resolution be amended by adding the phrase "and a stated commitment to shared governance" after the words "academic credentials" in the fourth line of the final paragraph. The motion to amend was seconded and passed unanimously. During the discussion of the resolution, Former Speaker Strawser indicated support for the resolution and indicated that he would be asking the Faculty Senate to consider three additional resolutions. The motion to accept the amended resolution was then passed unanimously.

Old Business

Committee of the Whole

a. After the resolution was approved, Former Speaker Strawser requested that the Executive Committee draft three more resolutions dealing with the following topics:

(i) Thanks to Dr. Eddie Joe Davis for his dedicated and excellent service as Interim President, support of the Faculty Senate and for embracing the concept of shared governance.

(ii) Congratulations to our new President, Dr. Elsa Murano. We look forward to working with you.

(iii) In order to emphasize our primary role as an Institution focused on teaching, service and research, the Faculty Senate recommends to our Board of Regents that they establish and implement a policy of compensating TAMU Presidents at an amount equal to or in excess of the compensation of any other TAMU employee.

b. Senator Fackler expressed concern that there be faculty input on the key councils being recommended to the Chancellor for research administration. Senator Fackler requested that the Executive Committee consider drafting a resolution to the Chancellor from the Faculty Senate recommending that (1) the proposed Executive Council for Research Administration include representatives of the Faculty Senate, the Council of Principal Investigators, the chair of the Operating Council, and a faculty member of the Research Environment Council and (2) the proposed Operating Council include two members of the Executive Council.

c. Speaker Price indicated that Former Speaker Carlson could not attend today's Faculty Senate meeting and had asked her to read a statement from him to the senators. His statement expressed concern regarding the presidential search process but indicated that now we need to support the new president.

d. Former Speaker Slack indicated that there may be a window of opportunity with the new president to make progress in advancing the concepts of shared governance with the Board of Regents and the System.

e. Senator Bednarz expressed support for resolutions dealing with the research environment. He also pointed out that university rules are sometimes more restrictive than state law.

f. Former Speaker Strawser indicated support for moving fast on trying to institutionalize shared governance and pointed out the importance of having a precise definition of what we mean by shared governance. Senator Strawser also expressed a desire that there should be more transparency in future presidential searches, specifically the final three candidates should have been willing to participate in campus interviews or be disqualified.

g. Senator Blasingame agreed with the need to explicitly define shared governance. He also expressed sorrow at the passing away of Professor Ewing and suggested that an appropriate tribute to him would be to name the new Life Sciences Building after him.

h. Dean of Faculties Watson expressed that need to support Professor Ewing's family and indicated that expressions of support from the Faculty Senate would be appreciated by his family.