FACULTY SENATE MEETING

Minutes

September 11, 2006

 

 

Retiring Present:  Bassichis, Fackler, Hyman, Ruoff

 

Retiring Absent:  Anthony, Buffa, Busch, Carhart, Dorsey, Engler, Han, McCann, Murphy, North, Portales, Sharkawy, Thomas, Smith, Swearingen, Zellner

 

Present:               Abbott, Akleman, Arant-Kaspar, Armstrong, Aufderheide, Bangerth, Battle, Bednarz, Benedik, Blasingame, Cagin, Carrigan, Cepeda-Benito, Centinkaya, Cobb, Collisson, Curry, Ellis, Feldman, Fike, Fink, Gawande, Geva, Grant, Gunn, Hall, Harms, Harris, Heilman, Hise, Hobbs, Ing, Kelly, Kenimer, Kirkendall, Klein, Lard, Linton, Loudder, Machann, Magill, Martindale, McGeachin, McIntyre, Meagher, Merrell, Messina, Moreira, Pearl, Petersen, Price, Reese, Riccio, Schultz, Shandley, Slack, Smith, Speed, Stabile, Stadelmann, Stein, Stewart, Strawser, Toby, Toliyat, Vaid, Valasek, Vedlitz, Vogel, Volkman, Ward, Webb-Johnson, Welsh, Whiteacre, Winemiller, Woodman, Woosley

 

Absent:                 Aune, Bazzi, Beskok, Boyd, Carlson, Darby, Estrada, Hobson, La-Pastina, Luiselli, Mahapatra, Reddy, Rich, Sinova, Stallone, Straube, Thornton, Walker, Warden

 

Call to Order  

         The meeting was called to order at 3:15 by Speaker Slack

        

Guest Speaker Comments

President Robert Gates addressed the Senate and answered questions from the floor. The first topic of his address concerned the University Studies Degree, a later item on the agenda.  He pointed out that the need for the degree was identified in the findings of an Undergraduate Program Task Force led by Dean Jerry Strawser.  Although the primary goal of the task force was to address the “access to majors” issue (students qualified to graduate but not qualified for specific majors), the University Studies degree could also prove to be an attractive major for students with broad-based interests, as it would permit them to shape a unique degree plan.  Along with increasing inquiry based learning, enhancing off-campus experiences, availability of at least one small class for freshmen and increased use of capstone courses, the follow-up implementation committee chaired by Dean Murano also identified resolving the access to majors problem as a high priority issue.  Dr. Gates indicated that he and all Deans support the proposed University Studies degree proposal.

 

            Dr. Gates also discussed his vision for institutionalizing aspects of shared University governance that have been practiced during his tenure.  Examples include the inclusion of the Senate Speaker as a participant in the Presidents weekly Executive Council meetings, appointing faculty members to serve on each of the Presidents Councils, providing for faculty input for all University-level search committees and his addresses the Senate that are made at least once a year.  He outlined the following four initiatives:

 

1) Establish a task force to be headed jointly by Speaker Slack and Provost Prior to develop a plan for institutionalizing shared governance

2) Improve the flow of information between Vice Presidents and faculty

3) Make sure that Faculty have input in Department and College level decisions

4) Institute an organization that will provide a voice for staff level personnel.

 

Dr. Gates also mentioned that athletic ticket prices and seating will not be changed this year, but indicated that this cannot be guaranteed for the future.  He praised the Faculty Senate for being willing to address the textbook cost issue (about $1,200/student /year).  He briefly discussed the move toward master purchasing agreements, but indicated any agreements for computer purchases would not alter individual faculty members being able to choose a specific platform.  The vast majority of any savings realized will be returned to colleges and departments. 

 

In response to a question concerning the current branding effort being aimed at core values with little mention of the tremendous research advances and potential of TAMU, Dr. Gates indicated that the current target audience is primarily high school students and that messages targeted to other audiences may feature more of our successes in academic and research areas. 

 

Guest Speaker Comments

John H. Happ, Director of Aviation and President of the Board of Directors of the University Club (formerly the Faculty Club) indicated that the Club will reopen in September.  All Faculty are automatically members (no dues) but reservations will be required (two lunch shifts will be offered between 11 am and 2 pm).  The new Board of Directors will include one member from each college, one staff member (director or above), one retiree and one corporate member.

 

Recognition

The speaker recognized Nick Taunton, President of the student body as a visitor to the meeting.

 

Approval of August 14, 2006 Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes     Attachment A

                                                                                       Motion Passed F.S. 24.16

Consent Agenda

Senator Gunn asked that the 3 EURO and 3 ITAL courses be removed from the consent agenda for further explanation for the basis of cross-listing.

Senator McGee requested the removal of AGSC 380 on the basis that it seemed to require less than normal work for the credit received.  . 

Senator Vogel pointed out that while POLS 209 was included in the backup material it was missing in the list of courses approved by the University Curriculum Committee and should be a part of the consent agenda. 

 

The remainder of the consent agenda items, including POLS 209, was approved.

 

Graduate Council (Recommended Approval)                                                 Attachment B

New Courses                                                                                                       B Backup

         New Courses                                                        Motion Passed F.S. 24.17                           

         BIOL 607      Theory and Applications of Light Microscopy

         CHEM 604   Modern Electrophoretic Separation Methods

         WFSC 602   Field Herpetology

         WFSC 607   Environmental Conflict Management

         WFSC 608   Public Participation in Conservation Policy

         WFSC 613   Animal Ecology

         WFSC 617   Biology of Fishes

         WFSC 618   Wildlife Study Design and Analysis

         WFSC 623   Aquaculture

         WFSC 630   Ecology for Teachers

         WFSC 635   Urban Wildlife and Fisheries

         WFSC 636   Wildlife Habitat Management

         WFSC 638   Techniques of Wildlife Management

         WFSC 670   Excel Biometry

 

University Curriculum Committee (Recommended Approval)              Attachment C

New Courses                                                                 Motion Passed F.S. 24.18

         AGSC 301          Introduction to Agricultural Science Teaching

         ALED 285          Directed Studies in Agricultural Leadership and Development

         ALED 380          Workshop in Agricultural Leadership and Development

         ALED 485          Directed Studies in Agricultural Leadership Development

         AGSC 380          Workshop in Agricultural Science

         EURO 451         Introduction to Italian Culture

         EURO 453         Italian Literature

         EURO 455         Italian Cinema

         ITAL 451             Introduction to Italian Culture

         ITAL 453             Italian Literature

         ITAL 455             Italian Cinema

         SOCI 463           Gender in Asia

         WFSC 418         Ecology of the Coastal Zone

         WMST 391         Studies in Gender and Diversity

 

Withdrawal of Courses

         ALEC 285          Directed Studies

         ALEC 289          Special Topics in …

         ALEC 380          Workshop in Agricultural Education

         ALEC 485          Directed Studies

         ALEC 489          Special Topics in …

        

Changes in Courses

         ALEC 102          Critical Issues in Agricultural Leadership and Education

         ALEC 301          Topics in Agricultural Leadership and Education

         POSC 202         Avian Science Laboratory

         POSC 281         Sophomore Seminar

         POLS 209          Poultry Meat Production

 

Resolution of the items removed from the consent agenda

Dr. R. J. Golsan (Head, Department of European and Classical Languages and Culture) explained that the basis for cross-listing EURO and ITAL courses was to permit non-Italian speakers to study Italian literature, films and culture in English while Italian minors/majors could receive credit in the same courses by doing the readings etc. in Italian.  Based on this explanation, Senator Gunn moved approval which was seconded and the courses were approved.

 

For AGSC 380, the current instructor, Julie Harlan and Deb Dunsford, ALEC Instructor, explained that AGSC 380 is taught as an intensive workshop course two weeks in the summer to prepare future teachers for participation in professional society activities.  The problem turned out to be that the course as presented is 3 credits and not the 4 as shown, presumably because the AGSC 380 has been a variable credit course in the past. The course will be reconsidered when appropriate corrections have been made and approved by the UCC.   

 

Committee Reports (Passage of each report in turn was moved by the secretary)

        

Executive Committee

         Proposed University Studies Degree Program                              Attachment D

        

After nearly 1.5 hours of debate which required a successful motion to extend the meeting beyond 5pm, the proposed BA and BS degree University Studies major was approved 41-11.  Major concerns raised included 1) the difficulty in trying to satisfy two disparate groups (those using the degree to gain access to a major due to insufficient GPA for advancing to upper division courses versus high achievers hoping to shape a degree plan to satisfy unique interests, 2) quality control and program rigor since there is no defined University Studies-specific interest group or department as would be the case for other degrees, 3) the need for considerable administrative support in a functional manner that has yet to be defined, 4) the likelihood that courses required for popular areas of concentration will be those already filled and which led to GPA cutoffs in the first place  5)  the fact that many colleges are already stressed to provide advising and one-on-one teacher/student contacts and research opportunities for students currently in departmental degree programs.  Proponents argued that 1) as for any major, quality and rigor is dependent on faculty who teach the courses, 2) that students will be required to submit an acceptable proposal to be admitted to the department providing the area of concentration, 3) that many students will thrive given the opportunity to better select areas of interest, 4) that a similar program (Maritime Studies) available on the Galveston Campus has been very popular, 5) that participating departments will still determine the requirements for courses used to satisfy the area of specialization and that each program will still be subject to approval of the UCC and Faculty Senate, 6) that the General Studies Office will be empowered to track student statistics, 7) that 2.0 GPA  students often become success stories after graduation, and 8) that GPAs often improve when students are given the opportunity to pursue special interests. 

 

Meagan, Berry Student Government Chair of Academic Affairs indicated student support for the proposed degree. 

 

Motion Passed F.S. 24.19

 

University Curriculum Committee and Graduate Council (Recommended Approval)

         Administrative Change                                                                   Attachment E

               College of Agriculture and Life Sciences           Motion Passed F.S. 24.20

                   Combine Department of Rangeland Ecology and Management and

                   Department of Forest Science

        

University Curriculum Committee (Recommended Approval)

Special Consideration                                                                             Attachment F

         College of Liberal Arts                                              Motion Passed F.S. 24.21

                   Department of Political Science

               Certificate in Race, Ethnicity and Gender Politics

        

                   Department of European and Classical Languages and Cultures

                        Minor in Italian                                                                  Attachment G

                                                                                          Motion Passed F.S. 24.22

Graduate Council (Recommended Approval)

         Mays Business School                                                                   Attachment H

                   Request to increase the MBA core curriculum to 49 credit hours

                                                                                          Motion Passed F.S. 24.23

 

         College of Science                                                                         Attachment I

               Department of Biology                                       Motion Passed F.S. 24.24

               Request for a non-substantive change to convert all of its formal graduate courses to the BIOL prefix.  The department will retain the BOTN, MICR, and ZOOL prefix for informal 681, 685, and 691 course hours.

 

         Mays Business School                                                                   Attachment J

Request for a degree name change- Master of Land Economics and Real Estate to Master of Real Estate.                                                                Motion Passed F.S. 24.25

 

 

Request to replace the Master of Land Economics and Real Estate program requirement.         Attachment K

                                                                                          Motion Passed F.S. 24.26

Old Business

 

New Business

   New Faculty Senators in attendance were given the oath of office

 

Committee of the Whole

Gunn:  Will remote access be available in the University Club? (according to the University Club WEB site, the answer is yes)

 

Blasingame:  The Faculty Senate needs to establish a coordinating committee to make sure the University Studies degree functions as hoped.

 

Adjourn

5:27 p.m.