FACULTY SENATE MEETING
Minutes
May
14, 2007
Present: Louise
Abbott, Derya Akleman, Wendi Arant-Kaspar, Carisa Armstrong, Karl Aufderheide,
Wolfgang Bangerth, Guy Battle, Robert Bednarz, Michael Benedik, James Boyd,
Tahir Cagin, Richard Carlson, Antonio Cepeda-Benito, Greg Cobb, Joselito
Estrada, Richard Feldman, John Fike, Kishore Gawande, Melinda Grant, Timothy
Hall, James Heilman, Arthur Hobbs, Phil Hobson, Nancy Ing,
Bazzi (
Watson (Dean of Faculties)
Absent: James
Aune, Tom Blasingame, Esther Carrigan, Sila Cetinkaya, Keith Chaffin, Richard
Curry, Christopher Ellis, Rainer Fink, Anat Geva, Paul Harms, Edward Harris,
Richard Hise, Antonio La-Pastina, Alessandra Luiselli,
Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order at 3:15 by Speaker
Douglas Slack.
The April 9, 2007 Minutes were approved as submitted. Motion
Passed F.S. 24.138
Consent Agenda:
Senator Hobbs asked that SOCI 606, War and Democracy, be removed from the
agenda; all other items were accepted as presented:
Executive Committee Motion
Passed F.S. 24.139
Approval of candidates for degrees conferred
May 10-12, 2007
Graduate Council
Motion Passed F.S. 24.140
New Course Requests-April 5, 2007
A617
AGRO 613 Ethical Aspects of International Agricultural Systems (3-0)
Credit 3. Diverse theories of
morality; ethical dimensions of population growth, high yielding crop
production systems, genetic engineering, and use of land, soil, and water. Prerequisites: Approval of Instructor.
A636
CLAS 692
A620
EURO 601 The Formation of the
A621
EURO 602 The Rise of Modern Nation States (3-0)
Credit 3. Process by which the
traditional, Latin-based common culture of Europe is supplemented and
supplanted by vernacular cultures tied to the rise of nation states, from the
Baroque through the Enlightenment and Romanticism to the nineteenth century;
deals with literature, the arts, and politics.
Prerequisite(s): graduate
classification.
A622
EURO 603 Nationalism and European Integration (3-0)
Credit 3. From the breakdown of
civilization in the twentieth century to the determination, difficulties, and
potential of reconstituting a common European culture in the post-national era;
deals with literature, the arts, politics, film, press, and new media. Prerequisite(s): graduate classification.
A623
EURO 604 European Avantgardes
(3-0) Credit 3. An interdisciplinary examination of modernist
currents in art, culture, and politics.
Prerequisite(s): graduate
classification.
A624
EURO 605 European Cinema
(3-0) Credit 3. An examination of the development of
cinematic culture in
A625
EURO 606 History and Memory in Modern
A626
EURO 607
A627
EURO 608 European Drama
(3-0) Credit 3. Examines literary, social, and historical
aspects of dramatic literature and performance in the context of different
European cultures. Prerequisite(s) graduate classification.
A628
EURO 610 Seminar in Classical Culture
(3-0) Credit 3. Topics in Greek and Roman culture and
civilization; readings in English. May
be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite(s): graduate
classification.
A629
EURO 620 Seminar in French Culture
(3-0) Credit 3. Topics in French culture and civilization;
readings in English. May be repeated for
credit. Prerequsite(s): graduate classification.
A630
EURO 630 Seminar in German Culture
(3-0) Credit 3. Topics in German outline and civilization;
readings in English. May be repeated for
credit. Prerequisite(s): graduate classification.
A631
EURO 640 Seminar in Russian Culture
(3-0) Credit 3. Topics in Russian culture and civilization;
readings in English. May be repeated for
credit. Prerequisite(s): graduate classification.
A632
EURO 650 Seminar in Italian Culture
(3-0) Credit 3. Topics in Italian culture and civilization;
readings in English. May be repeated for
credit. Prerequisite(s): graduate classification.
A633
EURO 681 Proseminar (1-0) Credit 3.
Student and faculty presentation of research fields, current issues, and
research methods. Prerequisite(s): graduate classification.
A634
EURO 685 Directed Studies
(4-0) Credit 4. Individual problems or research or scholarly
activity not pertaining to thesis or dissertation, or selected instruction not
covered by other courses. Final
documentation of directed study is required.
Prerequisite(s): graduate
classification; approval of department head.
A635
EURO 691 Research Credit 1 to 12. Thesis or dissertation research. Credit given only upon acceptance of
completed thesis or dissertation.
Prerequisite(s): graduate
classification.
A637
FREN 692
A638
GERM 692
A641
HIST 666 History of Technology (3-0)
Credit 3. Origins of the
subfield; historiography; industrial development and labor relations; impact on
the military; gender, class, and other social aspects. Prerequisite(s): Graduate classification.
A647
ISEN 609 Probability for
Engineering Decisions (3-0) Credit 3.
Introduction to probability and stochastic processes for
characterization of uncertainty in engineering decisions. Prerequisite(s): Approval of instructor.
A639
ITAL 692
A645
MEEN 619 Conduction and Radiation
(3-0) Credit 3. Solutions of steady and transient problems with
method of separation of variables, finite difference numerical methods,
Duhamel’s Theorem, Green’s function, and
A648
NUEN 627 Radiation-Hydrodynamics
(3-0) Credit 3. Coupling of the Euler equations of compressible
fluid dynamics with the equations of thermal radiation transport; the
equilibrium-diffusion limit; radiative shock waves; and numerical methods for
one-dimensional calculations.
Prerequisite(s) MATH 602.
A642
PHIL 633 Philosophy of Law
(3-0) Credit 3. Key issues in normative and analytical
jurisprudence, including the concept of law; the relationship between law and
morality; civil disobedience; the moral obligation to obey the law;
punishment. Prerequisite(s) Approval of Instructor.
A649
PLAN 601 Introduction to Planning
(1-0) Credit 1. Will give an overview of the field of planning,
the main areas of concentration/employment within
the field, the faculty, their areas
of expertise, etc. Prerequisite(s): all MUP students in their first
semester.
A640
RUSS 692
A643
SOCI 606 War and Democracy
(3-0) Credit 3. Sociological approaches to study of war’s
effects on democracy control of the military and the use of force, in
comparative-historical context.
Prerequisite(s): Graduate
classification. REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA AT FS MEETING
A646
SOCI 625 Seminar in Comparative & Historical Methods (3-0) Credit 3.
This course familiarizes students with methodological debates and
strategies of analysis pertinent to the examination of social structures and
events across societies and historical time.
Prerequisite(s): Graduate
Classification.
A644 URSC 641
Analytic Methods in Landscape and Urban Research I (3-0)
Credit 3. To explicitly address
many issues by offering graduate students who are focusing on research careers
in urban and regional planning and landscape architecture with hands on
experience in which issues related to theory, measurement, data, analysis are
addressed in concert to answer relevant questions. Prerequisite(s): Doctoral Standing or permission from
instructor. RETURNED BY EC
New Course
Requests-April 5, 2007 RETURNED BY EC Attachment D
LBAR 698 Writing
for Publication
University Curriculum Committee (Recommended Approval) Motion
Passed F.S. 24.141
New
Course
BMEN 282 Engineering Biology
Withdrawal of Courses
BUSH
470 Cold War Intelligence
BUSH
489 Special Topics In….
CHEM
323 Physical Chemistry
CHEM
324 Physical Chemistry
INFO
332 Business Systems Operating
Environment
INFO
430 Advanced Systems Analysis and
Design
INFO
438 Emerging Information
Technologies
Change in Courses
INFO 374 Business Information Security
Course
Title
From: Business Information Security.
To: Business
Information Security and Risk Management.
INFO
429 Business Systems Analysis and
Design
Course number
From: INFO 429.
To: INFO
330.
PHYS 101 Topics in Contemporary
Physics.
Course title
From: Topics in Contemporary Physics.
To: Freshman
Physics Orientation.
PHYS 401 Computational Physics
Committee
Reports:
Executive Committee
University Curriculum
Committee
Special Consideration-April 13, 2007 Motion
Passed F.S. 24.142
Department of Health and Kinesiology
Dance
Teaching Field - Revised
Special
Consideration-April
13, 2007 Motion
Passed F.S. 24.143
University Studies Degree
Area
of Concentration – Business
Senator Loudder asked that the Mays Business School
University Studies Degree Area of Concentration-Business be amended to match
the version approved by the Executive Committee, including adding that INFO 309
is a new course being developed specifically and only for students in the
concentration, that a statement saying neither of the 2 minors could be in the
Mays school be removed along with a statement that all free electives must be
outside of the Mays school. The amendment
was seconded and passed as was the amended motion.
Special
Consideration-April
13, 2007 Motion
Passed F.S. 24.144
Department of Mathematics
University Studies Degree
Area of
Concentration – Mathematics for Teaching
Change in Curriculum-April 13, 2007 Motion Passed F.S.
24.145
Department of Maritime
Administration
B.S. in Maritime
Administration
New Courses
ACCT
316 Intermediate Accounting for Non-Accounting
Majors II
ECON 323 Microeconomic Theory
MARA 250 Management Information Systems
MARA 281 Seminar in Undergraduate
Research Methods
MARA 342 Managerial Maritime Finance
MARA 440 Global Economy and
MARA 450 Maritime Supply Chain Management
Senator Strawser asked if there had been discussion with the
TAMU-College Station Accounting faculty concerning the teaching of ACCT 316 in
New Course-April 13, 2007 Motion Passed F.S. 24.146
MARB
414 Toxicology
Special Consideration-April 13, 2007 Motion Passed F.S.
24.147
Department of Marine Biology
Minor in Marine Biology
W Courses – April 24,
2007 Course Additions
Motion Passed
F.S. 24.148
HIST 320 History of the
Atlantic World
HIST 333
HIST 406 The Era of the
French Revolution and Napoleon, 1715-1815
Subcommittee of
Non-tenure Track Faculty Motion
Passed F.S. 24.149
Guideline
to Tenure-Track, Tenured, and Non Tenure-Track Faculty Titles and all relevant
documents
Academic
Affairs Committee Motion
Passed F.S. 24.150
Policy
regarding Textbook Sale and Conflict of Interest
Election
Committee
Attachment O Verification of
Spring 2007 Election Results
Results of the Senate elections were announced. The
Old Business
Senator
Hobbs moved that SOCI 606, War and Democracy be returned to the Department for
clarification, possibly simply adding a comma but perhaps more. The motion was seconded and approved.
Speaker
Slack presented his “State of the Senate” address, which is included as Appendix
A. Highlighted accomplishments of the year
included growing inclusion of Senate representatives on key University
committees, the change in the constitution and by-laws that allows for inactive
status of members to reduce the number for a quorum, the first Senate-wide
retreat, passage (again) of a rule for hiring and revue of Deans and Department
Heads, and passage of the University Studies degree and representation, including
his position as Chair on the search committee for a new President. Shortcomings remain in the area of increasing
diversity of the Senate (although it fairly represents the University), and
with the exception of Senators Bednarz (Geosciences) and Grant (Education)
better communication of Senate activities with our constituents.
Former
Speaker Slack was presented his “keepsake gavel” and a basketball autographed
by Coach Mark Turgeon, by the new Speaker, Angie Hill Price.
Speaker
Price pointed out that during this time of many changes in the administration,
the Faculty represent the constancy for excellence for TAMU, and stressed the
need to promote shared governance during the time of transition. One of her
goals is to make sure that service as a Senator is valued by colleagues and
administrators.
Elections
were conducted in the order listed by Senator McGeachin, Chair of the Election Committee:
Candidates
for Speaker-Elect: Clint Magill and Richard Carlson
Candidates
for Secretary-Treasurer were Richard Feldman, Mathew Whiteacre and Arthur Hobbs
Candidates
for At-Large members of the Executive Committee were Antonio Cepeda-Benito,
Following
Senate practice, losing candidates were given the opportunity to be candidates
in the elections following.
Clint
Magill was elected Speaker-elect, Richard Feldman was elected Secretary
Treasurer (eliminating the opportunity for Mathew Whiteacre to compete for an
at-large Executive Committee seat since the maximum of 2 per electoral unit
(ENGR) were filled by the speaker and Secretary) and Senators Antonio
Cepeda-Benito,
Committee of
the Whole
Senator
Aufderheide indicated that for the first time in his teaching career, students
had asked to be given a lower or failing grade in order to take advantage of
the “First Year Grade Exclusion” rule and wondered if they realized that the
grade will still show up on their transcript.
Senator Loudder also indicated the AOC Deans are investigating
unexpected negative consequences of the rule as it now stands.
Speaker
Price invited Bobby Bisor, Associate Vice President & Chief Of Staff,
Sr. Vice
President For Finance & Controller and Joe Powell who formerly headed the
PTTS system to answer questions concerning Faculty and Staff concerns over
large increases.
Mr. Bisor
admitted that once a series of meetings discussing potential solutions of the need
to increase parking funds to provide the income required for maintaining lots
and garages and personnel expenses, the division had failed to keep the TAMU
community apprised of the outcome or to justify the raise in revenue required. He invited all to attend an open-discussion
to be held in 601 Rudder on Thursday.
One of the plans to improve communications is to reinstate the advisory
committee and charge them with providing ideas.
Questions: Senator Slack asked if it is true that the
West Campus Garage and tunnel were paid from parking fees. Bisor said since the building was built on
what had been a large freshman parking lot, it was not anticipated that filling
the spaces would be difficult and that approximately $3 million of other
revenues had been returned to the division of finance (PTTS-parent auxiliary)
to help pay for the tunnel. The new
tunnels being planned under the railroad and Welborn road to enhance pedestrian
and bus traffic to flow between east and west campus locations will be funded
from state, federal matching and railroad contributions.
Senator
Carlson stated the points that from his college’s perspectives, communications
with faculty had been bad, that student concerns rate higher than faculty
concerns and that lower paid staff are really hurt financially with the large
increases. Mr. Bisor indicated they are
still trying to work out some equitable methods for making the increases less
burdensome, in part by raising minimum wages, making pre-tax payment options
and perhaps differential rates. In
response to the question of elimination of numbered spaces by Senator Feldman,
Mr. Bisor indicated that would not happen without a unanimous request to do so
by space-holders in a lot. On the
question of business permits raised by Senator Woosley, Mr. Bisor said that the
large raise reflects an attempt to cut down the number of such permits, thus
freeing more spaces for sale. Part of
the problem is due to persons who are abusing the system by business permits to
park essentially in any lot on campus.
PTTS is also seeking ways to ascertain valid use of these permits.
Adjourn
The
meeting was adjourned at 5:40 pm.