Discussion: 
Senator Price clarified why this motion is necessary.

Senator Grant introduced the Associate Dean from the College of Education and Human Development who advocated passage.

Senator Murphy said that COALS has not had problems with residence requirement.

“The motion in the report of the Core Curriculum Council to approve ANTH 439 and WMST 439 as acceptable for the Social and Behavioral Sciences requirement passed.”

New Business

Student Representatives Mark Womack and Kolin Loveless reported on the Student Body plan to create criteria for implementation of Chancellor’s initiative to reward faculty for teaching excellence as they were directed by President Murano and Chancellor McKinney.                                     SLATE Proposal
Discussion:
Senator Price:  Will new surveys be developed or will the current survey be retained?
Response:  Students will use the Chancellor’s survey, supplemented with other material developed by students.

Senator Price:  Have students looked at Association of Former Student guidelines for evaluation teaching excellence,  especially re obtaining material from former students.
Response:  Students will solicit letters of recommendation from students and they will consider letters from former students.

Senator Price: Are students considering “aggregate information” to avoid a one semester judgment?
Response:  Eventually.

Senator Grant raised the issue of 1-2 hour classes, esp. in KINE; potentially the guidelines set forth by the Chancellor could eliminate 40+ professors and the judgment of 8100 students. She encouraged the students to include 1-2 hour courses when considering awards.
Response:  Students will consider all faculty as eligible for the awards, but current logistics may make this impossible.

Senator Walker, noting that the AFS awards are currently the most prestigious, asked if a new award is necessary. Do students want to fill out two surveys?
Response: Students will complete only the survey issued by the Chancellor. Eventually a second survey may be developed. Students believe the new award is a student-centered and therefore valuable in itself.

A senator from Vet Med reported that VM uses multiple assessment devices, esp. for team-taught courses. She urged that 500 professional students not be omitted from consideration.

Senator Stadelmann requested that the students forward an e-copy of their proposal to secretary of Senate that can forwarded to all Senators.
Response: The proposal will be sent to the Senate (Follow up: Senators received the proposal via e-mail on Tuesday, Oct. 14.)

Senator Turocy questioned usefulness/reliability of surveys. He suggested that students should log on and to weed out disinterested students and get a more accurate reading of student responses.
Response: The proposal will take into consideration student input.

Speaker Magill advised that student clubs/majors clubs should have input because they know professors who are positively affecting their education most.

Senator Magill introduced former Senator Woosley who urged students not to make choices hastily; it may be best to wait until spring semester despite pressure to produce awards this semester.
Response: Students fully understand the situation and aware of implications. Students feel they have to participate this semester or perhaps lose right to participate.

Senator Strawser, then Interim President of A&M Kingsville, discussed the meeting with Chancellor at which the teaching award was discussed. He described the award as a “student satisfaction award” rather than a “teaching award.” Students have little option but to participate in the process this semester because it is the Chancellor’s prerogative. He encouraged faculty to support and work with students.

Senator Price thanked the students for their presentation and work on the process.

Speaker-Elect Bednarz also reported on meeting with Chancellor, who said he was interested in “rewarding customer satisfaction.”

The student reps concluded by assuring the Senate of their objectivity in the process; students believe now is the time to work on the issues or they would not endorse the award. Faculty may contact the Speaker of the Student Senate: aggieacadmicaffairs@gmail.com.

Committee of the Whole

Speaker Elect Bednarz presiding:
Bednarz noted a recent incident re erratic behavior on the part of a student; campus police were unaware of the “Tell Somebody” program. That Committee needs to market itself better.

Senator Stadelmann raised two items:
    1. Catalogue descriptions are inadequate and inconsistent with University policy; he requested that Academic Affairs find any extant list of catalogue description         regulations and/or modify/create a new list.

    2. Re political T-shirts: “Beat the hell outta Obama/McCain” shirts are in violation of US law which forbids harm to presidential candidates. Also: “Aggies for        Obama/McCain” shirts, posters, etc., are in violation of University regulation because they violate patent rights and implies institutional support for a given        candidate. TAMU should allow students to produce t-shirts because students should be involved in the political process and banning such shirts may be a violation        of freedom of speech rights.

Senator Daugherity pointed out that “Aggieland” is not copyrighted and provided a colorful history of the term “Aggie” as it has been used in higher education.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:12 pm.