August 10, 2015

Printable Minutes
Faculty Senate Meeting

Minutes

August 10, 2015

601 Rudder Tower

http://facultysenate.tamu.edu

 

In Attendance: Louise Abbott, Guy Battle, Blanca Lupiani, Leonard Bierman, John Buchanan, Christine Budke, William Clark, Greg Cobb, Charles Criscione, Walter Daugherity, Darryl De Ruiter, Janice Epstein, Margaret Ezell, Jose Fernandez-Solis, Tammy Frank-Cannon, Gerald Frye, Elsa Gonzalez, Melinda Grant, Ira Greenbaum, Kim Quaile Hill, Angie Hill Price, Brian Holland, Jon Jasperson, Mark Johnson, Trez Jones, Gary Kunkel, Thomas Linton, Clint Magill, Beth McNeill, Stephen Miller, Bimal Nepal, Bruce Neville, Calvin Parnell, Deva Reddy, James Rogers, Laura Sare, Mark Sicilio, Nancy Simpson, Bob Strawser, Evan Vestal, Coran Watanabe, Jim Woosley

 

Call to Order

Speaker Strawser called the meeting to order at 3:19 PM. 

 

Guest Speaker

                                                                                                                                                           

Speaker Comments

Speaker Strawser introduced the new Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr. Daniel J. Pugh, Sr., who joins TAMU from the University of Arkansas.  Vice Provost Benedik was recognized in his new position in the Provost’s office.  Speaker Strawser announced that Secretary Price will serve as the Senate representative on the Task Force regarding campus concealed carry. 

 

Approval of June 8, 2015 and July 13, 2015 Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes

The minutes were approved with a minor edit to a Senators name.  

       

Consent Agenda

GRADUATE COUNCIL – GC REPORT

July 2015                                                 

New Course Request

ANTH 670            Anthropology Proseminar

ECEN 738             Power Electronics

ECEN 742             DSP Based Electromechanical Motion Control

ECEN 767             Harnessing Solar Energy: Optics, Photovoltaics and Thermal Systems

MSEN 617            Crystallography and Crystal Structure Determination

VPAT 610             Cell Mechanisms of Disease

Attachment B

FS.33.33

Motion Passed

 

Change Course Request

HPCH 695             Doctoral Capstone

PHEB 695             Doctoral Capstone

PHEO 695             Doctoral Capstone

PHPM 695           Doctoral Capstone

Attachment C

FS.33.34

Motion Passed

 

Curriculum Change Request

3+2 Program: BS in Environmental Geosciences + MS in Oceanography

Attachment D

FS.33.35

Motion Passed

Special Consideration Item

                Dual Degree in Statistics with Renmin University of China

Attachment E

FS.33.36

Motion Passed

 

Special Consideration Item

                Master of Science in Public Health

                                Closure of Low-Producing Degree Programs

Attachment F

FS.33.37

Motion Passed

 

Special Consideration Item

                Mays Business School

                                Executive and Professional MBA Programs

                                                Reduce Semester Hours

Attachment G

FS.33.38

Motion Passed

 

Special Consideration Item

                Online Masters of Health Education & Sport Management

                                Committee Size

Attachment H

FS.33.39

Motion Passed

 

Special Consideration Item

                Request for New Programs – 3+2 Programs

                                BA in GEOL and MS in OCNG

                                BS in GEOL and MS in OCNG

                                BS in METR and MS in OCNG

Attachment I

FS.33.40

Motion Passed

 

Special Consideration Item

                TAMU College of Dentistry

                                Remove Courses from Inventory

Attachment J

FS.33.41

Motion Passed

 

Special Consideration Item (from May 2015)

                Graduate Faculty Guideline Changes (new policy begins on page 8)

Attachment K

FS.33.42

Motion Passed

 

 

W-COURSES   - Report July 13, 2015

Courses submitted for W certification

COMM 403                         Media, Children, and Adolescents

Courses submitted for W recertification

COMM 408                         Advanced Research Methods in Communication

COMM 446                         Communication, Organizations, and Society

ECON 312                            Poverty & Inequality

ENGR/PHIL 482                 Engineering Ethics

ESSM 406                             Natural Resources Policy

VIST 375                               Foundations of Visualization

Attachment L

FS.33.43

Motion Passed

 

 

__________________________________End of Consent Agenda____________________________________

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS

 

Informational Review Items

School of Law—Withdrawal of Courses

LAW 7571            Analytical Methods for Lawyers

LAW 7107            Art Crimes

LAW 7468            Constitutional Issues in Environmental Law Seminar

LAW 7618            Fair Use Seminar

LAW 7382            International Environmental Law

LAW 7376            Local Government Law

LAW 7637            Queer Law Seminar

LAW 7667            Refugee and Asylum Law Seminar

LAW 7651            Religion and Law Seminar

LAW 7500            Sports Law

Attachment M

FS.33.44

Motion Passed

 

Unfinished Business

 

Old Business     

                                                                                                                                                                               

New Business  

Certification of August Degree Candidates

                TAMU-Main – 1755

                TAMU-Galveston – 71

                TAMU-Qatar – 19

                TAMU-Health Science Center – 70

                TAMU-LAW – 8

Attachment N (no attachment to link; information listed above)

FS.33.45

Motion Passed

 

Posthumous Degree Candidate- CONFIDENTIAL

Attachment O (link not included due to confidentiality)

FS.33.46

Motion Passed Unanimously

                                                                                               

Committee of the Whole

Provost Watson provided information regarding campus concealed carry.  She mentioned that the law does not go into effect until next year, and that open carry is always prohibited on campus.  The Task Force is intended to be advisory to the president, and that the authority to restrict concealed carry anywhere on campus lies solely with the President.  Anything he decides can be overruled by a 2/3 vote of the Board of Regents.  Provost Watson reminded the Senators that other schools have implemented similar laws, and that we should see what they have done.  It is anticipated that the recommendations will be made by the end of the fall semester.

 

Senator Solis raised a question about athletics.  Provost Watson indicated that Kyle Field and athletics are included in the policy decision to be made

 

Senator Hill asked if areas are to be banned, will this be “Scout’s honor” or would there be metal detectors?  Provost Watson pointed out that currently the only metal detectors on campus are at the Bush Library.

 

Speaker Strawser announced that a reception to recognize the new Senators will follow the September Faculty Senate meeting.  Fall Jazz night at the University Club will be on September 25.

 

Adjourn

The meeting was adjourned at 3:48 PM.