October 14, 2019

Printable Minutes

TAMU Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes
October 14, 2019
3:00pm
Rudder 601
http://facultysenate.tamu.edu

CALL TO ORDER
Speaker Andrew Klein called the meeting to order at 3:00pm.

GUEST SPEAKER
Speaker Klein introduced guest speaker Ross Bjork, TAMU Athletic Director, and welcomed him to the podium.

AD Bjork began by speaking about the need for continuity of leadership in Athletics, and the importance of building trust. He believes in the common goal of developing students to their full potential. He introduced Joe Fields, who leads the student-athlete Academic Development program. This past spring semester the student-athletes had over a 3.0 cumulative grade point average – the first time this has happened in the University’s history.

Mr. Bjork emphasized that Athletics is a part of the University’s mission, but it is not the most important thing. As the most highly visible part of the University, they have a responsibility to make sure Athletics aligns with the mission.
Abiding by the University’s Core Values is an important part of Athletics.
The role of the Athletics Director includes making sure the right coaches and staff are in place to serve the student-athletes, resource acquisition, ensuring student-athletes have a life after sports, and that teaching and educating are at the forefront of all they do.

AD Bjork then fielded questions from the following Senators:

Angie Hill Price, College of Engineering
Bob Strawser, Mays Business School
Darlene McLaughlin, College of Medicine

Speaker Klein thanked Ross Bjork for speaking to the Senate.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Heather Wilkinson, Associate Dean of Faculties, provided an update on the work of the task force looking at student course evaluations as well as its role in promotion and tenure. She encouraged faculty to look for and complete a survey they would be receiving the following day to provide feedback on the questions recommended by the task force.

Dr. Wilkinson responded to questions from the following Senators:
Stefanie Harris, College of Liberal Arts
Hank Walker, College of Engineering
Dana Gaddy, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Jay Ramadoss, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Adam Kolasinski, Mays Business School
Joan Wolf, College of Liberal Arts

PRESENTATION OF RESOLUTION HONORING DR. ROBERT KNIGHT
Speaker Klein invited Dr. Bob Knight to the podium to present him with a resolution honoring his years of service to the University’s Undergraduate Curriculum Council.

SPEAKER COMMENTS
Speaker Klein started with several rounds of introductions:

He first introduced some of the Senate’s regular guests, administrators including Provost Carol Fierke, Dr. Tim Scott, Dr. Mike Stephenson, Dr. Heather Wilkinson, and Dr. Claire Katz.
Next, he introduced this year’s Executive Committee members: Speaker-Elect John Stallone, Secretary-Treasurer Alva Ferdinand, and at-large EC members Dan Collins, Catharina Laporte, Rajesh Miranda, Angie Hill Price, Heather Ramsey, Dale Rice (also Parliamentarian), Mark Sicilio, Grace Townsend, and Jim Woosley, and ex-officio members Dean of Faculties Blanca Lupiani, and former Speaker Julie Harlin.
The Senate’s new Caucus Leaders were then introduced:
- Gary Kunkel, College of Agriculture
- Geoffrey Booth, College of Architecture
- Danny Davis, the Bush School
- Allen Honeyman, College of Dentistry
- Tony Boucher, College of Education & Human Development
- Deb Banerjee, College of Engineering
- Bobby Reece, College of Geosciences
- Saurabh Vishnubhakat, School of Law
- Dale Rice, College of Liberal Arts
- Bruce Neville, University Libraries
- Greg Heim, Mays Business School
- Mark Sicilio, College of Medicine
- Matt Hoffman, College of Nursing
- Heather Ramsey, College of Science
- Hamed aly Ismail, College of Pharmacy
- Alva Ferdinand, School of Public Health
- Grace Townsend, Galveston
- Albertus Retnanto, Qatar
- Jay Ramadoss, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical SciencesSpeaker Klein highlighted the following information:

Former Senator, Speaker, and Parliamentarian Walter Daugherity was thanked – along with Senators Julie Harlin and Hank Walker – for convincing the University to delay for a year changes to the pre-tax parking benefit for faculty and staff. Dr. Harlin is now co-chair of the Transportation Services Advisory Committee, and she and Speaker Klein have been placed on a task force looking at this and other parking tax related issues.
The members of the Bylaws and Election Committees were thanked for their ongoing work on amending election procedures and bylaws. Their suggested changes will soon be on the Senate’s agenda.
The Senate continues to have representation on committees involved with the Student Success Initiatives.
Speaker Klein has formed a working group with leadership of the Undergraduate and Graduate Curriculum Committees, among others, to look at the course approval process and the minimum syllabus requirements. The minimum syllabus requirements will come to the Senate this year for a vote. Hopefully, the curriculum approval process will be streamlined to allow faculty to focus on more substantive curricular changes while retaining the Senate’s appropriate oversight over curricular matters. Any ideas are appreciated.
Speaker Klein has been working with student government leadership and looks forward to this continuing relationship. They brought a concern about paying for proctoring of exams and the Senate was able to help address these concerns with Provost leadership.
He encouraged everyone to bring any concerns to him or the EC.
Speaker Klein then spoke about the role of the Senate, sharing the role as identified in our Constitution. One of his goals this year is to continue to improve communication between the faculty and administration to demonstrate that this body can collectively provide constructive and timely feedback on important University issues. This is how shared governance is fostered and the voice of faculty is elevated.
He encouraged Senators to remember that when communicating, we speak as more than an individual faculty member, quoting from the 1940 AAUP Statement on Academic Freedom, “be accurate, should exercise appropriate restraint, should show respect for the options of others.” This is the best way to further the faculty’s cause among colleagues and administration, ensuring that the Senate’s collective voice remains powerful and faculty opinions cannot be simply dismissed as uninformed or intransigent.
Speaker Klein encouraged Senators to participate in at least one of the four Open Forums supporting strategic planning, soliciting assistance with scribing at the Forums.
He further encouraged those unable to attend President Young’s State of the University Address to view it online, and encouraged Senators and colleagues to apply for Presidential Transformational Teaching Grants.
He emphasized the importance of attending Faculty Senate standing committee meetings. This is where much of the important work of the Senate is conducted.
Speaker Klein stated that November’s guest speaker will be Chancellor John Sharp, and closed his remarks by soliciting suggestions for guest speakers for the spring.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The motion passed to approve the September 9, 2019 minutes as distributed. Attachment A – Passed

CONSENT AGENDA Attachments B-U – Passed
The motion passed to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. (Full Consent Agenda with FS #’s can be found below Adjournment.)
Speaker Klein highlighted the courses in Marine Engineering Technology found in Attachment S from Galveston, noting that he had the privilege of working with two former Sea Aggies when sailing in the Antarctic, who were critical to the successful operation of the aged ship.

He then encouraged other Senators to highlight curricular items from their own colleges to help make more visible this important work of the Senate.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS
No unfinished business was conducted.

COMMITTEE REPORTS
Core Curriculum Council Course Report
The motion passed to approve the Core Curriculum Course Report as presented. (CCC Report with FS #’s can be found below Adjournment.)

Other Committee Reports
No other committee reports were heard.

OLD BUSINESS
No old business was conducted.

NEW BUSINESS
Disability Resources Proposed Syllabus Statement – Attachment W – FS.37.061
This statement was presented for review only, as it will be required to be added/revised on the syllabi for spring semester. The statement represents an attempt to minimize legalese in favor of plain language. It was clarified that this statement is required on all syllabi, not just a link to the statement. Several questions from Senators were fielded. Senator Angie Hill Price requested the statement come up for a vote at the November meeting.

Before moving into Committee of the Whole, Senator Julie Harlin presented a card to Speaker Andrew Klein, and Senator Hill Price led the Senate in the “Happy Birthday” song, to celebrate Andrew’s birthday.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
In Speaker-Elect John Stallone’s absence, Secretary-Treasurer Alva Ferdinand convened the Committee of the Whole.

Adam Kolasinski, Mays Business School
Senator Kolasinski raised a question concerning the student evaluation questions to be used for Tenure and Promotion purposes, inquiring as to whether those questions will come before the Senate for a vote. Provost Fierke responded saying that feedback is welcomed, but a vote is not necessary.

Angie Hill Price, College of Engineering
Senator Hill Price spoke to the concerns about the student evaluation questions, that she had seen them and found them relatively benign, and found the best thing to be that they cannot be averaged into one number.

Stephanie McCartney, College of Science
Senator McCartney raised concerns about the impact of the University’s calendar on faculty and staff on those who have children. The calendar is at odds with the local public schools on multiple occasions, as well as Federal holidays. She wondered if a task force might be set up to look at this. Provost Fierke shared her thoughts and encouraged ongoing conversations on the issue. Speaker Klein shared there might be other ways to assist with temporary child care. Senator Dan Collins supported the concerns about the mismatched calendars.

Jim Woosley, College of Education & Human Development
Senator Woosley requested that the Committee of the Whole recognize Provost Carol Fierke.

Carol Fierke, Provost
Provost Fierke made a strong plea for everyone to come to the Strategic Planning Forums. They are not Town Halls, but working groups requiring input from everyone.

Clint Magill, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
Speaking on behalf of the Planning Committee, Senator Magill shared a couple items that came up including IT security that prevents faculty from working, and concerns about intersections on campus. He requested charges from the EC.

Bruce Neville, University Libraries
Senator Neville, Chair of the Bylaws Committee, solicited any suggestions for revisions to the Bylaws. The changes to Bylaws regarding elections will be done this fall, with further work on the Bylaws done in the spring semester. Speaker Klein thanked Bruce for his hard work to date.

Andrew Klein, Speaker, College of Geosciences
Speaker Klein was asked to share that the SAP on Deans and Department Head rules has been approved and put into practice. This received applause from the Senate.

Secretary-Treasurer Ferdinand turned the meeting back over to Speaker Klein.

ADJOURN

The meeting was adjourned at 4:29pm.

ATTACHMENTS BELOW: Approved Consent Agenda, Core Curriculum Council Report

CONSENT AGENDA
GRADUATE COUNCIL
New Courses – Attachment B – Passed – FS.37.040
ECEN 718             Neuro-electronics System
ECEN 719             Advanced Digital System Design
ECEN 776             Unconditionally Secure Electronics
FILM 643              Sex, Gender and Cinema
IDIS 651               Distribution Customer Experience
IDIS 652               Digital Distribution
INTA 698              Advanced Analytic Tradecraft
ITDE 610               Introduction to Engineering Innovation in Medicine
ITDE 614               Journal Club for Engineering Innovation in Medicine
ITDE 684               Professional Internship
MEEN 696            Bio-inspired Design
OCNG 626           Ocean Pollution
SYEN 684             Professional Internship
TCMT 639            Team Leadership Coaching

Change in Courses – Attachment C – Passed – FS.37.041
ANTH 605            Conservation of Archaeological Resources I
ANTH 606            Conservation of Archaeological Resources II
BICH 656              RNA World
CSCE 625             Artificial Intelligence
CSCE 705             Introduction to Computing Systems
CSCE 710           Fundamentals of Software Analysis
CSCE 713           Software Security
ECMT 678            Advanced Topics in Econometrics
EPSY 689             Special Topics in…
PETE 681             Seminar
SPSY 691             Research

Change in Programs – Attachment D – Passed – FS.37.042
     Mays Business School
        Department of Information & Operations Management
            CERT-CG68          Business Intelligence and Analytics - Certificate

Change in Programs – Attachment E – Passed – FS.37.043
     College of Dentistry
        Department of Comprehensive Dentistry
            CERT-PROS          Prosthodontics - Certificate

Change in Programs – Attachment F – Passed – FS.37.044
     College of Medicine
        Department of Medicine
            MD-MDMD            Doctor of Medicine

Change in Programs – Attachment G – Passed – FS.37.045
     College of Education & Human Development
        Department of Teaching, Learning & Culture
            MED-EDCI             Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction

Change in Programs – Attachment H – Passed – FS.37.046
     School of Public Health
        Department of Public Health
            MPH-OCSH           Master of Public Health in Occupational Safety and Health

Change in Programs – Attachment I – Passed – FS.37.047
     College of Engineering
        Department of Computer Science & Engineering
            MS-CPSC              Master of Science in Computer Science

Change in Programs – Attachment J – Passed – FS.37.048
     College of Engineering
        Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering
            MS-ENSM              Master of Science in Engineering Management

Change in Programs – Attachment K – Passed – FS.37.049
     College of Science
        Department of Statistics
            MS-STAT               Master of Science in Statistics

Program Inactivation Proposal – Attachment L – Passed – FS.37.050
     Mays Business School
        College of Business
            CERT-CG7            Business Management - Certificate
Special Consideration Item – Attachment M – Passed – FS.37.051
   School of Public Health
        Department of Public Health Studies
            BS/MPH-PHLT/PHEP-PPH    Public Health - 5-year Bachelor of Science/Master of Public Health in Epidemiology

Special Consideration Item – Attachment N – Passed – FS.37.052
   Mays Business School
        College of Business
                  CERT-BUSI           Business - Certificate

Special Consideration Item – Attachment O – Passed – FS.37.053
   College of Nursing
        Department of Nursing
           CERT-PMHN         Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner - Certificate

Special Consideration Item – Attachment P – Passed – FS.37.054
   College of Science
        Department of Biology
           MS-EEBL               Master of Science in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
New Courses – Attachment Q – Passed – FS.37.055
GEOS 110             Disasters and Society
SPMT 460             Sport Business Planning

Change in Courses – Attachment R – Passed – FS.37.056
CSCE 420             Artificial Intelligence
ENGR 181             Engineering Honors Seminar I
HLTH 335              Human Diseases
HLTH 353              Drugs and Society
HLTH 415              Health Education Methodology
HLTH 425              Health Program Evaluation
HLTH 440              Contemporary Issues for Community Health Interns
HLTH 482              Grant Writing in Health
KINE 318               Athletic Injuries
KINE 386               Sport Physiology
KINE 406               Motor Learning and Skill Performance
KINE 407               Motor Control and Learning Lab
KINE 427               Therapeutic Principles
KINE 433               Physiology of Exercise
KINE 482               Seminar
KNFB 416              Middle and Secondary School Physical Activities

Change in Courses – Galveston – Attachment S – Passed – FS.37.057
MARA 424             Intermodal Transportation
MARE 200             Basic Operations
MARE 300             Intermediate Operations
MARE 400             Advanced Operations
MART 200             Deck Sea Training I: Basic Communications, Navigation and Seamanship
MART 300             Deck Sea Training II: Intermediate Communications, Navigation and Seamanship
MART 400             Deck Sea Training III: Advanced Communications, Navigation and Seamanship
MAST 350             A History of Wooden Ship Construction

W&C COURSES
Courses Submitted for W Certification – Attachment T – Passed – FS.37.058
ESSM 405-W       Forest Resource Assessment and Management
PHIL 381-W         Ethical Theory
VIBS 443-W         Biology of Mammalian Cells and Tissues

Courses Submitted for W Certification—Galveston – Attachment U – Passed – FS.37.059
MARE 405-W       Fundamentals of Naval Architecture
MAST 425-W       Thesis and Technical Writing

______________________________End of Consent Agenda____________________________________

CORE CURRICULUM COUNCIL COURSE REPORT – Attachment V – Passed – FS.37.060
New Courses Submitted for Foundational Component Area: Lang, Phil, Culture
RELS 202-GE      Religion in America

New Courses Submitted for Foundational Component Area: Life & Physical Sciences
GEOL 208-GE      Life on a Dynamic Planet

New Courses – Cultural Diversity
PHIL 282-CD               Ethics in a Digital Age

New Courses – International and Cultural Diversity
ENTO 210-ICD Global Public Health Entomology
KINE 282-ICD Culture of Wellness
URPN 203-ICD Smart Cities: Bit, Bots and Beyond