December 11, 2012
FACULTY SENATE MEETING MINUTES
December 12, 2011
3:15 p.m., 601 Rudder Tower
http://facultysenate.tamu.edu
Present: Louise Abbott, Derya Akleman, Jorge Alvarado, Michael Benedik, Leonard Bierman, Charles Bollfrass, Patrick Burkart, John Carhart, Gwendolyn Carroll, Jonathan Coopersmith, Joe Dannenbaum, Walter Daugherity, Darryl De Ruiter, Ron Douglas, Janice Epstein, Jose Fernandez- Solis, L. Paige Fields, Norma Funkhouser, Holly Gaede, Fran Gelwick, Clare Gill, Ira Greenbaum, Janet Hammer, Mike Hanik, Kevin Heinz, Kim Quaile Hill, Shelley Holliday, Wendy Jepson, Guido Kanschat, Karen Kubena, Paulo Lima-Filho, Thomas Linton, Carol Loopstra, Blanca Lupiani, Clint Magill, Christopher Mathewson, Kathryn McKenzie, A. Gene Nelson, Brian Perkins, Michelle Pine, Harland Prechel, Leslie Reynolds, Dale Rice, J. Maurice Rojas, Luis San Andres, Jason Sawyer, Karen-Beth Scholthof, Brian Shaw, Kathleen Speed, John Stallone, Bob Strawser, Elizabeth Tebeaux, Grace Townsend, Manuelita Ureta, Wyoma vanDuinkerken, Gary Varner, William West, Tryon Wichersham, B. Dan Wood, Jim Woosley
Absent: Ergun Akleman, Jaime Alvarado-Bremer, Carisa Armstrong, Perla Balbuena, Judith Ball, Maria Barrufet, Hassan Bashir, Doug Biggs, Edward Brothers, Joe Cerami, Gwan Seong Choi, William Bedford Clark, Mark Clayton, Richard Curry, Robin Dabareiner, Swaroop Darbha, John Edens, Gioia Falcone, Edward Funkhouser, Stephen Guetersloh, Ed Harris, Karl Haupt, Dirk Hays, Richard Hutchinson, Andrew Klein, Igor Lyuksyutov,Vanita Mahajan, R.N. Mahapatra, Sam Mannan, Stephen Miller, Jeffrey Morris, Sudarsan Rangan, Richard Stadelmann, Douglas Starr, Winfried Teizer, Mike Thornton, Jijayanagaram Venkatraj, Wei Wan, Richard Woodman, Keyan Zhu-Salzman
Call to Order:
Speaker Benedik called the meeting to order at 3:20 P.M. There were two senators from Galveston present via videoconferencing.
Speaker Comments:
Speaker Benedik stated he received quite a few emails regarding his communication on showing graded work to students. He said all were either positive or incredulous that such a statement was needed, however he did get one recurring question which was “how long” does a faculty member need to keep graded material. The student rule is that grade appeals can be made for 6 months after the end of a course, so that should be the target. He
stated he routinely just keeps paperwork for 1 year.
The speaker noted there have been a lot of inquiries regarding the proposed policy on bullying. He said the Senate Committee on Workplace, Climate and Diversity has been working on generating a final draft of this document in conjunction with the Staff Council. He hopes we will have this available for comments either in the January or subsequent Senate meeting.
He reminded everyone that the Faculty Senate meeting has been moved back 2 weeks to Jan 23. The 16th is MLK day and the university is closed. Speaker Benedik announced that the joint UT / A&M Faculty Senate/Faculty Caucus meeting is scheduled for February 27 and as of now we are still
planning to have our regularly scheduled Senate on Feb 13 as well.
He noted that the Academic Affairs Committee has just been charged with looking into alternate vehicles for student evaluations of teaching to possibly replace PICA. The Dean of Faculties will be working with them to demo some alternative software packages and see whether they provide added benefits that we could take advantage of. Once they have met, reviewed and discussed we can look forward to their report to the Senate.
Guest Speakers:
Speaker Benedik introduced Provost Karan Watson to discuss the software tool from Academic Analytics being used to assess strategic progress and accountability. Access to the data the company collects is limited to the doctoral-granting universities and colleges which are its customers. The databases it mines track federal research funding by individual, but only aggregate data is reported to the university. The software tool is not comprehensive; for example, it does not include teaching and service or non-federal research funding or conference papers, and it measures quantity (of publications, etc.), not quality. However, it will provide useful external benchmark data to compare us to our peers, as promised in both Vision 2020 and the “Strategic Plan 2010-2015.” The reports include our scholarly activities and graduations, scholarly impact and teaching loads, etc., compared to peer institutions. She said it is important to make our productivity visible now in appropriate forms or else the legislature may prescribe the form as it did in House Bill 2504 for posting student evaluations online within three clicks of the home page. An extensive discussion followed.
Speaker Benedik next introduced Ben Wu to discuss our QEP program, which is required for SACS’ decennial reaffirmation of accreditation. The QEP program focuses on student learning and is a major part of the “Aggies Commit” [to learning for a lifetime] program. When the QEP document is complete it will be distributed to faculty, staff, and students for feedback; the SACS on-site review will be April 2-5, 2012.
Speaker Benedik then introduced Jim Kracht to discuss changes to the General Studies program. He said that over the last six years the program has grown from about 1900 students to 5200 (with over one fourth of freshmen going into General Studies) and needs to be reduced back to about 2000 students over the next year and a half. The focus will be on providing students who are switching majors one semester to take needed prerequisites for the new major and/or to improve their GPR; student must leave General Studies when they reach 60 hours. Transfer students with more than 45 hours will ultimately not be allowed to enter General Studies, and the number of freshmen will be substantially reduced by redirecting incoming freshmen whose first choice of major is full to another major instead of to General Studies. Also, colleges have been asked to accept a one-time group of General Studies students into their majors this academic year.
Holly Gaede (Science) asked how students can fulfill a multiple-semester prerequisite sequence for a new major in one semester. Jim Kracht replied many of these barriers to changing majors were put in place for enrollment management reasons and he is discussing possible solutions with the colleges; in addition, more direction is needed to place students in the correct major to start.
Jose Fernandez-Solis (Architecture) asked if the students from General Studies moving to the colleges will come with funding for the additional faculty needed to accommodate them; Jim Kracht said they were already in the pipeline for a major. Karan Watson added that many of these students are already taking the courses they would take in a major, and that there are no General Studies faculty. She also said additional resources from the budget reallocation are going to improve advising, but if colleges want more faculty positions for more students she would have to take faculty positions away from units with fewer students. Graduating more students sooner is important or else we may lose state funds. Demand for some fields (e.g., petroleum engineering) is cyclical so staffing decisions have to be long range.
Hank Walker was recognized and said that no faculty member or department head he has talked to thinks this is a good idea because of the impact on the students. He estimated that 20 to 25 per cent of the budget would need to be shifted to engineering, business, and architecture to meet the student demand. Karan Watson replied that 35 to 40 per cent of the General Studies students wanted an engineering major but only 9 per cent were able to get it, so the changes in General Studies and advising should redirect students away from majors which are full.
Chris Mathewson (Geosciences) asked how General Studies students could be taking the same courses as their intended major; Karan Watson replied that most freshman courses are core curriculum courses, e.g., all but four hours in the first year of engineering.
The November 14 Faculty Senate meeting minutes were approved as submitted. Motion Passed
FS.29.75
Attachment A
Consent Agenda The consent agenda was approved as submitted. Motion Passed GRADUATE COUNCIL FS.29.76
New Courses - November 3, 2011 Attachment B AFST 685 Directed Studies
AFST 689 Special Topics in…
ANTH 655 Empires and World-System
CVEN 754 Advanced Structural Design Studio
GEOP 681 Emergent Field-Based Techniques of Near-Surface Applied Geophysics
LAND 632 Design for Active Living
LDEV 669 Income Property Land Development
MARB 640 Ecosystem Functions in Marine Environments
PERF 682 American Theatre: Gender on the US Stage
PLAN 632 Design for Active Living
PLAN 642 Planning for Coastal Sustainability and Resiliency
WFSC 641 Sustainable Military Land Management
WFSC 642 Field Military Land Management
Course Changes - November 3, 2011 Motion Passed
LAND 601 |
Landscape Architectural Design Theory |
FS.29.77 |
LAND 602 |
Landscape Architectural Design Application |
Attachment C |
LAND 603 |
Principles and Techniques of Land Development |
|
LAND 612 |
Landscape Architectural Site Development |
|
LAND 614 |
Landscape Architectural Construction |
|
LAND 620 |
Open Space Development I |
|
LAND 621 |
Open Space Development II |
|
LAND 646 |
Professional Practice |
|
LAND 684 |
Professional Internship |
|
LAND 685 |
Directed Study |
|
LAND 693 |
Professional Study |
|
MKTG 613 |
Marketing Management |
|
MKTG 621 |
Survey of Marketing |
|
MKTG 650 |
Analyzing Consumer Behavior |
|
MKTG 656 |
Marketing Communications Management |
|
MKTG 671 |
Product Innovation |
|
MKTG 675 |
Marketing Strategy |
|
Special Consideration - November 3, 2011 Motion Passed
College of Architecture FS.29.78
Department of Landscape and Urban Planning Attachment D
Proposal to offer two masters non-thesis degree programs as a simultaneous two – degree program Master of Real Estate (MRE) and Master of Science in Land Development (MSLD).
Special Consideration - November 3, 2011 Motion Passed
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences FS.29.79
Proposal for a Certificate in Military Land Sustainability Attachment E
Special Consideration - November 3, 2011 Motion Passed
College of Architecture FS.29.80
Proposal to offer a Graduate Certificate in Transportation Planning via distance Attachment F
Special Consideration - November 3, 2011 Motion Passed
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences FS.29.81
Attachment G
Proposal to move/transfer the administrative and degree-granting authority of the graduate degree programs in Nutrition and Food Science and Technology from the Interdisciplinary Degree Program in Nutrition and the Interdisciplinary Program in Food Science into the Department of Nutrition and Food Science
UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
New Course - November 11, 2011 Motion Passed
ACCT 421 |
Critical Communication Skills for Accountants |
FS.29.82 |
ALED 424 |
Applied Ethics in Leadership |
Attachment H |
ARCH 216 |
Computational Methods in Architecture |
|
ARCH 248 |
Writing in Architectural History |
|
ARCH 317 |
Digital Fabrication for Architecture |
|
ARCH 390 |
Introduction to Architectural Research |
|
BICH 404 |
Biochemical Calculations |
|
CHEM 456 |
Chemical Biology |
|
COMM 324 |
Communication Leadership and Conflict Management |
|
ENTC 269 |
Embedded Systems Development in C |
|
ENTC 329 |
Six Sigma and Applied Statistics |
|
ENTC 366 |
Communications Electronics |
|
HEFB 322 |
Teaching and Schooling in Modern Society |
|
HEFB 324 |
Technology and Teaching Skills for the 21st Century Learner |
|
HEFB 325 |
Introduction to Secondary School Teaching |
|
HEFB 450 |
Supervised Student Teaching |
|
HORT 426 |
International Floriculture Marketing |
|
HUMA 321 |
Political Islam and Jihad |
|
INFO 300 |
Business Communications I |
|
INFO 400 |
Business Communications II |
|
INTS 205 |
Current Issues in International Studies |
|
INTS 401 |
Urbanism and Modernism |
|
INTS 403 |
Nations and Nationalisms |
|
INTS 405 |
War and Memory |
|
KNFB 324 |
Technology and Teaching Skills for the 21st Century Learner |
|
MKTG 426 |
Advanced Retail Case Competition |
|
MKTG 445 |
Advertising Account Planning |
|
RELS 321 |
Political Islam and Jihad |
|
Withdrawal of Courses - November 11, 2011
ARCH 312 Design Journal
ARCH 329 The American House
ENDS 170 Computer Techniques for Design and Visualization
ENTC 216 Semiconductor Process Technology
ENTC 351 Electronic Devices and Circuits II
ENTC 407 Instrumentation and Controls
Change in Courses - November 11, 2011
AERO 404 Mechanics of Advanced Aerospace Structures
AERO 424 Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics and Control
ANSC 316 Equine Selection and Judging
ANSC 320 Animal Nutrition and Feeding
ANSC 406 Beef Cattle Production and Management
ANSC 412 Swine Production and Management
ANSC 414 Sheep and Goat Production and Management
ANSC 420 Equine Production and Management
ANSC 439 Feedlot Risk Management
ANSC 481 Seminar
ANSC 487 Sensory Evaluation of Foods
ARCH 305 Architectural Design III
ARCH 310 Site Planning and Design
ARCH 330 The Making of Architecture
ARCH 331 Foundations Structures
ARCH 335 Foundations Systems
ARCH 350 History and Theory of Modern and Contemporary Architecture
ARCH 401 Design Creativity
ARCH 405 Architectural Design IV
ARCH 406 Architecture Design V
ARCH 407 Integrated Home Architecture Studio
ARCH 408 Experimental Home Architecture
ARCH 421 Energy and Sustainable Architecture
ARCH 431 Integrated Structures
ARCH 432 Integrated Home Structures and Construction
ARCH 435 Integrated Systems
ARCH 436 Integrated Home Architecture Systems
ARCH 452 Alternative Careers in Architecture
ARCH 463 Elements of Interior Architecture
ARCH 485 Directed Studies
ARCH 489 Special Topics in…
ARCH 491 Advanced Architecture Innovation Research
ATMO 324 Physical and Regional Climatology
ATMO 336 Atmospheric Dynamics
ATMO 456 Practical Weather Forecasting
ATMO 461 Broadcast Meteorology
ATMO 463 Air Pollution Meteorology
CSCE 110 Programming I
DASC 312 Food Chemistry
DASC 313 Food Chemistry Lab
DASC 314 Food Analysis
ECEN 303 Random Signals and Systems
ECEN 448 Real-Time Digital Signal Processing
ENDS 105 DesignFoundationsI
ENDS 112 Environmental Responsibilities and Design
ENDS 115 Design Communication Foundations
ENDS 116 Design Communication Foundations II
ENDS 260 Comparative Theory in the Built and Virtual Environments
ENDS 484 Summer Internship
ENDS 485 Directed Studies
ENDS 491 Research
ENDS 494 Internship
ENTC 211 Circuit Analysis II
ENTC 219 Digital Electronics
ENTC 251 Engineering Leadership
ENTC 303 Fluid Mechanics and Power
ENTC 349 Microprocessors
ENTC 352 Introduction to Mixed-Signal Test and Measurement
ENTC 359 Electronic System Interfacing
ENTC 410 Manufacturing Automation and Robotics
ENTC 412 Production and Inventory Planning
ENTC 419 Engineering Technology Capstone I
ENTC 420 Engineering Technology Capstone II
ENTC 435 Data Communications
ENTC 452 Advanced Semiconductor Test and Measurement
FSTC 312 Food Chemistry
FSTC 313 Food Chemistry Lab
FSTC 314 Food Analysis
FSTC 369 Experimental Nutrition & Food Science Laboratory
FSTC 415 Religious and Ethnic Foods
ISEN 220 Introduction to Production Systems
ISEN 314 Statistical Control of Quality
ISEN 315 Production System Planning
ISEN 316 Production Systems Operations
ISEN 414 Total Quality Engineering
ISEN 424 Systems Simulation
ISEN 459 Manufacturing Systems Design
KNFB 322 Teaching and Schooling in the Modern Society
KNFB 323 Introduction to Secondary School Teaching
LAND 240 History of Landscape Architecture
LAND 310 Landscape Theory
LAND 318 Landscape Design I
LAND 319 Landscape Design II
LAND 320 Landscape Design III
LAND 329 Landscape Construction I
LAND 330 Landscape Construction II
LAND 331 Landscape Construction III
LAND 340 Development of Landscape Architecture in North America
LAND 442 Professional Practice
MKTG 321 Marketing
MKTG 322 Consumer Behavior
MKTG 323 Marketing Research
MKTG 325 Retailing Concepts and Policies
MKTG 326 Strategic Planning
MKTG 347 Advertising and Creative Marketing Communications
MKTG 401 Global Marketing
MKTG 409 Principles of Marketing
MKTG 425 Retail Merchandising
MKTG 436 Sales Management
MKTG 440 Services Marketing
MKTG 442 Product Management
MKTG 448 Marketing Management
MKTG 484 Marketing Internship
NUTR 369 Experimental Nutrition & Food Science Laboratory
NUTR 404 Nutrition Assessment and Planning
NUTR 405 Nutritional Treatment of Disease
NUTR 415 Religious and Ethnic Foods
NUTR 444 Nutrition Through Life
POSC 308 Avian Anatomy and Physiology
POSC 429 Advanced Food Bacteriology
Change in Curriculum - November 11, 2011 Motion Passed
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences FS.29.83
Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics Attachment I
B.S. in Biochemistry
B.S. in Genetics
Change in Curriculum - November 11, 2011 Motion Passe
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences FS.29.84
Department of Nutrition and Food Science Attachment J
B.S. in Food Science and Technology Food Science Option
Industry Option
Change in Curriculum - November 11, 2011 Motion Passed
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences FS.29.85
Department of Nutrition and Food Science Attachment K
B.S. in Nutritional Sciences General Nutrition Track
Didactic Program in Dietetics Track
Change in Curriculum - November 11, 2011 Motion Passed
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences FS.29.86
Department of Nutrition and Food Science Attachment L
B.S. in Nutritional Sciences Molecular and Experimental Track
Change in Curriculum - November 11, 2011 Motion Passed
College of Architecture FS.29.87
Department of Architecture Attachment M
B.E.D. in Environmental Design Architectural Studies Option
Change in Curriculum - November 11, 2011 Motion Passed
College of Geosciences FS.29.88
Department of Atmospheric Sciences Attachment N
B.S. in Meteorology
Change in Curriculum - November 11, 2011 Motion Passed
College of Liberal Arts FS.29.89
Department of European and Classical Languages and Cultures Attachment O
B.A. in International Studies
International Politics and Diplomacy Track International Commerce Track
International Communication and Media Track International Arts and Culture Track International Environmental Studies Track
Change in Curriculum - November 11, 2011 Motion Passed
College of Science FS.29.90
Department of Chemistry Attachment P
B.A. in Chemistry
B.S. in Chemistry
Special Consideration - November 11, 2011 Motion Passed
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences FS.29.91
Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics Minor in Biochemistry – requirement changes Attachment Q
Special Consideration - November 11, 2011 Motion Passed
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences FS.29.92
Department of Nutrition and Food Science Attachment R
B.S. in Nutritional Sciences
General Nutrition Track
Request for a Secondary Teacher Certification Track
Special Consideration - November 11, 2011 Motion Passed
College of Architecture FS.29.93
Department of Architecture Attachment S
Minor in Art and Architectural History – requirement changes
Special Consideration - November 11, 2011 Motion Passed
Mays Business School FS.29.94
Department of Marketing Attachment T
Request for a new Certificate in Advertising
Special Consideration - November 11, 2011 Motion Passed
Mays Business School FS.29.95
Department of Marketing Attachment U
Request for a new Certificate in Retailing
Special Consideration - November 11, 2011 Motion Passed
Mays Business School FS.29.96
Department of Marketing Attachment V
Request for a new Certificate in Sales
Special Consideration - November 11, 2011 Motion Passed
Dwight Look College of Engineering FS.29.97
Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Attachment W
B.S. in Industrial Engineering Request to change grade requirements
Special Consideration - November 11, 2011 Motion Passed
College of Science FS.29.98
Department of Chemistry Attachment X
Minor in Chemistry – requirement changes
Texas A&M University at Galveston
Change in Curriculum - November 11, 2011 Motion Passed
Texas A&M University at Galveston FS.29.99
Department of Maritime Administration Attachment Y
B.S. in Maritime Administration Financial Management Track Operations Management Track
Special Consideration - November 11, 2011 Motion Passed
Texas A&M University at Galveston FS.29.100
Department of Marine Sciences Attachment Z
Minor in Ocean and Coastal Resources – requirement changes
Special Consideration - November 11, 2011 Motion Passed
Texas A&M University at Galveston FS.29.101
Department of Maritime Administration Attachment AA
Minor in Maritime Administration – requirement changes
GRADUATE COUNCIL & UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Special Consideration Motion Passed
FS.29.102
Attachment BB
The GC and UCC supports the action taken by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and recommends approval of the program phase-outs and consolidations.
W-COURSES
November 21, 2011 Motion Passed W certification: FS.29.103
ARCH 205 Architectural Design I Attachment CC
ARCH 248 Writing in Architectural History
ARCH 390 Introduction to Architectural Research
GERM 491 Research
C certification:
ARCH 305 Architectural Design III
W recertification:
ARCH 212 Social and Behavioral Factors in Design
COMM/WGST 420 Gender and Communication
COMM 460 Communication and Contemporary Issues
ENGL 401 Critical Theory and Practice
ENGL/WGST 474 Studies in Women Writers
FSTC/DASC 313 Food Chemistry Laboratory
MARB 435 Marine Invertebrate Zoology
MAST 425 Thesis and Technical Writing
WFSC 403 Animal Ecology
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Motion Passed
Proposed Revisions to Student Rules 14.1 and 50.2 FS.29.104
Attachment DD
End of Consent Agenda
Committee Reports
BYLAWS COMMITTEE Motion Passed
Honors Council Changes FS.29.105 Attachment EE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MotionPassed
Athletic Department Resolution FS.29.106 Attachment FF
Attachment FF was moved by Secretary Daugherity and opened for discussion. Speaker Benedik relayed a request from President Loftin that the senate consider deleting the restriction on student funds since student fees have historically been used for renovating the student seating at Kyle Field.
A senator
so moved, and the amendment was seconded.
Guido Kanschat (Science) argued against the amendment on the grounds that his NSF grants do not allow payment of any student fees since some student fees are for sports stadiums. Brian Perkins (Science) also spoke against the amendment.
Karan Watson said that first the next legislature would have to authorize a student referendum to approve or disapprove a new student fee for Kyle Field modifications. She added that without the possibility of student fees there might have to be a large increase in student ticket prices, or a reduction in the number of student seats (31,000 at midfield) to perhaps 9,000 in the end zone. Jim Woosley (Education and Human Development) agreed that students should be free to consider these tradeoffs.
After some friendly amendments to the amendment were declined, the amendment to replace the phrase “university or student funds” with “university funds” passed, by a vote of 25 to 16, and the resolution as amended was adopted.
New Business
Executive Session Motion Passed
Honorary Degree 1 FS.29.107
Honorary Degree 2
The senate then went into executive session to consider honorary degree nominations and all visitors were asked to leave.
Committee of the Whole
At the conclusion of the executive session the open session was resumed and Speaker Benedik turned the chair over to Speaker-Elect Stallone to convene the Committee of the Whole.
Adjourn
There being no business to come before the Committee of the Whole, Speaker-Elect Stallone returned the chair back to Speaker Benedik, who adjourned the meeting at 5:10 P.M.