May 12, 2014
Faculty Senate Meeting
Minutes
May 12, 2014
601 Rudder Tower
http://facultysenate.tamu.edu
ATTENDANCE: Greg Cobb, Ergun Akleman, Cynthia Alkon, Stephen Alton, Carisa Armstrong, Raymundo Arroyave, Judith Ball, Guy Battle, Michael Benedik, Bret Bessac, Leonard Bierman, Carlos Blantonk, Tiffany Boudreaux, Joseph Boutros, Leonard Bright, Pat Campbell, Luis Filipe Castro, Jeff Cirillo, Jonathan Coopersmith, Robin Dabareiner, Joe Dannenbaum, Swaroop Darbha, Walter Daugherity, Darryl De Ruiter, Janice Epstein, Jose Fernandez-Solis, Holly Gaede, Clare Gill, Melinda Grant, Ira Greenbaum, Michael Greenwald, Julie Harlin, Ed Harris, Greg Heim, Kim Quaile Hill, Angie Hill Price, Alan Honeyman, Richard Hutchinson, Bita Kash, Karen Landry, Thomas Linton, Wenshe Liu, Martha Loudder, Clint Magill, Catherine McNeal, Beth McNeill, Stephen Miller, Rajesh Miranda, Miguel Mora-Zacarias, Christine Murray, Mohammad Nutan, Lynne Opperman, Calvin Parnell, Michelle Pine, John Quarles, Heather Ramsey, Deva Reddy, Dale Rice, Eric Rowell, Laura Sare, Emet Schneiderman, Ergin Sezgin, Mark Sicilio, Karen Snowden, John Stallone, Bob Strawser, Grace Townsend, Gretchen Tyson, Manuelita Ureta, Wyoma vanDuinkerken, Gary Varner, Coran Watanabe, Richard Woodman, Jim Woosley
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by Speaker Walter Daugherity at 3:22 p.m.
Speaker Comments
The Richard Stadelmann Award, in recognition of service to the Faculty Senate, was presented to two first-term senators: Stephen Alton of the Law School and Leonard Bright of the Bush School of Government.
The Aggie Spirit Awards were presented to three students nominated by faculty members who admired their abilities to overcome serious challenges during their time at Texas A&M University: Wesley Daniels, Amanda David and Jane Kathleen Riser.
Approval of April 14, 2014 Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes -
The minutes of the April 14 meeting were approved as submitted.
Attachment A
Motion Passed
Consent Agenda
GRADUATE COUNCIL – GC REPORT
Course Change Request - April 3, 2014
SCSC 624 Physical Chemistry of Soils
Attachment B
FS.31.308
Motion Passed
Special Consideration Item
TAMUQ Changes in Graduate Faculty By-laws
Attachment C
FS.31.309
Motion Passed
UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE – UCC REPORT
New Courses – April 11, 2014
ANSC 415 Brazil Comparative Ruminant Production
BMEN 471 Numerical Methods in Biomedical Engineering
Attachment D
FS.31.310
Motion Passed
Special Consideration
Dwight Look College of Engineering
Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Certificate in Engineering Systems Management
Request to add campus location
Attachment E
FS.31.311
Motion Passed
W-COURSES - Report April 11, 2014
Courses submitted for W certification
HLFB / KNFB 325 Introduction to Secondary School Teaching
Courses submitted for C recertification
BESC 481 Seminar
Courses submitted for W recertification
BICH 491 Research
ENGL 355 Rhetoric of Style
IDIS 303 Mechanical Power Transmission
IDIS 403 Fluid Power Transmission
POLS 423 US-Latin American Relations
POLS 424 Comparative Governmental Institutions
Attachment F
FS.31.312
Motion Passed
Core Curriculum Council – Report
No report for April 2014
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Apportionment Report
Attachment G
FS.31.313
Motion Passed
Election Committee Report
Attachment H
FS.31.314
Motion Passed
SEBAC Report
– Presented on site
The consent agenda was approved as submitted.
__________________________________End of Consent Agenda____________________________________
Unfinished Business
University Rule 12.01.99.M2
University Statement on Academic Freedom, Responsibility, Tenure, and Promotion
In old business, Secretary Rice moved the adoption of Attachment I, approval of University Rule 12-01-99-M2, the University Statement on Academic Freedom, Responsibility, Tenure and Promotion.
In discussion, Clint Magill of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences asked if the reasonable period before dismissal should be defined. Michael Benedik, Dean of Faculties, said the period varied based on events and the open nature of the time frame was legal.
Benedik noted that University rules are an organic process. Approval of the motion would represent approval in principle. As the process moves forward, there will be the potential of additional comments for addition, he said. If the changes are small, he said he would bring them back to the Faculty Senate Executive Committee for approval. If there are substantial changes, he will bring them back to the full Senate for review.
Angie Price of Engineering said that it seemed like the Senate should be approving the proposal after all changes made, but Provost Karan Watson responded that the Faculty Senate is never the last step for approval of rules.
Attachment I was then adopted.
Attachment I
FS.31.315
Motion Passed
New Business
AAC RN BSN Variance Residency Requirements
Attachment J, a variance in the residency requirement for a nursing degree, was approved.
Attachment J
FS.31.316
Motion Passed
Course Addition for Academic Success Center -
Informational Item only - Attachment K
Office of the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies
Academic Success Center
SLCX 005
Attachment K, a course addition for the Academic Success Center, was introduced, but not voted on.
Kim Hill of Liberal Arts said the information supplied with the course change for the Academic Success Center made it sound like Texas A&M was admitting students who did not deserve to be admitted and said he would like background on the issue.
Jim Kracht, Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Studies and Executive Director of the Student Success Center, said A&M does admit students who haven’t scored high enough on high school tests to gain full admission to the university. They are admitted but have background work to do. The state, he said, has tweaked the rules slightly on the courses A&M provides to get them up to speed. It’s not something new, and has been going on for at least 30 years. In terms of numbers, Kracht said, the university has about 150 students who have work to do in reading, writing or math.
Hill asked, “Why do we admit these students? This doesn’t sound to me like what a Research 1 university should be doing.”
Kracht replied that he would venture a guess that they fall in top 10 percent of graduating classes and “that’s why we see them at A&M.”
Speaker State of the Senate address
Outgoing Speaker Daugherity then delivered the annual State of the Senate address:
“At this the close of another academic year, it is customary in many places to have a salutatorian and valedictorian to deliver a "hail and farewell" address,
salve atque vale. Thus with your indulgence I would like to "hail" and thank those who have worked with me this past year, to offer some personal reflections, and to say "farewell." (Of course, we all know that old Speakers never die, they just relinquish the gavel, right, Bob? Would you and John Stallone and John Quarles and Michael and Clint and Angie and all our distinguished former speakers please stand and be recognized?)
“The Speaker-Elect serves a year "in training," but no apprenticeship can fully prepare one to be Speaker. A past speaker told me at the time, "Congratulations! Now get ready for your life to go to pieces." Little did I realize it would be at my own hand, when I unsuccessfully proposed opening ceremonies. I would like to publicly thank Ed Brothers, Jim Woosley, and Andrew Klein for their words of wisdom, brotherly concern, and a shoulder to cry on, which helped me survive. Now last week, with remarkable timing, the Supreme Court affirmed the constitutionality of opening ceremonies, which I found "supremely" ironic, if you will pardon the pun.
“Lurching onward to the next crisis, I received a call on very short notice to report to an MSC meeting room, where then-president Loftin announced his resignation effective in six months on January 13
th. Fortunately, I had already established relationships with the Chancellor and several Regents, including the Chair, and was able to call them and to present a faculty perspective on the next president. The process is still playing out, but one of the high points so far was the consensus and convergence of the Faculty Senate, the Council of Principal Investigators, and the Executive Committee of Distinguished Professors. It bears repeating that the Faculty Senate is the only university-wide body elected to represent all faculty, but we welcome the support and cooperation of CPI and DP's on all matters of common interest and concern. In this case the three groups together chose three faculty members to represent all faculty on the presidential search advisory committee instead of one to represent the Faculty Senate, one to represent CPI, and one to represent the DP's. Past Speaker John Stallone was one of those chosen by all three groups.
“In December we had several regents present for our reception for outgoing president Loftin, and they saw that even stodgy professors can have a little fun with pink bowties.
“Another chapter unfolded when January 13
th arrived and an interim president was needed. Again I was able both to communicate the faculty's sentiments and to coordinate with the CPI and DP's. Many others weighed in as well, with the result that Mark Hussey became interim president, with broad support, and we breathed a huge sigh of relief. Don't inhale yet, though: the process for selecting a permanent president is very confidential at this point, so all we can be confident of is that the faculty members on the committee will insist on the most qualified and inspiring candidates to go on the short list.
“In some of the most significant Senate actions this past year, we expanded to 120 senators as the Health Science Center and Law School became part of the University. These new senators have been eager to contribute, conscientious, and diligent, and I will have more to say about that later.
The Core Curriculum Council completed its review of nearly every course in the catalog, to align with the new mandated state core curriculum rules, with a result that is both more streamlined and also offers more options for many students.
“Time would fail me to recount all your other significant actions as a senate; that's what we have minutes and archives for—thanks, Dale!
“Thanks also to all of you, for serving as well on all the other senate and university committees, task forces, working groups, etc., which have faculty seats. It has been very satisfying to know that you collectively have such broad knowledge and experience that I can confidently recommend you to these positions. I have also been pardonably proud to see so many senators and former senators on every kind of award and recognition list, such as former senator Rafael Lara-Alecio at the most recent Association of Former Students awards ceremony, and current senators Louise Abbott and Kim Hill receiving the Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence Awards at commencement.
“I would also like to thank all the members of the Executive Committee for their tireless efforts. EC, please stand and be recognized.
“I understand this is the last meeting for senators Mike Greenwald and Ed Harris, who are retiring from the university; Mike and Ed, would you please stand and be recognized.
“Thanks also to former President Loftin, President Hussey, Dean of Faculties Benedik, and Provost Watson, all previously faculty senators and speakers, for their constant engagement and support; it's good to have friends in high places!
“My hair had already turned gray and loose when I became Speaker, but Jim has a full head—better look out, Jim!
“Thank you.”
Election of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee
Speaker Elect
Secretary Treasurer
Members at Large
The Senate then moved to the election of the new speaker-elect. The candidates were Bob Strawser of Mays Business School and Jose Fernandez-Solis of Architecture, both of whom provided brief comments on their views of the office and what they would bring to it.
After the ballots were counted by the Elections Committee, it was announced that Bob Strawser had been elected speaker-elect.
Dale Rice was re-elected secretary by acclamation.
Nominees for the Executive Committee included Leonard Bierman of the Mays Business School, Leonard Bright of the Bush School, Jonathan Coopersmith of Liberal Arts, Janice Epstein of Science, Andrew Klein of Geosciences, Tom Linton of Galveston, Clint Magill of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Rajesh Miranda of the College of Medicine, and Jose Fernandez-Solis of Architecture.
After the ballots were counted by the Elections Committee, it was announced that Leonard Bierman, Leonard Bright, Jonathan Coopersmith, Janice Epstein, Clint Magill, and Rajesh Miranda had been elected.
Committee of the Whole
The meeting then was turned over to Speaker-elect Strawser for the Committee of the Whole.
Marty Louder of Mays Business School asked if any administrators present knew when faculty would be able to see the completed text of the PricewaterhouseCoopers report. Provost Watson said she did not know.
Angie Price of Engineering, a member of the University Transportation Advisory Committee, said officials were looking at game day traffic, trying to see how they can make patterns flow easier. She also noted there was a $14 million price tag on a new RV lot for West Campus, $13 million of which would come from fees and the rest from the Chancellor’s Office. Faculty members on the committee will vehemently oppose any increase from parking fees that others pay to cover that, she said.
Jonathan Coopersmith of Liberal Arts, also a Transportation Committee member, added that Transportation Services was putting in a lot of time and energy on game day traffic and the campus should expect to see changes next year.
Adjourn
The meeting was turned back to Speaker Woosley and adjourned at 5:05 p.m.