May 14, 2012

 

Present: Louise Abbott, Derya Akleman, Jorge Alvarado, Carisa Armstrong, Judith Ball, Michael Benedik, Leonard Bierman, John Carhart, Joe  Cerami, Mark Clayton, Jonathan Coopersmith, Richard Curry, Joe Dannenbaum, Walter Daugherity, Darryl De Ruiter, Ron Douglas, Janice Epstein, Jose Fernandez-Solis, L. Paige Fields, Edward Funkhouser, Norma Funkhouser, Holly Gaede, Fran Gelwick, Clare Gill, Ira Greenbaum, Janet    Hammer, Mike Hanik, Ed Harris, Kim Quaile Hill, Shelley Holliday, Richard Hutchinson, Andrew Klein, Karen Kubena, Thomas Linton, Paulo Lima- Filho, Carol Loopstra, Blanca Lupiani, Kathryn McKenzie, Michelle Pine, Harland Prechel, Leslie Reynolds, Dale Rice, J. Maurice Rojas, Luis San Andres, John Stallone, Bob Strawser, Winfried Teizer, Mike Thornton, Wyoma vanDuinkerken, Gary Varner, B. Dan Wood, Richard Woodman, Jim Woosley

 

Absent: Ergun Akleman, Jaime Alvarado-Bremer, Perla Balbuena, Maria Barrufet, Hassan Bashir, Doug Biggs, Charles Bollfrass, Edward Brothers, Patrick Burkart, Gwendolyn Carroll, Gwan Seong Choi, William Bedford Clark, Robin Dabareiner, Swaroop Darbha, John Edens, Gioia Falcone, Stephen Guetersloh, James Heilman, Kevin Heinz,Wendy Jepson, Guido Kanschat, Igor Lyuksyutov, Clint Magill,Vanita Mahajan, R.N. Mahapatra, Sam Mannan, Christopher Mathewson,Stephen Miller, Jeffrey Morris, A. Gene Nelson, Brian Perkins, Sudarsan Rangan, Jason Sawyer, Karen-Beth Scholthof, Brian Shaw, Kathleen Speed, Elizabeth Tebeaux, Grace Townsend, Manuelita Ureta, Jijayanagaram Venkatraj, Wei Wan, William West, Tryon  Wichersham,  Keyan  Zhu-Salzman

 

Call to Order:
There was one senator from Qatar and three senators from Galveston present via videoconferencing.. Speaker Benedik called the meeting to order at 3:18 P.M

  Next Speaker Benedik presented two Richard Stadelmann awards to senators Dale Rice (Liberal Arts) and Janice Epstein (Science) for their dedication to the mission of the faculty senate as co-chairs of the Core Curriculum Council.


The April 9 Faculty Senate meeting  minutes were approved as submitted.                     Motion Passed
                                                                                                                                           FS.29.188

                                                                                                                                         Attachment A                                                                                                                                       

TheApril 30Faculty Senate meeting  minutes were approved as submitted.               Motion Passed
                                                                                                                                     FS.29.189 
                                                                                                                                     Attachment A1

CONSENT AGENDA The consent agenda was approved as submitted
Graduate Council                                                                                                     Motion Passed 
New Course Requests - April 5, 2012                                                                    FS.29.190 
EDCI 609                              Analysis and Reporting for Records of Study               Attachment B
EHRD 643                            Adult Education, Globalization and Social Justice
MARA 685                           Directed Studies
SPED 601                            Assessment in School Settings

Course Change Requests - April 5, 2012                                                             Motion Passed                                 
ESSM 601                             Current Issues in ESSM                                             FS.29.191
                                                                                                                                 Attachment C
 

Special Consideration Items - April 5, 2012                                                       Motion Passed
                                                                                                                                FS.29.192
                                                                                                                                Attachment D

 

Graduate Council approved the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences proposal for low-producing degress termination and teach-out plan.                                                                                 Motion Passed
                                                                                                                                    FS.29.193
                                                                                                                                    Attachment E

 

UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE                                                   Motion Passed
Withdrawal of Courses - April 13, 2012                                                                   FS.29.194                                          ACCT 314                             Programming of Business Systems                              Attachment F
BUSN 126                             Business Learning Community II
BUSN 291                             Research
BUSN 300                             Career Planning in Business
FINC 467                               Commodity Trade Strategy
FINC 478                               Real Estate Law
MKTG 344                             Marketing Channels Management
ANTH 285                             Directed Studies
ANTH 315                             Peoples and Cultures of Africa
ANTH 319                             Indians of Mexico and Central America
ANTH 325                             Texas Cultural History
ANTH 426                             Anthropology of Food and Nutrition
CLAS 215                             Etymological Principles for the Health Sciences
COMM 456                           Telecommunication and Media Management
ECON 319                            Economic Development of the United States
ECON 442                            Personnel Economics
ENGL 260                             Introduction to Children’s Literature
FREN 250                             Phonetics
HIST 289                              Special Topics in…
HIST 408                              Central Europe During the Long Nineteenth Century
HIST 446                              Aerospace History
MUSC 325                            Dance and World Cultures
MUSC 326                            Dance and Identity in the United States
PHIL 210                              Concepts of Love
PHIL 483                              Professional Ethics
POLS 310                             Legal Research
POLS 311                             China, Japan and the United States
POLS 400                             Public Leadership Development
POLS 421                             Social Conflict and Political Change
SOCI 340                              Post-Soviet  Societies
SOCI 350                              Sociology of Islamic Societies
SPAN 368                             El Camino de Santiago: Medieval to Contemporary Pilgrimages
BMEN 302                            Biomechanics
BMEN 308                            Biomedical Electronics
BMEN 309                            Signal Processors for Biomedical Measurements
BMEN 331                            Theoretical Analysis
BMEN 410                            Advanced Clinical Engineering
BMEN 421                            Biofluid Dynamics
BMEN 422                            Biomaterials and Artificial Internal Organs
BMEN 441                            Analysis and Design Project I
BMEN 442                            Analysis and Design Project II
BMEN 452                            Mass and Energy Transfer in Biosystems
BMEN 468                            Biothermomechanics
CSCE 203                             Introduction to Computing
CSCE 211                             Data Structures and Their Implementations
CSCE 321                            Computer Architecture
CSCE 311                            Analysis of Algorithms
ENTC 216                           Semiconductor Process Technology
ENTC 351                           Electronic Devices and Circuits II
ENTC 421                           Mechanical Technology Projects
ECEN 119                          Practice of Electrical and Computer Engineering
ECEN 220                          Introduction to Digital Design
ECEN 450                         Computer Interfacing and Communications
ECEN 456                         Communication Theory
ECEN 476                         Neural Networks and Implementations
ENGR 189                         Freshman Engineering Orientation
ENGR 442                        Mechanics of European Structures
ENGR 483                        Energy and the Environment
MEEN 448                        Fundamentals of Nondestructive Testing
NUEN 412                        Subcritical Assembly Experimentation and Modeling
NUEN 472                       Operational Health Physics of Advanced Reactors
PETE 211                        Petroleum Engineering Systems
PETE 320                        Drilling and Production Systems
PETE 411                        Well Drilling
BIOL 225                         Physical Anthropology.
BIOL 281                         Seminar in Quantitative Biology
BIOL 301                        Taxonomy of Flowering Plants
BIOL 330                        Molecules and Life
CHEM 334                     Experimental Physical Chemistry II
MATH 202                      Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science
PHYS 219                      Electricity
STAT 225                       Mechanical Engineering Statistics
STAT 415                       Mathematical Statistics II 
BIMS 492                      Cooperative Education in Biomedical Science
VIBS 409                       Meat Hygiene
VIBS 418                       Laboratory Animal Management and Preventive Medicine
VIBS 451                       Introductory Neuroscience
VLCS 409                     Control of Cattle Diseases

New Courses Galveston - April 13, 2012                                                                                            Motion Passed
MARB 404                           Behavioral Ecology of Marine Mammals and Seabirds of New Zealand    FS.29.195
MASE 221                           Engineering Mechanics: Statics                                                                  Attachment G

Change in Curriculum - April 13, 2012                                                                                               Motion Passed      Texas A&M University at Galveston                                                                                                     FS.29.196
Department of Maritime Systems Engineering                                                                                     Attachment H
B.S. in Maritime Systems Engineering

 

Special Consideration - April 13, 2012                                                                                               Motion Passed     
Texas A&M University at Galveston                                                                                                        FS.29.197
Department of Maritime Administration                                                                                                Attachment I
Minor in Maritime Administration – requirement changes

 

 
W-COURSES                                                                                                                Motion Passed
Course Submitted for W Certification - April 19, 2012                                                 FS.29.198           
ANTH 412                           Archeological Theory                                                        Attachment K

Courses Submitted for W Recertification - April 19, 2012
HORT 315                          Issues in Horticulture
ISEN 424                              Systems Simulation
MKTG 448                          Marketing Management
POLS 481                             Experimental Foreign Policy Decision Making
POLS 481                             Judicial Politics
POLS 481                             Political Parties
SEFB 320                              Education and Employment Issues in Secondary Special Education
SPAN 303                             Composition and Conversation
 
 

                                                        End of Consent Agenda

  EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE                                                                                             Motion Passed
ELECTION COMMITTEE                                                                                               FS.29.200                                    2012 Election Results                                                                                                     Attachment L                               Secretary Daugherity moved approval of the Election Committee’s report of the 2012 Faculty Senate election results; the motion passed.
 
CORE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE                                                                             Motion Passed              
Health and Kinesiology graduation requirement proposal                                              FS.29.201
                                                                                                                                        Attachment M            
Secretary Daugherity moved approval of the Core Curriculum Council’s health and kinesiology graduation requirement proposal. Dale Rice (Liberal Arts) explained the proposal, and presented a student who spoke in favor and described her experience. Karan Watson asked for clarification on the present rule on graduation requirements, which permits a dean to substitute for KINE 198/199. Dale Rice said they will work with the deans on exact wording. The motion passed

SEBAC Committee Report - Walter Daugherity
Secretary Daugherity gave the following report on the May 8, 2012, meeting of the System Employee Benefits Advisory Committee (SEBAC): 

The System Employee Benefits Advisory Committee (SEBAC) met May 8, 2012.  Here is a summary of the highlights, but please don't shoot the messenger! As required by state law to issue RFP's at least every six years, RFP's were issued for flexible spending account managers, prescription drug plans, and health plans.
 
Payflex will continue as the flexible spending account administrator, with a reduced fee.
 
Medco will continue as the prescription drug plan, at a reduced cost due to their merger with ExpressScripts and some major drugs' going generic.
 
Six responses were received for health plans, including one from Scott & White which, roughly speaking, switched from an HMO to a PPO. The system benefits department recommended that TAMUS only have one PPO. In their professional opinion adding the Scott & White PPO proposal would siphon healthy employees away from the A&M Care PPO and lead to inequities now and big increases later for both plans. SEBAC voted to recommend only having one   PPO.
 
There has been no word yet on long-term care for 2013.
 
Despite a national 9% inflation rate for medical claims and 5% for prescription drug claims and more new PPACA costs kicking in this year, the newly-negotiated contracts have cost reductions and they expect over $1.5 million from the tobacco-user surcharge, with the result that average A&M care cost will decrease by 3.6%, except for grad student employees, who will see an increase but the amount is still being determined. The employee-only premium will drop $20 per month and the employee-plus-family premium will drop $30 per month.

 
Speaking of the tobacco-user surcharge, it is important that you certify non-tobacco-user status for employee and spouse,  if that is the case, since in September the default will be to charge employee and spouse the tobacco-user surcharge.
 
The dependent eligibility audit is in its final phase, requesting documentation for the last 1/6 of employees. My estimate  is that when it is concluded roughly 500 ineligible dependents will be dropped; I asked again that when it is complete, we get a report on the savings.

New Business
Annual State of the Senate Address
As the Faculty Senate enters its 30th year I would like to point out that the successes of Faculty Senate closely parallels  the growth of Texas A&M University as a premier institution. While it would be a stretch to say this was cause and effect, it is safe to say that without the Faculty Senate, Texas A&M University wouldn’t be the university that it currently is.
 
So what is the state of the Faculty Senate? I’d like to use a quote from David Byrne of the Talking Heads when trying to answer, it is “The same as it ever was”.
 
To a great degree we are victims of our own success. As Senators and as active participants in university governance, we regularly bemoan faculty apathy. One example where this is especially evident are the frequent unfilled seats and uncontested elections in the senate. I take pride that year we did better than usual with only a single unfilled slot, although most remained uncontested. But looking back I note: “We failed to attract nominations for several open positions in the faculty senate ” Speaker Sam Black 1987 “The same as it ever was”.
 
I would argue this complacency does comes from our success. The view from the podium is that there is tremendous strength in the faculty voice, but it is one we take for granted. Early sessions of the Faculty Senate focused on headline items, for example in the mid-80s a major issue was faculty participation in selection of Departments Heads and later Deans. Passing that policy was a remarkable and celebrated achievement, each change often languishing for years before final implementation. Yet this year as we significantly strengthened the faculty voice in selection and retention of Department Heads, there was nary a comment. We do have a significant voice, but from the perspective of nearly 30 years later it just isn’t so remarkable.
 
Let me quote “Shared governance has not always been integral to the traditions of this campus. …. Resist the temptation to take this right of shared governance for granted.” Speaker Patricia Alexander 1992
 
To me, the biggest current issue isn’t our ABILITY to speak up, it is our WILLINGNESS to do so. The frequent lack of participation in making our views heard is troublesome. Recall during our debate on the Department Head rule changes, there was nearly as much discussion regarding how to guarantee of anonymity of our opinions and votes as there was on the rule change itself. What are we afraid of? If we are unwilling to stand up and say that our Department Head or our Dean is doing a great job, or isn’t, then we get what we deserve. We have much more to fear from not expressing our views than from expressing them. We MUST participate if we expect to continue having a voice and to continue being seated at the table.
 
Do I believe that shared governance exists at this University? I can answer that with an unqualified yes. We do have a voice in the University where it matters – issues of faculty and academic affairs. We have less of one outside of those arenas. As Speaker I actively participate in the monthly President’s Academic Representatives meeting. The EC meets regularly with the President, the officers meet monthly with the Provost. I can confidently assure you that many decisions throughout the year took into account faculty opinion.
 
Outside of the officers and the EC there are many appointments of Senators and faculty to what seems innumerable committees and task forces. One of the biggest challenges facing the incoming speaker is to find enough volunteers. In 2010 Speaker Benarsz bemoaned that we are asked to serve on TOO MANY committees and task forces. That may be true, although it may be too many only because there are too few of us willing to serve. We need to remember that if we choose not to participate in these, then we revoke our right to participate in the decision making process.
 
Perhaps next year the Senate might undertake an evaluation of service. Perhaps it is time to revisit the faculty rules on Academic Freedom, Responsibilities and Tenure regarding service and engagement. Perhaps the Senate might discuss how and whether we can strengthen that rule, should service and engagement be rewarded separately or is it such an intrinsic part of our life as faculty that it should not be separated from teaching and scholarship. I don’t know the answer, but the question bears asking. I have mentioned to some, only half jokingly, that every faculty member should serve at least one term on the Senate before being considered for promotion to Full Professor. Now wouldn’t that make a difference.
 
So the problem of Faculty involvement is really – “The same as it ever was”
 
Recently we have faced mandated cuts from the legislature that have impacted budgets throughout the university. But let me quote
 
“The budget crisis that the university faces is severe and much of the progress of the past two decades, that so many have 

labored so long for, could be undone. It is critical, not only for us but also for the State and Nation, that state legislators and others be made to realize that the economic future resides in the hands of college graduates of tomorrow…”
That was Senate Speaker Jaan Laane 1986
 
Fast forward 6 years discussing “…the concerning crisis in the funding for higher education. Budgetary constraints are not new to this Senate. … Yet its severity and persistence has given the current crisis a more menacing appearance than any that has come before. Truly this has also been a paradoxical year of shrinking resources and escalating responsibilities. The budgetary resources we once knew as TAMU faculty have largely been replaced by fiscal restrains – learning to do more with less has become requisite for academic survival” Speaker Patricia Alexander 1992
 
Fast forward 20 years to today, I think it is clear that state support of higher education is likely to continue to whither, we need to learn to cope but we also must learn to better articulate our message that we are responsible stewards of our students’ education. So lets not panic, the sky is not falling, the problems of decreased state funding, tuition freezes, and financial constraints are not new ones. We shall weather this storm as well and come out better. It truly is “The same as  it ever was”.
 
But complacency won’t help. We do need to speak up and speak out. Unfortunately I’m not sure that we, and I, have always used our voice wisely. It is less likely that we will be listened to if we only speak in protest of some policy. The voice of protest is important, but is best heard when there has been an ongoing dialogue. It is much more likely that we can influence our future with reasoned arguments before a crisis occurs.
 
Let us remember that we do not have the same level of shared governance at the System as we do at the university. That  is a goal we should set, while keeping in mind that we have special access and need to represent all the campuses and not just our own. We must better engage the Chancellor, the Regents and the legislature in a positive way. And I quote: “Finally we must be proactive, but more than that, we need to develop a process for effective long range planning and then promptly begin that planning. We need to look beyond this month or this year and take a long view of the reasons this University exists and why we are here.” That was Speaker Gary Hart 1989
 
I have had friendly and reasoned discussions with members of the Board, and I have had other discussions that were less so. I wish there had been may more of the former and I urge my successors to work towards that end. I have found that  the one topic that never fails to engage them are the accomplishments of our students, especially the undergraduates. The more we can engage them with positive stories the better we are served.
 
My parting words of advice for new Senators, returning Senators and members of the new EC

1. read the previous State of Senate addresses to understand the historical context and issues. The 20 minutes spend reviewing those will provide a remarkable context on what the Senate can and can’t do, and how it can work effectively. I wish I had discovered those before my year began. The wisdom of the ancients (most of whom are still with us) remains invaluable.

 

2. Work more closely with student government. That was something I intended but failed to follow through. Jointly our voices on critical issues will carry much greater weight than either body alone.

 

3. Establish better and regular communication with the Board and the System, but not with the intent to complain but rather solely with the aim to communicate and tell our story.

 
We have a rich history in the Faculty Senate, much wisdom, many battles and numerous successes. There is much we shouldn’t forget from our past. One amusing fact I uncovered, in 1991 Faculty Senators contributed $2500 for a Faculty Senate Memorial Tree. Who knew? Find that tree, remember our history, as we prepare for our 4th decade and hope that not everything will be “The same as it ever was”.

Incoming Speaker John Stallone thanked outgoing Speaker Benedik for his service, presented him with an inscribed gavel, and assumed the chair. Speaker Stallone then ordered ballots distributed for the position of Speaker-Elect and invited the candidates, Jonathan Coopersmith (Liberal Arts) and Walter Daugherity (Engineering), to speak briefly. Walter Daugherity was elected. 

Clint Magill (Agriculture and Life Sciences) was the sole candidate for Secretary-Treasurer and was declared elected. Ballots were then distributed for the six at-large seats on the Executive Committee.  While the ballots were being counted, each college caucus of senators met briefly to choose a caucus leader and members to serve on the Bylaws Committee, the Committee on Committees, and the Election Committee.   After a runoff for one seat, the following were elected: Jorge Alvarado Jim Woosley Andrew  Klein Janice Epstein Dale Rice Jonathan Coopersmith 

Guest Speaker - President Bowen Loftin
Speaker Stallone then invited guest speaker President Loftin to answer questions, beginning with three questions previously submitted to him by the Executive Committee: