Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes

April 10, 2017

3:15pm

Rudder 601

http://facultysenate.tamu.edu
 

Call to Order 3:17 pm

Guest Speakers

Eleanor Green, Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science
Updates on the search for the Vice President for Diversity

• Search committee has been formed 
• Applications are online
• Ambitious timeline
• Search is geared toward internal candidates, but no one has been picked ahead of the search. The search is not ruling out external candidates. 
• Deadline to apply is April 21st or until the position is filled.  
• Attempting to meet with as many groups as possible to discuss the search.

 
Porter Garner, President and CEO of the Association of Former Students
On greater collaboration with the Association of Former Students

• This year the AFS distributed more than 6000 rings- the largest number thus far.
• Aggie network consists of more than 300,000 alumni or former students
• 200,000 in the Aggie Network are not former students but have donated money to the University.
• There are many who love TAMU and who care about what happens on this campus
• Update on the financial impact that the Association makes on campus- 4.5 million dollars goes to campus 
• The Association has been around since 1879. In those 138 years it has remained independent from A&M. That is, it has not taken any money from TAMU. It continues to be self-supporting.
• Senator Magill (Science): Asked about department funding
• Senator Walker (Engineering) Asked how the AFS works with the Foundation 
  1. Garner replied: They hope to develop a comprehensive strategy for the university
• Senator Price, (Engineering), Asked what the faculty senate can do to work more closely with the Association in the future.

 
Michael O’Quinn, Vice President for Government Relations
On legislative issues  

• Issues have arisen since the Senate passed their version of the Appropriations Bill.
• The House bill funded us at the same rate
• Other institutions were affected by a greater degree—for some half of their budget was special items.
• Currently under consideration:  
  1. SB 18 tuition set aside specified in law to go to financial aid
  2. SB 19 freezes tuition for the next two fiscal years, limits increase to inflation plus 1%, not able to increase tuition unless the institution meets 11 performance measures
• With regard to the bill related to sexual assault: The house has heard testimony but hasn’t moved it through.
• Senator Booth (ARCH): what are we doing well? What are we not doing well? How can we help you? 
• Senator Hubbard (MED): Can we consider outside sources of funding? 
• Senator Daugherity, (ENG): Status of community colleges to give 4 year degrees?
• Senator Fernandez-Solis (AR): What are the plans for the population growth that we are experiencing? 
• Senator Sicilio (MED): Thank Mr. O’Quinn for his work
• Senator Rice (CLA), Higher Education is being crowded out.  In the 80s Texas A&M received about 50% of the state budget.  It looks like HHS gets that funding now.
• Senator Epstein (Science): asked about Immigration status and the sanctuary city (Bill)
  1. It is out of the senate but hasn’t been referred to the house 
  2. He mentioned in passing the connection with the Bathroom Bill, which he said does not seem to be picked up by anyone

 
Michael Benedik, Vice Provost
On the I-school (School of Innovation) proposal

• Task force set to move forward with this plan
• School will have a positive impact on the students by implementing creativity, innovation, and leadership
• All colleges will be represented on the committee. Right now the School is just a proposal. But the hope is this kind of school will join colleges that are otherwise like silos.
• There will be a set of courses designated as I-courses that point to multidisciplinary projects.
• It is proposed that the school will be led by a dean, or the equivalent to a dean of a college.
• Anyone at A&M could apply to be a core faculty member. Initially an interim dean will be appointed, there will be a call for core faculty, and then a search will be conducted for a full-time dean.
• Senator Price, (Engineering) asked about the budget for this school
  1. Smaller Budget, which was allocated three years ago
• Provost Watson- Discussion about Honors College; faculty have voted down the proposal for an Honor’s College several times. Students being taken out of their home college is not always the best option for them. 
• Katz (CLA) asked what it means that someone is a core faculty member or appointed across the colleges/schools 
• Senator Bedford, (ED/Kinesiology), asked how they envisioned the courses being approved
• Senator Booth, (AR) Asked how we make sure that this [project] actually gets done. Could we seek external funds?
• Senator Jasperson, (Mays Business School), Asked different options for the school: e.g., certificates. He also suggested varying the kinds of courses (not necessarily 3 credit semester long course)
• The state uses a weighting system. Whichever field has the lower weight, that’s what the course gets
• Student credit hours follow the faculty member, so it should not matter where the faculty member is teaching. 
• Senator Irby, (Ed), Asked if the committee is looking at other models for schools like this, for example, there is one at the University of Maryland.

                                                                                                                                                                        

Speaker Comments

• VP for Research, Glen Laine, will be returning to the faculty
  1. Those interested in serving on the search committee contact Kelly Drake
• Meeting at UT Austin in Feb to build relationship with UT. Looking forward to working more collaboratively with them in the coming year.
• Provost search update: Announcements to come soon. Committee is working well within the timeline as planned- may be earlier than expected.
• Faculty senate elections underway
• Nominations for EC will open next Monday
• Campus mental health issues- trying to make progress on this issue
• Teal Out Day- ice cream social with Staff Council from 1:30-2:30 in Academic Plaza
  1. Free T-Shirts!
• Executive Session at the end of the meeting today 

 

Approval of March 20, 2017 Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes

Attachment A
Minutes Approved as distributed. 
            

Consent Agenda

GRADUATE COUNCIL – GC REPORT – March 2017
New Courses 
GEOP 662  Advanced Reservoir Rock Physics
Attachment B
FS.34.310
Motion passed

Change in Courses
AGEC 642   Dynamic Optimization in Agricultural and Applied Economics
ECEN 605                    Linear Multivariable Systems
ECEN 628   Robust and Optimal Control
ECEN 632   Motor Drive Dynamics
NURS 623  Primary Care of Families II
NURS 625   Primary Care of Families Practicum
NURS 634  Teaching Practicum
PHYS 671   Ultrafast Laser Physics
RENR 678   Latent Variable Model Applications in the Leisure Sciences
Attachment C
FS.34.311
Motion passed
 
UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE – UCC REPORT – March 2017
New Courses
AGEC 335   Financial Readiness
Attachment D
FS.34.312
Motion passed
 
 Change in Courses 
AERO 413   Aerospace Materials Science
ESSM 485   Directed Studies
GEOG 201  Introduction to Human Geography
GEOG 203  Planet Earth
Attachment E
FS.34.313
Motion passed
 
Change in Curriculum 
      College of Engineering
                      Ocean Engineering
                                       BS-OCEN Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering
Attachment F
FS.34.314
Motion passed
 
Change in Curriculum 
      Mays Business School
                      Accounting
                                       CERT-CU16 Energy Accounting Certificate
Attachment G
FS.34.315
Motion passed
__________________________________End of Consent Agenda____________________________________

Informational Review Items

College of Medicine
Change in Courses 
IMED 800   Internal Medicine Clerkship
MEID 702   Cardiovascular
MEID 703   Respiratory
MEID 704   Renal-Genitourinary
MEID 707   Endocrinology, Reproductive Science, Human Sexuality
MEID 708   Integument-Musculoskeletal
MEID 850   HEAL Capstone
MFCM 800                Family Medicine Clerkship
MPED 800  Core Clerkship in Pediatrics
MPSY 800  Core Clerkship in Psychiatry
OBGY 800  Obstetrics and Gynecology Clerkship
SURG 800   Surgery Clerkship
Attachment H
FS.34.316
Reviewed as distributed
 

Unfinished Business

Old Business      

New Business

College of Science
Biology
Professional Program Entrance Exam Scores in Lieu of GRE-Graduate Test Score
Attachment I
FS.34.317
Question about the disregarding of GRE scores in the college of science. Does it matter what the score is?
Senator Erikson, (Science), Yes the scores will be evaluated
They are choosing to use other professional exams in lieu of the GRE.
Item approved
 

Information & Discussion Only (not to be voted upon)

Committee of the Whole

Senator Booth, Arch, question about raising funds from external sources.
Senator Miranda, Medicine, Question the value of the funds if we have to change who we are to get them.  
 

Executive Session

                Honorary Degree Candidate—CONFIDENTIAL 
 
 

Adjourn 5:03 pm