March 18, 2024
TAMU Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes
February 12, 2024
3:00pm
Via Zoom
The full video recording of the meeting can be accessed on the Faculty Senate website:
https://facultysenate.tamu.edu/Faculty-Senate-Meeting-Recordings
CALL TO ORDER
Speaker Dr. Tracy Hammond called the ninth meeting of the 41st session to order at 3:00pm the meeting was conducted via Zoom.
Senator Andrew Klein monitored the raised hand function and the chat. Zoom’s registration function was used to track attendance.
SPEAKERS COMMENTS
Tracy Hammond: I trust that everyone had a good spring break. This is that time of the year when everyone is heads down in the semester, getting through midterms and working towards the end of the semester.
On an unfortunate note. This continues to be a tumultuous time for Qatar faculty. There will not be an incoming class this year for them, and working with the other local universities, seems like it will be difficult. In addition to many of our own local faculty here TAMUQ faculty have also felt targeted by the media as well as being worried about their job status. We will discuss Qatar and its status, and what they have been going through towards this end of this meeting. This is a great time to support your colleagues. When people receive negative feedback about their jobs or from the news. It is vital that the faculty hear support from their close colleagues. I know that the Office of Faculty Affairs has been working night and day trying to support the faculty, both at Qatar and those in the news. I've also been continuously, personally contacting faculty who are going through a hard time right now. The faculty I spoke to were very thankful of the support they received from Faculty Affairs and the University and felt supported from them. They also mentioned that they appreciated my reaching out to them. However, those who felt the most supported were those who were who described the strong and meaningful support provided by their close colleagues and friends. So, in this trying time, I encourage you to remember the importance of your own support to your colleagues and friends. Please reach out to them. It is a hard time for many of us right now.
With that it might be appropriate time to remind everyone that a survey will be sent out to you on April second to start the Jed Mental Health Program. Nancy Fahrenwald, the Associate Vice President for University health services will be here to present more on that next month.
On a good note. I saw a great many of you at the joint meeting between A&M and the University of Texas. Thank you, Speaker Elect Angie Hill Price and Chair Elect Stella Flores, for organizing such a wonderful event. It was a fantastic meeting, with a great number of things coming out of it. One particular highlight was during Harrison Keller's speech, where I learned about two things.
The first is that high school students are going to start, high schools are going to start helping every high school student prepare a college application starting in their junior year through the applied Texas Program. This will allow students to start receiving automatic admissions as early as the fall of their senior year. This should give all students a leg up in the application process, especially those who may not be experienced in the college application process, such as our first-generation students.
The second program is called the Texas First Program. In that program, if a student graduates in three years instead of four, they will receive a scholarship for their first year of college at a Texas institution.
This could, should help encourage our super smart students to get a head start and choose Texas for their college location. I expect Texas A&M to see a large number of those students. I am very proud and excited for both of those new programs.
Also, Senate elections will be coming up soon. So I encourage you to run again and encourage your colleagues to run. We need great strong faculty to support our shared governance. You should have received a request for nominations in your mail today.
And before I close my speaker comments, I would like to remind the committees that I expect them to give a two to three minute update on what they discussed during their last meeting. You can talk less than two to three minutes, but please not more than three minutes. Caucuses may also provide a brief update, if so inclined.
So without further ado, I would like to introduce the first of our two guest speakers today, our first guest speakers will speak on behalf of some upcoming changes in IT.
Those speaking on behalf of those changes will be Dr. Juan Garza, the Associate Vice President for Enterprise Application Services along with Mr. Ed. Evans, Associate Vice President for Enterprise IT Operations.
Juan and Ed, the floor is yours.
GUEST SPEAKERS
Dr. Juan Garza, Associate Vice President for Enterprise Application Services and Mr. Ed Evans, Associate Vice President for Enterprise IT Operations discussed.
Creating an Excellent Service Experience in campus IT services.
Lieutenant General (Ret.) Jay Silveria, Executive Director of Bush School DC and the Associate Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Texas A&M in DC gave a presentation on our facilities in Washington DC that are available for use by the campus.
https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:a7597d6b-6484-3b34-bbbd-a14eb9f918b4
ANNOUNCEMENTS
None
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The February 12, 2024, minutes were approved as distributed. Attachment B
CONSENT AGENDA
The March 18, 2024, Consent Agenda was approved as presented.
Graduate Council – Passed FS.41.390
New Courses
CHEM 668: Biomedicinal Chemistry of Small Molecules Binding Protein Surfaces
INTA 728: War or Peace in the Space Domain
INTA 729: Gender and Armed Conflicts
INTA 730: Indo-Pacific and American Diplomacy
INTA 732: International Law and Foreign Policy
LAW 684: Professional Internship
LAW 703: Case Evaluation and Client Relationships
MEPS 665: Journaling Scientific Research in Plant Biology
MSCI 615: Introduction to Medical Physiology
Change in Courses – Passed FS.41.391
ECCB 612: Diversity, Evolution, and Ecology of Grasses
LAW 641: Legal Research for Clients
LAW 714: Trademark and Unfair Competition Law
Change in Courses – Professional Law – Passed FS.41.392
Miscellaneous Course Request – Passed FS.41.393
Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences - GR Courses Not Taught - Bulk Inactivation
Change in Programs – Passed FS.41.394
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Communication and Journalism
BS/MA-COMM/COMM-LEN: Communication - 5-year Bachelor of Science/Master of Arts in Communication
Change in Programs – Passed FS.41.395
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Atmospheric Sciences and Department of Oceanography
Change in Programs – Passed FS.41.396
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Oceanography
Change in Programs – Passed FS.41.397
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Mathematics
Change in Programs – Passed FS.41.398
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Chemistry
BS/MS-CHEM/CHEM-SSA: Chemistry - 5-Year Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Chemistry
Change in Programs – Passed FS.41.399
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Statistics
Change in Programs – Passed FS.41.400
School of Public Health and School of Law
Department of Health Policy and Management and School of Law
Special Consideration – New Program Proposal – Passed FS.41.401
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Communication and Journalism
BA/MA-JOUR/COMM-LEN: Journalism - 5-year Bachelor of Arts/Master of Arts in Communication
Special Consideration – New Program Proposal – Passed FS.41.402
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Communication and Journalism
BS/MA-JOUR/COMM-LEN: Journalism - 5-year Bachelor of Science/Master of Arts in Communication
Special Consideration – New Program Proposal – Passed FS.41.403
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Mathematics and Department of Economics
Undergraduate Curriculum Committee
New Courses - Passed FS.41.404
MARE 102: Engine Room Resource Management
PHIL 383: Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
Change in Courses – Passed FS.41.405
CHEM 231: Techniques of Organic Chemistry
EPSY 431: Personal Creativity and Giftedness
MARS 303: Computing and Data Display
RWFM 349: Rangeland and Wildlife Animal Nutrition
VTPB 405: Biomedical Microbiology
Change in Programs – Passed FS.41.406
School of Education and Human Development
Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture
BS-EDUC-EC3: Education - BS, Early Childhood-3
Change in Programs – Passed FS.41.407
Texas A&M University at Galveston
Department of Marine Engineering Technology
BS-MARR: Marine Engineering Technology - BS
Change in Programs – Passed FS.41.408
Texas A&M University at Galveston
Department of Marine Engineering Technology
BS-MARR-LIO: Marine Engineering Technology - BS, License Option
W&C Courses
Courses with W – Certification – Passed FS.41.409
RDNG 373-W: Foundational Skills of Language Comprehension for Elementary Students
Courses with C – Recertification – Passed FS.41.410
ARCH 305-C: Architectural Design III
End of Consent Agenda_____________________________
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
None
COMMITTEE REPORTS –Core Curriculum Council Report – Attachment C
Core Curriculum Recertification: - Passed FS.41.411
Foundational Component Area: Language, Philosophy & Culture
AFST 201-GE: Introduction to Africana Studies
ARAB 202-GE: Intermediate Arabic II
CHIN 201-GE: Intermediate Chinese I
GERM 201-GE: Intermediate German I
GERM 202-GE: Intermediate German II
GLST 211-GE: Foundations in Cultural Studies
JAPN 201-GE: Intermediate Japanese I
JAPN 202-GE: Intermediate Japanese II
RELS 202-GE: Religion in America
SPAN 201-GE: Intermediate Spanish I
SPAN 202-GE: Intermediate Spanish II
Foundational Component Area: Mathematics –
MATH 167-GE: Explorations in Mathematics
New Core Component Proposal: Culture Discourse –
ARAB 258-CD: Global Middle Eastern Cultures
NEW BUSINESS
Student Rule 7.2.1.3.1 – Attendance – Attachment D1 – Passed FS.41.412
Student Rule 10.6 – Grading – Attachment D2 – Passed FS.41.413
INFORMATIONAL ITEM
Proposed Draft Elections Timeline Calendar FS.41.414
Speaker Elect Price provided an update on the Faculty Senate Elections and advised the Senators that they should have received a nomination survey in their College/School.
The following Committee Chairs provided updates on the work of their committees.
- Planning Committee – Senator Catharina Laporte
- Budget Committee – Senator Irene Moyna
- Research Committee – Senator Matthew Sachs
- Academic Affairs – Senators Matthew Taylor and Adam Haney
- Bylaws Committee – Senators Mark Sicilio and Samiran Sinha
DISCUSSION ITEM
Qatar Discussion –
Senator Mohammed Al-Hashimi – Texas A&M University Qatar, provided a statement and update regarding the negative impact against the faculty and specifically the faculty whose names and projects were outlined in the ISGAP report and is urgently appealing for their names to be cleared. He states the allegations within the report are defamatory, and pose a significant threat to their jobs, security, personal safety, and the well-being of their families. This situation not only affects the faculty but also has implication for our local and global collaborators. He further states Texas A&M University at Qatar is committed to conducting research that not only advances knowledge, but also serves the public interest. Their research endeavors are transparent, non-classified and conducted with utmost integrity. They prioritize compliance with all export control and regulation to ensure that their work is conducted responsibly and ethically.
Senator Brittany Bounds – Texas A&M University Qatar, provided a statement and additional comments regarding the faculty, stating that they are chemists and physicists, not nuclear scientists, and their projects focus on benign subjects that have nothing to do with national security. She further states the faculty need the support of main campus to defend them, and their research and reputations. She provided the following drafted resolution.
Whereas, Texas A&M University at Qatar conducts research, which is in the public interest and non-classified, Texas A&M University at Qatar complies with all export controls and regulations, Texas A&M University upholds academic freedom and protects faculty from false and misleading accusations. Other organizations have suggested that faculty at Texas A&M University at Qatar conduct research related to national security and nuclear issues. These suggestions are false and misleading. Be it resolved that The Faculty Senate stands by these colleagues. These faculty are in good standing in Texas A&M University in their disciplines, and in the scholarly community of the United States of America.
There were several comments by various senators in the meeting: all supportive.
Senator Brittany Bounds made a motion to pass the resolution. Senator Raymundo Arroyave seconded it. The resolution passed unanimously 64 in favor, 0 against.
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
Senator Jim Woosley – School of Education and Human Development, shared about discussion during a caucus meeting regarding the campus carry provisions of the university rule. There was confusion over which areas on campus were designated as gun free locations and what procedures were in place to ensure they remained in compliance with this designation. Upon further inspection, it was determined that university website associated with campus carry does not appear to have been updated in some time. It was suggested that a committee or task force should look into this and provide and update on gun-free areas on campus.
Senator Sally Robinson – College of Arts and Sciences, addressed the Senate relative to her role as an affiliate faculty member of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program, she shared that recently the program has been on the receiving end of a lot of negative press including an article in the Battalion on March 3rd, 2024 , which reported that a Texas legislator is planning to introduce a bill to eliminate their minor in LGBTQ plus studies.
Senator Jorge Alvarado – College of Engineering, mentioned that an administrator told him that they can no longer answer questions during the Faculty Senate meeting.
Senator Jorge Alvardo – College of Engineering, inquired about who was appointed the new Director or Vice President for the Office of Risk, Ethics and Compliance. He shared some difficulty he has had when reaching out to their office and suggested having the Senate invite the new Compliance Officer to join a Senate meeting to explain their processes and what the office does.
Senator Patricia Pietrantonio – College of Agriculture & Life Science, addressed the Senate regarding issues one of their faculty reporting that they had been followed and harassed and asked what is being done to defend faculty against harassment.
Secretary Andrew Klein – College of Arts and Sciences, announced that the University is bringing in a candidate for the Director of Distance and Digital Education and Digital Learning position. If there is interest in attending, please respond to the email that was shared and send a reply to Janet Gonzales.
Senator Jorge Alvarado – College of Engineering, provided clarification that in looking at the website for the Office of Risk, Ethics and Compliance, the Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer is now Lisa Akin.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was returned to Speaker Hammond and was adjourned at 5:22pm.