In Attendance (In-person):

College of Arts and Sciences: Jennifer Fowler, Ian Lian, Pat Heintzelman, Sujing Wang, Mark Mengerink, Cengiz Sen, Amanda Allison, Jennifer Thedford, Raouth Kostandy, Sharon Joffe, Melissa Riley, Raymond Doe, Cheng-Hsien Lin, B. Garrick Harden

College of Education and Human Development: Eunjin Kwon, Daryl Ann Borel

College of Business: Gevorg Sargsyan, Tim McCoy

College of Fine Arts and Communication: Andre Favors, Paul Eric McCluskey, Stephan Malick, Millicent Musyoka, Lilian Felipe, Chelsea Lyles, Brielle Frost

College of Engineering: Clayton Jeffryes, Chun-Wei Yao, John Gossage

Library: Penny Clark

 

In Attendance (Online):

College of Arts & Sciences: Mark Broome, Matt Hoch, Tina Kibbe, Wen Liu, Elia Hatfield, Perumalreddy Chandrasekaran

College of Education and Human Development: Shelly Allen, Kelly Brown, Kathryn Washington, Cristina Rios, Mohamad (Khal) Hamza

College of Business: Xiao "Jerry" Zhang, Vivek Natarajan, Kelly Weeks

College of Fine Arts and Communication: Xenia Fedorchenko, Alan Brincks

College of Engineering: Maryam Hamidi

Library: Poornima Gunasekaran

 

Absent:

College of Arts and Sciences: Jiangjiang (Jane) Liu, Jim Armacost

College of Education and Human Development: Daniel R. Chilek

College of Business: Ashraf El-Houbi

College of Fine Arts and Communication:

College of Engineering: Mien Jao, Gleb Tcheslavski

 

Call to order

3:30 p.m.

 

President Taylor’s Minute

• Library Renovation – President Taylor discussed the pending renovation to the library. Groundbreaking is scheduled this summer. The renovation will be done in phases over two years.
• Intramural Field – A new intramural/multi-purpose space is planned in the location that previously was a golf driving range. The goal is to create undergraduate enrollment and enhance student life. This space will also be used for marching band practice.

 

Guest Speakers

• Ashley Dockens, Director of CTLE, Associate Dean of Policy and Procedure and Tim Smith, Assistant Director of CTLE, shared information, recommendations, resources, and professional development opportunities from the Center for Teaching and Learning Enhancement (CTLE) regarding artificial intelligence (AI).

 

Approval of Minutes

 

Andre Favors moved to approve the minutes of the November 1, 2023, general meeting. Jennifer Fowler seconded the motion. The minutes were unanimously approved.

 

Andre Favors moved to approve the minutes of the December 6, 2023, general meeting. Stephan Malick seconded the motion. The minutes were unanimously approved.

 

Faculty Senate President’s Report (Dr. Cheng-Hsien Lin)

 

• President Lin met with Dr. Theodori, Provost Brown and President Taylor regarding equity adjustments, workload issues, office hours, university one computer policy, and traveling out of U.S. with Lamar computer.

 

Faculty Senate Committee Chair Reports

• Budget and Compensation – Jennifer Fowler

The committee met and discussed the following topics:

• Equity Adjustment – continued to push for instructor equity.
• Merit Plans: completed draft MAPP.
• Budget Managers – gathered job descriptions of budget managers from colleges, will share with Provost Brown
• University Budget Committee: The committee is meeting with the CFO regarding retooling the University Budget Committee into something useful. The committee, led by Andre Favors, is drafting a charge for the committee and discussing membership.

 

• Faculty Affairs – Sujing Wang
• Teaching Load Survey: Survey found there was no clear policy on teaching load; many inconsistencies and class size are increasing.
• Tenure and Promotion: New MAPP being developed.

 

• Academic Issues – Melissa Riley

Committee met and discussed the following topics:

• Class Schedule: As reported last month Provost Brown announced that the University is going back to the 50-minute Monday-Wednesday-Friday classes with start times, 8:00-8:50, 9:00-9:50, etc. with 10 minutes between classes. Met with Dr. Titus and Sean Gray regarding 10-minute passing time. To request input from SGA president.
• Preferred Name Issue: Discussed the issue with Dr. Titus, Dr. Welch and Craig Pember. Banner name different from Blackboard and outside homework system, outside homework system did not have L number. They are working to resolve the issue.
• Non-tenure faculty MAPP: Reviewing and making comments/recommendations on non-tenured faculty.
• Research & Creative Activity – John Gossage
  • No report this month

 

• Faculty Evaluation – Millie Musyoka

Met and discussed the following topic:

• 08 MAPP
• New F2.08: Training sessions will be offered via Watermark.
• Faculty Climate Survey: Beginning to work on the survey. Please forward any questions you would like to add to the next survey to Millie Musyoka.

 

• Faculty Handbook – B. Garrick Harden

Continue to meet on Sundays and have scheduled meeting with Dr. Theodori,

• Computer Usage: Drafted language to include in faculty handbook regarding policies on use of computer hardware/software and copyright limitation.

 

• Ad Hoc Committee for the Review of the Bylaws – Dr. Lin reports, J. P. Nelson resigned from the senate.
• Proposed Bylaws: Comments due no later than February 11, 2024

 

Old Business

Senators’ attendance at meetings.

 

New Business

• Election Committee: Dr. Lin requested one senator from each College to help with the March election.
• Resignation of Vice-President: Dr. Lin reported that J. P. Nelson had resigned.
• Election of Vice President:
  • Pat Heintzelman nominated B. Garrick Harden. President Lin called for additional nominations. None were received. B. Garrick Harden was elected by acclimation.
• Pat Heintzelman recommended that some motions be held with confidential ballot. Dr. Lin will review this recommendation.

 

Adjournment

Jennifer Fowler motioned to adjourn. Millie Musyoka seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.

 

The meeting adjourned at 5:25p.m.