College Senate Minutes
September 27, 2010

Meeting called to order by Associate Presider M. Wake at 4:23 pm

Senators Present: 

 D. Adelman, S. Babcock, J. Backus-Foster, S. Carlson, M. DeFreece, S. Dixon, D. Dougherty, T. Hamblin, K. MacLeod, K. Ogborn, S. Poe, S. Shoemaker, A. Sohns, J. Tessier, A. Thompson

Senators Absent:  J. Burgess, L. Burwood, E. Hodges, S. Swayze, K. Zuber

 Guests: L. Smith & P. Clement

 President’s Report—postponed

 TAG Report—Postponed

 Minutes of the September 13, 2010, motion to approve; D. Adelman, seconded; A. Thompson, approved

 Common Hour

T. Hamblin and K. MacLeod will meet this week to draft a response.

Discussion on considerations:

• Need to build the Common Hour into the schedule rather than trying to find a time for it in the schedule
• This will require a change in philosophy about the purpose of the common hour and its need to be in the middle of the day
  • Will allow working students to participate
  • Will allow off-campus faculty and students to participate in an on-line manner
    • Concern about the time differences for off-campus faculty
  • Need to focus on the enrichment of the students and their education
  • Take into account the outside of school commitments of the participants and speakers
  • Note:  M. Wake stated that Wednesdays are a day that the most number of students are on campus
  • Suggestion to have the common hour at noon on MWF and shift all class up an hour
• Please e-mail K. MacLeod and/or T. Hamblin with any suggestions so that they can draft a response for the December 7^th College Council meeting
  • Suggestion to get a blueprint from a similar college to see how they do it
  • Suggestion to have the Office of the Registrar see if there is a listserv they can access to contact other colleges for suggestions

 Other New Business

• Discussion on how changes in the schedule as a result of the common hour would affect student athletes
• Discussion on the need for evening classes to accommodate students (particularly non-traditional students)
• Next UFS plenary meeting is the week before the next Senate meeting; send any concerns to T. Hamblin.

 Old Business

 Elections

• Continuing to work on a Google Survey
• Associate Presider will put out a call for self-nominations
• Reminder that if a Senator misses 3 meeting during a semester without providing a replacement or providing a proxy, they will be dismissed from the Senate
• Still need 5 faculty and 4 professional staff to fill out the Senate membership
• Discussion about junior faculty not feeling comfortable joining committees for fear of backlash
• Reminder that full-time faculty can self-nominate to be put on the ballot

Committee Membership

• Discussion on whether committees are being hurt because no one feels comfortable in giving their opinion in a committee for fear of retribution.  This discussion led into a further discussion of committees that the Senate oversees.
  • The Continuing and Term Appointment Committee is required to report back to the Senate each year
  • Discussion:
    • Is the process of releasing a faculty member done with the same thought and consideration as used when hiring?
    • What is the appeals process after the Continuing and Term Appointment Committee makes their recommendations?
    • Is there a need for an independent review or review by department to allow current faculty a voice about the make up of their department?
    • For Professional Staff, there is no committee to deal with this issue; it was stated that the President is interested in the unions opinion on this matter.
  • Discussion:
    • Issues that developed
      • Is the Continuing and Term Appointment Committee making sound or unsound decisions?
      • Are their other factors involved that are not transparent?
      • Are employees afraid to speak out in fear of losing their jobs?
• Need to find out the Administration and unions perspective of what the jurisdiction of the Senate is on these issues.
• Executive Committee to look at the jurisdiction of its committees and the Senate

 Operations Committee

Waiting on the Google survey to be completed before sending out a call for self-nominations.

 Budgetary Concerns—postponed until next meeting

 Adjourned at 5:42 p.m.

Next meeting is October 25^th at 4:15 pm