Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Present:
Paul S. LaFollette (Pres.), Roberta Sloan (Secy), Joan Shapiro (V. Pres.), Stephanie Knopp (Tyler), Laurie MacPhail (Dent.), Deborah Howe (SED) by phone, Jim Korsh (CST), Charles Jungreis (Med.), Margaret Devinney (CLA), Michael Jackson (STHM), Tricia S. Jones (Educ.), Luke Kahlich (BCMD), Douglas Wager (SCT), Don Harris (Law), David Waldstreicher (Fac. Herald), Cheryl Mack (Coord.)
Absent:
Karen Turner (Past President) on leave, Mark C. Rahdert (Law) on leave, Nora Alter (SCT) on leave, Jay Sinha (Bus. & Man.), Charles Ruchalski (Pharm.), Joan Delalic (Engr.), Adam Davey (CHPSW).
Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order to 1:05 pm.
Approval of Minutes:
The minutes from the April 19th Faculty Senate Steering Committee meeting were approved with Karen Turner’s changes, as indicated by email being accepted and to be incorporated.
President’s Report:
President Paul LaFollette called upon Secretary Sloan who shared that she had been presented with a unique opportunity for next year, and so has been granted a full year’s sabbatical. She mentioned that if she had known about this possibility, she never would have allowed her name to be put in nomination to be Secretary of the Faculty Senate. In the near future, she will be able to share the details of this unique opportunity with her colleagues.
Senator David Waldstreicher announced that he will continue as the editor of the Faculty Herald. Everyone was delighted.
The set of proposed meeting dates for 2011-2012 were within the senators’ folders and they were asked to review them. No problems seemed to exist
Vice-President’s Report:
Vice President Joan Shapiro offered the names of Senator Peshe Kuriloff and Senator Terry Rey as nominees for the GEEC Committee. The FSSC members enthusiastically endorsed them for these positions.
Guests: Senator Bill Woodward, Senator Art Hochner, Senator Phil Yanella, and Senator Marina Angel:
Senator Woodward gave an historical perspective of how the voting of administrators on Faculty Senate matters happened in the past. They did not vote in the 80’s and 90’s because it was a faculty body and it was inconceivable that administrators would vote.
Senator Knopp asked about Senator Woodward’s perception about the percentage of the increase of administrators. He said that there is no question that they have mushroomed.
Senator Hochner said that in 1990, a number of department chairs met with the deans and then came out on the picket line.
Senator Angel mentioned that when she came to the Law School in 1978, there was one Assistant Dean, and now there are six.
Professor Yanella said that there are now 96 assistant and associate deans. There are now eleven vice provosts. There are now nine vice-presidents. President LaFollette mentioned that he believes that there are ten.
Professor Yanella said that when the constitution was written there was a president and two vice presidents, and the deans. Those were the ex-officio members. This number has absolutely mushroomed. He felt that an administrator cannot vote his/her heart, but will be told, as a block how to vote.
Professor Hochner pointed out that in the constitution a delineation between faculty and administrators is clearly made.
Senator Angel pointed out that there is a clear difference between substance and procedure. Professor Angel pointed out that the vote taken at the Faculty Senate’s last meeting was not about a substantive motion on academic policy, but procedural.
Professor Hochner says he doesn’t feel that it’s supportable that vice deans, etc. should be considered faculty because they do not have full-time faculty status. He believes that full-time faculty status means that they don’t have an administrative appointment.
Senator MacPhail said that she feels that a constitutional amendment should exclude them. Senator Kahlich reported that the Boyer Faculty felt strongly that administrators with faculty appointments are not full-time faculty.
Senator Angel questioned one of the lines in the proposed constitutional amendment that mentions that ex-officio members should vote and it does define ex-officio as including many members of the administrators.
Senator Shapiro mentioned that she has mixed feelings. In principle she agrees with what has been said. However, she is concerned about the timing of this in terms of what is happening in Harrisburg.
Professor Hochner said that a number of administrators seem hurt by this exclusion, but it is not a matter of where your heart is, but what your job is. An administrator is bound to carry out the orders of the administration. This is an essential difference.
OLD BUSINESS:
After the departure of the guests, a long and lively discussion ensued during which many differing points of view were presented.
President LaFollette suggested that a motion that included these points:
Resolved: We forgo an electronic ballot at this time and that at our next meeting we will 1) vote on who should vote, 2) approve or disapprove the changes to our amendments, 3) announce an email vote on changes to the bylaws and the constitution to take place as soon as possible.
The motion carried.
There was no new business.
Adjournment:
The meeting was adjourned 3:00 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Roberta Sloan, Ph.D.
Faculty Senate Secretary
