Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Attendance: Karen M. Turner (Pres.), Paul S. LaFollette (V. Pres.), Bonnie Averbach (Secy.), Robert M. Aiken (Past-Pres.), David Baron (Med), Marge Devinney (CLA), Pauline Hurley-Kurtz (Ambl), Michael W. Jackson (STHM), Luke Kahlich (BCMD), Mark Rahdert (Law), Charles Ruchalski (Pharm), Joan Shapiro (Educ), Joel Sheffield (CST), Jay Sinha (FSBM), Roberta Sloan (SCT), Roy Stevens (Dent), David Waldstreicher (Fac. Herald), Cheryl Mack (Coord)
1. Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order at 1:00 PM.
2. Guest: President Ann Weaver Hart
President Hart mentioned that it is a very exciting day [day of the Presidential election], and that there are lots of activities for students, related to voting. In particular Hart mentioned Turner’s work with students in a pre election forum.
Hart mentioned that a group of student leaders are excited about meeting with FSSC.
One of the students’ concerns is student housing. Hart is asking Vice Provost Powell to look into this problem.
York Town is in the process of evicting student renters. However these students will be able to stay until the semester is over. This problem is a legal morass for the students, who are involved. A student task force is being formed to find out the conditions of the leases, etc. Hart wants to change the policy for student housing. Temple Towers will be retrofitted over the summer. There is still a need for 1000 beds. There may be some student housing leased near the Art Museum section of the city. If this housing will be obtained, Temple will provide busses for transportation to and from the campus.
Among the other topics that Hart mentioned are the following:
The University sent out letters to parents about advising their students to behave well relative to the World Series. Students behaved well on campus after the World Series.
Fraternity and Sorority membership is stable. Some of these groups have joined with chapters of other schools.
Relative to the Academic Plan, Provost Lisa is discussing the Plan with some members of the Board of Trustees. They are thinking about controls in expenditures for the Plan. The Harrisburg subsidy for Temple is much lower than expected.
Temple undergraduate tuition is low relative to the tuition of many other Colleges and University. But there is still worry about the ability of students to obtain student loans in today’s financial environment.
Although there is a hiring freeze, if there is a critical need as determined by the Provost and the Deans, there will be some hiring. People are being hired in Student Services and in the areas of Health and Safety.
Student Government is concerned with new student admission, retention, and job placement.
Provost Lisa is working on diversity in hiring. She is working with departments to seek methods of advertising for new hires.
There was an NCAA review of the site visit and self study of the Athletics program. The review was excellent. However, the program has to work on gender, renewed admission, and counseling, tutoring and advising. Aiken remarked that thanks to President Hart, and Eleanor Myers, the Program is thriving.
3. Approval of the Minutes: The minutes of October 7 and October 21 were amended and accepted.
4. President’s Report - Turner:
Karen Turner mentioned that close to 200 students including 17 student leaders attended the program about race in the political campaign. The program was featured in an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer. (The program was taped and archived and will be available for faculty to hear,) Turner is very pleased. There will be a follow up program in the spring.
5. Vice President’s Report - LaFollette:
Paul LaFollette:
The election was successfully completed. There was a complaint from someone who felt that the number of votes that a candidate received should not be listed. After some discussion, it was decided that the announcement of the names of the persons elected would be made. The number of votes that each candidate received would not be posted, but would be available.
Lafollette mentioned that more people voted than in the previous election; but since the number of eligible voters has grown (the NTT’s are now eligible to vote) there were a smaller percentage of the eligible voters who voted.
The question arose as to whether the Senate listserv was complete, since a faculty member has the right to remove his/her name from the list. After some discussion of various faulty lists, Cheryl Mack announced that she had updated the Senate listserv to include all eligible voters (names obtained from HR).
LaFollette met with Larry Lemanski in reference to the University Invention and Patent Committee, to which the FSSC makes appointments. Lemanski would like this committee to continue and handle policies. However, Lemanski wants to form his own committee to help him decide on issues without Senate approval.
Two people are needed for the Invention and Patent Committee. We need people who have had previous experience with patents.
The Chair of Research Programs and Policies Committee approached the Vice Provost of Faculty Affairs and Faculty Development about the following issues.
-- The committee wants to change the name of Seed Grants
-- Change the number of person on the committee (The number is given in the Handbook)
-- The committee members do not mind receiving the money. They do not want to decide who receives the grants.
Unfinished Business:
None
New Business
Aiken asked whether the informal meetings with the President will be continuing. Turner responded that they will.
The Student Leadership of Temple Student Government will be attending the November 11 FSSC meeting and Tony Wagner will be speaking at the November Representative Faculty Senate meeting.
Adjournment:
The meeting was adjourned at 3:00 PM
Bonnie Averbach, Secretary
