Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Present: Karen M. Turner (Pres.), Paul S. LaFollette (V. Pres.), Robert M. Aiken (Past-Pres.), Joan Delalic (Engr.), Michael W. Jackson (STHM), Tricia S. Jones (Educ.), Charles Jungreis (Med.), Stephanie Knopp (Tyl.), Robin Kolodny (CLA), James Korsh (CST), Laurie MacPhail (Dent.), Mark C. Rahdert (Law), Jay Sinha (FSBM), Roberta Sloan (SCT), David Waldstreicher (Fac. Herald), Cheryl Mack (Coord.)
Absent: Joan P. Shapiro (Secy.), Adam Davey (CHPSW), Luke Kahlich (BCMD), Charles Ruchalski (Pharm),
1. Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order at 1:05.
2. Approval of the Minutes:
The minutes were approved as submitted.
3. President Turner's Report:
The Deans' retreat will be some day in June. We need to develop some points to discuss with the deans.
- When should the faculty be engaged in the deliberation process?
- How can we tend to the needs of those denied tenure?
- When will we begin submitting merit electronically?
Mark Haller will be retiring after 40 years at Temple. There will be a celebration of his time at Temple. LaFollette volunteered to speak at it about Mark's service record.
4. Guest Provost Lisa:
The provost talked about where Temple is heading. The budget process has begun.
Karen stated that there has been much positive feedback about the presentation of the 20/20 plan at the recent Senate meeting.
Jackson asked if there is a way that students can be made aware of the presentation. Answer: There will be a website devoted to 20/20 in a few weeks.
Knopp asked what is happening with respect to a dean's search for Tyler. Answer: No decision has yet been made, but the Provost will follow up with President Hart.
Korsh asked whether grants bring money into the University or cost money. Answer: "Wet lab" research loses money. Liberal arts scholarship brings in money.
Jackson asked what Lisa's reaction to the brunch idea was. Answer: She has seen the proposal and likes it, but feels there is not time this semester to put it together properly. Karen suggested we do something small this year and something larger next fall.
Jungreis expressed concerns about having a library across the busy street from where the students spend most of their time. He fears this may lead to automobile accidents.
Aiken asked for comment about 1) how to energize the honors program and 2) whether there are plans to evaluate the Gen-Ed program. Answer: 1) Honors students will be guaranteed four years of on campus housing if they wish it. We are considering allowing an extra credit hour per semester for honors students without increasing tuition. We have made it easier to find information about honors programs on the Portal. The state of the honors infrastructure and whether it be adequate is under discussion. 2) A special assessment group for Gen-Ed has been working for the past year.
Rahdert hopes that the team includes people who are not necessarily committed to Gen-Ed.
Jackson asked if honors will move to 1500 Broad. Answer: That is still not possible.
Waldstreicher asked about a faculty fellows program. Answer: We will follow up on that.
Sloan commented that it is good to see things developed in the academic plan beginning to come to fruition.
Turner expressed concern that there is no institutional way for faculty to respond to the contents of Student Feedback Forms (SFF's). Knopp absolutely agrees that this is needed. Aiken mentioned that we have formed more than one committee to look at the SFF's. The committees are no longer meeting but problems with the SFF's remain.
Aiken and Rahdert both stated that there should be faculty input before the yearly budgetary process begins.
5. Guest Dick Englert:
Deputy Provost Englert explained the nature of the upcoming meetings that the officers and the Steering Committee will be having with one of the members of the accreditation team from Middle States. He explained the process of the meeting and gave some idea about the kind of questions we would be asked.
6. President Turner's Report Continued:
We will be acknowledging retiring faculty at the May Senate meeting. Waldstreicher would like to be kept in the loop as retiring faculty are identified.
7. Vice President's Report:
LaFollette asked the nominating committee to report. They announced that their slate of candidates was President - Paul LaFollette (CST), Vice-president - Joan Shapiro (Educ), Secretary - Roberta Sloan (SCT). They also announced that they had received one nomination by petition for President - Marina Angel (Law) which they accepted. There was a brief discussion about process. The Steering Committee voted unanimously to accept the slate. Turner will announce it to the listserv.
8. Unfinished Business:
We revisited the issue of the role faculty should play in the hiring of faculty and chairpersons.
Jackson suggested that we should try to get a breakdown of faculty by department, gender, ethnicity, and so on.
There was significant discussion about the perceived proliferation of various deans' staff members with little experience or understanding of the academic world who seem not to understand the need for faculty consultation in making decisions.
9. New Business:
It was decided to postpone the recognition of service brunch until the fall.
10. Adjournment:
The meeting was adjourned at 3:00 p.m.
Paul LaFollette - Acting Secretary
