UA Faculty Senate Meeting Agenda: 9/19/01

FACULTY SENATE STEERING COMMITTEE AGENDA

February 12, 2002

3:30pm—room 307 Ferguson

Role Call and Quorum Check (Keith Woodbury)

Approval/Corrections to the Minutes for January 15 (Keith Woodbury)

Suspension of the agenda to allow Dean Pitschmann to speak about the Library Annex

Action Items

Resolution proposing Fall Study Break (see below)

Resolution proposing a new EEO Statement including gender and sexual orientation (see below)

Library Fines and Book Replacement policy

Changes to the Senate Bylaws

Defining regular faculty who are eligible to serve in the Senate (see below)

Creating an ombudsperson (changes in italics below)

Resolution Commending Marie Robbins and Gene Marsh (see below)

Creation of a nomination committee for Senate Officers

Volunteers to sit at a table and secure signatures to support tax reform (one person Monday, Feb 18; one person Wednesday, Feb 20)

President’s Report (Norm Baldwin)

Time allotment for the preceding proposals

System of Faculty Feedback, Task Force on the Evaluation of Deans and Chairs

Student request to post faculty grades (not the evaluations)

Harry Hopkins position/view

Information from the Provost and President

Governor’s budget (28%, not the promised 33% to higher ed) and letter from the Senate Presidents in the UA System

Feedback on on-line submission of grades

Vice President’s Report (Steve Miller)

Secretary’s Report (Keith Woodbury)

Reports from Senate Committees

Academic Affairs (Don Desmet and Beth Macauley)

Invitation of coaches to the Faculty Senate

Concerns over grade security

Inconsistent tenure and promotion standards between departments and colleges

Financial Affairs (Terry Royed and Keith Woodbury)

Intellectual Property Rights Joint Committee update

Health insurance for graduate students

Faculty Life (Wythe Holt and Jerry Rosiek )

Domestic Partner Benefits update

Maternity leave policy for the Faculty Handbook

Planning and Operations (Bill Keel and John Mason)

Scheduling Issues: Tuesday due date for final exam grades

ACHE data presentation (instructional/non-instructional split; TA data)

Environmental Audit—should we do one?

Research and Service (Bing Blewitt)

Library fines and book replacement policy for faculty

Senate Operations (Steve Miller and Harry Price)

Senate Reapportionment, including double dipping concerns (needed before next election)

Grievance Document

Shared Governance: Interaction with the President’s Executive Staff; Dean’s representation (non-voting) on Steering Committee and Senate representation (non-voting) on Council of Deans; Graduate Student Association representation (i.e., non-voting, floor privileges) on the Faculty Senate; Implementation of "Shared Governance Document" principles

Student Affairs (Alvin Winters)

Reports from University Standing and Other Committees

Strategic Planning Initiative Task Force (Margaret Garner)

Legislative Agenda Task Force (Margaret Garner)

New Business

Old Business

Announcements

Our next monthly meeting with the Provost is quite away off--February 28 at 3:00 in room 254 Rose

A Proposed Fall Study Break for Students
(Developed by the Faculty Senate
Planning and Operations Committee)

Whereas the Student Government Association (SGA) has proposed a two-day fall study break during early to mid-October, and

Whereas 71% of students voted in favor of a fall break during the 2001 homecoming elections, and

Whereas a 1997 study of admissions to the student health center showed peak admissions during the month of October, suggesting that students are becoming run down and losing their defenses around early to mid-October, and

Whereas six of the 12 SEC schools currently schedule a fall break (Vanderbilt, LSU, Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky, and South Carolina), and

Whereas the University of Arkansas is investigating whether to implement a fall break, and

Whereas two of the SEC schools without a fall break have a four-day break at Thanksgiving (Auburn and Mississippi), and

Whereas students could profitably use the time-off during fall study break to catch up on assignments and/or rest before for the second half of the semester commences, and

Whereas starting classes two days earlier in August (on Monday rather than Wednesday) could salvage the first week of classes, which now have spotty attendance because some students are of the opinion that not much happens during a class that meets only once during the first week (many students often view the first week of classes as syllabus week), and

Whereas starting classes two days earlier in August (on Monday rather than Wednesday) would ensure that a Monday-Tuesday study break in October would not cause classes that meet one day a week to lose a week of classes, and

Whereas faculty and staff would not have the study break days off and, as such, a fall study break would not lead to an increased number of paid holidays, and

Whereas faculty and staff could use the study break days to catch up on grading exams and papers, committee meetings, research, and various administrative tasks.

Therefore be it resolved that the Faculty Senate proposes a Monday-Tuesday fall study break during early to mid-October, beginning with the Fall 2003 semester.

Resolution Proposing Changes to UA’s Equal Opportunity, Nondiscrimination, and Diversity Policy

"Be it resolved that the Faculty Senate requests that the Administration make the following changes to its Equal Opportunity, Nondiscrimination, and Diversity Policies, presently stated on pages ii and v of the 1999 Faculty Handbook:

(1) The second sentence of the first paragraph of the Equal Opportunity Policy, p. ii, be changed to read as follows:

"Consistent with this commitment, the University's equal opportunity policy expressly prohibits discrimination against anyone for reasons of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, sexual preference, political affiliation or views, or any other factor protected by law."

The requested change would substitute "gender" for "sex," and would add "sexual preference" and "political affiliation or views" as new categories.

(2) Delete the first sentence of the third paragraph of said policy, p. ii, and replace it with the following two sentences:

"This policy applies to all prospective employees, active employees, and students of the University. Each employee of the University will likewise apply this policy to all University functions, including selection of contractors and suppliers of goods and services."

The requested change makes more definite the broad application of this important policy.

(3) Change the first portion of the first sentence of the Nondiscrimination Policy, p. ii, to be consistent with the Equal Opportunity Policy (above) and thus to read as follows:

"The University of Alabama complies with applicable laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, sexual preference, political affiliation or views, or veteran status in admission or access to ...."

(4) Change the first sentence of the Statement on Diversity, p. v, to be consistent with the Equal Opportunity Policy (above) and thus to read as follows:

"Reflective of its academic mission, The University of Alabama is increasingly comprised of persons of diverse racial, ethnic and cultural background, national origin, religious or political belief, age, gender, sexual preference, and physical ability."

This would change the words "women and men" to "persons," would substitute "or" for "and" between "religious" and "political," and would add "gender" and "sexual preference" as categories.

(5) State that the University is an Equal Opportunity Employer on the very first page of its website, and link this statement directly to the Equal Opportunity Policy as stated above.

(6) Alter all language appearing on the relevant pages of the Human Resources Department's portions of the University website, pertinent to the Equal Opportunity Policy, the nondiscrimination Policy, and the Diversity Policy, so that that language is totally consistent with the above changes."

M E M O R A N D U M

To: J. Norman Baldwin, President, Faculty Senate

From: Senate Operations Committee: Members Holt, Miller, and Price

Re: Adding language to the Faculty Senate By-laws

The Steering Committee recommends the following additions and changes to the UA Faculty Senate By-laws:

Make Article II, Section 8 to be Section 9, and in its place insert the following new paragraph describing the term "regular" faculty member (also see below the text in italics inserted into Article II of our bylaws).

"FACULTY HOLDING REGULAR APPOINTMENTS

A faculty member holding a regular appointment is someone who is tenured, tenure earning, or a temporary full- or part-time instructor at The University of Alabama. Temporary full- or part-time instructors are individuals who have been teaching six hours or more per term on a continuing basis (three or more consecutive academic-year terms) who do not hold tenure or are tenure earning at another institution of higher education."

Article I. Senate Officers

In all elections of Senate Officers-President, Vice President, and Secretary-elections will be by the vote of the majority of the senators voting, in a meeting at which a quorum of the Senate is present. Nominations and election of the Senate President will be completed before the floor is opened for nominations for Vice President, who will also serve as the faculty ombudsperson, and the election of the Vice President will be made before nominations are received for the Office of Secretary. Any senator interested in serving in one or more of these offices may submit a written statement of intention, with any supporting argument, not to exceed one page in length, to the Secretary of the Senate by March 14 of the year in which he or she hopes to commence office. The Secretary will distribute each such statement and supporting argument with the agenda for the March meeting of the Senate. Persons may also be nominated for these offices from the floor at the March meeting. A motion to close nominations, or the equivalent, is out of order. Each candidate will have an opportunity to speak to the Senate about his or her candidacy, and the Senate will have an opportunity to ask questions of each candidate.

Note: I’m skipping the first three sections of Article II on Senate orientation, steering committee, and standing committees in order to save space. The new language is in italics in section 9.

Article II. Organization

Section 4. Special Committees.

Special committees may be created by the Senate as needed. Unless the Senate directs otherwise, special committee members and chairpersons shall be designated by the same methods as for standing committees. Persons eligible to vote in Senate elections who are not members of the Senate may be appointed by special committees as their consultants.

Section 5. Subcommittees.

Standing and special committees may establish such standing or special subcommittees as they deem useful. Persons eligible to vote in Senate elections who are not members of the Senate may be appointed by subcommittees as their consultants.

Section 6. Parliamentarian.

The Senate President will nominate a parliamentarian, subject to Senate confirmation, to serve as recommended in the most recent revision of Robert's Rules of Order except where these Rules are contravened by a rule adopted by the Senate. This person will be a member of the Faculty, as defined in the Constitution, who is not a senator; or a member of the retired faculty. It shall be the duty of the Parliamentarian to attend all meetings of the Senate and of the Steering Committee.

Section 7. Webmaster.

The Senate President will nominate a webmaster, subject to Senate confirmation, to serve as the producer and coordinator of the Senate's web site. This person will be a member of the faculty, who may be but need not be a senator.

Section 8. Faculty Holding Regular Appointments

A faculty member holding a regular appointment is someone who is tenured, tenure earning, or a temporary full- or part-time instructor at The University of Alabama. Temporary full- or part-time instructors are individuals who teach six hours or more per term on a continuing basis (three or more consecutive academic-year terms) who do not hold tenure or are tenure earning at another institution of higher education.

Section 9. Offices.

The Senate shall maintain offices, in a room or rooms in the University assigned by the President of the University. The Senate offices shall be the location of the files of the Senate.

Section 10. Vice President.

The Vice President will serve as the faculty ombudsperson--an impartial and confidential resource to assist faculty in resolving problems, complaints, conflicts, or other issues. As the ombudsperson, he/she will assist faculty in finding just and timely resolutions to problems. In so doing, the Vice President will act as a neutral resource rather than taking sides on issues.

RESOLUTION COMMENDING MARIE ROBBINS AND GENE MARSH

Whereas, the quality of The University of Alabama's football program is a source of pride and pleasure for its students, alumni, and staff, and for the citizens of the State of Alabama, and

Whereas, recent findings of abuse of NCAA recruiting regulations and the publicity and penalties resulting from the NCAA's investigation of those claims have damaged the reputation of the University and the quality of the football program, and

Whereas, any allegation or penalty from the NCAA concerning academic fraud would be of serious concern to the faculty, and

Whereas, Compliance Director Marie Robbins's efforts were especially crucial in preventing further damage that could have resulted from the University's being dealt any allegation of, much less any penalty for, academic fraud possibly connected with the

recent NCAA investigation, thanks to her quick and sure insight and hard work, and

Whereas, addressing the NCAA allegations has been a daunting task protracted over a two-year period, requiring hours of thorough investigation, careful preparation, cooperation with and negotiation with NCAA officials, and lengthy argument before that body, and

Whereas the scrupulous, fair, and excellent work of Marie Robbins and Faculty Athletic Representative Gene Marsh in their respective positions has kept the NCAA from being able to bring against the University the serious charges of lack of institutional control and

failure properly to monitor our athletic programs, and has prevented imposition of the most serious NCAA penalty, the "death penalty,"

Therefore be it resolved that the Faculty Senate of The University of Alabama expresses its deep appreciation to Marie Robbins and Gene Marsh for their tireless efforts, keen judgment, and unparalleled dedication to the University in the performance of their duties over the past two years.