Chairperson Eidam called the meeting of the Faculty Senate to order 4:07 p.m. All departments except Health and Physical Education were represented. Jeremy Haugh , Terri Cawlet, and Regina Tellado attended for the Student Senate.
Reports Chairperson's Announcement Chairperson Eidam placed a motion on the 16 November agenda to change the title of Senate chairperson pro tem to vice-chairperson to reflect the permanent elected position this officer holds in the Senate. The Chairperson to reflect the permanent elected position this officer holds in the Senate. The chairperson pro tem , according to Robert's Rules, is a temporary office to which one may be appointed in the absence of the president or vice-president of a legislative body. Senator Karen Brooks has been appointed by Chairperson Eidam to represent the Senate on the Assistant Provost position search. He also noted that with the on-set winter , Senators may be interested in having coffee(one gallon minimum) served at the meetings. Finally, Millersville was mentioned and Dr. Caputo was interviewed for an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education on the SSHE schools (October 20, page A44). Student Senate Jeremy Haugh announced the four topics of the Student senate's November 4 meeting: 1) a financial aid workshop; 2) a discussion of the activities fee; 3) the need for additional student members of committees; and 4) the creation of a mentoring program for freshman student senators. Administrative Officers Provost Dr. Taggie explained that a search for an Assistant provost has to be conducted because APSCUF rules do not allowsomeone to hold an "acting position" beyond two years. Since Dr. K. Gregoire has served two years as an acting member of the administration, a formal search for the Assistant Provost's position she now holds is required. Vice-President for Student Affairs Dr. Reighard reported Stanley Johnson is in Lancaster General Hospital and is recovering from the meningitis attack.Mr. Johnson would appreciate hearing from the MU community, Dr. Reighard said. Associate Vice-President for Academic Affairs Dr. Stager , acting on chairperson Eidam's request, presented information on MU enrollment in a series of table and graphs he distributed at the meeting. Dr. Stager began announcing Fall 1993 enrollment was down from Fall 1992 enrollment by over 300 students from 7791 to 7382. This decline caused a budget shortfall of approximately $800,000. Four reasons have been assigned as causes for the enrollment decline: 1) fewer students graduating from PA high schools (in 1988, 145, 929 students graduated compared to the projected 114,550 for may 1994 for instance.); 2) more MU students graduated in May 1993 than enrollment planners anticipated; 3) the increase of out-of-state tution caused a 20% loss in that enrollment category; and, 4) the admissions office lowered its target number of new students from 1450 to 1350. Some of the effects of fluctuating enrollements are felt in shifting minimum class size figures (from 27 in Fall 1992 to 25.3 in Fall 1993 to 27.3 in Spring 19930); in hiring new faculty; and in the numbers of new sectins offered per semester. After his twenty minute presentation, Dr.Stager answered questions from Senators Margolis, McCade, Wismer, Erikson, and Stameskin on such topics as the present use of the policy for special admissions, on contingency sections which appear for the first time in Spring 1994 registration, on the potential for the decline to continue, and on where the students who do not enroll in MU are attending classes. Dr. Stager responded that more June-January students were offered regular admissions and that these students as well as more transfer students were enrolling to make up the targeted admissions figure. He indicated some admissions requirements were being lowered as well. For example, the admissions office will sometimes wait until a student's spring term grades are received before inviting the student to enroll, and now this policy is being relaxed. To combat the possibility of continuing enrollment decline, Dr. Stager said the administration is interested in having more evening, summer, and somw weekend classes offered and a Continuing Education program is under consideration. In concluding, Dr. Stager offered to report later on retention and graduation rates. Committee Reports UCPRC Senator McLeod introduced a new three-credit Perspectives course: ANTH 344: Gender, Race, and Class and a new three-credit general Education (CQ) couse: ECON 319: Intermediate Macroeconomics. Additionally Senator McLeod introduced an Economics minor proposal, and he indicated its approval would be contingent upon Econ 319's meeting the three-meeting rule requirement. Chairperson Eidam recognized Senator Margolis who moved that the tree-meeting rule be waived for Econ 319 to allow for both it and the minor to be approved in time to be listed in the new MU catalog. After a brief discussion, the Margolis-Dorman motion to place these items on the November 16 agenda passes. Academic Policies Senator R.Clark said the committee is working with MU's legal council to finalize the Academic Dishonesty statement. GER Senator K. Brooks reported the committee met on October 12 and 26. They are drafting recommendations in recognition of the need to continue discussion of general Education beyond freshman orientation. The review of Perspectives courses and their designations continues. Two meetings remain for this semester, she said, on November 12 and November 23. Dr. Stager will speak at the November 23 meeting. International Studies Curriculum Senator O. Iglesias announced the eastern European Area Studies program has been renamed Russian Area Studies following an October 12 committee meeting. Faculty Senate Athletic Senator F. Erickson placed the description of the "Intercollegiate Athletic Coaches' Council" on the agenda for the Senate's vote, November 16. Course Approvals The Senate unanimously approved CHEM 113,GEO 346, HIST 392, and NURS 316. Business Election of Humanities Delegate to Academic Policies Committee The seat was declared vacant by unanimous consent as no nominations were heard. Proposed Changes to the Political Science and Psychology Degree Programs Although the proposed change to the political science was unanimously endorsed , there was some discussion and opposition to the psychology department's proposed changes concerning PSYCH 227 and PSYCH 228 (See Minutes of October 5, 1993, pp. 3494-3496). In the discussion Dr. Stager raised the issue of implementation of the change noting that the registrar's office has no means of checking student's compliances with enrollment prerequisites. senator S. Luek responded that her department is communicating the change through public notices and student advisement. Senator Stameskin pursued the notion of implementation problems indicating her concern that because many students enrolled in these courses for general Education credits, advisement may be uneven and students may be penalized. In reply to Senator Clark's inquiry about changing course number as a means of clarification, Senator Luek explained renumbering is a part of the department's general curricular overhaul now underway. Before the question was called, Senator Mccade observed that one legitimate complaint that he has heard as a member of GERC is about the complexity of the General Education program. He pondered whether or not the PSYCH 227/228 changes would complicate matters. At 4:50 p.m. , Chairperson Eidam called the question and the motion carried. Proposed Additions to the Governance Manual regarding Senate Policies Senator B.Schneller presented the two proposed additions to the Governance Manual pertaining to voting procedures and removal of officers and standing committee chairs. She explained the rationale for each and moved approval of both items in two separate motions. The Schneller-Luek motion to approve the voting policy passed unanimously. There was a brief discussion of the Schneller-Wismer motion on officer and standing committee chair removal. A friendly amendment by Senator McLeod to clarify "the entire voting membership of the faculty Senate" was adopted and the motion carried. The Stine-Piperberg motion to adjourn was passed at 5:12 p.m. The next meeting of the faculty Senate is Tuesday, November 12 at 4 p.m. in Ganser Auditorium. Repectfully Submitted, Beverly Schneller