Faculty Senate Minutes, 21 November 1995

MINUTES

FACULTY SENATE MEETING

21 November 1995

Chairperson D. Eidam called the meeting to order at 4:10 p.m. in Chryst Hall, Room 210. All departmental senators attended except those from Art, Educational Foundations, Library, Philosophy, and Social Work.

Minutes

Senate approved the 7 November 1995 meeting minutes without corrections.

Reports

Chairperson's Report

Chairperson D. Eidam announced that prior to the meeting he had sent email to all senators who have email about adjustments to today's agenda. He did not have time to send senators snail mail. For those senators who do not have email, he made the equivalent announcements at this point. Because Meet and Discuss did not meet as scheduled in November and has not met up to now, the task force proposal has not been approved. Meet and Discuss also will not meet in December. Therefore, the chairperson is postponing agenda item X, Faculty Senate Elections, until the next senate meeting.

The chairperson of the Academic Policies Committee, B. Nakhai, could not attend today's meeting because he is attending a conference out of town. Therefore, chairperson D. Eidam is also postponing action on agenda item IX, Academic Honesty and Dishonesty at Millersville University, until the next senate meeting. Therefore, there is no agenda today after item VIII, Proposed Courses. Eidam noted that senate voted to meet even if there were no business items on the agenda.

Eidam said that at commencement in December, there will be 30 masters and 391 undergraduates receiving degrees. The 391 undergraduates divide into 102 in the School of Science and Mathematics, 161 in the School of Humanities, Fines Arts, and Social Studies, and 128 in the School of Education. There are 83 academic honors to be awarded or about 21 percent of the graduating undergraduates. Eidam complimented senate for always being well represented at commencement. There is still time for senators to attend the commencement.

In November, the provost informed Eidam that she had made two faculty appointments for two year terms: Dr. Tracey Weis, History Department, to the Academic Outcomes Assessment Committee and Dr. Christine M. Gaudry-Hudson, Department of Foreign Languages, to the International Selection Committee.

Eidam said that he had sent senators a survey since senate had directed him to make minor changes in its elections procedures. Eidam asked that senators return the survey by today so that he could get a consensus back to senate in the form of a motion.

Administrative Officers

Vice-President for Student Affairs

Vice-President for Student Affairs, G. Reighard, introduced Dr. Charlene Jaeger to senate. Jaeger assumed the position of Associate Vice-President for Student Affairs three weeks ago. She will deal with the out-of-classroom needs of MU's students. She will try to reach out to the faculty so that the Office of Student Affairs can be more supportive. She comes to MU from the University of Delaware where she worked for 16 years.

Jaeger said she was very pleased to meet with senate. She has enjoyed a warm reception to the MU community. She will work in programming areas and with resident life. She discussed the point where student life and academics come together. She will help the students to acquire the skills that will help them in their careers and personal lives. She is looking for ways to implement problem solving skills and the ability to respect cultural differences into MU's programming. She said she hoped to meet with the faculty on a one-on-one basis to talk about student needs.

Committee Reports

General Education Review Committee

Chairperson R. Wismer said the committee is still working on a general education report. He asked that members of the various departments who have not returned to the committee their responses to the faculty questionnaire to please do so. He hoped to work on the committee report over Thanksgiving and to present a preliminary draft in December. He needs the information as soon as possible since he plans to incorporate the information in the first draft of the committee report.

Undergraduate Course and Program Review Committee

University Course and Program Review Committee chairperson, T. Woo, introduced two courses under the one meeting rule. They are

PHYS 491:

Physics Research and Seminar, a one credit hour course.

PHYS 492:

Physics Research and Seminar, a two credit hour course.

The courses are required of seniors. Together they replace the current equivalent course, Physics 490. Normally senate would approve the courses in two meetings. Chairperson Woo asked that senate approve the two courses in one meeting. Chairperson D. Eidam asked for senate's unanimous consent that PHYS 491 and 492 follow the one-meeting rule. Senate approved.

Woo asked that senate consider proposals for prerequisite changes in certain courses in the Mathematics Department at its next meeting. She placed the item on the next senate agenda (see Attachment A, Minor Changes in Curriculum). The changes asked for minimum grades of C or better. The proposed policy has been in effect in the Mathematics Department for several years. The earlier courses are prerequisites for the later courses. Chairperson D. Eidam said he would relinquish the chair when senate acts on the item.

Faculty Emeritus

Chairperson D. Eidam asked for senate's unanimous consent for Parliamentarian C. Scharnberger to second a motion even though he is not a senator. Senate approved. A Y. Soong/C. Scharnberger motion to recommend Dr. Paul H. Nichols for Professor of Earth Sciences Emeritus passed unanimously.

Business

Faculty Senate Elections--Returned to the Agenda

Senate may need to elect four members of the Task Force on the General Education Curriculum ( see page 3882 of the 7 November 1995 minutes). One member must be a senator and come from the General Education Committee.

The following senate committee positions are currently vacant:

Humanities and Fine Arts representative to the Academic Policies Committee,

Social Sciences representative to the Academic Outcomes Assessment Committee, Academic Policies Committee, and the UCPRC,

non-School representative to the General Education Review Committee,and

an Alternate to the International Selection Committee. Academic Honesty and Dishonesty at Millersville University--Returned to the Agenda

The Academic Policies Committee has requested that senate act on its proposal (see Attachments B and C of the 7 November 1995 minutes).

Senate adjourned at 4:35 PM. The next meeting will be Tuesday, 5 December 1995, from 4:05 - 5:45 p.m. in Chryst 210.

Respectfully submitted,

Marvin Margolis, Secretary
Faculty Senate

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