http://www.usm.edu/fsenate/minutes/2007-6-8.htm

Excerpts From F.S. Minutes:

The University of Southern Mississippi
Faculty Senate Meeting
June 8, 2007
Union Hall of Honors

Dr. Martha Saunders Guest speaker (began at 3:25 p.m.)

Dr. Saunders stated she is accustomed to addressing Faculty Senate at regular meetings (along with the Provost), but she would let USM Faculty Senate decide how communication with the President will occur.  She thanked the faculty for enthusiastic welcome and expressed confidence in working together.  She will ask that departments clearly outline standards of excellence for promotion and tenure.  She expressed a willingness to visit each department.  She reported that searches for three dean positions (currently interim) and Director of the Library will begin soon.  She is considered using a search firm, but decided against that for deans and director. 

Stan Hauer asked about the position of the provost.  Dr. Saunders said she is not ready to address that but will be reviewing her entire team.

Dave Beckett asked if searches will be initiated soon for replacing (non-interim) Deans.  Dr. Saunders said she had no plans concerning replacing deans at this time.

Tim Rehner asked about revisiting the Office of Graduate Studies and going back to a Graduate School.  Dr. Saunders has not heard much about that.  Bobby Middlebrooks invited Dr. Saunders to discuss the issue at Graduate Council.

Joe Olmi asked if processes for searching and hiring be reviewed, and how decisions about who may search for faculty positions receive attention by the administration.  Dr. Saunders said that hiring at USM is currently being audited.
...

4.1 Presidents Report

4.1.1  Cabinet and Provost Council Meetings:  Henry reported that there was only one with Dr. Saunders, the cabinet meeting with Thames was cancelled.  Henry indicated in the cabinet that Faculty Senate had sent two letters to Dr. Grimes and one to Dr. Exline.  Dr. Saunders asked if the Senate had received responses.  Dr. Grimes indicated that he had just finished his response and Henry was assured Senate would receive responses. Myron Henry indicated that the discussion for how faculty may be included in the budget planning process continues. Henry reported that the issue of post-tenure review came up as an item of interest from the IHL.  Henry reminded the Provost council that USM has a meaningful post-tenure review process and that it is in the Faculty Handbook.  Stephen Judd attended the Provost Council and reported that the Dr. Grimes had decided on the alternative learning enrollment policy which is posted on the web. William Powell remarked that the issue should be revisited with the new administration.  Judd also reported that the preliminary enrollment numbers for summer were down (4.7%) for the Hattiesburg campus and up slightly on the Coast.  Judd also reported that faculty portal for websites is still an issue and requires additional resources because of the two systems being used.

5.6       Faculty Welfare
5.6.1  Update (Anita Davis, chair) Anita Davis passed out portions of a spreadsheet from IR and reported on difficulties getting data about salaries, raises, teaching loads and overloads from IR and Human Resources.  Davis noted that there appeared to be some problems about course overloads and split teaching loads.  Faculty Welfare recommends surveys about teaching assignments, shared loads, and to meet with administration about teaching assignments, shared loads, and building trust in the university.  Patsy Anderson pointed out that coast faculty were not included in the data from IR and HR.

5.10.6  Faculty Handbook Committee
5.10.6.1  Update Dave Beckett.  Beckett reported on the following: 
1.  Russ Willis pointed out inconsistencies regarding sabbatical pay and this will be corrected very soon in the handbook.  2. A shared governance statement is now in the faculty handbook.  3.  Third-year (pre-tenure) review replace tenure assessment in handbook.  Third-year review now requires a review of departmental decisions by the CAC.  4.  Non-faculty titles (such as clinical or research faculty) have been clarified in the handbook.  Tim Rehner recommended the handbook committee investigate how an individual acquires such a position (appointed, voted by department). 5.  Personnel options for departments were reviewed.  6.  Clarification is needed for promotion and tenure committees within departments versus annual review committees in the handbook.  7.  The faculty handbook is now available online.

 

-- Edited by Reporter at 19:05, 2007-09-17