My notes from Friday’s Faculty Senate meeting:

Jay Grimes was the forum speaker. He was asked if it was USM’s policy to withhold the names of chair applicants from the faculty and said that USM had no such policy. He was questioned about the decision to provide no funding for sabbaticals, summer grants or innovation awards. Grimes indicated that he would be willing to review the policy and asked the FS to suggest where the money might come from. Grimes indicated that decreasing enrollment would likely result in a 3 million dollar shortfall for the university. He stated that he was optimistic about state funding for next year in light of improving state revenues. Grimes stated that the decision to embargo departmental development accounts was a “kneejerk reaction” and that the executive cabinet will review the policy at next Monday’s meeting. Grimes was questioned about the delay in approving permission to advertise requests and he replied that they are now being approved if the requesting unit can demonstrate where it will obtain funding for the position. Several senators expressed the opinion that the delay made it difficult to identify good candidates and that the delay represented a defacto “turn-down” because the delay eliminated the possibility of finding suitable individuals for the position. Grimes said that some departments are now interviewing candidates; one senator stated that it was unfair that some departments were interviewing while others still had not received permission to advertise.

Grimes gave current enrollment figures: Spring 06 H’burg campus: 12066 vs 12388 last spring. Spring GC 1861 vs 2426 last spring.

Grimes was questioned about the secrecy regarding plans to build the Gulf Coast campus and he responded that the decision about where to rebuild would be made by IHL, not USM.

Mark Goodman, Mississippi State University President spoke to the FS and described a compromise process for selecting the next MSU president. MSU will have a campus screening committee with representatives from the faculty, staff, student association, athletics and other groups who will interview candidates; the committee members must sign a confidentiality agreement that they will not disclose the names of candidates. The final candidate’s name will be disclosed to the public and she/he will visit campus. Goodman felt that the agreed upon process was not perfect but was a better one that originally proposed by IHL Commissioner Meredith.

FS President Powell reported that there are no longer college technology officers, but that Itech will assign technicians to work with specific colleges as much as possible. Powell met with President Thames and Provost Grimes regarding tenure and promotion timelines for individuals affected by Hurricane Katrina - apparently there is an “informal” procedure where individuals can request time extensions for T&P if necessary.

Sue Hubble reported on the online evaluation process for fall semester - those evaluations are now available to faculty through SOAR. She also reported on the activities of Athletic Council and the upcoming NCAA site visit.

President-Elect Myron Henry discussed the proposed outsourcing of Physical Plant, indicating that only 9% of universities outsource those services. Concern was expressed that the committee to study outsourcing that was formed at the request of CFO Lassen last semester has yet to meet and that the decision might be made without input from that committee.

A “Shared Governance” document that was requested by Provost Grimes was reviewed and passed by the FS. Grimes indicated that it would become university policy and that he hoped it would be included in the Faculty Handbook. An earlier draft of the Shared Governance Policy was revised because the wording implied that shared governance was in effect at the university rather than that shared governance should be university policy.



I believe these are the main points from the lengthy meeting (about 3 1/2 hours). They represent my unofficial recollections and are subject to the limitations of my note taking and my memory.