University of Mississippi Faculty Senate

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Minutes of the Meeting of the Senate of the Faculty
Thursday, February 13, 2003, 7:00 p.m., Room 108, Law School

Meeting called to order with a quorum at 7:00 p.m.

Present: Edmund Acevedo, Donna Adler, Milam Aiken, Brahram Alidaee, John Bentley, Victoria Bush, Judith Cassidy, Wei-Yin Chen, Daisy Cheng, Gregg Davidson, Rick Elam, Michelle Emanuel, Matthew Hall, Ahmed Kishk, Amy E. Mark, Michael Ponton, Anne Quinney, James Reid, David Rock, John Schetz, Bobbie Smothers, Warren Steel, Ken Sufka, Diane Tidwell, Annette Trefzer, Joseph Urgo, Nancy Wiggers, Dawn Wilkins

Absent: Aileen Ajootian, Julie Aubrey, Deborah Barker, Nancy Bercaw, Luca Bombelli*, Laurie Cozad, Steven Davis, Kirsten Dellinger*, Kris Gilliland*, Clifford Ochs*, Charles Ross, Steven Stodghill*, Charles West
* Prior notification

I. Old Business
A. Minutes of the January 16, 2003 Senate meeting were approved without dissent.
minutes_20030100.html

II. Elections
A. Caucused and elected committee chairs

Academic Affairs: Michael Ponton
Academic Support Services: Kirsten Dellinger
Faculty Governance: Joe Urgo
Finance: John Schetz
University Services: James Reid

B. Business senators caucused and elected committee members

Committee on Elections: TBA
Committee on Committee: Victoria Bush

III. Announcements
A. Summer School Salaries
During the 2002 summer sessions, compensation for teaching one course was calculated at a rate of 8.33% of a faculty member's annual salary, up to a maximum of $4,750; there will be an increase of compensation for teaching one course to be calculated at a rate of 8.33% of a faculty member's annual salary, up to a maximum to $7,500.

B. Proposed Spring Calendar 2004 see Winter Session Proposal Request
Please solicit feedback from faculty members in your departments and send input to either Chair Rock and/or Office of the Provost.

Questions from Senators

Would required classes be taught during this time?
What will be the rate of compensation?
If classes are held on Saturday, would there be any consideration given to the Sabbath?
If classes on Saturday, would support staff be required to come in?

II. New Business
A. Current Fall Break, Chair David Rock
Provost reports that there was no negative feedback from faculty; implied that fall break is here to stay.

During the March 2003 meeting the Senate will vote on either support, nonsupport or alternatives for the fall break. Please solicit feedback from faculty members in your departments to prepare for this vote.

B. Faculty Dining Facility, Chair David Rock
Chancellor agreed that a dining area for faculty is an excellent idea and that he'll look into designating a place in the remodeled Johnson Commons.

Questions from Senators

Should the dining area also be available to the staff?
To be called "Faculty" Dining Hall? Suggestion that funding should be sought and that the hall be named after the donor to avoid confusion.
If there is difficulty keeping students out, the dining area could have a door with key card access set to only let in those with a faculty or staff ID.

C. Governor's Meeting and Report, Chair David Rock see: notes of Governor's meeting

D. Library and computer lab hours, Chair David Rock
Students and faculty want library open 24 hours. Weir Hall is open 24 hours since renovation; should we have both the lab and a room in Weir hall with camera in it instead of having the library open 24 hours?

Senator Mark moved that the issue be assigned to the University Services Committee with the intent that the Committee put together a student survey; 2nd Senator Schetz. Motion passed without dissent.

E. Faculty Incentives, Chair David Rock
Discussion of the lack of provisions in our contracts to receive addition grants money. Other Universities devise ways to reward faculty despite similar state limits. Senator Urgo noted that the University Research Board committee last week created a subcommittee to investigate this issue.

F. Residence College, Senator Urgo
Residence colleges provide students with an alternative to sorority and fraternity identification. These residence relying on different themes relating to academics, including first year seminars, languages, and generally students have communal dining and take several classes together. Goal is to open a couple by fall 2004. Please email Senator Urgo if you have had experience with a residential college.

G. Selection and Appointment of Academic Administrators Proposal.
See "Pending Policies & Procedures" at the bottom of the Senate homepage history of proposal.
Chair David Rock suggested the formation of committee of faculty and administrators.

Senator Schetz moved that we bring the proposal again to the Council of Academic Administrators, even if they vote it down, so that we would move forward; 2nd Senator Adler. Hand count: 8 yeas; 12 nays; 6 abstained.

Senator Urgo moved that an ad hoc joint committee be formed with administrators and senators to discuss this issue; 2nd Senator Steele: 22 yeas; 0 nays; 4 abstained

Committee volunteer Senators Urgo, Adler, Acevedo, and Ponton.

H. Incentives for Chair of Faculty Senate, Senator Edmund Acevedo
Assigned to the Faculty Governance committee to come up with a proposal; Senator Acevado will consult.
See A Summary of Faculty Senate Incentives from Auburn University.

I. Racial Graffiti at Kincannon, Senator Smothers
Attention should be called to the fact that the culprits of the negative graffiti were African American; the University is having difficulty recruiting minorities because they believe that the perpetrators were white.

II. March 2003 Senate Meeting
Senator Adler moved to have an extraordinary meeting on March 20, 2003 due to fall break; 2nd, Senator Emanuel.
Motion passed without dissent.

Meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

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