THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO
DOCUMENTS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE GENERAL FACULTY
SUMMARY MINUTES OF THE
FACULTY SENATE SPECIAL MEETING
OF MAY 7, 2002
The fourth Special Meeting of the Faculty Senate for the academic year 2001-2002 was held in room 4.03.12, Regents Room, on May 7, 2002 at 3:30 p.m. in the John Peace Library with Dr. Ronald Ayers, Chair, presiding, Dr. Thomas Ricento, Secretary.
Present: Ron Ayers, Steven Boyd, John Bretting, Jan Clark, Mansour El-Kikhia, Ni He, Michael F. Kelly, Melvin Laracey, Rafael Lopez-Mobilia, Raquel Marquez, Kenneth Masden, James McDonald, George Negrete, Frank Pino, Thomas Ricento, A.C. Rogers, John Rundin, Kent Rush, Ron Rutherford, Michael Ryan, Woodie Spivey, Minghe Sun, Weining Zhang
Absent: Deborah Armstrong, Guy Bailey, Fred Bonner, Felecia Briscoe, Stephen Brown, Ruben Cordova, Dorothy Flannagan, Vic Heller, Paul Jacobs, G.V.S. Raju, Walter Richardson, Jr., Todd Ryska, Deborah Schwartz-Kates, C.S. Shih, Kenton Wilkinson
Total members present: 23 Total members absent: 15
Dr. Mansour El-Kikhia made a motion to move Item IV, Election of Faculty Senate Chair for 2002-2003 to Item II. Motion approved (revised agenda attached to and made a part of the minutes).
Dr. John Bretting said the Nominating and Elections Committee should have met to develop a ballot for the election. Dr. Thomas Ricento agreed there should be a mechanism in place to conduct special elections, but since there is nothing in the current bylaws the election should take place using parliamentary procedures. Dr. Bretting made a motion to empower the Senate Chair to conduct the election from the floor. Motion approved. Dr. Ayers said there were two of the three candidates and a designee of the third candidate present. Each was allowed five minutes to speak about their candidacy.
- Dr. Stephen Boyd said he was very interested in the position and eager to serve. He has no preset agenda but would consult with the Senate of what issues should be addressed. He sees the role of the Chair as an expeditor without a personal agenda.
- On behalf of Dr. Vic Heller, Dr. Thomas Cannon said the Senate should focus primarily on four major issues: workload, teaching evaluations, merit, and periodic performance evaluations. This would be accomplished through ad hoc committees, who would be asked to get as much faculty-wide input as possible before any recommendations are developed. Secondary issues include the grievance policy, bylaws, budget policy, and the Handbook of Operating Procedures.
- Dr. James McDonald said his approach would be to provide standing and ad hoc committees with defined, achievable tasks. Continuing issues include bylaws, workload, assessment of the new course instructor survey (IDEA), administrator evaluations, merit, periodic performance evaluation, policies and procedures, and laboratory space.
Dr. Ayers proposed conducting the election by sending out a paper ballot with a deadline of May 17th. The ballot would include the e-mail address of each candidate so Senators could ask questions. Dr. Boyd made a motion to complete the election process at the meeting. Motion approved. A majority of the votes went to Dr. Boyd and Dr. McDonald. A runoff was held and Dr. McDonald was elected Faculty Senate Chair for 2002-2003.
The University Curriculum Committee recommends approval of a Nonsubstantive Program Proposal for a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences. APPROVED
The University Curriculum Committee recommends approval of a Nonsubstantive Program Proposal to add an Option in Communities, Families, and Children to the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mexican American Studies. APPROVED
Dr. Jan Clark made a motion to move Item VI. Graduate Catalog Consent Calendar to Item IV. Motion approved.
Dr. McDonald presented the summary report of the committee (copy attached and made a part of these minutes). He noted that the report was developed after assessing faculty responses to the committee's December 2001 report. Dr. McDonald reported that the Office of International Programs is now fully reconstituted and a search for a director is being conducted. This office will address both faculty and student concerns.
Dr. Rundin proposed the adoption of a resolution on the issue of Domestic Partners Benefits. Discussion was held which resulted in revision as indicated in the final resolution:
The University of Texas has a non-discrimination policy with regard to sexual orientation, yet the current lack of domestic partner benefits in University benefit packages constitutes an employment inequity for those with same-sex partners.
One hundred sixty-three Fortune 500
companies, one hundred thirty-eight state and local governments, and
one hundred and sixty-five institutions of higher learning now offer
such benefits. They find them an inexpensive and cost-effective way of
recruiting and retaining employees. The University of Texas is may therefore be put at a hiring disadvantage even though the
insurance benefits that the University offers are explicitly intended,
by statute (Texas Insurance Code Article 3.50-3), to make the
University a competitive employer.
Accordingly, the Faculty Senate of the
University of Texas at San Antonio resolves to request that the
University of Texas at San Antonio administration discuss this issue
with other University of Texas administrative units and educate inform the Board of Regents, the
Administrative Council for the Texas State College and University
Employees Uniform Insurance Benefits Program (established by Texas
Insurance Code Article 3.50-3, sec. 4) and other state officials as
appropriate about this deficit in University of Texas compensation
packages.
Motion made to approve the resolution. Motion approved.
Comments or questions to spottorff@utsa.edu
Last updated Aug. 29, 2005