DOCUMENTS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE GENERAL FACULTY
SUMMARY MINUTES OF THE
FACULTY SENATE MEETING
OF MAY 4, 2006
The eighth regular Meeting of the Faculty Senate for the academic year 2005-2006 was held May 4, 2006 at 3:30 p.m. in the Business Building 2.06.04 University Room with Dr. Mansour El-Kikhia, Chair, presiding.
I. Call to order and taking of attendance
Present: Mark Allen, Rosalie Ambrosino, Thad Bartlett, Manuel Berriozábal, Lorenzo Brancaleon, Aaron Cassill, Stacey Davis, Mansour El-Kikhia, MaryEllen Garcia, Kirsten Gardner, Timothy Goles, Eugene John, Craig Jordan, Paul LeBlanc, John McCray, Patrick McDaniel, James McDonald, Elizabeth Pate, Debajyoti Paul, Robert Renthal, Earle Reybold, Cherylon Robinson, Michael Ryan, Rocky Shih, L.J. Shrum, Ted Skekel, Betty Travis, Raydel Tullous, Judith Walmsley, Karen Williams, Wan Yao.
Absent: Diane Abdo, Ron Ayers, Robert Bayley (excused), Ron Binks (excused), Rajendra Boppana (excused), John Byrd, Daniel Engster (excused), David Hansen, Lars Hansen, Kim Keller, Jolyn Mikow (excused), Dianne Rahm, Mariela Rodriguez (excused), Ron Rutherford (excused), Jon Thompson (excused).
Total members present: 31 Total members absent: 15
II. Reports
A. Senate Chair – Dr. Mansour El-Kikhia
Dr. El-Kikhia reported that he would like to create an ad hoc committee to begin the process of collecting funds and building a faculty club which will be located between the Main Building and the Library. He added that the College of Architecture will aid in designing the building. Dr. El-Kikhia concluded by asking that Faculty Senators who are interested in working on the committee to contact him.
B. Secretary of the General Faculty – Dr. James McDonald
Dr. McDonald noted that he created a final newsletter which will be available on the Governance website. He concluded that he would add additional information from Faculty Senators if they desire to forward it to him.
C. Provost’s Report – Dr. Rosalie Ambrosino
Dr. Ambrosino reported that the Texas Legislature may have an opportunity to review tuition revenue bonds this year, even though tuition revenue bonds are only reviewed every other biennium. She added that the Provost’s Office has put together a new proposal for UTSA tuition revenue bonds which includes a priority for an Engineering Building and a second priority for a Science, Technology, and Math Building.
Dr. Ambrosino also discussed the issue of accountability. She noted that President Romo was listed in the Houston Chronicle as being one of the most frugal spenders compared to other university presidents. She reminded Faculty Senators to be aware of their spending regarding travel, and to submit tax exemptions on time.
Dr. Ambrosino reported that a strategic planning retreat for UTSA will be held May 18-19, 2006, in Boerne, Texas. She noted that about sixty members of the UTSA community will attend, which includes members from the Development Board, community members, students, and faculty. The purpose of this retreat is to review UTSA’s vision, future, and goals. Specific core groups will be exploring certain areas such as research, teaching, and enrollment management.
Dr. Ambrosino discussed the issue of early termination for faculty members. She said that the Department Faculty Review Advisory Committee should be involved in first and second year reviews, and that early termination policies should be more transparent. She asked the Faculty Senate to set up an ad hoc committee to look into the issue of early termination for faculty.
Dr. Ambrosino noted that many universities across the United States are developing a post-tenure policy. This policy would be put into place due to tenured faculty who had ceased work on their tenure-ship. Dr. Ambrosino explained that this policy would ensure that tenured faculty are still meeting publication, research, and teaching expectations. She added that an ad hoc committee should be developed to look into the post-tenure review and Periodic Performance Evaluation issues.
Dr. Manuel Berriozábal asked Dr. Ambrosino about an update regarding the awarding of HEB Graduate Scholarships discussed at the Faculty Senate meeting held April 13, 2006.
Dr. Ambrosino replied that she met with Dr. Dorothy Flannagan and with La Raza to discuss the lack of diversity of the scholarship winners. She said that only two Hispanic students applied for the scholarship. Processes are currently being put into place to develop outreach plans that will recruit Hispanic graduate and doctoral students to apply for these scholarships.
D. Committees
1. University Curriculum Committee – Dr. Manuel Berriozábal
Dr. Berriozábal proposed a title change for the Learning Communities course Sophomore Interest Group to Sophomore Seminar. Motion approved.
Dr. Berriozábal also presented a proposal to remove the reference to the UTHSCSA Bachelor of Sciences Degree in Nursing from the Undergraduate Catalog. The rationale for this change is that it will eliminate confusion that admission will be guaranteed into the Bachelor of Sciences Degree Program in Nursing of the UTHSCSA because Pre-Nursing course work through the College of Sciences had been completed at UTSA. It will clarify that students may take prescribed curriculum for pre-nursing at UTSA, but must then competitively apply to the UTHSCSA Nursing Program to graduate with a Nursing degree.
Dr. Judith Walmsley asked if certain Biology courses taken by students in the Nursing Program would still be available.
Dr. Alan Vince responded that these courses will remain in the Chemistry or Biology section under Allied Health Science Courses in the UTSA Undergraduate Catalog.
All motions made, seconded, and approved.
E. Graduate Consent Calendar
Recommend substantive approval for Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering Degree Program – Approved.
F. Open Forum
Dr. El-Kikhia made a motion that three ad hoc committees be set up to review various policies and procedures. The Ad Hoc Committee on Faculty Termination will be set up to review faculty termination procedures and policies. He requested that if a faculty member is terminated within the first two years of their employment, the termination should be reviewed by the Department Faculty Review Advisory Committee for recommendation purposes. The Ad Hoc Committee on Promotion and Tenure will review notions of a post-tenure review, as requested by Dr. Rosalie Ambrosino. The Ad Hoc Committee on Periodic Performance Evaluation will review merit and evaluation policies and criteria.
All motions made, seconded, and approved.
Members serving on the Ad Hoc Committee on Faculty Termination are Drs. Mark Allen, Kirsten Gardner, and Manny Berriozábal. Members serving on the Ad Hoc Committee on Promotion and Tenure are Drs. James McDonald, Rocky Shih, and Aaron Cassill. Members serving on the Ad Hoc Committee on Periodic Performance Evaluation are Drs. Cherylon Robinson, Betty Travis, and Lorenzo Brancaleon.
III. New Business
None
IV. Adjournment
Comments or questions to jennifer.milner@utsa.edu