[Approved November 27, 2006]

Minutes of the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate

November 20, 2006

St. Mary’s 113 B; 10:00 AM

Present: J. Biddle, D. Biers (presiding), D. Courte, P. Johnson, W. Luckett, M. Morton, J.O’Gorman, R. Penno, F. Pestello, M. Schmitz, A. Seielstad

J. Farrelly (Faculty Board)

Roll Call:

Eleven of the twelve members of the Committee were present.

Prayer:

D. Biers opened the meeting with a prayer.

Approval of Minutes:

November 13, 2006 approved.

Announcements:

• In order for someone to serve on the Executive Committee from the SOEAP, the meeting time will need to be changed next semester. Please submit second semester schedules to D. Biers.
• The ELC meets on Tuesday, November 21. Implications of the budget will be discussed.
• Evaluation forms for the three candidates of the VP of Enrollment Management are due in the Provost Office by the end of the work day on November 21.
• A member of the Executive Committee has been requested to serve on the search committee for the diversity director in HR. D. Courte agreed to do this.
• J. Carter would like to consult with the Academic Senate on how to best consult with the University community about major changes in health care plans that will be implemented in January 2008. She will be asked to an Executive Committee meeting and then to a meeting of the full Academic Senate in the winter 2007.

Old Business:

The following reports were received:

· J. Biddle reported for the Academic Policies Committee of the Academic Senate. The Committee did not meet this week.

· D. Biers reported for the Faculty Affairs Committee of the Academic Senate. They have forwarded a final draft of the Faculty Background Check document to the Executive Committee for discussion and for Senate action. They also held a discussion of the Habits of Inquiry document. D. Biers will provide J. Biddle with a summary statement of this discussion. Individual members have also been asked to provide summaries to J. Biddle.

· W. Luckett reported for the Student Academic Policies Committee of the Academic Senate. They met Nov. 17 to discuss the Promotion and Tenure document and the Habits of Inquiry document. They will provide information on both of these. They are considering the possibility of an Honor Board in relationship to an Honor Code.

· D. Biers reported that the minutes of the October 24 meeting of the Provost Council are not available because they have not been approved. The Honors/Scholars program is putting together a faculty committee to facilitate its work. An update to ECAS and the Academic Senate may take place this year.

· R. Penno continues to work on putting together information on the various committees and will have an update next week. He will also look at suggestions for the preamble.

· The Statement on Professionalism will be discussed at a forum to be organized by the Faculty Board in the second term.

· Agenda items for the Executive Committee were requested. Send these to D. Biers.

New Business:

• A new time will need to be determined for Executive committee meetings in the second term. Please submit schedules to D. Biers.
• The Academic Policies Committee has submitted the recommendation of the Calendar Committee for forwarding to the Provost Council. Moved and seconded this action passed unanimously. It was noted that this is for one year only. Classes that meet on T and Th will only have 42 contact hours. There is confusion about the Calendar Committee. There is a Calendar Committee chaired by the Registrar and an ad hoc Calendar Committee instituted by the Academic Senate. Most of the membership is overlapping. The Provost asked that these committees be clarified. It was noted that the first is the University Committee that reports to the Provost. The Senate committee should make recommendations about the scheduling of classes and study days for Academic Senate action and then should no longer be needed.
• The Faculty Affairs Committee submitted recommendation to the Executive Committee on Faculty Background Checks. Discussion of the document raised several issues that may call for changes in the document. Standards of what would count as grounds for rescinding an offer may to be more clearly delineated. It was noted that a request for this had been made, but that Legal Affairs had not approved such a list. It was noted that diversity goals could be negatively impacted by this policy. It was suggested that the link to job qualifications should be specifically considered in determining the impact of a background check. The document will be numbered DOC I-06-12 and will be placed in document form, noting that it was submitted by the Office of the Provost and the Department of Human Resources, that the date is December 1, 2006, the action is Consultative, and the Reference is Art. II. 3.c. J. Cater and J. Hart will be asked to attend.
• The agenda for the December 1, 2006 meeting of the Academic Senate will include the election of an Education Senator to the Executive Committee and DOC I-06-12

Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 11:35 AM.

Respectfully Submitted,

Patricia A. Johnson, Secretary