October 31, 2003

Members Present:  Alexander, Daughhetee, Dunne, Hamilton, Hardig, Parker, Puleo, Scott, Simone, Spicer, Truss, Walsh

CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 2:00 pm.

The minutes of the October 17, 2003 meeting were approved with corrections.

PRESIDENT'S REPORT

Release Time
President Parker explained that he is eligible to receive release time in order to carry out his duties as President of the faculty senate.  He has asked for a two-course reduction in Spring semester rather than one course for each of the Fall and Spring semesters.

Adjust Faculty Members
Dr. Parker raised the question of how to best have the interests of adjunct faculty members represented in the faculty senate.

Alabama Faculty Senate Presidents
Dr. Parker will travel to Florence, Alabama to participate in a meeting of Alabama Faculty Senate Presidents on November 14, 2003. (Thus, he will not be present at the next UM faculty meeting).  Issues the senate suggested he bring to that meeting included:
(a)  finding out how other university senates investigate some of the issues the UM faculty senate has undertaken for this year (salaries, policies, etc.)
(b)  outsourcing at other universities
(c)  how to follow-up with the faculty survey results
(d) what are other universities doing with regard to convocations and graduations, and the inclusion or exclusion of prayer in those events.

UM Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees will meet on November 7, 2003.  Dr. Parker will present an update of the Faculty Senate's agenda at this meeting.

COMMITTEE, SUBCOMMITTEE AND SPECIAL PROJECT REPORTS
Academic Policies
>On behalf of the Subcommittee on Excused Absences Policy, Senator Truss requested that senators solicit feedback from their colleagues regarding excused absences policy.

Faculty Morale
>Analysis of faculty satisfaction survey.
The committee is working on the text of a report outlining the results of their work.

>Sabbatical policy.
No report at this time.

>Sick day/catastrophic leave policy
Not active right now.

>Child care benefits
No report at this time.

>Faculty lounge
President Parker will ask when the next Space utilization Committee meeting will be.

>University Scholars Wall
No report at this time.

>Faculty use policies
Senator Parker will request documentation of the policy presently in use.

Budget
Senator Hamilton presented an handout outlining the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 UM budgets.

Salary Administration Policy
Senator Spicer noted that AAUP salary data are available and the committee may want to consider these data as a source of comparison.

Technology
Senator Walsh clarified the [procedure for obtaining software.  Requests should be made through the annual work plan submitted to SCT.

Bookstore Policies/Procedures
An advisory committee has been established by the bookstore.  President Parker has requested that the faculty senate be represented on that committee.  The committee already has a seat reserved for a faculty member (a non-senator has been invited), but it is possible for another seat to be added for a senator.  Dr. Daughhetee agreed to be recommended for this seat.

Commencement/Convocation Policies
Dr. Parker reiterated the importance of examining the procedure for selecting speakers.

Faculty and University Policies
an issues regarding university policies involves the timing of proposed policy changes, whereby faculty members have little or no opportunity to comment on the changes.  President Parker wi;l request clarification of the procedure for policy changes to ascertain whether there is enough time for faculty or their senate representatives to have input and to find out how faculty members can view former versions of policies for comparison.

LIASIONS
OSP
Senator Simone shared the OSP newsletter and the substance of the OSP meeting he attended (including President McChesney's remarks)

SGA
No report at this time.

Montevallo Chamber of Commerce
No report at this time.

OTHER
The following points were made:
Invitation to the Board of Trustees - We need to take some initiative to make this happen in conjunction with the spring meeting of the Board of Trustees.
CASE Professor - The senate may receive one nomination form the dean of each college and then make a recommendation from these nominees.

ADJOURNMENT

The meting was adjourned at 3:05 pm.