Minutes

Faculty Council

HAL Hall of Honor

Date: June 16, 2004

Time: 3:00 p.m.

Members

Present: Dr. Judy Dye, Education

Dr. Jeanne Wright, Education

Ms. Harriett Pullen, Arts & Sciences

Dr. Steven Taylor, Arts & Sciences

Dr. James Elithorp, Arts & Sciences

Mr. John Patton, Communication & Fine Arts

Dr. Catherine Allard, Communication & Fine Arts

Dr. David Dye, Communication & Fine Arts

Dr. Suzanne Stokes, Health & Human Services

Dr. Edith Smith, Health & Human Services

Dr. Iris Saltiel, Phenix City

Absent with

Notice: Dr. Jerome Bibbins, Business

Dr. James Day, Arts & Sciences

Ms. Jean Pate, Health & Human Services

Dr. Jim Hoyt, Business

Dr. Ben Mason, University College

Ms. Betty Chancellor, Library

Dr. Ed Pappanastos, Business

Dr. Victor Ortloff, Arts & Sciences

Dr. Catherine Strickland, Education

Other

Attendees: Dr. Ed Roach, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

Dr. Henry Stewart, Dean of Library Services

Ms. Susan Halley, Assistant Professor, Nursing

Dr. Lorraine McGrath, Assistant Professor, Accounting/IS

Ms. Helen Lam, Head Technical Services, Library

Mr. Michael Orlofsky, Associate Professor, English

The meeting was called to order by the President, Dr. Suzanne Stokes.

1. Roll was called by the secretary, Jo Williamson.

2. Approval of Minutes from March 11, 2004

A grammatical error in the Committee on Committee Report was noted and corrected.

The minutes were approved as amended.

3. Dr. Stokes welcomed Dr. Ed Roach, Dr. Henry Stewart, and the new Faculty Council members for 2004-05, Ms. Susan Halley, Dr. Lorraine McGrath, Ms. Helen Lam, and Mr. Michael Orlofsky.

4. Guest comments

One Great University update: Dr. Ed Roach

Dr. Roach began by saying that the common general studies program has been approved. Members of an Alignment Group are looking at the three different curricular. Some programs report to different deans or different colleges, and these issues will need to be resolved. In the common curriculum we must be cognizant of total number of hours in a degree. We don’t want a degree that has hours beyond what our system institution will be required. We want basically to have 120 hour degrees.

A committee is looking at the next phase for working with SACS and will develop a prospectus that will go to SACS in September. In one area we are dealing with principles of accreditation and secondly we are consolidating. In July we will be going to Atlanta to work with the folks who are working on this project to be sure we get our prospectus in and in appropriate format. When this is finished, it will be acted on by the Committee on Colleges in December. The Substantive Change visit will be in Fall 2005. These are very complex issues and we are working towards a common catalog. Right now we are dealing with issues that ACHE has not dealt with regarding merging and consolidation of 4-year schools.

Consolidating university committees is being looked at from a university wide perspective. There are still policy issues in the new bulletin that are being addressed. The three faculty councils will meet to work on one constitution.

Regarding building updates, the English wing renovation of Smith Hall is a short-term project which should be completed in August. The new construction next to McCartha will be a multi-phase project. When completed, the classrooms will be fully equipped technologically.

5. Reports

a. Committee on Committees Report to the Chancellor: Dr. Stokes

The Committee on Committees Report was submitted to the Chancellor on March 31. Dr. Roach, Dr. Barron, Dr. Davis, and Mr. Barron reviewed the report and complimented the subcommittee on the excellent job that obviously resulted from a lot of work. The recommended improvements will not be incorporated into the Troy Campus standing committee structure for the coming academic year except for those areas required to align a committee with the FC Constitution. However, the report will be used as a guide for the reconfiguration of the OGU committees for the AY 2005-2006.

b. Council activities since the last meeting: Dr. Stokes

· April 1: the Trop ran a front page story, “Faculty constitution approved by Chancellor.”

· Chancellor’s luncheons were held in Troy on April 8 and in Phenix City on April 29.

· April 14: Dr. Stokes appeared on Trojan Talk to discuss the Faculty Council Constitution.

· April 15: Dr. Stokes represented Troy faculty in recognizing Bethany Dye for her leadership in the STARS program of the Higher Education Partnership.

· April 16: Dr. Stokes attended the Board of Trustees meeting and gave the following report: “Troy State University is blessed to have a diverse faculty. This wide range of perspectives is important for the excellence in the academic programs that we provide. Over the past week, I asked at least one faculty member from each department, Phenix City, and University College, to let me know their feelings about the University’s name change. I wasn’t disappointed with the emotion that was shown in their responses. Overall more than 2/3 of the faculty that shared their opinions, pro or con, supported changing the name of Troy State University to Troy University.”

· April 23: Dr. Stokes represented faculty at the Quad Dedication and Luncheon.

In addition, the Faculty Council President has a seat on the OGU Transitional Undergraduate Admissions Task Force and the OGU Faculty Work Load Task Force.

6. Unfinished Business

There was no unfinished business.

7. New Business

a. Regalia: Dr. Allard

Some faculty have expressed concern over the wearing of inappropriate regalia for commencement which raises a question of integrity. After some discussion as to whether there are guidelines governing regalia, Dr. David Dye moved that the Council recommend that a statement should be included in the letter from the Graduation Planning Committee regarding proper academic regalia. Dr. David Dye and Dr. Jeanne Wright volunteered to outline a proposal for the August 25 meeting.

b. Higher Education Partnership affiliate membership: Dr. Stokes

The purpose of the Higher Education Partnership is to provide a unified voice for institutions of higher education in Alabama in legislative matters.

Affiliate membership is $50 per year; the money goes to support the Partnership’s efforts. This level of membership is available to groups such as Faculty Councils & Senates, Alumni groups (The TSU Alumni Association is one of seven alumni affiliates – the others are Montevallo, JSU, UA, UAB, UNA, & UWA), colleges and schools within an institution (ex: the schools of Nursing and Dentistry at UAB), and other university groups. Names have been requested of other Faculty Councils who are members but names have not been submitted at this time.

Dr. Stokes asked for a motion to ask Dr. Roach, as chief academic officer, to take under advisement funding affiliate membership for our Faculty Council. Motion was introduced, seconded, and passed.

c. Troy University Faculty Council Constitution: Dr. Stokes

On June 17, Dr. Roach will meet with Dr. Stokes, Sandra Harris (TSUM) and Bob Saunders (TSUD) to discuss a process for organizing a Troy University Faculty Council. The Faculty Council will be kept informed of the process and progress.

d. Dr. Elithorp expressed concern regarding the traffic lights in front of the Quad. It was noted that vehicles often do not stop for the lights and there is talk that the traffic lights will be removed altogether. The traffic poses a real safety issue for pedestrians. Dr. David Dye made a motion to invite Herb Reeves or his representative to address this issue at the next meeting. Motion was seconded and passed.

d. Introduction of Faculty Council officers for 2004-05

Dr. Stephen Taylor, President

Dr. Iris Saltiel, Vice President

Dr. Jeanne Wright, Secretary

Meeting was adjourned at 4:20 p.m.

Fall meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 25, at noon.