University Senate

Memorandum

Date:                   January 28, 2009

To:                       The Academic Community

From:                   Sharon Pitcher, Secretary to the Senate

Subject:             December 1, 2008—Minutes of the Meeting of the University Senate

The fourth regular meeting of the University Senate will be held on Monday, December 1, at 4:00 p.m. in Rooms 314-315 of the University Union.

• CALL TO ORDER

• ROLL CALL – Absent were Professor Brown and Vice President Moriarty.

• APPROVAL OF AGENDA- approved unanimously

• APPROVAL OF MINUTES  - accepted as corrected

• REPORTS OF EX OFFICIO SENATORS

              President Caret –

• Textbook conference held at College Park chaired by David Nevins, looking at the issue of how much the cost of textbooks have gone up. We are looking at ways we can control this cost ourselves rather than have the state legislature get involved.  Although we have to focus on the content of the textbooks for use in our courses, we also need to address this issue.  We are now publishing the ISBN numbers on-line, but he encouraged us to look at this issue to come up with a way to deal with this but keep the costs reasonable. Senator Guy, SGA President commented that six students attended the conference, and we are having our conference on this on Dec. 9.

• New website called “Juicycampus.com” - discussion about blocking the site have included two attorney generals.  The stuff that is on there is ugly, aimed at individuals, and submitted anonymously but we have decided not to block the site unless it becomes a hate crime situation. State of New Jersey is going after them on the grounds that they are not controlling the site as they said they did.  Our attorney general is looking into following suit.  This could be approached in the same way as libraries do to not put books on the self.  If we are going to block sites, then we need to have guidelines to do this.

                            Professor Ballengee asked about who was attacked.  Dr. Caret                                                    answered that two students were attacked. 

• Bohanan Commission report looks at higher education funding in the state to find some way to level it and how to relate that to historical Black campuses to keep them competitive to white campuses.  The report is being drafted and will be finished by end of December.  Like the Lawson commission report, which put the comprehensives in middle of concerns, this report will hopefully work well for Towson.

• Budget – nobody knows what is happening.  Once we have  a estimate, then we have to wait for further estimates from the state. Recent budget information implies that the numbers are worse than the worse estimate.  Sales tax and transfer taxes from home sales, and income taxes are all down.  There could be significant cuts for the Spring semester so we are preparing to do this.  For 2010 we are looking for another 400 million cut. It is unlikely that we will see merit money or refurbishing money.  Furloughs are possible.  We will fight it as much as we can.  This can be a political issue because the state wants to treat everyone the same. The new president and his stimulus package could help the state through this process.  Tuition increases, though, are likely. Professor Worgs asked about the CLA building.  Dr. Caret answered that the capital budgets are often not as affected as the operating budgets.  The system is looking at all capital budgets looking at workforce needs.  What we have going against us is the cost but it looks like we are going to be okay. Professor Vatz shared that he heard that the furloughs were definite.  Dr. Caret reply that it isn’t definite but the stimulus package could affect this.  If mortgage rates drop and people get comfortable with the new administration, that this could turn around slowly. Professor Bergman  stated that he read that the public universities may be a place that the Obama team may be looking at helping.  Are there any groups lobbying for this?  President Caret explained that ASKU is working on this and in a good position to fight for this.

Provost Clements -

• Grants and Contracts – Mathematics’ Department received a grant to work with high schools.  We received another grant for $200, 000 to study eco-system in Baltimore working with K-12.

• STEM related events – Science and Tech day – Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Grasmick attended along with Don Thomas.

• President has been very supportive of approving 92 faculty hires, 65 are replacement pins and 27 new faculty lines have been on hold for when we hear about the budget.  We were originally approved for 11 staff hires and most are still approved.

• Enrollment for next year will depend on whether money is available for growth.

• A Cultural Diversity Bill has been put forward asking universities to collect data on diversity event and costs. We are beginning to collect this data.

• Chapter 3 is still at the States Attorney’s office.  We are following up. We will be launching a Faculty Development Task Force before the semester is over. Professor Bergman stated that he is on the University P&T  Committee and they need a copy of the document at the States Attorney’s office.  They have requested copies but didn’t get it. Provost Clements responded that the committee needed to contact his office. He would look into it.

President Rubin –

• $1 million gift is earmarked for the 10% program. This kind of gift in this economy is amazing.  We are moving ahead on the giving campaign. We are 60% ahead in the amount of Alumni gifts but the dollars are less. He encouraged everyone to please get their gifts in.  The amount of donors is as important as the amount given.We are doing well for the state of the economy.  Professor Siegel asked about the top 10% program.  She thought it was a pilot program and questioned whether it came to the Senate.  Provost Clements suggested that he would be glad to meet about this.

VP Sheehan -

• He shared that last meeting of the chief financial officers in the system was cancelled.

REPORTS OF OFFICERS OF THE UNIVERSITY SENATE

Professor Siegel, CUSF -

• They are re-writing old policies about intellectual freedom and the nepotism policy (this policy may be really changed and we need to look at it). President Caret commented that the nepotism policy is being addressed right now.  Definition of who is considered is what is being most addressed.

• CUSF is also concerned with the budget cuts.

• They are offering a workshop for new chairs and deans.

• CUSEF supports the effort to look into the cost of textbooks and are supporting the students in this effort.

•  Posters for research are being suspended for this year.

Professor Ballengee, AAUP –

• AAUP has been asked to put representatives on the Middle states work groups.  Needs more representation from COFAC and the College of Business.

• The Second Friday series is continuing. Professor Vatz presented in November and the Provost will present on December 12 on, “The Changes in Universities”. AAUP president, Professor Ballengee, thanked Provost’s office for appetizers at last meeting.

• The Family Leave Committee is working on a report.

• The Chronicle of Higher Education had an interesting article on faculty salaries.

Senator Guy, SGA –

• SGA teamed up with police and some faculty to do a night walk to see what was not lit well or not safe.  They are putting together a report.

• Make it Count will air on Wednesday form 2-5 on CBS radio on “Economy, Environment and Diversity”.

• Tiger Pride Day is February 13 – We will be going down to share with the legislature about how special Towson is and lobby hard.

• NEW BUSINESS

• Motion 08/09-12:  To Accept the Annual Report of the Information Technology Committee.  (attached)

(Senate Executive Committee) Motioned accepted 20-0-0.

• Motion 08/09-11:  To Accept the Annual Report of the Library Committee. (attached)

(Senate Executive Committee) Motioned accepted 20-0-0

• Motion 08/09-13:  To Accept the Annual Report of the Faculty Development and Research Committee.  (attached)

 (Senate Executive Committee)

Professor Siegel asked if there are any funds that come from the Foundation for Faculty Development?  VP Rubin responded that he would have to check.  Professor Siegel suggested that this should be an important area for the foundation to contribute to.

Motioned carried 20-0-0

• Discussion Item: General Education Committee Final Report            

(Senate Executive Committee)

Dean Cooney shared how the report would be shared. The intention is to circulate the entire report to the faculty and begin the discussion.  Professor Siegel asked about the estimation of the costs of the changes (staffing, library, small classes). Will we be able to discuss this, too, or only the education issues?  Dean Cooney responded that we probably would discuss this.  The Freshman Seminar is the one that will have considerable discussion. Questions of logistics do matter.  It would be interesting to look at the average class sizes by college and the size being suggested may not be that different. Professor Maronick asked whether the possibility of having these discussions by February with end of semester responsibilities, Christmas and not many here in January being considered.  Dean Cooney suggested that if we don’t move forward in that time frame it may not be enough time to effect Fall 2009.

Professor Bergman complimented Dean Cooney’s committee’s excellent work.  He asked if College Councils will have a chance to comment on this.  Cooney answered that the committee would be open to meeting with them.  Prof. Zimmerman asked if the committee will follow up after the changes are in effect. Cooney suggested that it takes several years before new curriculum is in place and he said that curriculum committees will be doing this.

Professor Sullivan asked, “If I understand the nature of the Freshman Seminar, how will a college department handle teaching this as part of the work load?”  Cooney responded that this will be part of the work that all of us do.  The Provost thanked Dean Cooney for the excellent work of his committee on this.  Professor Sulllivan suggested that faculty who teaches the Seminar should be accommodated.

Cooney was asked when this report will be available and the Provost suggested that it would be up on the website this week but senators could distribute this to their colleges.

• Discussion Item:  Campus Safety Report

      Bernie Girst, Chief of the Towson University Police & Director of Publid Safety presented.

• He congratulated Kristen Guy and SGA on how organized the walk was.
• The numbers for 2008 were as of November 12.  We are doing better this year.  Burglaries are down in 2008.
• Assaults are up in slightly in 2008 but aggravated assaults are down.
• We have ten total violent crimes so far for 2008. 
• The overall trends are at or below 1995 with a larger campus. We had the second lowest of amount of crimes for the University System.

President Caret shared that the police force have done a wonderful job on the campus and that Colonel Gerst has done a great job on working with Baltimore County and thanked him for his leadership.  Gerst shared that cooperation from Baltimore County has been great.

• We are working on updating our emergency plan.  Our Emergency Operation plan is based on the types of training for emergency planning and practice.  We already have a safety video on the website but now we have one on Emergency Preparedness Training, which he showed to the Senate.
•      Dec 28 and 29 the vendor will come in to perfect the outside siren system.  We conducted some table-top exercises.  We are working on establishing public address systems in numerous locations.
•      We received a grant to perfect the messaging system.  Over 900 are on the emergency contact system. 
•       Numerous other groups are undergoing training. Building coordinators have been trained. 
•       We participated on a committee for college safety preparedness.  Towson was invited back to participate in a subcommittee to establishing back-up communication centers. There is a Standing Emergency Preparedness Committee that he chairs and Dr Caret chairs a higher level one.

Professor Sullivan thanked Colonel Gerst for his outstanding service to the Towson Community.

• Discussion Item: Proposal for a Tobacco Free Campus 

Vice President Sheehan shared that working with St. Joseph and other neighboring hospitals this was proposed. He read some of the document and shared this will become effective 1/1/11 so there will be a lot of time to put this in place.  Programs will be put in place to help students and faculty who need to quit smoking.  There will be fines ($50) for those who do not follow the policy. This is a work in progress and the Task Force has not finished their work.  Professor Vatz stated that he supports the policy but has a problem with the premises.  As far as he knows, there is no evidence to support the danger of outside smoking.  He thinks we can support a policy without using incorrect premises.  VP Sheehan answered that since this is not his field, he cannot comment.  Professor Cox responded that there are possible effects for people walking through the areas where smoking is being done.  Professor Webster stated that he does not smoke, his family does not smoke but he questioned the proposal.  If we want clean air, we would need to move to another area. He suggests that maybe we need to make sure that the 30-foot rule is enforced and trash picked up. Professor Manasee shared that she is concerned about the resident halls has all sorts of implications.  It seems to veer towards personal rights since it is a living space.  Senator Elfreth suggested that the university is not enforcing the rules already in place and this should start.  Professor Cox stated that this is not a bad habit but an addiction that we have to recognize that there are also campus security issues at state, too, because the students will go to the extremes of the campus to smoke.

• Discussion Item:  Follow-up of Parking Concerns (Senate Executive Committee) This will be held over until next semester.
• Discussion Item:  Update of Clinical Faculty Proposal (Senate Executive Committee)

Professor Zimmerman shared that the committee met to make changes and worked very cooperatively with the deans.  Prof. Maronick reinforced how cooperatively the Deans worked with them especially Dean Lorion.

What was added was a statement of what the Clinical positions would be. They made changes to the criteria.  Also, added commas to requirements to show that they needed all of the requirements. Also, added that the majority of the courses are in clinical/professional programs.  Professor Vatz asked about the ratios of the clinical to tenure-track faculty not being specified and Professor Maronick suggested that they are accepting faith in the provost that this will be considered.  Professor Vatz also agreed that we can trust the current provost to take care of this.  Professor Zimmerman suggested that the requirement that the faculty must agree on the clinical positions should take care of this.  Dean Lorion pointed out that on page 2, item C, does not allow replacing a clinical faculty position for tenure faculty.  He suggests that no dean would replace tenure-track faculty because they would not get resources.  If they go over the 25%, they will have to report it to provost and have it approved by the Senate.  Professor. Manasse asks whether specific departments would have to have clinical programs to use this position. Professor Zimmerman suggested that if the people in the department and chair felt that a clinical faculty position would be appropriate that then this would be covered.  Professor Knutson asked whether 25% of a college’s department could be clinical.  Professor Zimmerman responded that a department could be if the members of the department agree but it is generally unlikely and that they put the 25% in there as an upper limit. Provost Clements shared that this was another time where  a senate committee worked well to improve a document.  Professor Sullivan suggested we should vote on this.  Professor Lawson suggested that the definition on I B defines how the clinical faculty would be decided.  Professor Manasse then suggested that these positions could only be part of a program that is clinical and any department could not have this faculty.  Dean Lorion responded that the purpose of the deans was that only programs with clinical components should be using these positions.

Profesor Zimmerman put the motion forward. Profesor Lawson seconded.

The motion passed 9-0-4.

Professor Vatz added that the Senate was concerned that documents should come to us ahead of the meeting and this one did not.

• Discussion Item:  Update of Creation of Colleges/School (Senate Executive Committee)

Prof. Bergman gave out a report from the Senate committee.  The major issues were three different situations (see top of report for the three).  Structurally is the way they set this up, which includes voting powers in the Dean’s Council.  Also,  they added more ways for the campus community to be involved in the discussion.  They also spelled out the importance of impact statements and complied a list of the groups that should be consulted. Professor Siegel suggests that before this comes up for a vote that we go back and check what was passed originally when colleges were established.  Professor Sullivan has already asked the archivist.  The Provost thanked the group that worked on this and that we have a much better document as a result.  Professor Bergman shared that they saw some urgency because of the School of Nursing.  Senator Guy suggested that the students should also be consulted.

Meeting was adjourned at 6:10.