University Senate Links
University Senate
MEMORANDUM
Date: September 24, 2004
To: The Academic Community
From: Debra Berlanstein
Subject: September 13, 2004 - Meeting of the University Senate
The first regular meeting of the University Senate was held on September 6, 2004, in the University Union, Rooms 314-316. The meeting was called to order at 4:10 P.M.
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
The approval of the May 3, 2004 minutes was postponed until the September 20th meeting.
INTRODUCTION OF PRESIDENT CARET TO THE UNIVERSITY SENATE
Chairperson Holter introduced President Caret to the Senate.
His remarks reiterated several issues from his fall address including:
The Strategic Plan is being updated to a TU 2010 document, which will be updated each year.
A summary of 25 goals and 75 action items will be circulated to the faculty for comment.
Enrollment and Budget drive our enterprise. Towson University is slated for growth over the next several years. We plan to grow 300-500 per year until we reach 20,000 or perhaps 30,000. We must obtain more state monies for such growth.
We have dropped from 95% percentile in terms of state funding to 75%.
The University has added $12 million to the budget from increased student tuition.
65% of this was allocated to the academic enterprise: salary increases, new faculty lines, increase in graduate assistants, financial aid, PC replacements for faculty; student life.
35% was allocated to the administrative enterprise to cover insurance, debt service, utility costs, enhanced commencement budget, marching band.
Instructional side money has risen 2% in the past two years.
The System is looking at numerous ways to gain economies and efficiencies including the following the academic areas:
1. Enforcement of faculty workload guidelines: all campuses must be at the mid-point of the range.
2. Elimination of low enrollment courses and programs
3. Sale of surplus System assets
4. Expansion of Distance Education
5. Getting students through degree programs more efficiently and quickly, including capping programs where possible at 120 credits; implementing disincentives for students to stay too long; more efficient use of facilities on Fridays, evenings, and weekends.
Towson is looking at requiring all students to take 12 credits outside the classroom in such experiences as internships, cooperative experiences, clinical experiences, and study abroad.
President Caret fielded questions from the floor and made the following points:
We need better means of computing workload. In increasing the academic enterprise by 2%, the administrative enterprise has made a 1% cutback. The budget is at the printers now and will be available shortly. We have been increasing our dependency on full time non-tenure track and adjunct faculty in the past several years.
Chairperson Holter thanked President Caret for his presentation.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Chairperson Holter turned the meeting over to Prof. Richard Vatz, the Chair of the Nominating Committee, to conduct the election.
The following officers were elected:
Parliamentarian: Prof. Darren Goins
Secretary: Ms. Debbie Berlanstein
Member at Large: Prof. Jonathan Leshnoff
Vice-Chairperson: Prof. Jennifer Ballangee
There were two nominees for Chairperson: Prof. Norma Holter and Prof. Tim Sullivan. Prof. Sullivan was elected.
Prof. Siegel moved, Prof. Little seconded a motion to ask that the Senate establish a committee or some body to advise the President on the Strategic Plan and to report back at the October meeting.
Prof. Sullivan said that he thought the Senate Executive Committee could handle it. The motion passed.
Assistant Provost Deborah Leather made a statement thanking Prof. Holter for her work as Chair of the Senate during a difficult period of the University.
Prof. Vatz moved, Prof. Stein seconded a motion to make this a Senate resolution. This motion passed by acclamation.
The Senate gave Chairperson Holter a standing ovation.
The Senate recessed until September 20 at 4:00 p.m.