February 23, 2012
Feb. 14 Faculty Senate meeting highlights
Here are the highlights from the Feb. 14 Faculty Senate meeting. Meeting minutes will be available on the website as they are approved by Faculty Senate.
Faculty Senate minutes for the Dec. 13 meeting have been posted to our website.
Feb. 14:
Guests:
· Provost April Mason reported on two jointly appointed work groups which will begin work very soon. One is the Professional Titles work group, discussed last month, and the other is a work group to discuss interdisciplinary programs at Kansas State and the process by which they are approved as well as how they will fundamentally work. She also discussed the stages of dean searches.
Standing committee and Student Senate reports:
· Academic Affairs: Senator Andrew Bennett presented one discussion agenda item for approval; a new graduate certificate in adult learning from the College of Education. Th enew certificate was approved. Consent agenda course and curriculum changes and graduation list additions were approved. The task force to review K-State 8 tagging and criteria is continuing to meet. Also, a definition for credit hour was presented to senate and approved with minor revisions.
· Faculty Affairs: After much efforts and work, Senator Judy Hughey presented revisions to University Handbook, Appendix G. These revisions were approved as presented. Senator Hughey also indicated sections A, B, and C of the University Handbook will be presented to Faculty Affairs this month for possible inclusion on the senate agenda in March. Senator Knopp reported on other committeework: Clinical faculty language has been approved by the BOR and will be presented to senate next month forapproval. Discussion over the anti-bullying policy continues. A professional titles work group will begin meeting this month.
· FSCOT: Senator David Rintoul informed senators about continued discussion regarding textbook reporting, the email issues of late,and other committee work.
· FSCOUP: Senator Bob Condia reported on their recent meeting. They met with Ben Champion regarding sustainability and the role FSCOUP may be able to play in this important matter. Also discussed was a possible faculty commons at Kansas State University.
· Student Senate: Senator Natalie Rauth yielded her time to allow student from the K-State Proud Campaign to report to senators on this campaign and how they can help.
New Business:
· The Mediation Services annual report was presented as an informational item.
· An addition to PPM 4060 was approved by senators. This was in response to a Board of Regents request to be certain all are aware of their responsibility to report any incident of child sexual abuse they become a witness to.
· Honorary Degree Procedures – An amendment was made to the procedures approved in December 2010 to approve honorary degrees at Kansas State University.
Announcements:
· President Vontz announced that Cats in the Capitol will take place on Thursday, Feb. 16, in the afternoon and invited senators to join them in going to Topeka.
· President Vontz commented that in addition to the two work groups Provost Mason reported on, there isalso one other work group that will begin meeting, which is the work group toreview Appendix J and PPM 3010.