November 19, 2012
Highlights from the Nov. 13 Faculty Senate meeting
Faculty Senate minutes for the Oct. 9 meeting have been posted to our website: http://www.k-state.edu/facsen/facsenate/2013/minutes.html
Nov. 13, 2012:
Guests:
• KSU Foundation president and CEO, Fred Cholick gave an update to Faculty Senate on annual gift giving and various other benefits the Foundation provides to Kansas State University.
Consent agenda:
• President Elect Keen presented the consent agenda containing several course and curriculum changes from the various colleges as well as a few graduation list corrections. It was approved as submitted.
New business
• A motion to rescind previous (June 2012) action taken by Faculty Senate with regard to K-State Eight tagging revisions was presented to the Executive Committee in October and was signed by the necessary number of faculty and unclassified professionals to be placed on the Faculty Senate agenda. Several Faculty Senators and guests presented their arguments. The motion to rescind did not pass.
Standing committee and Student Senate reports:
• Student Senate: Senator Emilee Taylor updated Faculty Senate about initiatives going on in Student Senate. Student Senate is hosting the upcoming Pizza and Politics event on Nov. 15.
• Academic Affairs: Senator Andrew Bennett noted there was one new course proposal on the discussion agenda. Typically, this kind of proposal would be placed with the consent agenda. However, it was on the discussion agenda due to the fact the department was requesting to reissue the same course number which had been accidently dropped over a year ago. Since policy states a course number should not be reissued within 5 years of it being deleted this was being presented to senate for their decision. Senators voted to approve this course with the same course number.
• Faculty Affairs: Senator Melia Fritch reported there were no action items; however she reminded senators that last year and this year the University Handbook and Policy Committee has been reviewing and making revisions to the main sections of the University Handbook. Therefore, in the coming months Faculty Affairs will be bringing forward the next sections of the University Handbook for senate approval. Also, they have just received the report and recommendations from the Professional Titles Working Group and will begin reviewing it.
• Faculty Senate Committee on Technology: Senator David Rintoul reported that an e-textbook work group is being formed to discuss possibilities for this method of textbook for the University. He also reported that the University is working towards a 6-month password change system in which you could change your password at a different time other than the start of a semester and the system would then be set to remind you to change your password in six months.
• Faculty Senate Committee on University Planning Meeting Schedules, Agendas, and Minutes: Senator Bob Condia reported that Abe Fattaey, director and university architect, Campus Planning and Facilities, attended their November meeting and gave an update on the various campus projects that have been completed, are in process and are being planned for the future. Ayers Saint Gross was here on campus last week with design plans. Ayers Saint Gross is also working with Housing and Dining and the Student Union to determine their needs. Therefore, the complete master plan may not be available until these are finished.
Announcements:
• Senator Keen reported that members of the Faculty Compensation Improvement Committee are still hoping to meet their Dec. 1 goal of having the report completed.
For the good of the university:
• Senator Lynn-Sherow made a request that Faculty Senate consider inviting the new CEO and Dean of K-State Salina, Verna Fitzsimmons, to a future meeting to get to know her and her vision for Salina.
• Senator Ransom made a request that Faculty Senate Leadership Council consider sending out Executive Committee minutes with Faculty Senate agendas in the future.
Jim Bloodgood
Faculty Senate President
Management
204 Calvin Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506
785.532.3711