September 20, 2013
Highlights from the Sept. 10 Faculty Senate meeting
Sept. 10
Guests:
• Provost Mason was present and discussed the upcoming work on a climate survey to be distributed to faculty, unclassified professionals and classified employees. She also announced the final Campus Master Plan was released this weekend. More information was in a previous K-State Today announcement.
• Annual reports were provided to Faculty Senate. These included a report from the office of affirmative action, the general grievance chair, the mediation coordinator, the ombudspersons and the honor and integrity system.
Consent agenda:
• There was no consent agenda.
Standing committee and Student Senate reports:
• Academic Affairs: Senator Rick Zajac, on behalf of Senator Andrew Bennett, moved to approve the one discussion agenda item: a new Bachelor of Science in personal financial planning. This was approved. He also updated senators on other committee work.
• Faculty Affairs: Senator Betsy Cauble related a large number of matters to Senate that the Faculty Affairs Committee will be working on this year. There were several University Handbook items that will be worked on, such as language in Section B, Section C, Appendix M and Appendix U. The committee will also be reviewing items that have come out of the faculty salaries and fringe benefits committee, as well as a number of other topics.
• Faculty Senate Committee on Technology: Senator Don Crawford updated senators about transition to Microsoft Office 365 email system. Approximately 14,000 students have already been transitioned with the main issue being setting it up on mobile devices. The transition will take place in a tiered manner, with the goal being everyone will be transitioned by the end of the calendar year.
•Faculty Senate Committee on University Planning Meeting Schedules, Agendas and Minutes: Senator Barbara Anderson reported on the committee meeting this month. Committee members discussed budget reallocation issues briefly and mainly focused on their plans for the year. She also requested faculty volunteers for the City and University Special Project Fund committee. They need to submit three faculty names to the city.
• Student Senate: Senator Eli Schooley reported that Student Senate began its meetings just last week. Main items for this year will be Student Union renovation plans, the desire to have revisions to the smoking policy on campus and taking up the discussion once again of rental inspections and city transit with the new City Commission this year.
Announcements:
• President Keen extended appreciation to all for their attendance at the General Faculty meeting on Sept. 5. The Faculty Senate Constitution revisions were approved unanimously. These revisions included a new standing committee, Professional Staff Affairs, and various changes to outdated language and process.
• The newly approved Faculty Senate standing committee on Professional Staff Affairs will meet jointly with Faculty Affairs on Oct. 15 to elect a chair and discuss agenda items for the year. They will then begin meeting individually beginning in November. An email with details regarding the selection of committee members was sent to caucus chairs yesterday.
For the Good of the University:
• She reminded senators of the upcoming State of the University Addresses in Manhattan and Salina on Sept. 20 and Oct. 3, respectively. This was announced in K-State Today.
Julia Keen, P.E., HBDP, PhD
Faculty Senate president
associate professor
architectural engineering and construction science
Kansas State University
248 Seaton Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506
785-532-3575