May 4, 2022

Lamar University Faculty Senate Meeting  
Wednesday, May 04, 2021, 3:30PM  
CICE rms. 113 A&B
Faculty Senate Agenda  

Call to Order, Roll Call (Sign In)  

Attending via Teams:

Eunjin Kwon
Cristina Rios
Chun-Wei Yao
Xenia fedorchenko
Yueqing Li
MKH (mohammad hamza)
Eric Shannon
Taylor Xiao (formerly Gruizinga)
sujing wang
Stephan Malick
Poornima Gunasekaran
Millicent Musyoka
Kelli White
Thinesh Selvaratnam
Raymond
Melissa Riley
Wen Liu
Brendan Gillis
Vince Nix
Yasuko Sato
Ashwini Kucknoor
mohammad hamza
Yueqing Li
Eric Shannon
Ruhai Wang
Chun-Wei Yao
Matt Hoch
Kelly Brown

Attending in person:

Ashley Dockens
Jim Slayden
Tim McCoy
JP Nelson
Kelly Weeks
John Gossage
Nicki Michalski
Lilian Felipe
Jenny Thedford
Jennifer Huff
Ginger Gummelt
Mark Broome
Clayton Jeffryes
Jane Liu
Sharon Joffe
Brielle Frost
Vivek Natarajan
Jennifer Fowler
Cheng-Hsien Lin

President Taylor’s Minute



Many changes have occurred with administrative positions to improve efficiencies and to lessen the heavy upper administration. Some positions have been eliminated after reviewing both outcomes and intent of each position.

Has been purposefully hands off on committees for incoming individuals like Provost, Athletic Director, etc. Have requested the opportunity to select from final three candidates.

Have investigated how other institutions have completed full professor and tenure rank for potential Provost candidates. Going to have the University Professor committee and CID to evaluate each on the front end before someone is offered the Provost position.

Spent a lot of time on athletics this academic year. Made some changes and pulled us back into previous conference (Southland Conference) which means less travel for our student athletes. Plans to focus heavily on academics in coming year.



Equity is still moving forward. Know there is a concern for median vs. mean use – Tony in HR has been recommended by Dr. Taylor to use whichever gives the greater salary increase.



Approval of Minutes – April 2022 Vince Nix motion. James Slaydon second. Passed by unanimous vote.

  

Guest Speakers – N/A



Faculty Senate Committee Chair Reports   



Academic Issues Committee – Melissa Riley  

Met with Dann Brown to discuss grade appeals – individuals who had been found guilty of academic dishonesty requested grade change from an “F” – wants language added to ensure that does not occur in the future.



SGA wants faculty senate to consider supporting no assignments exams etc. 3 days before finals.

Motion for resolution “Three Day “Cardinal Students Power-Up for Finals” (Melissa motion – Garrick seconded)

 

Whereas student success and mental health has been compromised due to COVID-19 and the events that have occurred over the past several years; Whereas the SGA requested faculty to consider no assignments, exams, or projects due three calendar days prior to final exam week to promote student academic success; Be it resolved that faculty are encouraged to have no assignments, exams, projects, etc… due three calendar days prior to final exam week.”



The senate body discussed the whether the resolution referred to 15-week courses or shorter courses as well. Concerns were raised about limiting the ability of faculty to allow students to makeup up work during the last week of classes and questions were raised as to whether or not this infringed on academic freedom. Melissa Riley reminded the senate that the resolution uses the word encouraged and this practice would not be mandated.



James Slaydon motioned the issue be tabled for some rewording – motion passed unanimously.



Faculty Issues Committee – Sujing Wang

The committee is waiting on feedback from Provost and President regarding the grievance policy.



Budget and Compensation Committee – Garrick Harden  

Discussed meeting with new individuals coming in (CFO, Provost, etc) – committee is in a holding pattern at the moment.



Research and Creative Activity – John Gossage  

Nothing to report.



Faculty Evaluation – Millicent Musyoka

Invited two Department Chairs to committee meeting to discuss how they handle the F2.08 process in their department – noticed differences in when F2.08 are requested and when they are due (some February, March) – discussed how they evaluate faculty – e.g., teaching – student evaluations, how courses are designed, CTLE participation, etc..



Faculty Campus Climate Survey has been completed – administrative assistant will collate results and send to everyone.



Student Success – Yasuko Sato

Has been looking into retention and success issues – but not enough members attend committee meetings.



Faculty Handbook – Matt Hoch  

Check Monday campus announcement – r.e. faculty handbook posted for comments – final review before Dr. Nichols asks the Senate to vote on Faculty Handbook.



Changes to preamble now include “dynamic” instead of living document. Need changes to Policies on Policies to reflect timelines for changes to be made.



Policy document is now faculty handbook with links to procedural documents (Manual of Policies and Procedures MAPPs) – there are MAPPS 0.000 that are not linked or are not ready.


Have expressed concern to the provost about these are still in-progress pieces and language needs to be clear indicating as much.



Prior members of handbook committee may continue to serve for up to a year after they leave senate to help with continuity.



Faculty Senate President’s Report   



Provost Search committee – met yesterday to come up with 4 finalists – campus interviews May 16, 17, 23, 24.



Awards Committee – no one has received the University Merit Award for a while. Am working with Ashley and the Provost’s office to create a university committee for awards that will facilitate the granting of faculty awards.

  

Old Business



Vivek question for equity committee – changes with CFO leaving? Garrick Harden is not aware of new changes and has been assured that the process is moving forward.



New Business   

We are being held to higher/different standards than other faculty in Texas by Dr. Jerry Lin’s office: Garrick make resolution – “Be it resolved that LU does not have an Institutional Based Salary (IBS) policy and needs to draft one. The Faculty Senate should be involved in the drafting process. IBS policies should not be applied without an LU IBS policy first in place. IBS policies should not be stricter on how to define overloads or incidental work compensation than other Texas universities.”

Jennifer: Please review to be discussed in the Fall.

Adjourn 



Gossage motioned to adjourn. Vivek seconded. Passed by unanimous resolution. Ended at 4:35 PM.



Officer elections special meeting began at 4:36 PM.



Final counts: Lin 24; Weeks 17 for President; VP: J.P. Nelson; Secretary: Joe Nordgren

Motion to dismiss by James Slaydon, seconded by John Gossage, dismissed 5:13 PM.