ATTENDEES: Christiansen, Davis, Dean, Mehta, Parker, Romberger, Santi, Thiry and Voorhees

APOLOGIES: Eberhart (on sabbatical), Honeyman, Mitcham and Wolden

GUESTS: Nigel Middleton – Vice President for Academic Affairs, Arthur Sacks – Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Joseph Dahdah - Graduate Student Association representative

COMMENTS FROM GUESTS:

1. VPAA Middleton
   1. Vice President for Research – The search committee has been formed for this position. Even though the Vice President for Research will report to the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the position will still be a member of the President’s cabinet and will not be subordinate to the other vice presidents.
   2. CCHE Issues
      1. CCHE has not made a decision on the International Political Economy of Resources Masters Degree (IPE). This is due to several changes in CCHE personnel. In the summer of 2004, CCHE questioned how this degree fit with the mission of CSM. Thus, CSM Administration changed the title of this degree from International Political Economy to International Political Economy of Resources to clarify this relationship.
         

         Senators expressed concern that the faculty was not contacted about the change. Middleton stated that the faculty was not consulted as the administration thought that renaming the degree was only a minor change.

         Romberger commented that there is nothing more that the Senate can do on this issue.

      2. There is pressure from CCHE for all departments to reduce the number of credit hours required for a B.S. degree to 120. CSM would prefer an aggregate change and not a decrease across the board. Since 1996, most departments have decreased the required hours by 6.6 hours.
         
      3. CSM does not need to develop a performance contract until 2011.
   
   
2. AVPAA Sacks
   1. A sub-committee of the Undergraduate Council will be formed to study the final exam schedule and how that schedule impacts graduating seniors and graduate students. Papas, Simmons, and Graves will be the representatives from the Undergraduate Council. The Graduate Council has not identified their three representatives to this sub-committee. Other members of this sub-committee will be Rod Eggert, Division Director of Economic and Business, who will represent the department/division heads and the registrar.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes of the November 2, 2004 Faculty Senate meeting were approved as amended.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

1. Executive Committee – Romberger reported that with the restructuring of the administration, there will be dean positions, such as Dean of Graduate Studies. There was discussion the faculty needs to handle the anticipated growth of the student body. There are 23 searches in place. The majority of these are for tenure track positions and a few lecturers, two are for division directors and one is for a librarian.

OLD BUSINESS:

1. Academic Advising Coordinator – Romberger circulated the job description for this position. After discussion, the Senators requested Romberger contact the current Academic Advising Coordinator for input as to whether it would be a minor or major disruption to the operation of this office if the reporting structure were changed from Student Affairs to Academic Affairs.
2. Vice President of Research Position and Administrative Reorganization – The Senators expressed concern about the reporting scheme of the Office of Research Services. Currently it reports to Operations and Finance, but should it report to the Vice President for Research? Also, should technology transfer be part of this office as it is a business task and not a research one. VPAA Middleton will pass on the Senate’s concerns to the Vice President for Operations and Finance.
3. Modification to Evaluation Forms for NHV – Davis reported that he had conveyed the Senate’s decision to remove five core questions to Laura Pang – LAIS Department Head and to Academic Affairs. Academic Affairs will put appropriate notification of those individuals involved for future information such as promotion/tenure decisions.

NEW BUSINESS:

1. Board of Trustees Report – Romberger stated that in November he will present the Faculty Senate report to the BOT. This will be an oral report. The Senators want this report to convey the following: (1) the bar should be raised for admissions; (2) more merit financial aid be given than need aid; (3) what happens if there is “zero” growth in non-resident enrollment next year; and (4) student morale has declined as it is perceived that the admissions bar has been lowered.

The next meeting will be December 7, 2004 at 1:30 PM in Hill Hall 300.

The meeting adjourned at 3:15 PM.