MINUTES

 

LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY SENATE

Volume 13       December 2003                       Number 4

 

1.                  Call to Order:  Rick Simmons

The December 15, 2003 meeting of the University Senate was called to order at 4:03 p.m. in Ropp Center, Room 105, by President Rick Simmons.

 

2.                  Roll Call:  Rose Butler

Senators absent from the meeting:  Gene Johnson, Travis Willis, Peter Gallagher, Mark Murphey, Lamar Wilkinson, Frank Ji, Tianhong Cui, Beverly Johnson, Ryan Richard, and Jason Pigg.

 

3.                  Adoption of Agenda

A motion was made to accept the agenda.  The motion was seconded and approved.

 

4.                  Adoption of the November 18, 2003 minutes.

A motion was made to accept the minutes.  The motion was seconded and approved.

 

5.                  Announcements:  Rick Simmons

A.                 Faculty Advisory Council Update - none

B.                 Administrative and Planning Council update – Rick Simmons informed the senate that there had been two meetings of the council since the last Senate meeting.  Dr. Rea and CADS are happy with what is going on at Tech academically.  The next step for Tech is to be take another step towards excellence.  This will be accomplished by raising ACT scores, lowering class size and teaching loads.  A six-year timetable will probably be set to accomplish this.

Tech graduated 37 PhDs. last year.  30 more will need to be graduated this academic year and 30 the following academic year. 

C.                 January’s Agenda:  Amendments to the Senate Constitution Regard Attendance

The question concerning this proposed amendment is whether the Senate constitution should address the problem of attendance.  Senators who are not attending cannot be replaced according to current Senate rules.  Suggestions to resolve this problem need to be sent to Rick Simmons so that a resolution to this problem can be presented to the Senate at the January, 2004 meeting.

 

6.                  Treasurer’s report  - A motion was made to accept the Treasurer’s report.  The motion was seconded and approved.

 

7.                  Unfinished Business – None

 

8.                  New Business

A.                 Reevaluation of Senate Awards Policies

 

The University Senate Executive Committee discussed in their meeting the potential problem of awarding a Senate award to a faculty member who may leave the university before the award is presented.  They proposed amending the awards criteria to have the following added:

            “In the event that the winner of the three awards tenders his or her

              resignation before the award is presented, other than for reasons

              of retirement, the University Senate President shall notify the

              President of the University, upon whose approval the award

              will be given to the person who placed second in the balloting.”

 

A discussion followed by the Senate members as to the pros and cons.  A motion was made to defer the decision until the January meeting.  This would give the Senate more time to consider the matter.  With a majority vote, the matter was deferred until January.

 

9.         Voluntary Remarks – Dr. Reneau has been appointed to the Health Care Task Force.

 

A motion was made to adjourn, motion seconded.  

 

 

The meeting was adjourned at 4:40 pm.

 

Rose Butler, Recording Secretary