Louisiana Tech University - University Senate::University Senate Meeting Minutes

LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY SENATE

Volume 22 October 15, 2012 Number 2

1. Call to Order:

The October 15, 2012 meeting of the University Senate was called to order at 4:03 p.m. in the Ropp Center, Room 105, by President Larry Jarrell.

2. Roll Call: Sandi Richardson

Senators absent from the meeting and without excuse or proxy: Dentcho Genov, Jean Gourd, Kate Perot, and Sarah Vance.

3. Adoption of Agenda:

A motion to accept the agenda was made by J Bennett and seconded by Selwyn Ellis; the agenda was approved without change.

4. Adoption of Minutes: September 2012

A motion to accept the September 2012 minutes was made by J Bennett and seconded by Selwyn Ellis; the minutes were approved without change.

5. Announcements:

Suggested speakers for the 2012-13 University Senate year will be as follows:
- November: Wayne Hoague (Shreveport/Bossier Iniative)
- January: Dr. Reneau and the new Louisiana Tech University president
- March: State & local representatives: Rob Shadoin, Jim Fannin, etc.
- May: Dr. Reneau (farewell address)
President's report from ULS Faculty Advisory Council Meeting, Alexandria, LA
- Meeting was basically a session to express general displeasure with Governor Jindal's administrative actions
President's report from Administrative and Planning Council
- Main discussion was on the issue of a mascot -- should we get another live bulldog? The purchase of an animal has been donated, but the student government must make a decision regarding the advisability of another live animal. Apparently there has been much criticism regarding the tragic passing of the last mascot, so the matter of replacement has become a rather delicate issue.

6. Old Business:

Campus Quality of Life committee (forum)-Julie Holmes
Overall proposed theme: State of Louisiana Tech and the City of Ruston Community
- Suggestions from the floor were:
  - State of local education system following the desegregation ruling (speaker: Danny Bell)
  - Zoning issues (speaker: Chairman of Planning & Zoning Commission)
  - Campus planning (speaker: Jim King)
  - Future of Higher Education in Louisiana (speakers: state representatives from our contiguous parishes and Jim Fannin, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, in particular)
  - Progress in Ruston (Mayor Dan Hollingsworth)
  - Begin @ 6:00 and try to keep to about two hours in length
  - Suggested date: April on a Thursday
  - Suggested venue: University Hall Auditorium
Other quality of life committee business
- Bicycle Racks: Rhonda Boyd
- Rhonda is to contact Joe Thomas and find out how to proceed with getting the bicycle racks installed that have already been purchased for quite some time
- This is a serious issue with the student body; not having the racks available has resulted in students being forced to chain their bicycles to hand rails, which is a hazard.

7. New Business:

The budget figures for September are linked here.
Reports from Committees
- Policies and Procedures Committee: Marilyn Robinson
  - Request issued: Greater flexibility in using Travel & Purchasing
    - State of Louisiana makes the travel and purchasing regulations
  - Request issued: How to properly report "child or spousal abuse" within the legal requirement of the ruling (HB614 & HB 380)
    - Susan Rasbury, current University compliance officer, has been contacted about this
  - Request issued: Distance learing compensation
    - Course load is determined by the college
    - pay rate is established by current university policy
  - Request issued: Question the 10-hour week office hour requirement
    - Committee to review Greg Schelonka's previous research on this topic before making report
- Benefits Committee: J Bennett
  - First meeting with committee not yet scheduled
- Technology Committee: Michael Swanbom
  - First meeting with committee not yet scheduled
Members of the senate request that suggestions for change issued to the committees reach farther than fact-finding. It was suggested that once the details about issues are discovered, we as a body bring the issue to vote in the form of a resolution for change with the expectation that action will prevent ideas from languishing.
A motion that a resolution be drafted to request parking stickers be replaced with hang-tags was made by Michael Swanbom and seconded by Selwyn Ellis. Heath Tims is the University Senate representative on the campus Traffic and Parking Committee; he was asked to make the initial request for this action at the upcoming committee meeting.

9. Voluntary Remarks:

None

10. Adjournment: A motion to adjourn was made by Selwyn Ellis and seconded by J Bennett. The meeting adjourned at 4:52 p.m.

Sandi Richardson, Recording Secretary