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Louisiana Tech University Senate – December Minutes

Monday, December 13 at 4:00-5:00 pm, Wyly Auditorium

  1. Call to Order – The December 13, 2021 meeting of the University Senate was called to order at 4:00 p.m. in Wyly Auditorium by President, Louis Reis.
  2. Welcome and Opening Remarks – President, Louis Reis, COES
  3. Roll Call – Boris Teske recorded attendance and minutes in Alicia Kimbell’s absence; a quorum was met
  4. Approval of November 2021 Minutes – a motion was made and approved
  5. Policy Updates
    1. 2108 – CAD’s rejected original proposal
      1. Submission by Ramu Ramachadran to modify 2106 (Workload policy)
      2. Changes in workload must be documented by 16th class day (arbitrary date to allow for 9th day rosters to be approved)
        1. Kathleen Heiden: How to remedy the problem?
        2. Louis Reis: ANS conducts “survey”; COES documents class size; every college acts differently
        3. Kathleen Heiden: CADs has not accepted negotiability; need percentages in writing
        4. Louis Reis: Ramu’s proposal to 2106: “workload should be arrived at through discussion between faculty member and designated administrator
        5. Kathleen Heiden: thereby faculty member can request overload
        6. Louis Reis: “appointment letter” is still mentioned in some policies; need to define workload; during COVID emergencies, staffing loads need to be documented and compensated
        7. John Worsencroft: define tenure/track workload: teaching, research load
    2. 1301 – requested that University Senate be inserted into the policy as a necessary committee to approve any revisions prior to a policy being brought forth to the APC for approval
      1. Approved so that language specifically mentions Senate as appropriate committee that revisions must be routed through first before appearing at APC
      2. Not visible on website yet
      3. If proposed revisions are consistently rerouted around us, will call for a new revision to 1301 that would require the Senate to see all proposals prior to APC.
        1. Louis Reis: requests that Senate be “side-by-side” with APC, if policy involves faculty/staff. What recourse if policy revisions routed around Senate?
    3. 1405 (administrator evaluations) – request that employees have annual opportunity to evaluate immediate supervisor AND all administrators above them within each college or division
      1. Being brought forward to PAC first this month, then APC in January
      2. Justin Kavalir doesn’t anticipate issues with PAC
    4. No known procedure for policy complaints
      1. Grievance could be taken by an individual if policy is not adhered to correctly; but not likely from a neutral group (e.g., Senate)
      2. Possibly a new policy/procedure needs to be created?
  6. APC Meeting Update (November 18th)
    1. Justin Kavalir
      1. Nearly done with policy review
      2. Approved policy 2302 (computer use) and 1301
    2. Still collecting 2030 Strategic frameworks from departments
    3. Tom Hoover
      1. University license for Qualitrics
      2. Network wireless upgrades for outdoor spaces and classrooms
      3. New tech upgrades for (some) classrooms
    4. Eric Wood
      1. Staying in C-USA (now has 9 teams; rumor that WKU and MidTenn will move to MAC)
      2. Established T-club for former athletes
    5. Sam Speed
      1. Louisiana Tech Only ULS university to have steady enrollment
      2. slight increase in freshmen
      3. Admits up 3%
      4. +200 beds for upcoming school year
      5. Renewed contract with Aramark
      6. $6M construction – Subway (TONK) Starbucks and Moe’s (Tolliver)
      7. MLK exhibit (cohosted by ULS/Canes’) will start at Tech 1/15
    6. Adam McGuirt & Stacy Gilbert (COVID)
      1. Cases down 86% ytd
      2. Returning students had to document vaccination status or dissent or exemption for winter enrollment; new students did not
      3. 67% of students have received at least 1 shot
      4. Vaccinations / testing at Ropp through March
      5. Trevor Davis: Is ULS still following mask mandate? Louis Reis: will ask Dr. Guice
      6. Q: Enforcement? Louis Reis: will ask Stacy Gilbert
    7. Les Guice
      1. Scholarships increased
      2. Budget stretched thin for raises this year
      3. $500M STATE budget surplus
      4. Request for raises (to be more competitive with SREB) sent to BOR
        1. Signs point that BOR will approve
      5. Last year had $3M stimulus fund
    8. Lisa Cole (1 hour ago) Senate Award reimbursements
      1. 2021 recipients cannot get full amount in payroll; next year, cut checks, but with withholdings
  7. Committee Updates
    1. Communication John Worsencroft: cannot access forum; lacks permission
    2. Workload Kathleen Heiden: cannot access forum; lacks permission
    3. Technology
  8. Future Senate President Meetings
    1. Les Guice, President (12/17)
      1. Continue talks regarding budget transparency
      2. University’s commitments to improving salaries to be more competitive
      3. Improving brand name recognition in North LA and surrounding areas
      4. Other questions?
    2. Eric Wood, Athletic Director & VP (no contact yet)
      1. CUSA dilemma
      2. Future plans
      3. Possible invite to speak before Senate
    3. Sumeet Dua, Ex. Assoc. VP Research   (no contact yet)
      1. IRB forms
      2. Courtney Jarrell (OSP director) leaving, personnel changes
      3. Future improvements
    4. Terry McConathy, Provost
      1. Follow up on 2108, instructor “distinctions” [pathway], workload definitions
      2. Endowments
      3. New Executive Director of Academic Partnerships (Donna Thomas) starts January 1. Location in organizational chart, under the Provost? Position description? How fits into Strategic Framework? Boris Teske: invite Donna Thomas as guest speaker?
  9.  Adjournment
    1. The meeting was adjourned at 5:04 p.m.