University of Louisiana at Lafayette Faculty Senate

Minutes of February 18, 2004

I. The meeting was called to order at 4:00 p.m. (38 Senators present).

II. The minutes of the January 21 meeting were approved.

III Report of the Executive Officer – Mickey Byrd. Written Report. Attachment 1

Sen. Byrd presented Sen. Wilmer McNair with a hammer and a plaque for his service as Executive Officer for the past two years..

IV. Reports of Senate Committees: Permanent Committees:

A. Committee on Committees: Steve Knouse, Chair. No Report

B. Ways and Means Committee: William Rieck, Chair. No Report

C. Academic Planning and Development Committee: George Thomas, Chair. No Report

D. Governmental Concerns Committee: Christian Okoye, Chair. No Report

E.  Faculty Senate-Faculty Advisory Council. Harry Bruder, Chair

Sen. Bruder went to the last Board of Regents FAC, But no one else was there. The Supervisors FAC has been busy working on faculty responses to PPMs', one concerning discontinuance of programs and the other dealing with minimal policies when searching for dean-level or vice-presidential-level candidates.

V Reports of Special Senate Committees

A. Ad Hoc Committee on Adjunct Faculty: Nichole Stanford, Chair. No report.

B. Ad Hoc Web Site Committee: Jack Ferstel, Chair. No report.

C. Ad Hoc Committee on the Faculty Club: Joe Riehl, Chair.

The committee filed papers for incorporation as a faculty club as a non-profit organization in the State of Louisiana . Sen. Byrd thinks the administration is ready to smile on some of our ideas. A question was raised about the Hawkins House. It should be used for a faculty club or faculty residence and not for classrooms or sorority or fraternity use. Puts Faculty Senate in a strong bargaining position.

D. Ad Hoc Committee on Graduate Student Housing Concerns. Karl Volkmar, Chair

Sen. Byrd has taken this on as a special project. The Conference Center houses graduate students, honors students and athletes. It is becoming more quiet and less vermin-infested Sen. Gentry questioned having an athletic dorm. The university gets around this by including the graduate students and honors student in the dorm.

F. Ad Hoc Committee to Revise Dismissal for Cause Procedures John Greene, Chair. .

They have had a meeting and continue to make progress.

VI. Reports of University Committees

A. Curriculum Committee: Paula Broussard, Chair. Written Report. Attachment 2.

The next meeting is March 15 and there is one in April. You have two more chances to get course changes in.

B.  Faculty Grievance Committee: Ron Heady, Chair. No Report  

C. Faculty Benefits and Welfare Committee: Melinda Oberleitner, Chair. No report  

D. Library Committee: Allan Jones, Chair. No Report  

E. Committee on Academic Affairs and Standards: Lewis Deaton, Chair  

F. Parking and Planning Committee: No report  

G. Student Evaluation of Instruction: James Flaitz, Chair. No Report

VII Unfinished Business

•  Sen. Gentry introduced a white paper on the need to preserve Dupre Library's Collections (Attachment 3) This included 4 motions (see attachment for exact wording.) The first urged the President to exempt the Library from energy consumption measures that affect climate control and that a plan for reducing temperature fluctuation and daily highs for the summer be presented to the Senate in April. Seconded by Janet Bridges. Passed unanimously.

Motion 2 The Faculty Senate of the University of Louisiana requests that the Director of the Library arrange for the installation of additional humidity and temperature monitors in the Center for Louisiana Studies, the Center for Economic and Eco-Tourism, and the general stacks on each floor. Seconded. Passed unanimously. Motion 3. The Faculty Senate of the University of Louisiana requests that Dr. Turner provide a report to the Faculty Senate at its October 2004 meeting of readings of temperature and humidity, comparable to the one he has provided recently. Seconded. Passed unanimously. Motion 4. The Faculty Senate of the University of Louisiana requests that the Faculty Senate executive officer send the approved motions and this entire report, including attachments, to: President Authement, Vice-President Landry, and Vice-President Bonnette. Seconded. There was a friendly amendment to add Joey Pons to the list. Agreed. Passed unanimously.

Sen. McKinney moved that an external consultant be brought in to evaluate existing conditions and make appropriate recommendations and that this be attached to the white paper and sent to the President. Seconded. Passed unanimously.

•  At the request of Sally Clausen we must put in place procedures for people who are failing terribly after receiving tenure. This is a remediation process. A report will be put on the Senate Web Page.

VIII New Business

•  Sen. Pyenson moved that a Committee on the Future of the University in the next 25 years be established. Little thought has been given to the position of the university in the next 20 years. The Senate should prepare an extensive document concerning the aims of the academic sector . The committee should propose the direction the university should go. Sen. Knierim suggested it be referred to the Academic Planning and Development Committee. After some discussion, this was done.

•  Sen. made the following motion. The UL Faculty Senate requests that the University Administration and food services management be made aware of unfavorable conditions for faculty in the Cafe de Lafayette. Recent changes in facility usage now limit the ability of faculty to dine in a timely manner in an atmosphere consistent with productivity, privacy and the ability to conduct university business. Long lines and limited seating prevent faculty access to services and there are no other options on campus. The Senate requests that dining policies and services creating these conditions be investigated and corrective actions be undertaken so that faculty are able to timely access dining facilities for working lunches, the hosting of guest speakers, and other university guests, mentoring junior faculty and other activities that facilitate the conduct pf university business. Seconded. Passed.

IX. Adjournment. The meeting was adjourned at 5:30 .

Respectfully submitted,

Barbara Flynn

Secretary