Minutes of Faculty Senate Meeting

April 24, 2003

Present: Amiri Al-Hadid, Glenda Alvin, William Boadi, Juan Culp (for Jenell Sargent), Elizabeth Dachowski, Janet Finch, Bernadeen Fleming, William Hayslett, Harriet Insignares (Chair), Mohan Malkani (for Zein-Sabato?), Samantha Morgan-Curtis, Robert Newkirk, Hope Oliver, William Perry,  Rodney Stanley, G. Steimling, and Celeste Williams.

I. Call to Order at 2:10 PM.

II. Minutes of March meeting were approved as “meeting notes” with corrections. A. Al-Hadid moved E. Dachowski seconded. Motion carried.

III. H. Insignares read letter that was sent to the late Senator Eyoh’s family along with a check for $152.00. Moved by E. Dachowski and seconded by H. Oliver to accept report.

IV. Evaluation of department heads and deans have been distributed.

IV. Elections of Officers for 2004-2005: R. Newkirk moved that the slate of officers presented at the March 2003 meeting be approved. B. Fleming seconded. Motion carried.

V. Election of Chair, Secretary, and Senator-at-Large for 2003-2004. H. Insignares read letter from B. Witherspoon, which stated that she wished to resign as Chair-Elect for 2003-2004. It was moved by B. Fleming and seconded by G. Steimling to accept resignation of B. Witherspoon. H. Oliver inquired by about her eligibility to be Secretary-Elect.  H. Insignares said that because all candidates had declined, an exception had to be made. H. Oliver accepted election as Secretary-Elect for 2003-2004.

W. Boadi moved that H. Insignares continue as Chair for 2003-2004. [All other candidates had declined]. Seconded by J. Finch.  Vote was as follows:

In favor: 11

Oppose 4

Abstention: 1

After the vote, questions concerning conflicts with the current Faculty Senate Constitution and By-Laws arose.   S. Morgan-Curtis questioned ex-officio status of former chair for 2003-2004, since H. Insignares would succeed herself. E. Dachowski questioned representation for Speech, Theatre and Communication with H. Insignares serving extra term in the Senate as Chair. 

J. Finch suggested that the Speech, Theatre and Communications Department’s representative to the Faculty Senate would have to forego the regular three-year term for a two-year term in order to accommodate the second year of chairmanship by H. Insignares. It was moved by J. Finch and seconded by A. Al-Hadid that the next senator from the Speech, Theatre and Communications forego the normal three-year term and serve two years. H. Oliver questioned whether we are in position to make that decision. The vote was 14 yes, 2 abstentions, and 1 no.

Some Senators had uneasiness concerning rippling effect of the 2003-2004 election. H. Insignares would serve five years, instead of four years (2 as senator plus 2 as Chair then 1 ex-officio).

R. Newkirk suggested that the Constitution and By-Laws look into the matter of limiting the term of Speech, Theatre and Communications Department.

Election-of Senator-at Large (serves on Faculty Executive Committee): S. Morgan Curtis volunteered.

E. Dachowski moved acceptance of committee reports submitted in March 2003. J. Finch seconded.  Motion carried.

Since the time was getting closer to 3:00 PM and several Senators had to leave for classes, thereby dissolving the quorum, G. Steimling moved acceptance of committee reports for April based on wisdom and experience of the committee chairs.

Meeting adjourned at 2:55 PM.

Following the meeting of the full Faculty Senate, the Faculty Senate Executive Committee met and approved the minutes from its March 2003 meeting.