WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

FACULTY SENATE MINUTES

Regular Meeting – November 13, 2006

Call to Order

Ira Hyman, 2006-2007 Faculty Senate President, called the Senate meeting to order at 4:05 p.m.  Hyman welcomed twenty-seven (27) Senators, two (2) ex officio members, the Past President (1), the Legislative Liaison (1),  the recorder (1), and two (2) guests for a total of thirty-four (34).  (See attached roster).

Approval of Minutes

§    Senators accepted the minutes of the October 30^th meeting as written. 

Items from the Chair

·   Hyman reported on earlier constituent concerns, that 1)  ATUS will supply white board markers to faculty who request them; 2) updates will be forthcoming on student use of disability resources for test-taking;

·   Hyman referred Senators to a Bellingham Herald article that includes an Excel download of faculty and staff salaries.  Hyman pointed out that if listed by highest to lowest salaries, the first faculty member shows up at number 33.

Items from the Administration

§    President Morse reported on Governor Gregoire’s support of Higher Education and Washington Learns, and that in one of the options, the State may make up money not provided by tuition. 

§    Morse visited with negotiation teams and indicated that this is an important process for our future.  She appreciated the team’s time and effort and looks forward to a positive conclusion.

§    Provost Bodman reported that the Higher Education Coordinating Board has dropped plans for a new college for Snohomish and Skagit Counties, proposing core funding instead. 

§    One Senator suggested looking nationally at various states that have turned 2 year into 4-year colleges, and those are the states with the poorest educational systems.  Better educational results are obtained in those states that have pumped money into the flagship colleges and universities already in existence. 

§    Bodman is conducting searches for the Dean of the College of Business and Economics and for Vice Provost for Faculty Relations. 

Items from the Faculty Union (UFWW)

§    Past President Bill Lyne spoke as newly elected President of the United Faculty of Western, and reported a good start to the first meeting of the bargaining teams.  In response to a question, Senators learned there are about 160 union members so far, mainly tenure and tenure track. Election of officers will be held on Wednesday.

AGENDA - ACTION ITEMS

Reading of Standing Committee Minutes (Exhibit B):   

The following minutes were reviewed and accepted by the Senate.

Discussion on Minutes

·         Academic Coordinating Commission:  Chair James Hearne reported that virtual meetings were not discussed when Commissioners suggested that e-mail meetings were not okay, since Sturgis could not be adhered to in an email meeting.  However, committees can vote to approve minutes via email. 

APPOINTMENTS AND ELECTIONS – Matthew Liao-Troth, Officer

Vacancies:  Senate Committee on Evaluation of Administrators:  President Hyman reported that he will soon have the list of members to present to the Senate.

Employee Training and Development Council:  1 faculty (any area)

Constituent Concerns::

Senators brought concerns related to parking:

1)      tenure track faculty parking places in G19 are usurped during football season;

2)      only 2 Disabled Parking spaces exist in 19G;

3)      can Disabled Parking spaces be made available on weekends as non-Disabled, particularly in 10G? 

4)      Miller Hall Disabled spaces are regularly blocked by facility and delivery trucks; 

5)      FEDEX and other vehicles are driving right down to Haskell Plaza during peak student travel;

6)      complaints about skateboarding on the bricks;

7)      status of the Transportation Task Force;

8)      a suggestion that noisy leaf blowing be done at off peak-class hours.  

Caucus and Adjournment

Senators took a break at  4:47 then rejoined for a Faculty Caucus to discuss revisions to the Faculty Handbook. Senators voted to adjourn at 5:55 p.m.

Written by Rose Marie Norton-Nader, Recorder, 11/13/06

                                                                                                            _______________________

                                                                                                            Lorraine Kasprisin, Secretary

Roster of the 2006-2007 Faculty Senate

Article III.  Faculty Senate:  The Faculty Senate is empowered to speak and act for the Faculty in University affairs with particular responsibility in the areas of curriculum, academic programs, Faculty salary, Faculty status, scholarly activities, and all matters relating to the welfare of Faculty, the education of students, and the academic mission of the University. The Faculty Senate is limited to 30 voting members elected by the Faculty, and the President of the University, the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs of the University, and a college dean appointed by the Provost serving as Provost's Council representative as ex officio non-voting members.    (Faculty Handbook, page 55)