Plenary Meeting of the Faculty

McMurtry Auditorium, Duncan Hall

January 28, 2010

3:00 p.m.

Duane Windsor, Speaker of the Faculty Senate, welcomed the faculty and stated that the primary purpose of the meeting was to certify the mid-year candidates recommended for undergraduate and graduate degrees. Windsor also stated that following approval of these degrees, President David Leebron would speak regarding the recent end of merger negotiations with Baylor College of Medicine (BCM).

Stan Dodds, representing the Committee on Examinations and Standing (EX&S), stated that there were no exceptions required for the following list of undergraduate degree candidates. The vote was unanimous for approval.

John Olson, representing the Graduate Council, stated that the following list of advanced degree candidates had been verified and there were no exceptions. The vote for approval was unanimous.

Tom Killian suggested that the plenary meeting to approve mid-year candidates be held in conjunction with the January Faculty Senate meeting in the future. Windsor noted that the Faculty Senate had met the day prior to today’s meeting and that he will recommend this change.

Windsor reported that one item discussed at the Senate meeting yesterday was a request from Provost Levy regarding a change in the Graduation Date of Record for mid-year graduates from January when the plenary meeting occurs to a December date of the year in which the student’s work was completed. This request from the Provost had also been received by EX&S and the Graduate Council. Windsor announced that the Senate had voted unanimously that, effective today, mid-year degrees (both transcript and diploma) will be recorded as December 30. Windsor said this procedure could permit, if need be, to adopt a third graduation date for summer graduates even if approved in January of the following year.

Windsor stated that the Chair of the Faculty Merger Review Committee (FMRC), Don Morrison, officially concluded the work of the FMRC with a final report to the Senate at yesterday’s meeting. The FMRC is now discharged. Windsor noted that all of Professor Morrison’s colleagues owe him appreciation for his service.

Windsor gave an update on the Senate’s current working groups:

·         Honor Council: a potential separate system for graduate students is being reviewed by the Graduate Council.

·         Teaching: reviewing the current process for Teaching Awards.

·         “Grade Inflation/Academic Honors”: studying how academic honors are awarded.

·         Appeals/Grievances/Hearings: reviewing the current process.

·         A new working group will be formed to work with Jim Coleman’s office to adopt or refine policies: Research Misconduct, Conflict of Interest, and Data Retention.

Windsor continued with an update of Senate activities:

·         The Senate’s Executive Committee met with the chairs of the first two Dean’s Review groups in order to evaluate and improve the process.

·         A departmental minor in Anthropology was approved yesterday.

·         An inter-departmental minor in African Studies was approved yesterday.

·         The Senate approved some revisions in the Biosciences curriculum, including a new BA in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) and new departmental minors. EEB and Biochemistry and Cell Biology (BCB) will now each administer BA and BS degrees, as well as continuing the joint BA in Biological Sciences.

·         There is a provision in the General Announcements (GA) where some departments permit students, upon certification of Ph.D. candidacy, to receive a Master’s degree by filing appropriate paperwork. A request by the Jones Graduate School of Business to award such a Candidacy Master’s degree in Business was approved by the Senate yesterday.

Windsor welcomed President Leebron to the podium. Leebron made some brief remarks about the end of the merger discussions with Baylor College of Medicine.

Windsor stated that the Chair of the FMRC, Don Morrison, officially concluded the work of the FMRC with a final report to the Senate at yesterday’s meeting. The FMRC is now discharged. Windsor said that the Senate had expressed thanks to Don Morrison at its meeting yesterday, and the entire faculty owes gratitude to him.

Windsor said that discussions have begun about how the Senate should interact with the administration and Board of Trustees about the University’s future.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:30 p.m.