Faculty Senate - February 2025 Minutes

Call to Order: 3:32 p.m.

Housekeeping

• Approval of Agenda - Dr. Fisher motioned, and Dr. Dillard seconded. All approved.
• Approval of Minutes - Dr. Vandehey motioned that they be approved as corrected, and Dr. Fisher seconded. All approved.

Current Business/Information Sharing: None

New Business

1. Joint T&P Panel with TLRC
   
   • Dr. Case explained that we’ll need to propose and prepare a TLRC session about setting up T&P portfolios in D2L. Following the review process, Dr. Capps can approach a recent, successful applicant about using their portfolio as an example.
   • Dr. Colmenares-Diaz asked if the hard copy will no longer be an option, and Dr. Case indicated that they plan to phase it out.
2. Joint Meeting with Student Government and Staff Senate
   
   • Dr. Case offered three dates - April 1, April 15, and April 29 - for a networking event with the three entities (SGA, Staff Senate, and Faculty Senate). April 15 is the preferred date for present senators. Dr. Coenen will communicate with Laura Hetrick about that.
3. Incident and Campus Safety Plan
   
   • Dr. Case explained that Dr. Brown Marsden will collaborate with Campus Police and Deans to provide both campus-wide and college/space-specific training and guidance. Dr. Brown Marsden also asked for volunteer LPCs and/or volunteers who could be available to provide immediate support.
   • Dr. Vandehey said that for emergencies or major incidents, we’ll need more external support and/or in-depth training.
4. ADA Compliance and Ally Resources
   
   • Dr. Case reminded us that we now have access to the Ally Resource in D2L to help check ADA compliance of online materials.
   • Dr. Guo explained that it gives suggestions and tells you what to do, but you have to make the change yourself. In one case, he made a suggested change to a document and then uploaded it, but D2L still flagged it. It could have been reflecting the previous file. To eliminate these issues, “Permanently Delete” the file. Dr. Case indicated that the Microsoft Word ADA tool doesn’t catch everything.
   • Dr. Case explained that Zack Shanks and Distance Education sent out the newsletter with training sessions scheduled for specific topics in ADA compliance.
   • Dr. Choudhury asked about how to reach 100% compliance, especially with certain kinds of files or documents.
   • Dr. Slavens asked about what to do with handwritten documents. In many cases, they just have to be transcribed.
   • Dr. Guo asked about executable files (.exe) and their review. We discussed it at length, but did not know.
   • Dr. Henschel spoke about these rules applying to web content as well.
   • Dr. Case explained that website help will be led by Julie Gaynor, and we’ll have specific web content managers per college so that fewer people are responsible for changes.
5. Legislative Session - Raises
   • Dr. Case explained that the Legislative Session will determine where the money for faculty raises will come from. We will learn more detail in our Executive Committee meeting on February 21.
   • Dr. Case says that we should draft a resolution regarding faculty raises. Dr. Coenen said that we should determine if a resolution is necessary upon discovery of the plan for raises, then we can solicit recommendations from senators about the resolution.
6. Enrollment
   • Dr. Case explained that enrollment and retention numbers are down a bit, but that Admissions will be taking a new approach and focusing more on local and regional students.
   • Dr. Shawver said that she is concerned about how much information from colleges and programs is actually getting into the community.
   • Dr. Henschel is concerned about the "Inquire" button on the graduate program pages, and she doesn’t receive inquiries like she used to. This loop doesn’t allow students to connect directly with a program coordinator. Dr. Stiles asked whom to complain to about this issue.
   • Dr. Choudhury asked if we advertise MSU enough, especially on social media.
   • Dr. Fisher asked if there’s been discussion of local businesses that support employee’s education. Professional recruiters shared among two colleges are focused more on in-house recruitment for the college. Dr. Case explained that restrictions have been placed on those positions. Dr. Case explained that their efforts to recruit through conferences and professional networking events were very successful, but no financial support was provided.
7. Dual Credit
   • Dr. Case explained that we must support, excuse, and accommodate students involved in school activities and UIL, and those students are supposed to provide the completed form with signatures from their ISD, which may need to come from Tim Starry.
   • Dr. Henschel and others have expressed concern about the complexity of these procedures.
8. Improving University Processes and Reducing Barriers to Success (link to survey to follow)
   • Dr. Case explained that a new committee of Dr. Brown Marsden, Dr. Lamb, and Chris Stovall will lead a charge to eliminate barriers to success, and they’re seeking input from faculty about what those barriers are. Senators should ask faculty and especially chairs about what those barriers are and collect them in the survey.
   • Dr. Lei recommended that the survey be sent to all faculty directly and anonymously. Dr. Case and the Executive Committee agreed to solicit feedback from all.
9. President Evaluations
   • Dr. Case explained the approach to administrative evaluations: President Evaluation forms are available and circulated, and then other administrative evaluations will be made available in a progressive cycle.
10. Course Evaluation - Resolution
    • Dr. Case indicated that the administration wants to know precisely from us what our needs and expectations are for course evaluations. Timely results are needed. Dr. Coenen asked if we should do a working group to draft the resolution.
    • Dr. Slavens, Dr. Dillard, Dr. Shawver, and Dr. Coenen will work on drafting the resolution.
11. Faculty Morale (link to survey to follow)
    • Dr. Case explained that we feel the need to assess morale of faculty across campus. We will do this through a survey, led by Dr. Stiles.

Unfinished Business

1. Election of 2025-2026 Representatives - Dr. Case
   • We will have elections, with opportunities to vote and nominate.
2. Announcements
   • Mr. Magee announced that the production of 1984 will open on February 20. There is a discussion on opening night, led by Dr. Kirsten Lodge, and they will take names of students in attendance for extra credit.
   • Dr. Shawver reminded everyone that Take Back the Night is next week, also February 20 from 7 to 9 p.m. Title IX is very busy. Students are bored, and students are drinking and getting into trouble. We need faculty support and encouragement for campus events.
   • Dr. Choudhury asked if there’s guidance on what to do about pungent smells of illegal substances. Dr. Coenen recommended reminding students of our smoke-free campus policies.

Committee and Other Reports: None

1. Academic Council - Dr. Randy Case
   No report. Cancelled.
2. Administrative Council - Dr. Matthew Capps
   No report. Has not met.
3. Allocation Advisory Council - Dr. Matthew Capps
   No report. Has not met.
4. Athletics Council - Dr. Catherine Gaharan
   No report. Has not met.
5. Faculty Grievance Committee - Dr. Vicki Dillard
   No report. Has not met.
6. Student Affairs Council - Dr. Randy Case
   No report. Has not met.
7. University Celebration of Scholarship - Dr. Darla Diltz
   No report. Has not met.
8. Emergency Management Committee - Dr. Tammy Kurszewski
   No report. Has not met.
9. Other Committee Reports - None

The meeting adjourned at 4:52 p.m. Dr. Case made a motion to adjourn, and everyone seconded.
The motion to adjourn passed unanimously.

Submitted,
Dr. Hillary Coenen, Faculty Senate Secretary
Dr. Randy Case, Faculty Senate Vice Chair

Next Meetings:
The next Executive Committee meeting with the President is February 21.
The next Executive Committee meeting will be at 3:30 p.m. via Zoom.
The next Faculty Senate meeting will be at 3:30 p.m. on March 20 in Bridwell Hall 204.