Faculty Assembly Minutes

March 12, 2008

Haggar Parlor

  1. Linda Berdayes called the meeting to order at 12:03 p.m. Michael Kramer, Communication and Performance Studies, offered the prayer. Approximately 40 faculty were in attendance.
  1. The minutes of the Feb. 6 meeting were approved.
  1. Announcements
  1. Laura Haigwood (through Linda Berdayes) announced that there will be sherry (and non-alcoholic beverages) available in the faculty lounge on Friday from 5-6.
  2. Sue Wiegand reminded faculty to return their preference sheets for committee nominations to the Nominations Committee or through the web site. She also announced that there was a possibility of an opening on the General Education Committee. Faculty will be informed if such an opening appears.
  3. Sue Wiegand announced the Midwest Conference on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning to be held at IUSB on Friday, April 11. If you are interested in attending, please contact Celia Fallon.
  4. Michael Kramer announced a meeting of the Faculty Writing Group on Thursday, March 27 at noon in the Mother Pauline room. Results of the faculty survey will be discussed as well as ideas for meeting times or possible speakers. If you have ideas, please contact Sue Wiegand, Amy Cavender, or Michael Kramer.
  5. Umberto Taccheri of the Faculty Development Grant Committee announced the recipients of the Faculty Teaching Grants. The recipients were:
  6. Susan Alexander
  7. Nancy D'Antuono
  8. Stacy Davis
  9. Nano Farabaugh
  10. Cindy Iavagnilio
  11. Mary Ann Kanieski
  12. Catherine Pittman
  13. Inela Selimovic
  14. Nancy Turner
  15. Jennifer Zachman
  1. Dick Jensen thanked Ros Clark for agreeing to serve as a substitute on the committee. He announced the recipients of the Faculty Research Grants. The recipients were:
  2. Eric De Sena
  3. Krista Hoefle
  4. Jeffrey Jacob
  5. Amanda Littauer
  6. Edith Miguda
  7. Daniel Party
  8. Mary Porter
  9. Sean Savage
  10. Catherine Shoupe
  11. Umberto Taccheri
  1. New Business
  1. Gwen O’Brien, Director of Media Relations, introduced herself. She explained that her goal is to convey the quality of Saint Mary’s faculty to the larger community. In order to accomplish this, she is creating a spreadsheet which will list faculty areas of expertise. She will use the information to connect members of the media to the appropriate Saint Mary’s faculty member. In order to help her with this task, Gwen asked that faculty return a survey to her with the areas of expertise that they would be willing to share with the media. She also encouraged faculty to inform her of publications and to give her story ideas.
  2. Umberto Taccheri presented the rationale for the resolution proposed by the Faculty Affairs Committee. Discussion followed. The Resolution “The Faculty Affairs Committee proposes that the reviewing and awarding of faculty development grants be done by the Center for Academic Innovation Grant Committee instead of the Faculty Development Grant Committee (composed of the Faculty Affairs Committee and the Associate Dean)” passed unanimously.
  1. Meeting adjourned at 12:30.