Liberal Arts CouncilDraft Minutes

12October 2016, 2:00 PM, FH 230

Presiding: Dean Michael Hennessy
Recording: Associate Dean Susan Day
Present: Council members: Audwin Anderson, Mary Brennan, Dennis Dunn, Beth Erhart, Alberto Giordano, Ken Grasso, Craig Hanks, Lucy Harney, Bill Kelemen, Dan Lochman, Chad Smith Associate Dean Britt Bousman and Associate Dean Nancy Grayson

Agenda

  1. LAC retreat(9.28.16)minutes were approved.
  2. Hiring policies for faculty and staff were reviewed. A handout from Equity and Access was and discussed. Included in the discussion were the rules for veterans’ preference, to wit: If the number of candidates interviewed is between 1-6, hiring committees must interview at least 1 candidate who qualifies for veterans’ preference and who meets the required qualifications.
  3. A summary of liberal arts majors’ marketable skills reported at the COLA retreat wascirculated. Dean Hennessy indicated that marketable skills described in the handout correspond closely to those listed by the Coordinating Board.
  4. The “CONTACT HOURS OUTSIDE OF CLASS” draft policy was discussed. Departments should have a published policy for faculty to follow.
  5. Revised procedures for ACC proposals were discussed and chairs were urged to review their submitted forms carefully. Deans no longer rank proposals. Proposals are due date is January 13, 2017. What factors are most important in the ranking of proposals was discussed. Mike will inquire about this.
  6. Email noting content (e.g., stories, accomplishments, happenings) collection strategies (marketing focus groups) for research activities to be put on University Advancement web site was circulated. UA would like to meet with groups of chairs; at the urging of LAC, Dean Hennessy will ask whether written content can be submitted instead.
  7. The new TRACS survey was discussed. Chairs were asked to remind their faculty about the survey.
  8. CAD informational items
  9. Graduate Student Recruiting funding is available, and the form is on-line. Dean Golato can award $1,000 per program. Chairs were encouraged to request funding.
  10. Mike discussed athletic compliance issuesfound in a CAD handout.
  11. Faculty cannot not invite State of Texas agency heads, government officials, or legislators to campus without informing Provost’s office (Stacy Rodriguez). If asked to testify before legislative committee, faculty members may do so only as a private citizen.
  12. Chairs were reminded of the policy on consensual relationships (UPPS 04.04.39).
  13. The new associate provost will be Debbie Thorne, who will start on January 1, 2017.
  14. The search for a new AVPAA will be chaired by Dean John Fleming.
  15. (non agenda item) Compensable time for non-exempt employees (staff) who travel for work counts as work hours and could become overtime hours requiring overtime pay.
  16. (non agenda item) Mike reminded chairs that preparation for strategic planning should have begun in departments. The completion goal is early 2017.
  17. Other business
  18. Dr. Giordano discussed issues related to Study Abroad.
  19. Around the table
  20. Data from the Retention Council reveals that freshman retention declined slightly. The goal is 80%.
  21. UA is asking to review grant proposals sent to private foundations. They expect to have a week to review.
  22. Some chairs have experienced delays in IT security approval of purchasingsoftware and renewing licenses.
  23. Dan reported seeing “Starving the Beast,” a film about underfunding of state universities and the threat to tenure.
  24. The Senate referendum allowing full-time faculty with 6 or more years at Texas State to be elected to the Faculty Senate was discussed.
  25. The meeting ended at 3:47 P.M.