communications posted on March 17, 2009 10:28
February 17, 2009
Black Hills State University Faculty Senate Minutes
Meier Hall Conference Rm. / Meier Hall 306
Members present: Laura Colmenero-Chilberg (Pres.), Bobbi Sago (Secretary), Dan Bergey, David Cremean, Garth Spellman, Jim Hesson, Chris Hahn, Sonya Pagel, Robbi Calvert (for Jodi Oliver)
3:30pm. Faculty Senate called to order. Agenda approved. Minutes approved.
Old business:
• Faculty Senate stand on salary for FY2010
o The question arose whether or not the Faculty Senate has a stand on the matter of faculty being included in the Governor’s policy of not giving state employees raises for FY2010. Before deciding if it would take a stand, the Senate decided to find out how faculty members feel about this matter.
• What should we be doing as the Faculty Senate?
o As representatives of the faculty, should the Senate be more proactive in communication with faculty members and seek out issues that they would like to see addressed rather than waiting for them to come to us? Should senate members go to departmental meetings and ask what is on faculty members’ minds or are current methods of communication (emails about meetings and posting minutes on Campus Currents) enough?
• Student Senate report
o Student Senate is concerned about the bill before the state legislature that would allow concealed weapons on university campuses. The bill has been reintroduced in the State House of Representatives after being defeated in the State Senate. Student Senate is opposed to this legislation.
o Alcohol on campus is another topic of discussion in Student Senate. The students feel that there is a mixed message when the campus is dry but exceptions are made for a variety of other events at the discretion of the president.
New Business:
• Distribution of minutes
o There was much discussion whether it is necessary to distribute paper copies of the minutes at Senate meetings. In light of campus interest in sustainability, it is proposed that Senate members review the minutes sent electronically before the meetings and send changes via email to the secretary. The secretary would compile the changes and distribute corrected minutes to be approved. In addition to saving paper, this would save time during Senate meetings.
• Distinguished Faculty Award Committee Report
o Applications for the Distinguished Faculty Award are in and references are due Saturday February 21st. The committee will meet on February 23rd and will forward their recommendation to VPAA Myers by March 1st.
• Meeting with President Schallenkamp and VPAA Myers
o There are three issues that the Senate would like Senate President Colmenero-Chilberg to address at her meeting with President Schallenkamp and VPAA Myers. They are: the status of the Madeline Young Lecture Series, recycling on campus, and the Mobile Computing Initiative.
4:55 p.m. Senate meeting adjourned
Respectfully submitted by Bobbi Sago
Faculty Senate Secretary