September 23, 2009
Black Hills State University Faculty Senate Minutes
Meier Hall 3127
Members present: Randy Royer (Pres.), Jami Stone (VP), Laura Colmenero-Chilberg (Secretary), Parthasarathi Nag, Sasha Pursley, Gina Gibson, Len Austin, David Crawford, Chen Wu, Caleb Andersh
3:15 PM -- Senate called to order. Agenda was approved. Minutes were approved with minor changes. (Pursley moved to accept. Nag seconded the motion)
Old Business
• An abridged version of the catalog was discussed at Academic Council. April Meeker is working on this. Her office will pay for printing it.
• The issue of community service and its ties to specific subject areas is a COHE issue.
• Finding members for Faculty Senate committees is under way. Sasha Pursley has volunteered to be the Faculty Senate representative on the Emergency Planning Committee.
• Discussion was held about the student retention lists and workshop attendance lists.
• Discussion on the Civility Clause was tabled until next meeting.
New Business
• Attendance by faculty at the two commencements was discussed. It was generally believed that faculty were required to attend one commencement a year. The Faculty Handbook needs to be checked for this.
• Randy Royer reported on the Academic Council meeting.
o The new Executive Director of the Board of Regents is a proponent of a 120 credit program. This is also supported by Regent Hanson. This is under discussion by the Board Office and the BOR.
o The administrative academic organizational structure is to be streamlined. BHSU doesn’t see that the university is too top heavy.
o Should we be using electronic course syllabi? It creates a variety of problems for some students.
o The registrar’s office is updating course descriptions.
o The Higher Education Center – Black Hills should be up and running by January 2011.
o Student Life reports that the residence halls are 95% occupied. There are 77 students not immunized.
• Library Committee – This is tabled until the next meeting.
• Programs with 25 or fewer majors graduating in four years could be cut. These programs are asked to send justifications for the small graduation numbers to their Dean.
• Faculty Senate President Royer and Vice President Stone will meet with President Schallenkamp on October 21, November 18 and December 9, 2009.
4:27pm. Senate meeting adjourned
Respectfully submitted by Laura Colmenero-Chilberg
Faculty Senate Secretary