The Black Hills State University Faculty Senate met Wednesday, Feb. 21. Members present were: Jim Hesson, Dan Bergey, Micheline Hickenbotham, Laura Colmenero-Chilberg, Roger Miller, Bobbi Sago, Annette Ryerson, Richard Gayle, and Peggy Buckwalter.
The meeting was called to order at 3:30 p.m. in the Meier Hall Conference Room.
Ryerson reported that the Young Center board had met. They indicated that faculty members generate approximately $20,000 of income for the center, and they could not afford to lose the money.
Hesson reported on a very brief meeting in passing with Steve Meeker at a time when they were both hurrying to get somewhere else. Hesson invited Meeker to attend the next faculty meeting to discuss the speaker series. Meeker did not have his schedule book with him and was not sure he would be able to attend. Hesson gave a report of his brief conversation with Meeker regarding the speaker series. Many members of the Faculty Senate would like to see the speaker series restarted. Hesson will meet with Dr. Dean Myers and Meeker regarding this issue.
Bergey has completed a draft of a letter from Faculty Senate to Dr. Schallenkamp supporting allocating more resources to work with the University web site. It will be discussed at the March 14 meeting and then submitted to Schallenkamp.
Hickenbotham announced that there had been 12 nominations for the Distinguished Faculty Award, and four were completed. This has encouraged broader participation. The new method for nominating people seems to work well.
A curriculum change was discussed and accepted.
Hesson met with Schallenkamp and Myers concerning faculty feelings of being overwhelmed with work and responsibilities and receiving low levels of compensation in comparison to other Regental institutions. Schallenkamp has said she is actively working to improve BHSU salaries, and she has asked that faculty provide specifics of where job responsibilities are an overly heavy burden. Hesson will survey the faculty by email and report findings back to the president.
Buckwalter reported a concern regarding the discrepancy between ratings on Appendix Fs and feedback received at the time of promotion and tenure.
The mission statement of the Multicultural and Gender Issues Committee was reviewed. Members felt the mission was valuable and expressed concerns that this committee had not met in several years. As chair of the Appointment Committee, Hickenbotham will follow up.
Elections for Faculty Senate will be held in April. The deans will be reminded about these elections. There are two open seats for the College of Arts and Sciences, one for the College of Education, and one for the College of Business and Technology.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:42 p.m.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Colmenero-Chilberg, Faculty Senate secretary.