AU Steering Agenda

Agenda

03/07/2023 | Via Zoom | 3:30 PM

Meeting will open 15 minutes prior. Feel free to join early.

Attendance

Members: Mark Carpenter (Chair), L. Octavia Tripp (Secretary), Dan Svyantek (Immediate Past-Chair), Lisa Kensler (Chair-Elect), Linda Gibson-Young (Secretary-Elect), Vini Nathan (Interim Provost), Evelyn Hunter (Rules Appointee), Robert Norton (Presidential Appointee), Danilea Werner (Rules Appointee), Robert Cochran (Presidential Appointee), and Laura Kloberg (Admin. Support for the Senate).

Special Guests: Susan McCallister Dir, Campus Safety & Compliance, and Floyd Johnson, Dir, Emergency Mgmt • Campus Safety and Security. Gerry Dozier, AI@AU initiative (i.e. Artificial Intelligence at Auburn University). Mitchell Brown, Chair of the Senate Faculty Handbook Review Committee. Leslie Cordie (chair) and Ralph Kingston, Senate Retention Committee.

Steering Agenda (times are approximate)

  1. 3:30: Welcome and Call to order

  2. 3:30: Discussion/approval of Steering Minutes from Feb 14, 2023.

  3. 3:35: Vini Nathan, Interim Provost, Announcements from Provost Office (Norman Godwin substitute for Dr. Nathan if she cannot be present). 

  4. 3:40: Special Guests:

    1. Floyd Johnson/Susan McCalliseter, Update on Campus Safety and Security.

    2. Gerry Dozier, Update on AI@AU.

  5. 4:00: Senate Committee Business

    1. Ralph Kingston, expansion of membership list for Retention Committee.

    2. Mitchell Brown, proposed changes to the Faculty Handbook.

    3. Update on the vote for the three open Rules Committee Seats. As of now, there are four candidates for the three seats. Tony Moss declined the nomination. During the vote each senator selects 3 (of the 4) candidates. Candidates with over 50% are deemed elected. If fewer than 3 candidates make 50% on the first round, then another round of voting with ALL the candidates not yet elected listed. Senators get to select 1 or 2 candidates (depending on how many slots remain to be filled.)

  6. 4:30: Discussion, edit, and approval of Senate Agenda for 3/14/2023 at 3:30 p.m.

  7. 4:35: Unfinished or New Business?

Restrictions on Rules Committee Membership: Elected members shall serve two-year staggered terms. Election of members to two-year terms shall be held by secret ballot at each March meeting of the Senate. Candidates who receive a majority vote shall be elected and their appointment shall become effective the following August. Nominations shall be made from the floor at the Senate's February meeting. Information about candidates shall be distributed to all Senators with the agenda for the March meeting. All members of the committee must be members of the Senate at the time of their election.

Mission

The Steering Committee acts on behalf of the AU Senate on matters requiring attention between meetings of that body and assists the chair of the Senate in setting the agenda for Senate meetings. In addition, it is concerned with the academic affairs of the University, with particular attention given to the need for developing and recommending policies under which these affairs are conducted. It works closely with other Senate committees to aid them in their assignments.