AU Senate Meeting

Establish a Quorum

• A quorum was established with 61 respondents voting.

• Approval of minutes from April 18, 2023 minutes of the Senate meeting on April 18, 2023. Minutes approved with no corrections.

Remarks and Announcements

AU Interim Provost: Vini Nathan

• Vini Nathan stated that there were 14 searches during this academic year. There was a successful COSAM Dean search - Dr. Ed Thomas, College of Engineering – Dr. Mario Eden, College of Pharmacy – Dr. Leigh Ann Ross, and the College of Business was unsuccessful. There will be an internal search for Director of the Honors College.

Information Items

Senate Committee Report: Ad Hoc Audit Committee for Post-Tenure Review

Presented by Bart Prorok, Professor, Mechanical Engineering.

Post-Tenure Review Presentation (pdf)

• ADr. Prorok gave a presentation on Post Tenure Review by giving the charge of reviewing the practice and progress of Auburn University’s Post Tenure Review (PTR) process. Dr. Prorok shared the mission statement. The PTR and Far process appears to be working. The committee made two suggestions.

  1. Implement a mentoring program to support faculty in improving their performance.

  2. Have an Analysis/Validation – The chair provides an analysis to indicate whether a faculty member is preforming at an unsatisfactory level.

• The Senate Chair asked for a motion to accept the committee report and send the report to Provost. The request to send the committee report to the Provost was motioned by Rich Sesek (Senator, Dept. Industrial and Systems Engineering) and seconded by Danilea Werner (Senator, Steering).

• Provost Nathan asked a question for clarification. The clarification was that the report would be sent to the Provost for recommendations. In the future, if further action would be needed the recommendations would be on record.

• Vote on Motion to approve Ad Hoc recommendations – 58 respondents Yes, 4 respondents No, 4 respondents abstained - 88 % voted in favor of the motion therefore the Motion carries.

Action Items

Vote on Senate Committee Rotations/Replacement Nominees

Presented by L. Octavia Tripp, Senate Secretary and Rules Committee Chair.

Senate Committees Nominees for New Rotations and Replacement Vacancies (pdf)

• The Rules Chair asked that Linda Gibson-Young give the report on Senate Committee Rotations/Replacement.

  • Gibson-Young proceeded with sharing the names of the nominees for Senate Committees and explain the process that Rules used in approving the nominees. She asked that the Senate vote on all names together. After the presentation of the nominees, the Chair prepared the vote. The result of the vote – 60 respondents yes, and 3 abstained. The Senate Committees nominees were accepted.

• Gibson-Young made an announcement that there were a few committees that still needed being filled. She encouraged faculty to volunteer.

The Chair mentioned that in the previous monthly meeting six concerns were introduced for proposed changes to the handbook. He asked Mitchell Brown to reintroduce the concerns one by one.

Votes on Changes to the Faculty Handbook (Proposed in March Senate Meeting)

Presented by Dr. Mitchell Brown, Chair of the Senate Faculty Handbook Review Committee.

• There are six substantive changes (presented during the April Senate Meeting) to be voted on during the May meeting.

• Mitchell Brown started with Concern 1. After the discussion the Senate will vote on Amendment related to the language about participation on P&T committees. The request was made that language would say that faculty members who serve on committees at the college or university level may attend, participate or vote at one level and shall fully recuse themselves at the other levels.

  • Questions were asked and discussions were made in reference to the amendment. After the discussion the Chair asked that the amendment be voted on and then can address the overall. For further review please see the recording May 16, 2023, time stamps 55:20 – 1:19:10 posted on the Senate website.

  • The amendment did not past –17 respondents yes, 40 respondents no, and 4 respondents abstain.

  • Due to much discussion, it was motioned by Jennifer Lockhart (Senator, dept. Philosophy) and seconded by Senator Hans Werner Van Wyk, dept. Mathematics and Statics) [found in Panopto recording 1:19:10–1:31:19] to send back the concern to the handbook committee for further discussion and revision. The result of the vote 46 respondents yes, 7 respondents no, and 2 abstain. The motion to send Concern 1 back to the Faculty Handbook Committee passes.

• The next vote was made on Concern 2 – External Letters that come in after the department unit vote. The change that is being recommended is only letters that are received in time or departmental consideration shall be available. Made available up the line to the college and university committees.

  • Vote – 39 respondents yes, 13 respondents no, and 3 respondents abstain. Concern 2 passes.

• The next vote made on Concern 3 – Holding people going up for promotion and tenure to standards that aren’t written in the departmental standards. Questions and discussion were made.

  • The chair set up the vote for Concern 3 - The result of the vote was 40 respondents yes, 6 respondents no, and 7 respondents abstain, Concern 3 passes.

• Concern 4 – Standard Biographical Data Sheets that are included in faculty dossiers. This concerns language about faculty who have taken extensions due to the pandemic.

  • Vote – 47 respondents yes, 3 respondents no and 1 respondent abstain. Concern 4 passes.

• Concern 5 – P&T language impact on clock extensions.

  • Vote – 49 respondents yes, 2 respondent no, and 2 respondents abstain. Concern 5 passes.

• Concern 6 – P&T language to Ensure Clear and Consistent Approaches across Departments for Evaluating Faculty Who Have Taken a Tenure Clock Extension: Outside Letter Request Language

  • Vote – 49-yes, 1-no, 6-abstain. Concern 6 passes.

For further clarification or understanding, please view the Panopto recording May 16, 2023, for the entire discussion of Handbook changes time stamps 55:20 – 1:50:27.

Pending Item - Proposal to Create NTTF Teaching Professorships

Presented by Ash Curtiss, NTTF Committee Chair and Senior Lecturer

Proposed NTTF Teaching Professor Presentation (pdf)

Proposal on Teaching Professorship (pdf)

• Ash Curtis gave a detailed presentation on Teaching Professor Title Series. Curtis proposal states that series is designed to attract and retain professional teachers with demonstrated expertise in their fields who contribute to the university’s academic mission by providing high-quality instruction. He stated that The Teaching Professor Title Series will also demonstrate excellence in one other area of service, outreach, research or creative work. After the presentation, the floor was opened for questions. Faculty had some concerns but the Chair did remind that this is a proposal presented and it will be voted on in the June meeting.

New Business

• None.

Adjournment

Chair Mark Carpenter adjourned the meeting at 5:52 p.m.