Present: Jon Harbaugh, Diana Maltz, Mark Siders, Barbara Scott, Petey Young, George Converse, Peg Sjogren, Greg Gassman, , Doug Chapman, Gudrun Gill, John Sollinger, Susan Walsh, Marianne Golding, Barbara Scott, Connie Anderson, Dale Vidmar, Sherry Ettlich, Linda Wilcox Young, Marc Levy, Marianne O’Sheeran, Margaret Dibb, Garth Pittman. 

Absent: John Fitton, Michael Naumes, Kavinda Arthenayake, Jon Uto 

Guests: Bill Danley, Katy Bazylewicz, Mara Afree, Mike Corcoran, Ken Kempner, Joe Graf, Ron Bolstad, Judith Ginsburg, Sib Farrell, Ed Battistella

I.                     Approve minutes of 11/19/01

A.      Converse Motion, Chapman 2^nd – approved with one abstention -  Connie Anderson

II.                   Announcements

A.      Next Senate Meeting – Feb. 4^th - due to Martin Luther King Day.

B.      Sherry Ettlich was honored by Omicron Delta Kappa for her exemplary service.to the university.

III.                  Remarks from the President – Dr. Elisabeth Zinser

A.      Recently Released Budget Reduction Proposal From Governor

1.      Handout - Memo from Chancellor Joe Cox (Details of Governor Kitzhaber’s Budget Cut Plan)

2.      Handout - Email from OUS (Governor Releases Potential Budget Cuts)

3.      Important to remember that any decisions we make to reconcile the budget should position us such that we are well prepared when an economic recovery occurs.

4.      OUS Board is planning statewide town meetings, and SOU is first – February 25^th. “Official” attendees are by invitation, but it is also an “open” meeting. They are interested in workforce and economic development, the continuum from K through college, and other issues.

5.      Dr. Zinser would like to form a “think tank,” a group of faculty to come together to explore ideas for future priorities of the university.

6.      Also wants to look at business practices with a group of staff, to look at ways of improving efficiency across the university.

7.      Looking to the University Planning Committee to help Ron Bolstad in working on the capitol budget for the next biennium.

B.      Proposal for Change of Commencement Venue (Handout)

1.      Arguments in Favor of Holding Commencement in Lithia Park versus Moving Commencement to Campus Stadium.

2.      We have been increasing our liability risk each year as the size of our ceremony continues to increase. Could pose a serious financial risk to the institution if even one lawsuit was to be brought against us.

3.      Concern over the property not being OSHA compliant. 

IV.                Remarks from the Provost – Dr. Sara Hopkins-Powell

A.      Over the holiday break, read all the Professional Activity Reports (PARs) and was impressed by the quality of work.

B.      Sabbatical applications have been forwarded to Dr. Zinser, but because of budget problems, availability of money to support those sabbaticals is still uncertain.

C.      Associate Professors of SOU (APSOU) negotiations were completed successfully, with a reasonable and high quality contract.

D.      Attended a conference at Cambridge University in Great Britain on research in higher education. Shared some of her experiences while there.

V.                  Remarks from the Student Senate – Jon Uto

A.      No Student Senate representation today.

VI.                Reports

A.      December 3, 2001 Chairs meeting  (N. Kunze) –

1.      Workshop – sponsored by the Faculty Development Task Force

a)    Focus on guiding faculty toward successful promotion & tenure

b)    Faculty panel summarized a group of applications from last year in terms of what was

(1)     Most helpful – help and support of dept. chair, colleague mentoring, professional activity reports and plans, faculty bylaws, serving on faculty senate and constitution committees.

(2)     Least helpful – application instructions, format, etc.

B.      Technology Council (L. Wilcox Young) –

1.      No specific report as meeting was cancelled in December.

2.      Reminder that deadline for Tech Fund proposals is Jan. 18^th.

3.      Tech Council working on developing the new Technology Plan.

4.      Students had voted to increase Tech Fund Fee from $45 to $50 – but because of budget problems, cuts may actually have to be made in other areas.

5.      Do hope to maintain present level of services.

C.      IFS (B. Danley, M. Levy) – meeting held at Portland State University December 7-8. Draft Minutes from that meeting are attached in a separate document.

VII.               Constitution Committee discussion/Action Items (S. Ettlich) –

A.      Promotion & tenure, clarifying Years-in-Rank (YIR) and other criteria for promotion & tenure consideration – Section 5.250 of Bylaws (refer to http://www.sou.edu/senate/constitu/bylawssec5.htm for text) (vote)

1.      Motion – Converse, 2^nd O’Sheeran – to approve edits and changes.

2.      Some minor capitalization suggestions.

3.      Unanimous approval.

4.      Person currently up for promotion who meets these requirements may continue with their application.

B.      Section 5.3 changes regarding faculty appeals process (discussion) 

VIII.             Committee Reports - None

IX.                 Other Business

A.      Barbara Scott suggests we revisit the initiatives we discussed at the beginning of the year –possible tasks we would still like to take on as Faculty Senate during this academic year.