The University of Oklahoma
(Norman campus)
Regular session - May 6, 2002 - 3:30 p.m. - Jacobson Faculty Hall 102
office: Jacobson Faculty Hall 206
phone: 325-6789 FAX: 325-6782
e-mail: facsen@ou.edu web site:
http://www.ou.edu/admin/facsen/
The
Faculty Senate was called to order by Professor Al Schwarzkopf, Chair.
PRESENT: Beach (1), Bemben (1), Blank (2), Bozorgi
(2), Cline (0), Cox (2), Davis (2), Frech (2), Gensler (3), Gollahalli (2),
Gottesman (3), Greene (2), Hanson (1), Harrison (1), Hart (0), Hartel (3),
Hawthorne (2), Henderson (2), Knapp (1), Magid (0), Maiden (1), McInerney (3),
Milton (1), Morrissey (2), Nelson (1), Newman (1), Pender (3), Ransom (2),
Robertson (3), Roegiers (3), Rupp‑Serrano (2), Russell (2), Scherman
(1), Schwarzkopf (0), Tarhule (1), Taylor (2), Wieder (0), Wyckoff (2),
Zagzebski (2)
Provost's office
representative: Mergler
PSA representatives: Hubbard, Smith
UOSA representatives: Milam
ABSENT: Abraham (2), Baldwin (2), Clark (3),
Cuccia (2), Dewers (4), Kenderdine (3), Lee (3), Sievers (2), Smith (2),
Vale (3), Willinger (1)
[Note: During the period June 2001 to May 2002, the
Senate held 9 regular sessions and no special sessions. The figures in parentheses above indicate
the number of absences.]
________________________________________________________________________________
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Announcements:
Schedule of Senate meetings
for fall 2002
Summary of Speakers Service program
Faculty retirees
Senate Chair's Report:
Senate accomplishments for
2001-02
Pay for 9-month faculty paid in 10 months
Retirement benefits committee
Senate issues for 2002-03
Senators who received awards
Endowed chairs/professorships
Presentation of certificates of appreciation
Election, councils/committees/boards
Election, Senate standing committees
Election, Senate Secretary and Chair-elect
Resolution of Appreciation to Prof. Al
Schwarzkopf
Senate issues for 2002-03
________________________________________________________________________________
The
Senate Journal for the regular session of April 8, 2002 was approved.
The
regular meetings of the Faculty Senate for Fall 2002 will be held at
3:30 p.m. in Jacobson Faculty Hall 102 on the following Mondays: September 9, October 14, November 11, and
December 9.
Summary
of the activities of the Faculty Senate Speakers Service for the past year:
From May 2001 to April 2002, the Faculty Senate office arranged for 58 faculty
and staff to give 176 talks to 82 organizations in 29 communities throughout
the state. The Faculty Senate and the
University sincerely appreciate the members of the Speakers Service who share
their expertise and knowledge with the people of Oklahoma. Prof. Schwarzkopf said he thought the
Speakers Service was a valuable service, and he thanked administrative
coordinator Sonya Fallgatter for organizing the talks.
The
following faculty retired during the past academic year. The Faculty Senate thanks these faculty
members for their dedication and contribution to our community. Prof. Schwarzkopf said he thought it was
important to recognize the individuals because it was a passing of an era.
|
NAME |
DEPARTMENT |
RETIREMENT DATE |
CAME TO OU |
|
Atkinson, Gordon |
Chemistry & Biochem. |
5-16-02 |
1971 |
|
Butler, Charles |
Human Relations/ELPS |
8-15-02 |
1966 |
|
Crynes, Billy |
Chem. Engr.
& Mat. Sci. |
3-1-02 |
1987 |
|
Gipson, Richard |
Music |
5-15-02 |
1976 |
|
Harper, Charles |
Geology & Geophysics |
5-31-02 |
1966 |
|
Henderson, Arnold |
Architecture |
5-15-02 |
1968 |
|
Jordan, Rosetta |
Modern Lang., Lit. & Ling. |
5-16-02 |
1976 |
|
Kaid, Lynda |
Communication |
6-30-01 |
1974 |
|
Lancaster, John |
Botany & Micro. |
8-31-02 |
1964 |
|
Larsen, Lawrence |
Modern Lang., Lit. & Ling. |
5-16-02 |
1969 |
|
Long, Huey |
Educ. Lead. & Pol. St. |
3-1-02 |
1987 |
|
Muenzler, Georgia |
Landscape Architecture |
5-15-02 |
1990 |
|
Pailes, Richard |
Anthropology |
8-11-02 |
1969 |
|
Ramsey, Shirley |
Journalism & Mass Comm. |
6-1-02 |
1988 |
|
Reynolds, Osborne |
Law |
5-31-02 |
1968 |
|
Sonleitner, Frank |
Zoology |
5-15-02 |
1965 |
Prof.
Schwarzkopf reported on the accomplishments of the Faculty Senate this
year. The Senate participated in
defining the health benefits package for active employees as well as for
retirees. At the next regents’ meeting, the regents will make a correction in the
premium rates so that retirees will be able to have the Schaller-Anderson plan,
Option 2, at no cost, just as active employees have. The Senate started a process of proactive communication with
state legislators. Last fall, two
events were scheduled for legislators on campus, where they met with small
groups of faculty and students. Prof.
Schwarzkopf said it made a difference to become acquainted with legislators and
to tell them we appreciate what they have been doing. President Boren still believes in a wellness facility and is
trying to incorporate it in the new section of the stadium. A subcommittee of the Research Council,
chaired by Prof. Laurette Taylor, is looking at policies and practices that
impact the effectiveness of research.
One of the issues is the institutional review board practices, including
practices involving live animal research.
The Senate has also worked on establishing rational and effective
retention policies and changing the "add" period from two weeks to
one week, with the cooperation of the students and administration.
Prof.
Schwarzkopf announced that there would be a change in the way deductions for
benefits would be calculated for 9-month faculty paid in 10 months. Under the current system, half of the
deduction is taken out in the partial months--August and May. The new PeopleSoft system will deduct
benefits based on the number of days in a month, which means the August pay
check will be a little higher and the May pay check a little lower, but the
total amount remains the same.
The
OU regents will soon consider an item concerning retirement benefits. Federal law has changed the options the
University has for setting up retirement programs, which permits considerably more
sheltering and a variety of retirement programs. There is also the possibility of adjusting the way we participate
in OTRS. The intent is to create a
committee to look at the range of options and design what the options ought to
be. The result should be improved
retirement opportunities.
Prof.
Schwarzkopf said he had left two things undone but would continue to work on: a
policies and procedures document for administrative hires and revisions in the
policies on nepotism and on compliance.
The regents passed the nepotism and compliance policies in haste in
response to some serious problems in order to protect the University, but some
revisions need to be made to minimize the disruption to research while
providing maximum protection.
Prof.
Schwarzkopf congratulated the senators who received awards at the faculty
tribute April 9.
The proposed revisions in
the endowed chairs/professorships policy were discussed last month (see 4/02
Senate Journal). Prof. Schwarzkopf said
he had since observed that the current policy had allowed for appropriate
searches to be conducted and internal candidates to be appointed to
professorships. He said he wanted to be
sure the revisions were right before the policy was changed. Furthermore, he thought this policy and the
policy on appointing internal administrators should be discussed together to
have some level of parallelism in terms of the review and the evaluation.
Certificates
of appreciation were presented to the following outgoing senators who completed
full three-year terms (1999-02): Michael Bemben, LeRoy Blank, Robert Cox, Sub
Gollahalli, Ellen Greene, Roger Harrison, James Kenderdine, Michael McInerney,
Donna Nelson, and Avraham Scherman.
Certificates also were presented to the other senators whose terms
expired and to the outgoing members of the Senate Executive Committee.
The
Senate approved the Senate Committee on Committees' nominations for
end-of-the-year vacancies on university and campus councils/committees/boards (attached). The
names of the remaining volunteers will be forwarded to the president for the
appointments he makes.
The Senate elected the
following faculty members to fill vacancies on Senate standing committees:
COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES
Continuing members:
Robert Cox (Political Science), Connie Dillon (Educ. Lead. & Pol.
St.), S. Lakshmivarahan (Computer Science), Valerie Watts (Music).
To
replace Ellen Greene (Classics), 2002-05 term:
Ellen Greene (Associate Professor of Classics, B.A. Rutgers, M.A. SUNY at
Binghamton, Ph.D. California at Berkeley, at OU since 1991)
FACULTY COMPENSATION
COMMITTEE
Continuing
members: Aimee Franklin (Political Science), Roy Knapp (Petroleum &
Geological Engineering), Fred Striz (Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering).
To
replace Eric Anderson (Art) and Michael Buckley (Management), 2002-05 term:
Eric Anderson (Associate Professor of Art, B.F.A. Colorado State, M.F.A.
Indiana, at OU since 1990)
Darryl McCullough (Professor of Mathematics, B.A. Ohio State, A.M., Ph.D.
Michigan, at OU since 1978)
FACULTY WELFARE COMMITTEE
Continuing members: David Carnevale (Human
Relations), Georgia Kosmopoulou (Economics), Donald Pisani (History), Lee
Willinger (Accounting).
To
replace Myron Pope (Educ. Lead. & Pol. St.), 2002-05 term:
Myron Pope (Assistant Professor of Educ. Lead. & Pol. St., B.A., M.A.,
Ed.D. Alabama, at OU since 2000)
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, 2002-03 term:
To replace
Ellen Greene (Classics), Roger Harrison (Chem. Engr. & Mat. Sci.), Jody
Newman (Educ. Psych.):
Sally Beach (Associate Professor of Instructional Leadership & Academic
Curriculum, B.A. Dallas, M.Ed. Texas A&M, Ph.D. California at Riverside, at
OU since 1991)
Steve Gensler
(Associate Professor of Law, B.S., J.D. Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, at OU
since 2000)
Karen Rupp-Serrano (Associate Professor of University Libraries, B.A. Kansas State, M.L.S.
Emporia State, M.P.A. Oklahoma, at OU since 1990)
Prof. Valerie Watts
(Associate Professor of Music) was elected, by acclamation, Senate Secretary
for 2002-03. Prof. Schwarzkopf noted
that Prof. Watts had served as Secretary in 2000-01 and was on the Executive
Committee in 1999-00. Prof. Knapp
nominated Prof. Michael McInerney (Professor of Botany & Microbiology), the
University’s newest George Lynn Cross Research Professor, as Chair-Elect for
2002-03. He was elected by acclamation.
The
Faculty Senate approved the following resolution of appreciation to Prof. Al
Schwarzkopf, outgoing Senate Chair:
Whereas
Al has established a close and effective working relationship with the
university administration during the 2001-02 academic year.
Whereas
Al has used his personal style of quiet diplomacy and gentle persuasion
successfully to resolve issues without rancor.
Whereas
Al has opened new lines of communication between faculty representatives and
numerous administrative departments.
Whereas
Al has successfully molded the various and 'unique' personalities of the
Faculty Senate executive committee into an effective working unit--a feat
roughly akin to herding a large litter of feral cats.
Whereas
Al has kept the faculty and its representatives carefully informed about
numerous important issues concerning their welfare.
Whereas
Al has worked assiduously with university officers to ensure the provision of
first-rate health plans and generally to maintain quality faculty benefits.
Whereas
Al has established an effective working relationship with student
representatives, undertaking new initiatives to resolve potential problems of
concern to both faculty and students, such as provisions for a 'Dead Week' and
new add-drop regulations.
Whereas
Al has worked hard to establish new lines of communication with members of the
Oklahoma legislature.
Be it resolved that the Faculty Senate expresses its
sincere appreciation to Al Schwarzkopf for providing outstanding leadership and
service to the university faculty for the academic year
2001-2002.
Prof.
Schwarzkopf said serving as Chair had been one of his most valuable privileges
at the University, and it was an opportunity to make a real difference.
Prof.
Cline presented a certificate of appreciation and an engraved clock to Prof.
Schwarzkopf. He then assumed the office
of 2002-03 Senate Chair. Prof. Cline
said Prof. Schwarzkopf went out of his way to become informed on issues and
build an effective working relationship with the administration. Prof. Cline said he would like to continue
that. The preeminent issue will be
faculty salary and benefits. He would
like to explore new and additional methods of faculty support. In addition, he plans to finish the work on
faculty definition to provide some outlet for representation for faculty who
are not in regular positions. Some
issues have been raised with regard to academic standards, such as
plagiarism. As mentioned earlier, work
will continue on the nepotism and compliance policies.
Prof.
Harrison, chair of the Senate's committee on undergraduate retention, announced
that the committee still had a few issues to research but planned to write a
report this summer and present it to the Faculty Senate in the fall.
Prof.
Taylor, chair of the Institutional Review Board, said it was important to pay
attention to the issues that came up with the animal care board in the past
several weeks. She said she feared
there was a plan to move the Institutional Review Board for the Norman campus
under the jurisdiction of Compliance at the Health Sciences Center.
The
meeting adjourned at 4:07 p.m. The next
regular session of the Senate will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Monday,
September 9, 2002, in Jacobson Faculty Hall 102.
____________________________________
Sonya Fallgatter, Administrative Coordinator
____________________________________
James S. Hart, Jr., Secretary