Executive Committee Report given at the Feb 25, 2008 University Senate Meeting

Steering Committee of the University Senate and Faculty Advisory Committee to the University President

Members:  President Leland, Vice President Gormly, Doug Goings (SoB),  Bill Richards (Library)

Officers:  Secretary: Chris Greer (SoE), Vice-Chair: Kendra Russell (SoHS), Chair: Craig Turner (SoLAS)

 

SUMMARY (an approximation to what was shared orally at the February 25 University Senate meeting)

 

DETAILS  (providing more comprehensive information for each of the individual committee meetings)

  1. Since the January 28, 2008 meeting of the 2007-08 University Senate, ECUS held three elected faculty workshops (Jan 31, Feb 7, Feb 21), and one joint meeting with the Standing Committee Chairs (Feb 14). 
  2. Throughout this report, the following acronyms may be used.
  3. On January 31, 2008, the elected faculty members of the Executive Committee (ECUS) met and

                                                         i.      three drafts of language introducing a presiding officer elect position for the University Senate.  The final proposal calls for this individual to serve as presiding officer elect and vice-chair of ECUS for one year, and then presiding officer and chair of ECUS the following year.  For both presiding officer and presiding officer elect positions,

o       eligibility: elected faculty senator,

o       nomination: from Subcommittee on Nominations or the floor of the University Senate,

o       elected by the University Senate

                                                       ii.      there were suggestions for changes to the revision process for the University Senate bylaws

o       explicitly require any proposed bylaw revisions be submitted IN WRITING,

o       reduce the minimum number of endorsing University Senators from five (5) to three (3)

                                                      iii.      the remaining items in the Level I, II, and III document were considered with agreements that

o       steering faculty bylaws to FAPC for review be considered at the Feb 14 joint meeting,

o       all remaining items in this draft require no proposed revisions to the current bylaws

                                                     iv.      agreed that the consideration of proposed revisions had come to an end as all items on both the ECUS bylaws parking and Level I, II, III document had been completely reviewed

                                                       v.      agreed that Craig should prepare drafts of a motion and supporting documents for the bundle of proposed bylaws revisions for review at the next meeting (Feb 7)

  1. On February 7, 2008, the elected faculty of the Executive Committee met and

                                                         i.      preparations for the online ballot are in progress

                                                       ii.      the election procedure still needs to be posted to the webpage

                                                         i.      revisions to the language on the online electronic suggestion box is in progress,

                                                       ii.      necessary support personnel are engaged in a high priority time-sensitive project

                                                      iii.      once this project is completed, there should be an opportunity to complete this work

                                                         i.      Feb 14, 2008 joint meeting of Executive Committee and Standing Committee Chairs

1.      a proposal to steer the faculty bylaws to FAPC for review

2.      supporting documents for continuation of the confidentiality within evaluation conversation that began at the Jan 17 meeting and continues on Feb 14

                                                       ii.      Drafts of operational definitions of the terms policy, procedure, practice, resolution, information, concern, guideline, and exhibit.  For the Feb 21 elected faculty workshop, drafts of the following terms will be prepared for committee review: concern (Chris), practice (Kendra), procedure (Craig), guideline (Doug), exhibit (Bill)

                                                      iii.      Reviewed the list of twenty recommendations from the 2006-2007 ECUS Annual Report.  Agreed that this list would now serve as the 2007-2008 general parking lot and that together with the 2006-2007 ECUS parking lot should serve as guidance documents in the preparation of the tentative agendas for the remaining 2007-2008 ECUS meetings.

  1. On February 14, 2008, the Executive Committee met jointly with Standing Committee Chairs and

                                                         i.      University Senate tab in myCATS:  announced its existence to the university community via email

                                                       ii.      Electronic Suggestion Box: continuing to make progress on how best to implement:

o        a plan to review and respond to the suggestions received, with the understanding that anonymous suggestions which are not clearly understood may not receive adequate response in all cases

o        an electronic archive of the suggestions and responses that is accessible to the same set of individuals that have access to make suggestions to promote transparency and the sharing of information and supports possible closure of information loops to authors of anonymous suggestions

o        language displayed to the user at the time of submission should indicate more clearly the purpose of the suggestion box

o        language displayed to the user immediately following the submission of a suggestion should provide relevant information about the process by which suggestions will receive a response

                                                      iii.      March 14 Governance Coordination at Clayton State:

o       shared the tentative agenda of this meeting with those present and

o       discussed the opportunity extended to GCSU to host a future coordination meeting of USG faculty governance bodies, agreeing that this decision should be deferred to the incoming University Senate leadership that will be named on April 25, 2008

                                                     iv.      2008-2009 Governance Calendar has been posted to the University Senate website and a link to this calendar has been distributed by email to the university community

                                                       v.      Comprehensive Annual Reports of Committees are due on May 1, 2008.  The 2007-2008 committee annual report webpage offers information and documents (the template) that support the preparation of these reports.

                                                         i.      there are four nominees, all of whom must be contacted to determine their willingness to serve

                                                       ii.      those nominees who are willing to serve will be placed on the ballot

                                                      iii.      online voting will take place within the week of Feb 18 to Feb 22

                                                         i.      the Faculty Bylaws to the Faculty Affairs Policy Committee (FAPC) for review

                                                       ii.      discussed the confidentiality in evaluation issue briefly, agreeing that the proposal involves both policy and procedural matters, ultimately concluding that additional information is required before making any recommendations on this matter and agreeing that this conversation should continue at the March 20 joint meeting.

  1. On February 21, 2008, the elected faculty of the Executive Committee met and

                                                         i.      modifications to the submission acknowledgment message to more clearly communicate with the individual submitting a suggestion.

                                                       ii.      the creation of an electronic archive of the suggestions including documentation of the actions and any responses resulting from these suggestions, and making this electronic archive available to all that can access the suggestion box.  This archive could be one means by which to close the information loop with an individual electing to anonymously submit a suggestion.

                                                      iii.      consideration that the University Senate Graduate Assistant could help maintain this archive

  1. The next meeting of the Executive Committee is an elected faculty workshop scheduled for Thursday, February 28, 2008 from 9:30-10:45 in the Arts & Sciences 1-16.