USAO Faculty Association

Meeting in Austin Hall 206  -  November 6, 2007 at 11:05 AM

Signed in: Karjala, Bruce, Todd, MacDonald, Oxenford, Shafer, J.Hanson, Weber, Guzik, Bohannon, Ferguson, J. Johnson, J. Mather, D. Hanson, Crow, Dorman, Loutsch, Winn, Warden, McElroy, S. Brown, Lamar, Breerwood, Kandeh, Brickman, Bellemain, Kelley, Elder, Kao, Bussey.  Also present:  N. Osborn, J. Knapp

 

Minutes

 

I.          Call to Order 11:05 a.m.

 

II.         Approval of the Minutes from October 2, 2007

Minutes received spelling corrections and were noted for their untimely distribution, then approved (Karjala/Shafer)

 

III.       Treasurer’s Report:  Darryel Reigh

$180.00 in dues added, McGrath scholarship $300 subtracted, total $642.24

 

IV.        The State Regents' Annual Faculty Assembly report:  Ken Bohannon

Bohannon describes the new vice chancellor’s presentation:  “lots of graphs” stating the obvious (females in higher ed, tuition rises).

Discussion of attempts by state to increase percentage of students attending college, but Oklahoma is still average.

Surveys also revealed:  Poor salaries, health benefits are universal complaints.

More individuals being added as at-large members of advisory council.

VI.       Committee Announcements:

 

            A.     Curriculum

Curr. changes in committee for psychology—which committee is matter of debate.

Service learning proposal will start at IDS committee

 

            B.     Faculty Handbook

            C.     Faculty Resources

            D.     Tenure and Promotion

            E.      Ad Hoc Committees

No other committee reports.

 

VII. Old Business

Academic Integrity Policy : Sandy has it, aim will be to get it ready for next catalog, and to present to Regents meeting.

 

 

VIII.     New Business  

            A.  Athletics

Reigh suggests reconstituting committee that was assembled to improve relations between faculty and coaches.  Johnson gives history of athletic-academic relations. (It has been four years since meeting which temporarily improved performances.)  General comments about how emails and letters with lists of dates should not be enough to excuse absence—professors would like individual accountability and contact from students.

Kelley suggests calling together a faculty committee.  Volunteers, some more voluntary than others:  Bohannon, Todd, Oxenford, Osborn, Kelley, Karjala

 

            B. Student Evaluations

Bohannon questions the paper trail for evaluations to remedy summer 2007 problem of “lost” evaluations.

Shafer suggests considering online version, but student participation questioned.

Faculty bemoan timeline (three months) for processing. 

Brown announces new policy for Division secretaries typing instead of students.

Warden suggests tenured faculty might reasonably fill out forms less often, and a number of accreditation uses for the forms are offered.

Loutsch speaks persuasively in favor of evaluations as opportunity to consider teaching problems, and roundly dismisses Crow’s hypothetical complaint about class starting times as “just stupid.”

 

VIII.        Announcements

            Drama:  Davis announces 1/6 percentage of student body attended Death of a Salesman, and encourages faculty to get involved in the choices for productions.

Dinner theatre Friday night presented by drama club.

Hypatia: November 19 initiation

Dec 10th stew and cornbread

Art:  seven state show  professional

Two seniors “double vision” upstairs opening on Saturday, serving coffee.

Music: impressive  choir concerts coming up next week and after Thanksgiving

Steve Sanders Dec. 11

Johnson offers treatment for small pox sufferers.  Amended to chicken pox after general consternation.

 

Call for announcements for board of regents.

 

Chavez wants who’s who nominations.

           

X.        Adjournment (Davis/Bohannon)