February 19, 2013
Highlights from the Feb. 12 Faculty Senate meeting
Feb. 12 hightlights:
Guests:
• Provost April Mason updated senators regarding the status of the dean searches for the College of Human Ecology and K-State Olathe. She also briefly reviewed what activities are currently happening at Olathe. She encouraged senators to be involved with the celebration of K-State’s 150th anniversary. Events will begin Feb. 14 and continue through October. A letter to campus from her will be going out soon with an update on 2025 initiatives. For example, the sustainability theme committee will be created very soon. A question from a senator was addressed regarding a previous faculty member who has been in the news recently.
• Dean/CEO of K-State Salina, Verna Fitzsimmons, was a guest at the request of senate. Fitzsimmons reviewed with senators the plans for K-State Salina’s future. They are in the process of creating a comprehensive campus plan that will include office space, learning space, working space and living space, and how those work together to offer the best student experience. She also updated senators on some of the recent hires and changes in offices. She encouraged all to visit the campus if they’ve not had the opportunity to do so.
Consent Agenda:
• President-elect Julia Keen presented the consent agenda containing several course and curriculum changes from the various colleges as well as graduation list corrections. It was approved as submitted.
Standing committee and Student Senate reports:
• Academic affairs: Senator Andrew Bennett presented items on the discussion agenda for a vote. All items on the discussion agenda were approved.
• Faculty affairs: Senator Melia Fritch presented the professional titles work group report and recommendations for receipt by senate. Brief discussion took place regarding the report. Discussion will now continue further on the side of administration with review of financial implications. The Board of Regents will need to approve the proposal prior to any changes beginning at the campus level. Senior Vice Provost Ruth Dyer assured senators this will be kept on her agenda and she will keep senate informed about the progress. Fritch also updated senators that a joint provost and faculty senate task force will begin to address the Board of Regents request regarding a post-tenure review policy.
• FSCOT: Senator David Rintoul reported the email upgrade committee has posted its report. The Axio survey tool will be going away and will be replaced with Qualtrics, a more power survey tool. A teaching and learning conference will be taking place from 3:30-4:30 p.m. March 4 in Room 227 of the K-State Student Union. Also, Java has been noted as having continued security issues. Therefore, plans to begin moving away from Java-based systems have begun.
• FSCOUP: Senator Bob Condia reported that Derek Jackson, direction of housing and dining services, was their guest recently. A broad discussion at their meeting took place regarding housing and dining services, their future needs and how these affect students and others. Ayers Saint Gross worked with their unit on a comprehensive plan that should be rolled into the yet-to-be released campus master plan. Condia also reported that the theme committee on sustainability will be created soon, as Provost Mason indicated earlier in her report. FSCOUP members put back on the agenda a discussion regarding a faculty club or intellectual commons. They would like to receive input from campus faculty on what exactly this should be and whether Kansas State should have one.
• Student senate: Senator Emilee Taylor announced the tuition enhancement committee is meeting. SGA’s election filing deadline is Feb. 15. She asked faculty to encourage students to participate in student senate.
Announcements:
• President James Bloodgood announced that Cats in the Capitol will take place on Feb. 13. Several senators are attending.
• Faculty senate elections for this year will begin shortly.
• The Manhattan and Salina spring open forums with Schulz and Mason, hosted by Faculty Senate, will be held on Feb. 22 (3:30 p.m., Town Hall, Leadership Studies Building) and March 7 (3:30 p.m., College Center Conference room), respectively.
For the Good of the University:
• Senator Keen directed attention to the faculty compensation task force report. She encouraged senators to share this with their colleagues and comment on the report via the online tool if they have not done so already: http://www.k-state.edu/2025/initiatives/faculty-compensation/comments/.
Jim Bloodgood
Faculty Senate President
Management
204 Calvin Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506
785.532.3711