Faculty Senate Report on the Summer School Program
Board of Governors Meeting
Truman State University
December 8, 2001
prepared by Randall A. Smith
Associate Professor of Music
Faculty Senate President
Good morning. My name is Randy Smith and I am an Associate Professor of Music
and the President of the Faculty Senate. I am here this morning to inform you of
the role Faculty Senate has played in the development of the summer school
program. I want to make it clear that as Faculty Senate President I cannot take
sides on this issue. Because I represent the entire faculty, I must remain
objective and impartial.
I would like to provide you with a chronology of the events pertaining to the
summer school program as contained in the minutes of the Faculty Senate
meetings. Here are the facts:
August 2000. Former Faculty Senate President, Dr. Teri Heckert,
appointed Dr. Scott Olsen as the Senate liaison of the Faculty Senate
Subcommittee on Summer School. From the August 31 minutes, “Faculty Senate
members were appointed to serve as the Senate liaison to the approved
sub-committees as follows:Â…Summer School—Scott Olsen. Teri asked Faculty
Senators to let all faculty know that any faculty member at-large could sit on
the committees.”
January 2001. The Summer School Committee gave the following report to
the Faculty Senate. From the January 25 minutes,
- Report is in two parts 1) student issues, program issues, cost issues, and
division issues; 2) Committee Proposal and Recommendations - Courses are different lengths and can make it hard for students to put
together a schedule that allows them to take 3 or 4 courses. - Sense is we don’t have the classes where students can build a schedule.
- The committee looked at two types of course offerings. Essential–courses
that are necessary; and Demand–courses offered as long as they had
enrollment. - Essential courses would have fixed salary. Demand courses would depend
upon enrollment. The salary would be prorated accordingly. - Report looked at the equitability between same course offered during
academic year versus summer school. - Report recommended increasing faculty compensation.
- It is not uncommon for universities to have one person responsible for
building summer program. When lots of people are involved, it is hard to
build a good schedule.
Faculty Senator Tom Marshall commented that some predictability in classes
being offered would be good. It was also noted that if we want students to feel
like they are being helped, the possibility of offering scholarships should be
looked into. Garry Gordon asked the committee to check certain figures with Dave
Rector before disseminating to all faculty. Garry would also like to invite Dave
Rector to a Faculty Senate meeting to discuss the budget issues. Bryce Jones
thanked the committee for their work.
February 2001. The Faculty Senate approved Senate Resolution #0500
Resolution for Greater Equity in Summer School. From the February 22 minutes,
“It was moved…and seconded that ‘SR #0500 be considered an action item
and approved.’ Before the vote, friendly amendments were made to SB #0500 to
remove Whereas statements seven and nine, which reference the Summer School
Report, and to amend the last paragraph to read ‘Be it therefore resolved that
Faculty Senate recommends that Truman State University make every effort to
enhance summer school salaries and bring them in line with other universities at
the earliest opportunity.’ Motion to approve SB[R] #0500 was approved.”
“Concerns with the Summer School Report were briefly discussed. No
further action was taken with the report. The Faculty Senate thanked the Summer
School committee for their work.”
April 2001. From the April 26, 2001 minutes, “Teri [Heckert]
indicated that a progress report on the summer school budget will be on the
October 2001 Faculty Senate agenda.”
May 2001. From the May 11, 2001 minutes, “[Dave
Rector]…distributed a handout regarding summer salaries showing the impact of
a change in percentage utilized to calculate summer compensation.
August 2001. From August 3, 2001 minutes, “VPAA Budget
Update,…Garry Gordon fielded questions and concerns among the senate members.
There were concerns regarding the Mission Enhancement fund, the Summer School
program and faculty grants….”
October 2001. From the October 25, 2001 minutes, “Report on the
Summer School Program. The format for the new summer program was explained and a
handout was given. It was mentioned that non-teaching tasks will be re-evaluated
and some will be cut. Questions were raised regarding the summer budget. It was
stated that M. Brooker [Student Senate President] will work to inform the
students of what will be offered. Discussion ensued. Questions were raised
regarding interim periods, graduation, minutes per class period, and summer
budget issues…It was stated that the major reason for re-evaluating the summer
program is to provide courses the students need in the best possible fashion.
Discussion ensued regarding time line.”
November 2001. From the DRAFT of the November 29, 2001 minutes and my
report of the meeting distributed to Faculty Senate members on December 5, 2001:
SR #1301 Social Science Proposed Summer Program Resolution. After many comments
and much discussion from senators and visitors, two motions were presented:
Motion 1: Be It Therefore Resolved, the Faculty Senate finds that the
decision-making process pertaining to the Summer Program is in direct violation
to the legislative authority of the Faculty Senate as stated in its
constitution.
Vote by a show of hands, 2-9-1.
Motion failed.
Voting record:
In Favor: Social Science, Science
Not in Favor: Business, Library/Museum, Math/Computer Science, Education, Human
Potential and Performance, H. Woehlk, S. Patterson, G. Gordon, M. Di Stefano
Abstention: Language and Literature
Motion 2: Be It Therefore Resolved, the Faculty Senate recommends that the
implementation of the Summer Program be postponed for one year until further
data can be collected.
Vote by a show of hands, 2-8-0.
Motion failed.
Voting record:
In Favor: Social Science, Science
Not in Favor: Business, Library/Museum, Math/Computer Science, Education,
Language and Literature, H. Woehlk, S. Patterson, G. Gordon, M. Di Stefano
Abstentions: none
The Faculty Senate has acted upon the issues you have heard today. Through
the faculty governance process the Faculty Senate supports that:
1) VPAA, Garry Gordon, did not violate the Faculty Senate Constitution, and
2) The implementation of the Summer School Program should not be postponed.
Respectfully submitted.
Randall A. Smith
Associate Professor of Music
President, Faculty Senate