Faculty Senate Minutes 9-18-20 Submitted by Danny Collum, Faculty Senate Secretary

1. Call to Order Meeting began with quorum, 9:05 a.m.
2. Approval of Agenda [5 minute time limit]
3. Agenda was amended to include discussion of spring academic calendar in the time for President's Report and to delete the Ombudsman's Report. Agenda approved as amended.
3. Approve Meeting minutes from 9/4/2020 [5 minute time limit] Minutes approved with two amendments: Correction of “Covid-29” to “Covid-19” and correction to list Sharon McGee among attending senators, not as a guest. Minutes approved with those amendments.
4. Faculty Senate President Report [10 minute time limit]

President Keeler met with President Brown and discussed plans for accreditation for the public affairs program. Also raised was terminal degree compensation. Some faculty who have completed a terminal degree recently haven't gotten expected compensation. President Brown indicated that he wanted a resolution from the Senate on faculty salary compression. The issue will be on the agenda for the December Board of Regents meeting. President Keeler then recognized Kim Sipes from Academic Affairs to present alternatives for the spring academic calendar. The current calendar would have faculty return January 4 and classes begin January 9. This needs to be revisited in light of the continuing pandemic in order to avoid holidays, three-day weekends and the accompanying student travel. Two alternatives to accomplish this were presented. One