1. 1. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 3:13pm, with quorum.
2. 2. Approval of Agenda: The agenda was approved without changes.
3. Approval of Minutes of the 15 April 2019 Faculty Senate Meeting: The minutes were approved without changes.
4. Faculty Senate President Report: Senate President Joe Moffett reported on the following issues:
5. Moffett noted that today is the last full Senate meeting for the year. The next incoming Senate will have a meeting to vote for their officers in the following week.
6. We have faculty elections coming up, but they may be late.
5. Professional Concerns Committee: Chair Caroline Gibson was absent. Committee member Debbra Tate gave the report:
6. Deputy Provost Kim Sipes stated that in order to be in compliance with KRS about the election of Regent, we must have a secret ballot. The office of General Counsel has advised that election by Blackboard does not meet that criteria. We will do a vote by paper ballot in the Registrar's Office on Thursday and Friday for all elections. Moffett asked Senators to encourage faculty to vote. He noted that voter turnout is never really that high: please get out the vote for these important positions.
7. Senator Gilliam said that the election committee is being convened, composed of three continuing senators and two returning.
8. Moffett said that their job is to put together a slate for elections.
9. A Senator noted that there are only three people on the standing elections committee – three people for two days of ballot-box monitoring. At least two faculty senators need to be present, monitoring the box at all times.
10. Another senator suggested putting up a Doodle survey so that senators can sign up to volunteer to monitor the box.
11. A senator asked if a list of candidates would be sent out. Moffett replied that it had been sent out last week. He suggested that senators check their junk mailboxes.
12. The committee looked at the Faculty Handbook items and approved them.
13. Moffett elaborated that there is a group looking over the handbook items. They had hoped to do a more full review, but they were waiting on the updated Human Resources handbook, which has not been received. The group passed these additions:
14. oSection 1.7: Faculty Governance Structure. Displaying this section of the handbook, Moffett explained the highlighted changes. He noted that there may need to be a change in the policy about secret paper ballots to update for electronic voting on Blackboard for most elections. All the verbiage taken out was outdated – regarding a time/place to do a paper election. These deletions have been approved by PCC. PCC added that the Registrar should certify the results. Regarding electing unit-level representatives, PCC suggested a change to “these elections will be done in a way deemed appropriate by the unit.”
15. A Guest asked, if you leave this “deemed appropriate” wording in, does that mean that a Chair may appoint Senators instead of them being chosen in a democratic way?
16. Another Guest noted that in science, we always say you shouldn't leave anything to interpretation.
17. A friendly amendment was made to change the language to include an example of what is deemed appropriate, such as “secret ballot, voice vote or electronic vote.” The amendment was seconded and passed by unanimous voice vote.