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Senators A = Absent Ex Officio Members and Guests Present

Alhurani, Abdullah A Nursing Mara Merlino

Amusan, Ibukun Math & Sciences Tierra Freeman (Ex Officio Executive Committee)

Andries, Ken AFE Hunt Butler

Capriles, Nancy BSS Helen Smith

Graham, William Education David Shabazz

Griffin, Robert Fine Arts Elgie McFayden (Faculty Regent)

Griffis, Bruce Math & Sciences James Obielodan (Director of Graduate Studies)

Grimes, Kristopher AFE Lynda Brown-Wright (VPAA)

Gyawali, Buddhi at-large Abdul Turay (Chair School of Business)

Kumar, Ashok at-large

Landy, Tucker Whitney Young

Liu, Zhanping E Computer Science

Moffett, Joe LLP

Ray, Andrew Aquaculture

Ross, Scott Fine Arts

Rye, Reba at-large

Sharma, Rita Math & Sciences

Sipes, Kim at-large

Smith, Peter LLP

Tate, Debbra Library

Tope, Avinash AFE

Ulrich, Stephen PUA,SW,CJ

Wang, Changzheng at-large

Representative still needed from School of Business, 1 from Behavioral & Social Sciences, 1 from Nursing

The fourth meeting of the AY 2015-16 Faculty Senate was called to order at 3:10 pm on Monday, October 12, 2015, Hathaway Hall Room 123. Agenda was approved and the Faculty Senate minutes of September 14, 2015 were approved with modifications and corrections.

Committee Chair Ken Andries presented three actions for Senate approval.

CC15/16-02, a Curriculum/Program Change Proposal, removes CHE315 and 350 from the list of required courses for the B.S. in Biology, General Biology Option, and replaces with biology (BIO) elective at the

300 level or higher. These classes are not required at a number of other institutions and it will bring our curriculum more in line with current trends. The proposal passed unanimously with voice vote.

CC15/16-04 requires completion of BIO 410: Special Problems in Biology (2 credit hours), for students in the B.S. in Biology with Teacher Certification (8-12) option. The proposal passed unanimously with voice vote.

CC15/16-03 requires completion of PHY 207: Physics for the Biological Sciences I (4 credit hours and PHY 208: Physics for the Biological Sciences II (4 credit hours) for students in the B.S. in Biology with Teacher Certification (8-12) option. It passed unanimously.

Chair Andries pointed out that the Curriculum Committee will still receive curriculum action items but they will not be completed and through Senate for the Spring 2016 semester.

Chair Moffett informed the Senate that there has been discussion with the Registrar to design a ‘waitlist” for overenrolled classes, such as English core curriculum classes, and the APP presented an Action Item for this initiative to be implemented Fall 2016. This process would help maintain course caps and let students get in line for a course rather than have to seek a faculty member to inquire about a class. Currently students are being added to full classes despite a procedure by which faculty should be consulted before overenrolling courses. This change in policy would eliminate that problem. One Senator said that she has had success calling the Registrar’s office to have student dropped who were added over cap without her signature and that students will routinely fill out add/drop slips and forge the faculty member’s signature.

One Senator asked if a student will be waitlisted for one particular section or all sections, and another asked if Seniors will have priority. Senator Moffett said those details will be worked out by the Registrar. Two Senators pointed out that Banner has a feature to accomplish this but it has never been turned on, and the new system will have such a feature as well.

The Action Item passed unanimously.

The committee discussed the fact that the degree audit form is out of date and was last revised in 1998. A Senator pointed out that an audit is “a process” and the document in question is the “Application for Degree”.

Dean Shaw informed the committee that she needed all of the work they have done to date on the issue of Freshmen and on-line courses. She asked for this information, and their research, last week and it is on the agenda for the next Board of Regents meeting. She wants any data specific to KSU such as the number of Freshmen taking online classes and their success relative to upperclassmen.

A Senator pointed out the mandate from Chairs to list no on-line 100 level classes for Spring 2016 and raised the question of how this can be enforced when a policy has not been developed to deal with all of the identified issues and exception cases that will have to be addressed. Discussion brought out other

concerns and facts, such as the necessity some students face to add an on-line class when all others are full and they need it in order to complete a full schedule, or when they need a sequenced class, such as SPA 102 after having completed SPA 101 and lecture classes are full. Regent McFayden said that as recently as last week the President discussed in a meeting plans to partner with other institutions for on-line classes and degree options. President Smith said he had corresponded again with Dean Shaw stating the low numbers of Freshmen who are actually in 100 level classes (few to none), the problem it raises for students registered who live remotely, and the varied reasons why some students' schedules cannot accommodate on-campus classes and are seeking a degree with as many on-line classes as possible. Some degrees are advertised as being available completely on-line.

A Senator pointed out that the question should not be to have or not have on-line 100 level classes but, rather, should Freshmen be registered in them. Another made the observation that this issue stemmed to a large extent from the tendency of Board members to jump to conclusions that are not necessarily valid in their search to identify reasons for low graduation rates.

It was discussed that Banner, or the new system when fully implemented, can tag students as Freshmen and disallow enrollment in on-line classes. There can be a system in place for appeal to exception, approved at some defined level. Some students will just decide to go and give BCTC their money to take classes if we do not have provisions where they can take them at KSU. President Smith suggested that the AP Committee present an Action Item regarding this issue. Chair Moffett pointed out that the committee cannot make definitive correlations with the data collected to date, but that the research he has seen seems to indicate that there is not a correlation between Freshmen success and placement in traditional classes as opposed to on-line. One Senator pointed out that maybe APC should try to develop an Action Item now, since the administration is taking their recommendation to the Board anyway.

Chair Kumar reported that the committee discussed the need to reevaluate the travel per diem rate for KSU ($36/day) relative to other institutions, some of which have up to $70/day. Gregory Rush told them he would look into this and get back with them.

The committee discussed the high rate for family insurance that most employees cannot afford. Faculty Regent McFayden suggested that PCC create a task force to research different insurance plans and come up with some recommendations for the university, pointing out that faculty have no input into the insurance decisions. It was talked about but no action was taken. Regent McFayden pointed out that millions of dollars in indirect Land Grant money does not show up in the budget.

Other issues discussed were:

Regent McFayden expressed his disappointment with the outcome of the insurance situation. This was known nine months ago and no action was taken in a timely fashion. He reiterated his desire for a faculty task force. He said other institutions increase contributions when costs go up but it appears that KSU's contribution has actually gone down except for employees making less than $30,000.

A Senator expressed the opinion that with the number of administrators and assistants hired it would seem it is their job to research and secure insurance options. A task force would result in faculty again taking on responsibilities because the administrators are not capable. McFayden responded that the administrators do what is “best for themselves” and that faculty need to so the same.

A Senator asked when the administration actually began to address the situation. McFayden said that emails began in June but it is a question as to when work actually began. The Senator said that when enrollment was far short the administration continued to drag their feet and we are the recipients of poor budgetary practices.

Chair Ross reported that the committee has still not received an itemized budget and read a letter out- loud that he sent to President Burse on behalf of BASC, again requesting a line-item complete copy of the budget, excerpted below:

"...We understand the budget was built on projected enrollment of 1895 students and as of October 1 there were 1100 Full Time undergraduate (FT=12 hours) and 92 Full Time Graduate (FT=9 hours) students enrolled. It is our understanding that every 100 fewer students represents approximately $1.25 - 1.5 million in lost revenue. Citing the Budget Memorandum FY 16 Budget Kentucky State University, that accompanied the Board of Regents approval of the FY 16 budget: Citing Pg. 1 Revenue:

"For contingency purposes, but not included in the proposed FY 16 budget, plans have been developed for a ten percent (10%) headcount reduction in each function should the FY 16 projected enrollment fall short. Thus, with any unexpected shortages in revenue, there is a plan to keep the budget balanced."

"...were removed from individual accounts and placed in a category called "University general." All FY 16 requests for these times will flow through the University General account to ensure that only necessary and essential purchases are made. This account will also be used to balance the budget when other in-year eliminations do not balance the budget."

At this time we ask for a complete and line item copy of KSU's FY 16 budget, which is a public document and specific to our committee charge and responsibility...

Chair Ross said that in addition part-time students pay less. The budget shortfall appears to be about the same as last year due to these low enrollment numbers. Regent McFayden suggested focusing on FTE and part-time is included in that formula.

Ross asked McFayden what he physically looked at when the budget was presented to the board, i.e. was there actually a line-item complete document. Regent McFayden confirmed that there was indeed a complete hardcopy of the budget. Another Senator asked for clarification that there is a budget but the Budget Committee cannot receive a copy. Another point was made that as a public institution we need to see where every dollar is spent, and that is indeed the charge to BASC.

BASC Vice-Chair Rye asked if the new hires over $50,000, made since the budget was presented and approved, have also been approved by the board as required. Regent McFayden replied that most have been. She inquired if he will vote to approve the remaining ones. He replied that he will look at each case individually per qualifications and necessity, if it's an existing position that must be filled, and if the salary is appropriate. After more discussion it was clarified that the question pertained only to those hires that are new positions created since the reorganization and budget was approved. A Senator suggested that with the current budget deficit and low percentage spent on instruction that no new administrative/staff hires and positions should be approved.

The Executive Committee presented a Senate Resolution that focused on two issues. 1.) Suspension of Tenure/Promotion and 2.) Dismissal of a Faculty tenured member.

After the joint resolutions were read discussion followed that resulted in the following amendments:

A Senator asked how the resolutions will move up to the Board and President Smith indicated that will be in the hands of Regent McFayden.

The problems with continued suspension of Tenure and Promotion were discussed.

Senator Landy moved to adopt two separate resolutions, with the above listed amendments. Senator Griffiths seconded the motion. The resolutions passed unanimously by voice vote.

A Senator asked that Regent McFayden follow-up on these motions.

Below are the resolutions, as amended.

Faculty Senate urges the administration to adhere to all applicable Faculty Handbook policies and regarding the tenure and promotion review process.

For tenure and promotion review, the administration is in violation of section 2.7.8 of the Faculty Handbook, which states:

By no later than the beginning of each academic year, the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs shall prepare and distribute the calendar stating deadlines for University-level review of promotion and/or tenure applications. This calendar shall be distributed to all full-time University faculty members at the beginning of each academic year.

Senate inquiries as to when this year's review process will begin have met with the conflicting explanations that the President has not yet decided and that the Regents voted against having tenure and promotion this year. While the Board of Regents voted in November of 2014 to suspend the tenure and promotion review process for the 2014-15 academic year, it did not vote to suspend the process indefinitely or for this academic year. We urge the administration to delay no further in distributing the calendar and beginning the tenure and promotion review process immediately for new applicants and resuming the process where it ended for last year's applicants (the review of the Vice President for Academic Affairs).

In the matter of last week's termination of a tenured member of the Kentucky State University faculty, Faculty Senate urges the President to adhere to state law. An immediate dismissal is a violation of KRS 164.360, which reads in part:

A president or faculty member shall not be removed until after ten (10) days' notice in writing, stating the nature of the charges preferred, and after an opportunity has been given him or her to make defense before the Board by counsel or otherwise and to introduce testimony which shall be heard and determined by the Board.

If this faculty member was terminated with neither the ten days' notice nor the opportunity to make defense before the Board of Regents, as required by law, Faculty Senate urges his/her immediate reinstatement as a tenured faculty member until such time as he/she has been afforded the rights granted to him/her under state law.

Post Tenure Review was discussed. A Senator said there has been no list distributed of faculty up for Review, and that a calendar has been distributed by Dean Shaw. The Senator said it is upsetting that Post Tenure Review is in place but not Tenure/Promotion.

A Senator said that the problem associated with Kentucky Deferred Compensation continues. He has gone to Human Resources twice to have a payment made. The amount had been taken from his paycheck but not paid to KDC (Kentucky Deferred Compensation). Is this ever audited? Who oversees? It was suggested we discuss this with the internal auditor. One problem is the turnover in personnel. A Senator said that sometimes credits are made for 1/2 year instead of 1 year. KTRS notifies faculty when they catch a mistake and the faculty member has to go to HR to correct. One Senator said it's been necessary for him to do so numerous times and it is always KSU's mistake. He spoke with Alicia Burrus in Payroll who said she would get on the issue immediately. No action was taken.

The meeting adjourned at 4:43 pm

Minutes Submitted by: Reba Rye, Faculty Senate Secretary