. Call to Order SETB 3

. Call to Order
Ms. Cantu called the July 23, 2004 meeting of the Academic Senate to order at 1:08 p.m. in the
SETB 3rd Floor Conference Room.
Members of the Senate in attendance included: Ms. Ethel Cantu (*), Mr. Domingo Molina (s),
Dr. Charles Lackey, Dr. Charles Dameron, Dr. Hilda Silva, Ms. Cheryl Phelps (s), Ms. Mabel
Hockaday (s), Dr. Rafael Otero (s), Mr. T. Jay Phillips, Dr. William C. Davis (s), Ms. Kim
Morris-Garcia (s), Mr. Pat Wade (s), Dr. Ruth A. Ragland, Dr. Eldon Nelson, Dr. Jose Martin,
Ms. Thelma Sullivan and Floyd Akers.
II. Review and Approval of the Minutes from the May 14, 2004 Academic Senate Meeting
Ms. Cantu called for review of the minutes from the May 14, 2004 Academic Senate meeting.
In the section on Appointments to the Grievance Panel, there should be an additional sentence
that states that all the nominees were approved by the Academic Senate.
The minutes were approved with the above noted correction.
Ms. Cantu noted that the Smoke Free Workplace policy distributed with the minutes was an
earlier version of the policy and not the one that the Academic Senate passed for a first reading at
the May 14 meeting. The correct version was distributed to be used for today’s second reading of
the policy.
III. Presentation and Discussion: UTB/TSC Bookstore Orders
Veronica Rocha, Manager and Vilma Godoy, Assistant Manager, addressed the Senate regarding
processes involved in ordering text books.
A. Gathering of Adoptions: Ms. Rocha and Godoy suggested discontinuing use of the
on-line requisition and returning to use of paper forms that would be faxed or hand delivered
from the requesting department (secretary usually) to the bookstore. Mr. Akers stated that this
method does not comply with the Texas open records requirement. Dr. Lackey suggested
amending the current on-line system to meet the needs of the bookstore, faculty and staff and
still allowing the UTB/TSC to meet the open records requirement. Mr. Akers will refer this issue
to Rosemary Martinez and ask her to consider forming a problem solving group of department
secretaries and bookstore staff.
B. Ordering Cycle: Barnes and Noble agreed to order books at the rate of 100% of
expected enrollment for the first semester with the new bookstore. Approximately 70% of the
texts ordered were returned due to lack of sales. Books will now be ordered based on sales
history, expected enrollment and the knowledge and experience of the bookstore staff. If the
bookstore sells out, books can be ordered 2nd day and the bookstore can photocopy a chapter
(limit 10%) of the book until the ordered books arrive.
C. Submitting Adoption Forms On-Time: The UTB/TSC bookstore can offer students
50% of the book price if they know we will use it again. They offer the students less if we will
not reuse the book. If the bookstore has to ship out books that will not be reused or orders new
books instead of keeping books to reuse, it increases the price students pay for books. If
adoption forms are turned in on time, the bookstore can save money and pass the savings on to
the students.
D. Discussion: BookBee is putting up a store on their own property adjacent to a
UTB/TSC parking lot.
IV. Senate President’s Report
TSC Board Meeting
I attended the TSC Board meeting of May 24, 2004. The board met in executive session to
discuss real estate (Jackson St. lots, Ft. Brown Villa Condominiums, and ITECC). When the
board convened in open session, the board adopted resolutions and contracts for purchase of the
Jackson St. lots and the condominiums. The board was briefed about the accomplishments of
Terry Tomlin, teaching award recipient, and his Jazz Band, which recently gave concerts in
Nashville and Washington, D.C. The board passed on second reading the change in SUJCD
investment policy that removed the UTB/TSC president as an investing officer. Under the
Business Affairs Partnership Committee, VPAPA John Ronnau recommended acceptance of
substantial completion for BEDC space at ITECC and acceptance of highest bidder Long &
Chilton for auditing services for SUJCD. The board passed both recommendations. The board
then heard budget presentations for 2004-2005 for UTB/TSC and SUJCD. Highlighted in the
presentation was the creation of 26 new faculty positions and 25 new staff positions, including
14 advisors. Trustee Oliveira asked about the number of faculty needed and was told that
UTB/TSC needs over 200 new faculty in order to meet student needs and reduce faculty class
load. The proposed budget for faculty salaries includes adjustments for the lowest paid faculty up
to 85% of peers, by rank and department (up from 80% last year); adjustments by department to
keep the average for each department at no less than 90% of their peers; funding replacement of
“placeholder” lines by tenure-track at market; and increases of 1.5% merit, 5% exceptional merit,
and 10% promotion and tenure. Under the Academic Affairs Partnership Committee, Provost
Martin and Pat Wade presented the Historical Building Restoration Institutional Award program,
which the board enthusiastically approved. In her report, President Garcia recognized faculty
who had received grants, awards, and professor emeritus status. The last item on the agenda was
the administration of the oath of office to elected TSC Board members Rosemary Breedlove,
Eduardo Campirano, and Chester Gonzalez. The next meeting of the TSC Board of trustees will
be June 24, 2004.
Grievance Panel Nominees
President Juliet Garcia has accepted the Academic Senate’s nominees to the Grievance Panel for
the 2004-2006 term.
College of Liberal Arts: David Pearson, Terry Tomlin
College of Science, Math, & Technology: Blanca Lozano, Sessia Wyche
School of Business: Irma Jones
School of Education: James Telese
School of Health Sciences: Joe Lacher
Committee Structure Review
Provost Martin and I reviewed the report on committee structure and faculty representation that
was distributed to the Academic Senate at the May 14 meeting. This fall efforts will be made by
the Provost’s staff to compile a complete list of membership and term of office for the
committees with faculty representation. The Provost plans to use the work done by the Futures
Commission Task Forces as a foundation for reconstituting the long-range strategic planning
committees.
V. Partnership Committee Reports
A. Academic Affairs
Ms. Cantu reported on the May 20 meeting of the AAPC. Pat Wade, WECM expert, presented
information about a proposed Institutional Award program in Historical Building Restoration.
This two semester program requires TSC Board approval, but not Coordinating Board approval.
When enrollment in the program reaches sufficient numbers then Coordinating Board approval
will be sought to establish a Level I Certificate Specialization within the Building Trades
program. Pat Wade, as Chair of the Academic Senate’s Committee on Environmental
Responsibility, presented his committee’s report and the resolution on the Naturally Sustainable
Campus passed by the Academic Senate on May 14. Trustee Roberto Robles expressed his desire
that this report be presented to the TSC Board. Dean Nelson of Health Sciences and Dean
Dameron of Liberal Arts gave reports on grant activity in their school and college. Dean Nelson
outlined the accreditation process and timeline for the nursing programs. The LVN, ADN, and
BSN Completion programs are currently accredited by professional nursing associations; the MS
in Public Health Nursing will seek professional accreditation in 2005. Margie Mancillas, Asst
VP PreK-16 briefed the committee on the plans to create a Research Center for Teaching
Excellence. Superintendents, administrators and faculty from valley school districts will be
involved with faculty from the School of Education in shaping the goals and activities of that
center.
B. Business Affairs
Mr. Otero reported that the committee reviewed proposals and awarded contracts for placement
of 60 light posts between Tandy and Rusteberg (based on faculty, staff and student input) and
resurfacing of several parking lots.
VI. Second Reading of Smoke-Free Workplace Policy
Discussion: It was noted that there are currently no officially designated smoking areas. The
Senate request that the breezeway between North and South building be a non-smoking area will
be forwarded to the Smoking Committee that will be appointed by the Provost. The Smoking
Committee will designate smoking areas and post signs.
A motion to approve the Smoke-Free Workplace Policy was made by Mr. Bill Davis and
seconded by Ms. Mabel Hockaday. The motion carried.
VII. New Business
There was no new business.
VIII. Provost’s Report
1) First, I would like to introduce two new persons with whom you may have opportunity to
work:
a) Dr. Mrinal Mugdh, our new Director for Institutional Research and Planning. He
comes to us from State University of New York-Empire State.
b) Ms. Betsy Price, our new Liaison for Part-time faculty. She will be
assisting our deans and chairs in coordinating part-time faculty. She was
director of part-time instructors at Westminster College in Utah before joining us.
Her office is in Regiment House, where Institutional Advancement is housed.
c) Our new Dean of Science, Mathematics and Technology, Dr. Emir Macari,
will begin work on August 1. He and his family are in the process of
moving from Louisiana, where he has been with Louisiana State.
2) We also will be welcoming almost 40 new faculty for the fall semester. We look
forward to introducing them to all the faculty during our Academic Affairs meeting
before classes start.
3) The Academic Affairs meeting will be on Wednesday, August 18, from 9:00 to
10:30 a.m. in the SETB Lecture Hall. The school and college meetings will begin at 2:00
p.m. The President’s Reception and meeting for faculty will be on Friday, August 20,
beginning at 10:00 a.m.
4) Classes begin Monday, August 23. We are expecting an “over-flow crowd” –
more than 11,000 students. Today is July 22 and Deans and Chairs already are opening
new class sections.
5) Since the Academic Senate last met, the State Coordinating Board has approved
our new Bachelor of Arts in Communication, which has a Journalism/Mass
Communication track and a Communication Studies track. The Coordinating Board also
approved our revised Masters in Nursing Program. Students now can focus on Nursing
Education, Nursing Administration, or Public Health Nursing. Still at the Coordinating
Board are:
a) Master’s in Public Policy
b) Master’s in Mathematics
c) Master’s in Accounting
d) AAS in Web Page Design/Management
Also, the TSC Board recently approved our new Institutional Award for
Historical Building Restoration, which was presented to the Academic Affairs
Partnership Committee.
IX. Announcements
Ms. Cantu announced that the Fall Faculty Meeting will be held in the SETB Lecture Hall at 11
a.m. on Wednesday August 18, 2004. Discussion at this meeting will include the selection
process for department chairs.
Ms. Cantu announced that the next Academic Senate meeting will be Friday August 20, 2004 at
1 p.m. in SETB 2.548
Ms. Cantu announced that the Academic Budget and Finance Review Committee will need three
nominees to recommend to President Garcia to serve two-year terms from September 2004-06.
These recommendations will be made at the August 20, 2004 meeting of the Academic Senate.
There are five faculty representatives on this committee. Ed Hymson and Terry Tomlin will
serve until September 2005. The three whose terms expire in September 2004 are Carol
Collinsworth, David Pearson, and Sessia Wyche. Senators are asked to identify and contact
prospective appointees and send their names to the Executive Committee c/o Ethel Cantu at least
two weeks prior to the August 20 meeting. It is the responsibility of the VPBA to recommend
the appointees to President Garcia after consultation with the Executive Committee and the
Academic Senate.
Ms. Cantu announced that the Board of Regents meets on August 11, 2004 and is expected to
approve budgets for the component institutions. Letters for personnel actions that are dependent
on budget approval will be sent after the Regents approval of the budgets.
Mr. Pat Wade commended Ms. Cantu for her planning and direction of the Academic Senate.
X. Adjournment
The meeting stood adjourned at 2:50 p.m.