Monday, January 28, 2013

Faculty Senate Minutes (11/14/12)

Tri-County Technical College
Faculty Senate Minutes 
Date:  November 14, 2012
Location:  Fulp 400
Time:  1:30 p.m.

Members Present: Amoena Norcross, Todd Crisp-Simons, Cheryln Brown, Penny Edwards, Jason Poole, Chris McFarlin, Lisa Walton, Marilyn Vickery, Marla Roberson

Members Absent:  Tony Logan, Corey Evans, Steven Mathena, Tony Young, Ashley Brady, Tom Lawrence

Presider:  Amoena Norcross

Approval of Minutes:  With several editing corrections, it was motioned that the October minutes be approved. The motion was seconded.  The minutes, with changes, were approved unanimously.

Old Business:
 

1. Issue discussed and major points of discussion:

A survey was sent to all faculty members asking if they wanted Professional Development Day left on Election Day every two years or if they wanted it changed to the week before fall semester each year.  Following are the results:


            111 people responded

              28 wanted the day to stay every two years

              83 wanted once a year before the fall semester starts

This represents approximately 25% for the same day and 75% for the change.

Todd mentioned that many wanted to do away with it all together because they didn’t feel a lot of what was offered was pertinent to them professionally.  That was not an option though.  There were questions about other dates also and a question of why just one set day instead of opportunities throughout the year.  Also, the idea of doing this divisionally was deemed a problem because the goal of the college is to bring people together.

Marla said SACS accreditation drives the need for Professional Development requiring a certain number of hours per year.  Should there be a particular number of hours required per person?

Attendance by faculty this year was 81.  Seventy- six (76) went to at least one session, and 5 attended no sessions but did attend lunch.

 
Full-time permanent faculty total 135. Full-time, permanent staff total 183.  Faculty do not outnumber staff unless adjuncts are included.  About 60% of faculty attended and 62% of staff attended Professional Development Day.

Division breakdown:
Arts and Sciences                   59%     (41 of 69 total)

Public Services                        15%     (3 of 20 total)

Engineering and Technology  59%     (10 of 17 total)

Health Education                    72%     (18 of 25 total)

Library                                              100%     (4 of 4 total)


Marla mentioned that adjuncts and temporary staff were not invited because of the cost of providing lunch.  There was a consensus among the members of the Senate that adjunct faculty and temporary staff should be invited.


Action to be taken as a result of discussion, person(s) responsible, and timeline:

Amoena will try to set up a meeting with Deborah Brock and Sharon Colcolough to discuss the results of the survey and how inclusion of adjuncts and temporary employees could impact student success.  She will also mention it in the next Provost meeting.

2. Issue discussed and major points of discussion:

Amoena, at the Provost meeting, addressed the course restrictions memo and asked why faculty is required to give out the self-pay form.  Scott Harvey is monitoring how many students are actually signing up for classes that fall into this category.  The e-mail may be changed.  Amoena suggested the student be sent to the advising center for the form.

 It was brought up that the self-pay form could be on-line and when the student is told they would have to pay for certain classes they could print off the form and turn it in.

There could even be a check box agreeing to pay for the class.  This should be automated; there is no reason why the student has to go see another person.

The Registration Project Charter Team has no faculty member so this issue had never been brought to faculty attention before it became an issue.

Action to be taken as a result of discussion, person(s) responsible, and timeline:

Amoena will mention other possibilities in the next Provost meeting.

3. Issue discussed and major points of discussion:

Faculty Senate was asked whether we think attendance is a major factor in student success. 

No one feels an attendance policy should be up to the individual divisions because it would be too confusing for the student. It was mentioned that we need to have a policy dictated to faculty and then we need to follow it so we have something in writing to back us up.  The argument was that some faculty do not want an attendance policy dictated to them.  The attendance policy has been an ongoing for many years and there is a college wide policy.  The confusion centers around the use of the word “may” in the policy.

Action to be taken as a result of discussion, person(s) responsible, and timeline:

This has been addressed many times by the faculty senate and it was decided we will not address it again.  We have given our input.  The final decision should be made at a higher level.

 
New Business:

 
4. Issue discussed and major points of discussion:

Marla presented the Library Liaison Program.  Divisions have not been responding to requests for their input as to what they need from the library, so she has asked the Dean’s to appoint a liaison from each division to attend meetings so each division will know what products are available in the library.  All divisions need to start using their resources, not just the English department.  The job of the liaison will be to take the information back to department meetings and the departments will then create a list of what they can use or what they need from the library. 

Scheduled liaisons are the following:


Tony Logan
Engineering Tech
Robert Ellenburg
Industrial Tech
Jennifer Beattie
Comp Studies
Cathy Ford
HE
Brian Swords
Easley
Lakishia Dinkins
Easley
Art Scheck
Anderson
Kathy Sparks
Social Sciences
Phil Gilmore
Science
Tom Hiebel
Humanities
Lane Hudson
Speech
Matt Simon
English
Angela Ward
Mathematics
Scott Moser
Computer and Info Tech
Tom Lawrence
CRJ
Ann Bryant
Staff

On another note, Marla is weeding out 1,000 to 2,000 books.  They are available to anyone who wants them.

 The library also offers professional development.

 

5. Issue discussed and major points of discussion:

Harriette Dudley could not attend the Senate meeting to explain progress on the weekend scheduling option.  A feasibility study has been completed to schedule a weekend scheduling option pilot for Fall 2013 at the Anderson Campus.  The courses offered will primarily be Business and Public Services courses and Allied Health courses.

The question was asked, “What about counselors, financial aid, library access and other resources? “  Members on the Weekend Project charter to contact with questions are Robert Newton, Criminal Justice; Keri Catalfomo, Math Department;  Meg Allen, Business Technology;  Tim Bowen, Anderson Campus Director; or Harriette Dudley, Early Childhood. 


Action to be taken as a result of discussion, person(s) responsible, and timeline:


No details yet.  Harriette will come to speak to us at a later date.  
 

6. Issue discussed and major points of discussion:


Nepotism in the classroom was discussed.  There have been some recent cases of students being related to or having some sort of relationship with their instructor. As a result accusations of favoritism occurred, esp. regarding grades and their importance for entrance into the clinical portion of programs like Nursing.  State Policy (8-5-103) was distributed, and this non-fraternization policy clearly states the consequences of fraternization between employees/faculty and students (as well as among employees).

Action to be taken as a result of discussion, person(s) responsible, and timeline:

 
Senators will remind their constituents of this policy.  This policy and other policies/procedures are located in eTC under the Employee tab.

 
7. Issue discussed and major points of discussion:

Amoena brought up the Employee Assistance Program by REACH which is available to college employees for counseling including financial counseling.  This service will be extended to students beginning in January 2013.  Croslena Johnson, Student Life, and Bethany Wiley, Human Resources, want to attend a meeting to explain the procedure.  January 2013 meeting will probably be the best time for this. 

 Action to be taken as a result of discussion, person(s) responsible, and timeline:

There will probably be Divisional or Departmental meetings where student access to the EAP will be presented.

 
Comments/Concerns: 

Marla mentioned Norman Hoyle is retiring as of February 2013 and his job will be posted.  The committee will consist of Michelle Gregg, Todd Crisp-Simons, Matt Simon, and Harriette Dudley.  The job description is being revised so it covers more electronic resources and the Web page, will share reference desk duties with all librarians, and will also be a campus liaison so Michelle is not the only person.


The Provost search is still underway.  There may be a new Vice President position under the new Provost.
 

Next meeting: No pending issues, so we will not meet in December.  Amoena will let us know about January meeting date and time.



Adjournment at 3:02 p.m.

 

Name of Recorder: Marilyn Vickery