Tri-County Technical
College
Faculty Senate
Minutes
Meeting Date: September 20, 2019
Location: SSC 205
Time: 12:30 p.m.
Members Present: Renet Bender, Richard Burton, Deborah
DeMino, Meredith Dickens, Corey Evans, Roxanna Ezenekewe, Pam Goodman, Amanda
Karaganov, Som Linthicum, Malisa Looney, Gerald Maxie, Jeremy McCracken, Robin
McFall, Betty Rogers, Julia Seligson, Doug Stephens, Mia Tensley, James Walker,
Rhonda Whitten
Members Absent: Susan Curtis, Jan Gibbs, Foster Sims, Debbie
Vance
Guests: Mark Dougherty, Julia
Seligson, Luke VanWingerden
Presider: Julia Seligson/Robin McFall
Welcome and Agenda: Julia called the meeting to order
at 12:32. She reminded senators to sign the attendance roster and stated that
lunch should be arriving soon. She asked senators to sign a thank you card for
Galen, showing our appreciation for his willingness to provide our lunch during
Senate meetings. At that point, she announced that she was officially turning
over the duties of Faculty Senate President to Robin McFall. Robin then
directed everyone to the agenda.
1. Introductions – Robin McFall
Robin welcomed senators and guests to the
meeting. She asked senators who were unable to attend the August meeting to
introduce themselves and tell what academic area they represented.
Action to be taken as a result of
discussion, person(s) responsible, and timeline: Robin will update the
attendance information and the list of Faculty Senate members and will submit
the list of 2019-20 senators to the College's committee blogspot.
2.
Approval of minutes – Robin McFall
Robin
stated that a draft of the minutes from the August 20 meeting had been
distributed via email and posted in Teams. She noted that minor changes had
been made for typos on pages 1, 2, and 3, and the updated draft had been posted
in Teams. She asked if there were other changes that needed to be made. With no
other changes recommended, the minutes were approved as posted.
Action to be taken as a result of
discussion, person(s) responsible, and timeline: Robin will ensure the
approved minutes are posted to the College's committee blogspot.
3. Potential
Medical Issues (Students) – Mark Dougherty
Robin stated a senator had brought forth a concern from a constituent
about faculty responsibility and faculty liability when it came to assisting
students with medical issues. Mark Dougherty, Dean of Student Development,
addressed this concern.
Mark distributed copies of the Personal Emergency Plan students with
medical issues are asked to complete and place on file with the Student
Accessibility Resource Center. He stated students are not required to share
this plan with faculty, but they may do so. Students are directed to keep this
plan with them in case an emergency arises. He said his office recommends
students keep the plan in their backpacks. Some senators stated they had
received these plans and were keeping them on file just as they do Faculty
Notification forms for accommodations.
Mark said that faculty are not required to provide aid (such as giving
insulin or an Epi-pen injections). However, they are required to follow
standard safety procedures such as calling 911 and contacting Campus Police. He
also stated that faculty should consider contacting his office for assistance
as well.
In addition, he noted that when it comes to liability, South Carolina has
a "Good Samaritan" law. Therefore, faculty liability is not an issue.
Action to be taken as a result of
discussion, person(s) responsible, and timeline: Mark will share an
electronic version of the Personal Emergency Plan with Robin so that it can be
shared with senators and faculty constituents. Senators will share this form as
appropriate.
4.
PLEAT update – Luke VanWingerder
Luke
VanWingerden, CIO and IT Manager, shared information concerning the Physical
Learning Experiences Advisory Team and its progress. He noted that senators
should have received a PDF of his presentation before the meeting, so he was
not going into minute detail concerning the PowerPoint slides. Instead, he
wanted to provide background as to PLEAT's creation and update senators on its
work.
PLEAT set three goals: 1. Define
the desired physical classroom experience; 2. Identify tools and environmental
infrastructure, and 3. Ensure standards are selected to provide a consistent
experience. He noted this team was not looking for funding or trying to
secure funding to create these classrooms.
PLEAT surveyed faculty on what
they wanted in the physical classroom. In that survey of 360 faculty, 124
responded to provide input for the team. Specifically, in an executive summary
of the responses, he noted the following: "According to respondents, core
features that might better enhance the instructional experience would
include both digital and physical attributes -- robust
connectivity and reliable base-line technology coupled with open, accessible,
and flexible spaces. A concern to
solidify foundational infrastructure seemed to outweigh a desire for
leading-edge technological tools." In addition, the executive summary states,
"While TCTC faculty do appreciate the promise of technological innovation…they
would appreciate more formative opportunities to grow those skills."
Using that faculty input, PLEAT
then researched, completed site visits to other institutions, and worked to
consistently update its vision.
Luke encouraged senators and all
faculty to go see RH 215 as it provides the best example of what PLEAT is
recommending for classrooms across all campuses. He then provided a list of
next steps for PLEAT, including open sessions in RH 215 on September 25 and 26.
He also offered a tentative cost estimate and a tentative timeline.
Finally, Luke reminded senators a
follow-up survey had been sent to faculty concerning PLEAT's work, but the
survey has received few responses. He encouraged senators to respond and to ask
other faculty to respond. The survey contains only a single question.
Action to be taken as a result of
discussion, person(s) responsible, and timeline: Senators will share this
update with faculty and encourage them to attend one of the open sessions in RH
215 and to complete the follow-up survey.
At this point, Som recommended that we move the elections of officers
ahead of the update on the Faculty Choice Scholarship on the agenda since we
were running short on time. All agreed.
5.
Election of Faculty Senate Vice President and Secretary
– Robin McFall
Robin opened the floor for nominations for the Vice President's position.
Two senators were nominated and agreed to serve if elected: Pam Goodman and
Jeremey McCracken.
After voting by private ballot occurred, we had a tie. After consulting
the Faculty Senate Constitution and By-laws, we discovered that the section on
electing officers does not specify what should happen in the event of a tie.
Therefore, one senator asked about getting proxy votes for those senators who
were absent to help break the tie. Based on that question, a motion was made
and approved to send the nominees' names to all senators and vote
electronically.
Once that motion had been approved, another senator noted that under the
President's duties, there is a statement saying the President will cast the
deciding vote when there is a tie. At that point, Robin stated she had always
seen that statement as applying to motions for completing Senate business, not
for electing officers. A few senators noted agreement, stating that since we
had already decided to send the election to all senators electronically, we
should proceed.
Until that position is finalized, Senate will delay nominating and voting
on secretary in case one of the nominees for vice president wishes to also run
for secretary.
Action to be taken as a result of
discussion, person(s) responsible, and timeline: Robin will create and
distribute a poll for voting. Senators will cast one ballot for the candidate
of their choice. Once a vice president is elected, Senate will nominate and
vote for the secretary's position. Senate will revisit and clarify the
Constitution and By-laws sections on electing officers.
6.
Faculty Choice Scholarship – Som Linthicum
Som updated Faculty Senate on the
work completed on revitalizing the Faculty Choice Scholarship. He noted the
senators who met over the summer recommended using the term "award"
instead of "scholarship." He reminded everyone that our focus is on
helping a student(s) who might be struggling with "life issues" but
showed promise of being successful with some help. He also shared information concerning the
group's work on 1. Initial Criteria, 2. Selection Logistics, 3. Building and
Promoting, and 4. Rebranding/renaming. Since we were short on time, we did not
have a poll on potential names for the award. Instead, the group will send a
poll concerning those names.
Since the group working on this
initiative was somewhat informal, Som noted that the members were willing to
continue serving if Senate approved. He stated other senators were welcome to
join the group. Amanda Karaganov volunteered to join the group. Betty Rogers
asked if only full-time faculty could participate. Robin told her the group was
open to any senator who wished to serve/had an interest in serving. A motion
was made and unanimously approved for the group to officially continue its
work.
Action to be taken as a result of discussion, person(s) responsible,
and timeline: The sub-committee will continue to plan and bring information
to Faculty Senate. The sub-committee will send a poll of potential names to all
senators for input. Senators should share information about the scholarship
with constituents in order to help promote it.
7.
Constituent Concerns – various senators
Robin asked if there were any constituent concerns that needed to come
before Senate to be addressed. The following were shared
·
Proposed wording to be placed in WIDS syllabi
concerning course evaluations
o
Why is it in first person?
·
Wording in Starfish for emails that are sent to
students
o
Why do these messages appear to come from
faculty when we have never given input to the wording?
·
Need for printers in offices
o
Privacy of documents
o
Leaving students sitting in offices
·
Computer lab space (Ex. FP 301 and PK 140)
o
Students are not always able to access these
o
Are "reserved" with little to no
notice for students or faculty
8.
Division and Committee Updates – various senators
Time
expired before we could get to this agenda item. Robin noted we will have these
at the October 4 meeting.
Action
to be taken as a result of discussion, person(s) responsible, and timeline: Senators
from each division and committee will give updates at each Faculty Senate
meeting. Senators should share the information from each division with
constituents.
9. Adjournment
Since we were out of time, Robin
adjourned the meeting at 2:10.
Respectfully submitted by Robin McFall
Next Meeting: Friday,
October 4 at 12:30 in SSC 205
