Call to Order: C.E.O. Woods called the August 23, 2001 meeting of the NGCSU Faculty Senate to order at precisely 12:30 p.m.

• Members in Attendance: Dlynn Armstrong, Kaye Biddy, Jack Broman, V.P.A.A, Phil Buckhiester, Carl Cavalli, Noel Campbell, Robert Fuller, Susan Gannaway, Donna Gessell, President Nathaniel Hansford, Rufus Larkin, Brian Mann, Vicki McCard, Bonnie Morris, Wayne Morris, Judy O'Neal, Bud Reiselt, Harriette Richard, Kathy Sisk, Ann Stucke, Ann Sumners, Carl Weinberg, Mary Ann Westerfied, Sherrie Williams, Jimmy Woods, John Yeoman.
• Members Excused: Daria Cronic, Barry Friedman
• Members Absent: Loretta DeLargy, Bill Shaw
• Guests: Steve Ross

• C.E.O. Woods submitted the minutes of the June 14, 2001 meeting for approval and called for any additions or corrections. He then said that Judy O’Neal's name should be in the list of those excused from the 6/14 meeting.
• Robert Fuller moved to approve the minutes, and Richard Reiselt seconded the motion. C.E.O. Woods called for a vote and the minutes were approved.

• President Hansford reported to the Senate that although NGCSU had expected a 2% increase in student enrollment, the actual increase was 7½ %. Although these are preliminary numbers, he said, this translates as approximately 285 students. He then elaborated, explaining that the Forsyth program has 148 of our students registered, of which 75 are new students. 338 are also in the Gainesville program, up from 250, which represents an increase of 80 students, and the Wellstar program has 36 students registered. Overall, Dr. Hansford reiterated, there are approximately 100 of our new students in these programs.
• Vicki McCard asked if are these attending these programs primarily because it’s convenient, or is it because they can’t get classes here. She also mentioned problems with students who are enrolled in certain courses not knowing whether they are enrolled here or in Gainesville.
• Dr. Hansford replied that as far as he knew, these numbers are based on unduplicated headcount, meaning that the students mentioned are not attending classes here. He went on to concede that perhaps there are difficulties involved with knowing whether or not there is duplication involved in the numbers.
• Kathy Sisk wondered (aloud) if NGCSU would receive any new faculty to cover the increases in enrollment.
• Dr. Hansford replied that because the state money has decreased, there would, at least for the moment, be no funds from that source. However, he said, Wellstar is providing money for some faculty, and NGCSU's new funding initiatives should be able to compensate for some of these needs. He added that new funds from tuition may also fund some of these positions, and since enrollment will certainly continue to increase, NGCSU will continue to look for ways to fund additional positions. He said that five temporary positions were added last year, and that with the money from the additional funding initiatives, we should be able to make them (and maybe more) permanent for next year.
• Carl Weinberg asked if the availability of this money was based on credit hour production, and Dr. Hansford replied that yes, it is based on FTE not just  headcount.
• Dr. Hansford then went on to address the parking situation. He said (to nobody's surprise) that parking is tight, on Mondays & Wednesdays especially. The new parking lot will help, he said, but weather problems have put the project behind schedule by 10 days or so. Also, there are problems with rocks in the soil, and special equipment is needed and is currently on-site. He said that the lot should be ready in about two more weeks, and reminded us that the Folkways Center currently allows parking, and that the BSU does as well.
• Vicki McCard mentioned problems she has had parking in her assigned zone, and asked if there are there more spaces allotted than there are available.
• Dr. Hansford replied that students often park in faculty spaces early in the semester, but things should even out with time. He also said that student parking is sometimes overbooked, and that the biggest problem will come in 4 weeks when students can no longer park on the grass and must park at the new sciences building.
• Susan Gannaway mentioned that 150 students would soon leave campus (with their cars) to do their field experience for the education block, which should alleviate some of the problem, and Dr. Hansford agreed.
• Carl Weinberg asked about th faculty dining room and reported that the furniture has been removed.
• Dr. Hansford confirmed the reports, and informed us that as per a conversation with Col. Lord, the room is slated to be refurbished. He then suggested that he & C.E.O. Woods appoint a small committee (3-4) to address the project, mentioning carpet, tables, and chairs as a point of departure.
• Vicki McCard asked if there wasn't going to be money for improvements in the locker rooms in the wellness center, and Dr. Hansford answered that indeed there is money but that planning for the project is still going on, primarily because the ongoing A.D.A. improvements currently enjoy first priority.

• C.E.O. Woods offered welcomes to Wayne Morris from Biology, who is replacing Paul Bielic, and, because the Department of Criminal Justice and Political Science now merits 2 senators, to Carl Cavalli. He also said that, because N.O.C. 019 is booked at 2:00 for class, he would do as much business as possible by e-mail.

• Dr. Buckhiester, who serves on the Academic Review Committee, explained that the committee has made improvements in the way students are moved to and from academic probation. For example, as a result of semester conversion, the "check point" for a student's G.P.A. has been moved from 45 quarter hours to 12 semester hours (i.e. earlier in the student's coursework.) At this point, students with less than a 1.5 GPA are placed on probation. He also said that there are fewer students on probation than in the past, but that we’re not sure whether it's because they're leaving or improving. He pointed out that NGCSU invites probationers to come in the summer to improve G.P.A., and some have taken advantage of the opportunity. The committee, he said, is doing more than just moving students to and from probationary status - it is actively looking for ways to help them. As an example, the committee has recommended that probationers have a registration hold placed in their records to assure that they meet with an adviser. With only about 100 students on probation last spring, this translates as less than 1 student per faculty advisor.
• Kathy Sisk inquired as to the nature of the verification mechanism, and Dr. Buckhiester replied that Jason Pruitt suggests going back to the printed form that has a place for advisers to sign.
• Donna Gessell asked whether or not the advisers might get a list of who is on probation.
• Dr. Buckhiester replied that the advisor gets a copy of the letter sent to students on probation but wasn't sure about a list of advisees on probation.
• Rufus Larkin asked if this 'registration hold' applies to graduate students, to which Dr. Buckhiester replied that it doesn’t, but that it could.
• Vicki McCard wondered if the students couldn't get around the hold by registering on line.
• Dr. Buckhiester reminded the Senate that the idea behind the hold is to foster dialogue.
• Susan Gannaway: told the Senate that the reporting menu available to department heads and secretaries show all of a student's information, including his or her academic standing. She thought that perhaps it ought to be available to faculty advisers. NOTE: According to Dr. Gannaway, this "menu" refers to form COM 440 (enrolled students by advisor for a specific term). For each advisor it gives a list of student names, ID, major address, phone, mailbox, GPA hours, regents status and SAT scores.
• Rufus Larkin expressed concern over provisional graduate students making unilateral decisions that would affect their status.
• Steve Ross, Senate guest, asked to speak, and said that provisional graduate students may take only 6 hours, earn B's, and then become regular students. Departments track these students because there are varying sanctions and requirements in each department, so such students are not as problematic.
• Vicki McCard asked if students always have an adviser, and the collective response was that yes, they do – they might have to go to the advisement center.
• Dr. Buckhiester pointed out that less than half of these students actually go to the advising center, and that on-line registration has made the advising process more difficult to track.
• Carl Weinberg wanted to know why the advisement forms are still being sent to us.
• Kathy Sisk reminded the Senate that secretaries might still need the information in order to know who’s coming into the department.
• Vicki McCard asked if the registration schedule is still pertinent, and Dr. Buckhiester replied that it still applies via computer.
• Carl Cavalli said that he still uses the old forms to keep track of what he's agreed to with students.
• Dr. Buckhiester then said that there was no motion necessary - he just wanted to make the report.

• Dr. Ross thanked his committee, explaining that the current documents arose from a February memo and meetings that began in March. The proposed calendar goes through the spring of 2004.

• Fall 2002: Dr. Ross explained that USG has figures for the earliest beginning & latest ending for semester. He said it could have started 8/19-27 and ended 12/7-13, and that the committee used templates from past years. Everything is more or less the same with different dates. He also pointed out that Jason Pruitt has given more time for faculty grades, and that the process has been shortened because of technology. He also said that some committee members had mentioned a fall break, but says there’s no time for on in our schedule.
• Donna Gessell wondered if we actually have to have 15 weeks of classes.
• Brian Mann, reading from the BOR policy manual, assured her that we do.
• Dr. Gessell then asked if we shouldn't try to convince the system to rethink the break schedule because students just aren’t learning well, especially after thanksgiving. She thinks that perhaps the system should be changed, especially the 15-week requirement.
• Dr. Buckhiester then offered to look into the possibility at the next B.O.R. meeting.
• Bud Reiselt asked why there is so much time for drop/add, to which C.E.O. Woods replied that some classes only meet once a week.
• Dr. Buckhiester added that the period, representing essentially three class days, came out of semester conversion.
• C.E.O Woods then mentioned the relationship of these absences with the 14% absence rule.
• Carl Weinberg asked if the schedule includes final exam schedule and its 7:30 exams, and Dr. Ross admitted that the committee had not really considered final exam dates or times.
• Judy O'Neal noted that the fall faculty meeting is on the 12^th – one day more before the registration period. Why not the 13^th, she wondered. Dr. Ross: said there was no particular reason – it’s a Monday.
• C.E.O. Woods added that faculty 10-month contracts require us to be here a certain amount of time, but that there are more days marked on the semester calendar than on the old quarter calendars.
• Donna Gessell asked if a motion could be made, and Dr. Ross said that the Senate could make suggestions but the calendar must be presented to other groups.
• Dlynn Armstrong then moved to change the fall faculty meeting to the 13^th, and Vicki McCard seconded. Jack Broman then offered an amendment to reflect the fact that the meeting takes place on the 13^th & 14^th, and such should be on the calendar.
• Dr. Buckhiester reiterated that the senators should probably just make recommendations, not motions. The calendar still has to go to the SGA and Administrative Council.
• Carl Weinberg offered to clarify the motion and the amendment as a recommendation.  Dr. Armstrong retracted the motion.
• Robert Fuller asked for a clarification of military program start date, and Dr. Ross did so.
• Spring 2003: Dr. Ross admitted agreeing with many faculty that Spring Break should be closer to the middle of the term, but said SGA has not been favorable to such in the past. However, he said, students on the committee seem to be more receptive. He proposed March 17-21, noting that the public schools align the break with Easter.
• Donna Gessell suggested that having the break so late is pedagogically unsound, and related that her students would like to have it earlier.
• Carl Weinberg noted that the last day to drop is on a Sunday, and Dr. Ross said that it was probably a mistake but that given our technology, such a date could hold.
• Dr. Ross then asked again for recommendations, and C.E.O. Woods offered that it should be as close to mid-term as possible.
• Robert Fuller suggested that the last day to drop should move earlier & be before spring break.
• Brian Mann opined that in Georgia, we’re somewhat alone in the world with our long (15 week) semesters.
• Dr. Ross repeated the published rules for beginning & ending dates, which Dr. Mann confirmed by reading from the B.O.R. policy manual.
• Carl Cavalli stated that he would like Honors Day to be on Tuesday or Wednesday (the 15^th/16^th of April), and Robert Fuller asked further to have it on Tuesday, as it evens up the number of TTH/MWF class times missed.
• Carl Weinberg asked if there had been discussion to start a week later in January, and Dr. Ross replied that therre had been a little, but that doing so would impinge on Maymester.
• C.E.O. Woods reminded that doing so could also affect the beginning and ending of faculty contracts.
• Dlynn Armstrong reiterated the problem with 7:30 A.M. Saturday exams.
• Sherrie Williams asked about summer commencement in 2002, noting that those who teach 12 months start teaching in the summer immediately after finishing classes in the spring.
• Kathy Sisk suggested that a Sunday night commencement might be better than a Friday if classes begin the following Monday.
• Susan Gannaway cautioned against "squeezing" the summer schedule because summer sees a lot of public school teachers as graduate students.
• Dr. Ross, noting that Fall 2003 was more or less the same as Fall 2002, moved on to Spring 2004.
• Donna Gessell pointed out that the last day to drop (fall 2002) should probably have been the 6^th, not the 16^th. Verifying that Honors Day should be at the same time in the semester as in Spring 2003, she added that since we are an academic institution, we should put academics first (and have spring break earlier in the semester).
• Brian Mann pointed out that UGA starts early so they can have a fall break, and Dr. Ross replied that they also have Saturday classes in order to get in the required 75 days.
• Dr. Buckhiester then proposed that NGCSU look into Saturday classes.
• Noel Campbell protested, saying that many students work and will not like Saturday classes, adding that many faculty (himself included) would not like them either.
• Susan Gannaway stated that we already have Saturday classes and that some (in Education) are offered exclusively on Saturdays.
• Steve Ross asked if the Senate needs to revisit this issue, and Dr. Buckhiester assured the assembled that there is still time to do so. Adding that the Administrative Council gives final approval to the calendar, he said he would ask S.G.A. to poll students on the matter.
• Donna Gessell wondered if Dr. Gannaway’s Saturday only classes could count toward our 75 days, and Dr. Mann disappointed those present by rereading from B.O.R. policy, which mandates that classes take place over 15 weeks.

• C.E.O. Woods called for any announcements. There being none, the meeting was adjourned at 1:49 p.m.