AU Senate Chair’s Report

1. AU Senate Chair’s Report Dr. Bill Sauser March, 2013

2. AU Senate Officers for 2012-13 • Immediate Past Chair—Ann Beth Presley • Chair—Bill Sauser • Chair-Elect—Larry Crowley • Secretary—Robin Jaffe • Secretary-Elect—Judy Sheppard • Parliamentarian—Constance Hendricks • Administrative Assistant—Laura Kloberg

3. Notes on the Agenda • We are “all business” for our March and April meetings because we want to make certain important issues are dealt with before many of our faculty depart for the summer. • We will hear today from the Calendar and Schedules Committee about proposed changes to the 2014-15 calendar, and also plans for the 2015-16 calendar. The Steering Committee categorized this report as an “item for action” because some timely decisions are required.

4. Notes on the Agenda (Continued) • We will also be considering Dr. Rusty Wright’s resolution from our last meeting, plus hearing a proposed resolution (under new business) from Dr. James Goldstein. • Two constitutional amendments are being proposed as “action items pending.” One would change the membership of the University Lectures Committee, the other would merge the Faculty Welfare and Faculty Salaries Committees.

5. Notes on the Agenda (Continued) • We will also hear suggested policy changes from two of our committees; these policy changes will be voted on in April. • Also in April we will be voting on the adoption of the Phase Three faculty handbook. That document is posted in its entirety with last month’s agenda. Today (at midnight) is the deadline to send comments; send them to barryms@auburn.edu. Comments will also be welcome from the floor during the April meeting.

6. Items of Information • Today is Jim Wohl’s last day on campus as our Ombudsperson. A national search is underway for his replacement. In the meantime, our interim Ombudsperson will be retired district judge Howard Bryan. We thank the search committee for making this recommendation and Dr. Gogue for approving it.

7. Items of Information (Cont’d) • Twenty-five on-campus strategic planning sessions are being held this week and the week after Spring Break. They are fully subscribed! If you wish to contribute an idea, contact Julie Huff at julie@auburn.edu.

8. Items of Information (Cont’d) • On behalf of the University, ContinuousHealth is collecting information for an eligibility audit of family benefits for dependents. If you receive an e-mail, postcard, or packet from them, please comply with their instructions. • Also, please get your textbook orders submitted online in a timely manner. Requests for Summer and Fall textbooks will be coming from the bookstore shortly and will be due April 1.

9. Items of Information (Cont’d) • The AU Senate Nominating Committee, chaired by Dr. Alice Buchanan, has put forward the following nominees for faculty offices: • Chair-elect Michael Baginski Patricia Duffy • Secretary-elect Gisela Buschle-Diller Margaret Flores

10. Items of Information (Cont’d) • Online voting for faculty officers is now open. New officers will be announced at the meeting of the General Faculty scheduled for March 19, 3:30 p.m., in this room. • Also at that meeting our local AAUP chapter will be presenting an award, and Dan King will discuss with us the results of AU’s parking study.

11. Items of Information (Cont’d) • I‘d now like to call on Dr. Mary Boudreaux, chair of the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee, to issue a special invitation to us.