September 11, 2024 Minutes

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Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes

Harrison 123

September 11, 2024

3:15pm-4:30pm

I.            Call to Order

a.      Meeting was called to order at 3:17pm.

II.            Approval of FS Minutes from August 28, 2024

a.      Doug Downs moves to approve. Seconded. None opposed. No abstentions. Approved.

III.            FYI Items

a.      Reminder: September is suicide prevention month

i.      Mindwise Signs of Suicide training available for free to faculty

1.      https://www.montana.edu/education/menu/resources/mindwise.html 

2.      https://mindwise.digitalchalk.com/auth/login redemption code MSU. You will need to create an account. 

b.      The Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE) would like to survey faculty on programming needs: https://forms.gle/EsXK4PdZAkhFffTD9 

c.       Provost’s distinguished lecture series have started

i.      https://www.montana.edu/cope/news/admin/preview.php?id=23923&preview_uid=66c4f0b820e3d 

d.      Update on diversity statements

i.      No diversity statement can be required for job applicants

ii.      Boilerplate language now used for all job postings (non-discrimination statement)

iii.      Syllabi and website diversity statements: no university or college restrictions

e.      Update on Trump rally spending

i.      https://www.gallatinmedia.org/2024/08/30/first-responder-efforts-ensure-community-safety-during-president-trumps-visit-to-gallatin-county/ 

ii.      Bill paid in full for Brick Breedan use ($3,250) and services. Total: $162,622.71

iii.      Cost to MSU police: 12,783.30. Comes out of base police budget.

f.        Update on parking

i.      Leadership contacted Randy Crandall

1.      Please send a brief, polite note to parking services about your specific issues: parkingservices@montana.edu or to Randy

ii.      Please see the parking task force recommendations from last year, many of your suggestions appear to be in the works.

iii.      Continuing discussion

g.      Update on Student Wellness Center

i.      Anyone not joining the wellness center due to increased fees can contact Amber Long. amber.long1@montana.edu

ii.      The center is lowering locker fees and including a towel service in the locker fee (will get a reimbursement if you previously paid for this). Thank you, Rob!

iii.      Comment: Understand that retirees are NOT eligible for a membership.

iv.      Question: What was the reason for not allowing retirees?

1.      Legislative audit found that we were unfairly competing with local gyms.

2.      Alumni CAN access the center.

3.      Provost Mokwa: Audit was conducted because we were in violation of state law. Montana Code Annotated 2023. Went into effect in 2021.

4.      This policy is removed from other universities around the country.

5.      To change this, a legislator would have to put forward a bill to change the law.

IV.            Information Updates

a.      Committee updates

i.      Graduate Council

1.      Comments/Questions:

a.      Policies will be sent out for comment and then back to Graduate Council for vote. We will see them eventually if they are approved.

b.      Extensions do apply to students but should be used for an extraordinary issue.

ii.      University Council

1.      Policy on vehicle management

a.      Comments/Questions: 

i.      Is the course online? For a regular car, you can do it online, but if you drive a bigger vehicle you may have to do an in-person training. 

1.      Will get you more information

2.      John How presented information

ii.      MSU owned vehicles? 

1.      Please review the policy, especially if your department purchases vehicles.

2.      Moving away from departments buying vehicles. Emphasizing the importance of routine maintenance. It’s not about the money spent. It’s about vehicles sitting and not being taken care of/getting regular maintenance. Safety issue. 

iii.      Bicycles are not part of this policy.

b.      Ariel Donohue, ariel.donohue@montana.edu

i.      Diversity Report

1.      Organized according to the Diversity and Inclusion framework

a.      Backbone of all efforts

ii.      Q&A

1.      How do we reach out to make sure our work gets into the report?

a.      Email Ariel Donohue.

b.      Gather information for the next report January through Mid-May

c.       Montana.edu/diversity includes data visuals. 

V.            Undergraduate Courses and Programs 

a.      Courses—First Reading 

i.      ANTY 359 : Public Archaeology

ii.      EDSP 462 : Special Education Law, Policies & Practices

b.      Programs — First Reading 

i.      -CAS : Law Enforcement

1.      Police Academy has limited capacity for the need. Gallatin College is working in cooperation with the academy to offer this program. 

2.      Response to need.

c.       Course Inactivations – Second Reading

i.      M 088 : Mathematical Literacy

1.      We inactivated M088 because we are allowing all level 100 students into the M005/105Q co-req. The course supervisor for these courses felt like there was enough overlap in the two courses and that the level 100 students could still be successful in the M005/105Q while allowing them to receive college credit. After one semester of a pilot, we were able to show success in this area and thus got rid any fully developmental math course on the non-STEM side.

d.      Program Inactivations – Second Reading

i.      CEBR-BS : Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering - Bio-Resources Option

1.      This program was ended but never inactivated in CIM.

VI.            Graduate Courses and Programs 

a.      Course Changes — Second Reading 

i.      EIND 525 : Multi-Criteria Decision Making and Optimization

1.      Title changed from Multi-Attribute Analysis

2.      Updating the course title to be more contemporary and recognizable.

VII.            Senators’ Open Conversation 

a.      Faculty Mental Health Survey outcome? Betsy Asserson will be at next meeting. 

b.      Michael Walach- ISS Mission-We are planning to develop an experiment that will fly to the International Space Station (ISS) next fall of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The experiment will spend 6 weeks in orbit aboard the ISS before it returns to us on a Crew Dragon spacecraft. No experience is needed. Training is provided as part of the project. We are looking to assemble a team of dedicated students to develop and follow this project though to launch and recovery.

c.       Photo Rosters: Made one themselves that students can opt out of. 

i.      Students are very against a mandatory photo roster.

ii.      Will look more into it.

iii.      Can be helpful with cheating, etc. 

VIII.            Public Comment

a.      Tracy Dougher: Oct 9 at 2pm is Faculty Forum for the Accreditation visit. In Inspiration Hall.

i.      Please read Tracy’s email and familiarize yourself with our processes.

IX.            Adjourn

a.      Scott McCalla moves to adjourn. Doug Downs seconds. Meeting is adjourned at 4:16.