NORTHEASTERN STATE UNIVERSITY

Minutes of Faculty Council Meeting
Friday, October 7, 2011

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by Vice President Pamela Louderback in BA-B225.  There was ITV access at Muskogee, Broken Arrow and Tahlequah.

Council Members in attendance in Tahlequah: Shari Clevenger (Liberal Arts), John Diamantopoulos (Science & Health Professions), Isaac DiIanni (Business & Technology), Kendra Haggard (Liberal Arts), Chris Miller (Liberal Arts), Brandon Oberg (Library), Spence Pilcher (Science & Health Professions), Dan Sisk (Science & Health Professions), Cheryl Van Den Handel (Liberal Arts)

Council Members in attendance in Broken Arrow:  Tobi Thompson (Education), Julia Kwok (Business & Technology)

Council Members in attendance in Muskogee: Ryan Fenska (Optometry), Joyce VanNostrand (Muskogee)

Guests: Diana Mashburn (Muskogee)

Council Officers in attendance:  Pamela Louderback (Vice President), Linda West (Secretary/Treasurer).

A. Call to Order

    1. Review/Approval of minutes of the September 2011 meeting (http://arapaho.nsuok.edu/~faculty_council/minutessep2011_draft.html)

         Minutes were accepted with one minor correction.

    2. Budget Report

          The budget is $4,100 less travel to OKC.

B . Committees/Standing Reports

    1.  Nominating Committee, CIRCUS, Faculty Welfare, Curriculum/Program Review

               No reports from these committees.

C.  Old Business/Pending Issues

    1.   Faculty Concerns on Presidential Search Process
       Resolution taken to FAC meeting.  All Faculty Advisory Council members agreed that the process outlined in the Resolution is appropriate but are resigned to the fact that the Regents will do as they please with regard to the search process.  There will be a decision by November 1st and a person in place by January 1st.  On October 10th, the three remaining candidates will be interviewed.

D. New Business
  
    1.  Review/Restatement on Policy regarding sale of Textbook samples - forward to General Counsel for clarification on policy?

       A statement was presented to delegates before the meeting.  A sentence was added to the end of the statement and the statement was adopted.    

It is becoming increasingly unclear whether NSU has a policy regarding unused/unwanted textbooks. To this end, many faculty have unwanted copies piling up but not wanting to sell them for fear of violating any policy that might exist. The fact that confusion exists on the part of our faculty is obvious, since when one asks if there is a policy/rule, answers vary from "there's no policy, sell what you don't need" to "you can't sell a single book, it's a violation of policy...you could be terminated." Clearly, it would benefit all faculty if a clear policy was established. We request that council provide some guidance with regard to a clear policy regarding the sale of unwanted textbooks at NSU.

    2. A concern was brought before the group to be forwarded to the Faculty Welfare Committee.  A new faculty member is being asked to teach four new classes for spring and three different new classes for fall.  Are there guidelines or policies for new faculty and number of preparations?  The Faculty Welfare Committee will explore the issue.    
      
Announcements:      

        November 4 next meeting.

       
E.  Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 3:30 p.m.


Submitted by Linda West, Secretary-Treasurer
10/27/11