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Show ... ·U ·N I E R s I. y THURSDAY, OCT. 11, 1000 ·T eaching policies debated BY RHIANNON BENT SENIOR STAFF WRITER ';i. z a: 5 ~ i ::. , ~ Policies on administrative personnel returning to teaching and the process of defining faculty were the topics of discussion at Tuesday's faculty senate meeting. Both policies are new and have already passed through Dea·n s' Council. A third policy on academic position descriptions was also on the agenda, but due to time restraints, it was never discussed. Regarding the policy on administrative· personnel returning to teaching, Michael D. Richards, associate provost, said without it, the issue is left to one-on-one negotiation. "We might be better off with an open policy. Everyone would know up-front what's going on: Richards said. Peter Smith, professor of computer science, said the policy removes responsioility and control away from the departments and gives it to the deans, and it's telling the faculty how to do its jobs. The policy is for when administrators on contracts greater than nine months, who hold faculty rank, return to a department in full-time teaching assignments. It covers issues such as sick leave, tenure, sabbatical and salary. The policy states, "If a vacancy exists or develops in the department during the period when an administrator's return is anticipated, that position will be considered forthe returning administrator.· The policy goes on, "if no vacancy exists, the president, through funds reserved for this purpose, will provide funding and a position to accommodate the need. "We closely guard who gets hired [in the social science department] and it's very political. I see some problems for us," said Dan Pence, associate professor of sociology. Richards said the Board of Regents has a ~pecific policy on presidents returning to teaching. Rodney Decker, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, said a question was raised regarding department chairs and the policy. He said the policy doesn't apply to them. Carl Templin, dean of the College of Business and Technology, said deans also have different criteria in this type of situation. Smith asked if administrators would keep their salaries once they return to teaching and what the point of the policy is if salaries are negotiable w ith the president, as it states in item seven of the policy: The motion was made to create a committee to review all three policies, make recommendations, rewrite and re-submit the policies to faculty senate. The motion passed unanimously. The second policy, the definition of faculty, also caused lengthy discussion. Terry Alger, professor of chemistry and former SUU provost, said there is a lack of consistency throughout the definitions regarding degree requirements and tenure status. Richards said the policy would build on an academic policy pass~d last year. Also, the pqlicy is a bridge between the glossary and several other policies, one of which being a faculty workload policy. Richards said this policy is not to provide comprehensive definitions. Alger said the senate may want to wait for the policy on workloads and work on the four policies together. He also suggested separating types of faculty by tenure, tenure track and less than fulltime. Discussion will continue at the next meeting. ~~~~~.;....~~~~~_, w .__~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'--~~~ I• |