Susanna read the Charge of the Faculty Senate and discussed how the Faculty Senate operates. She then read a list of agenda items and areas of concern submitted so far by senators for the Senate to consider in the upcoming year. She solicited additions to that list. She also mentioned that she would be attending the upcoming BOV meeting, speaking to the BOV on Sunday, August 28th and attending the BOV Budget and Finance Committee meeting on Monday, August 29th. Kerry Redican will attend the BOV Academic Affairs Committee meeting, and Sam Easterling will attend the Building and Grounds Committee meeting.

Drs. Jeri Childers and John Dooley spoke to the Senate regarding the upcoming Outreach NOW: A Forum on the Scholarship of Outreach, to be held on September 28th at The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center. The Forum includes a plenary session, panel discussion, exhibits, reception and acknowledgements of award-winning Virginia Tech faculty. An open invitation to Faculty Senators was extended.

The Vice President of the Faculty Senate serves as Chair of the Commission on Faculty Affairs (CFA). Kerry reported that some of the preliminary topics on the CFA agenda include policies related to research assignments quotas, modified duties, “stop the clock”, and professors of practice. The first meeting of CFA will be held on Friday, September 2.

Susanna continued to solicit topics and areas of concern and potential action for the Senate’s 2005-2006 session. Some of the topics included (not in order of priority):

a. Changes in indirect cost distribution and other concerns related to research funding and facilities
b. Progress toward the 60th percentile for salaries
c. Need for education (of ourselves and of legislators) about differences between VRS and TIAA-CREF
d. Undergraduate education – funding, class sizes, the core curriculum, etc.
e. Library lending policies for research faculty
f. The relationship between VT faculty and the new Skelton Conference Center, and the Hotel Roanoke; general questions regarding auxiliary operations; cost of hosting guests and conferences
g. Ongoing parking and transportation issues
h. Questions about the master plan, new building
i. The process and progress of updating the strategic plan
j. Data and reports from last year’s faculty exit surveys, the Advance VT survey of current faculty, and the faculty discussion groups
k. Summer School salaries
l. the recent Saudi University controversy
m. Continuing the conversation with Karen DePauw regarding the possible creation of a “Graduate Faculty” designation