MEMBERS PRESENT: G. Avent, P. Bagley, E. Bateman, B. Byram, K. Dannehl, H. Estes, S. Garcia, G. Goicoechea, E. Henderson, C. Hyslop, L. Hyslop, P Josey, J. Karr, J. Kempster, B. Kern, J. Licht, K. Martin, M.. McFarlane, B. Murphy, P. O'Hanahan, S. Owen, L. Owens, B. Paine, M.. Ports, C. Pyatt, S. Rombough, J. Rosenthal, L. Sanchez-Saenz, J. Shrock, R. Siler, G. Smith, P. Smith, S. Sweetwater, G. Tenney, L. Uhlenkott, J. Williams

1. ATTENDANCE: Silent roll was taken. Chair John Rice declared a quorum present.
2. CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 12:30 p.m.
3. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS : Chair John Rice welcomed everyone to Senate. Beth Kern, Student Financial Aid Specialist, was introduced.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes of the August 21, 2001, meeting were unanimously approved.
5. SENATE CHAIR REPORT:
   1. Board of Regents - No report; BoR will not convene until October 18 in Fallon.
   2. Presidential Search Committee - All recommendations from faculty were included in the advertising position description. A tentative timeline is as follows:
      October : Begin Advertising
      December 3-4: Begin reviewing resumes
      January 7-11: Interview semi-finalists
      January 28 - February 2: Interview finalists
   3. Faculty Salary Task Force - The committee is under the jurisdiction of the Chancellor's office to review the faculty salary schedule. The current recommendation has been to keep the same basic structure (step levels by year) but add a column behind each step reflecting a 5% increase to accommodate those faculty reaching tenure. This is an increase over the 2% previously gained. There are problems in placing individuals in high demand areas. It is recommended that upon hiring in these areas, the individual would be awarded credit for years served. This would be a codified, system-wide method rather than a case by case scenario. Recommendations for the schedule should be received from institutional faculty no later than early January and should be unified support throughout the system. Copies of the schedule will be distributed and GBC faculty will vote on recommendations at the next senate meeting.
      1. The schedule needs to be costed out per campus.
      2. Suggestions on raising current faculty to in-coming faculty level salaries needed.
      3. CCSN has approved the proposed schedule as it is based on their model.
      4. The monies would be half-state budget, half-institutional budget in implementation.
6. FOUR-YEAR PROGRAMS:
   1. Bachelor of Arts in Integrative and Professional Studies - Program prospectus should be sent to Northwest Accreditation within the next two weeks. It is currently pending required campus signatures.
   2. Bachelor of Applied Science - Of 50 applications received, 22 students have begun studies in the management course. Twenty interested students are currently pursuing their AA degree.
   3. Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education - Monday the program should have the total number of applicants. It is expected that there will be approximately 28 enrollees.
   4. Bachelor of Arts in Nursing - The faculty is currently advising interested students in the general education portion of the degree in preparation. The program is scheduled to go before the BoR in January.
7. COMMITTEE REPORTS:
   1. Academic Standards -Written report; passed.
      1. The committee recommended that faculty return to a semester with 15 weeks of instruction with a designated final's week at the 16th week of the semester. The committee is trying to resolve conflicts in order to set a final's week testing schedule. The schedule will be set in two-hour time blocks. Procedure should be in place by Fall 2002 semester to be published in the course roster. Standardized class times should help solve scheduling conflicts. Alternate accommodations for students unable to attend outside normal class times will be sought.
      2. The committee requests consistency in the grading of different sections of the same course. The committee will distribute a copy of courses in question to the appropriate department chair.
      3. The committee was asked to review certain pass/fail sections of basic subjects (i.e., math, English). Pass/fail courses do not impact a student's GPA which could have an effect on certain scholarships.
   2. Budget - No report.
   3. Compensation and Benefits - No report. The committee approved two travel requests for $300 each. The committee also proposed that the committee expand their duties to include the allotment of all professional development monies. The suggestion came to the committee via the Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs Gary Heberer after the committee referred a faculty member to this department for assistance with a Master's course. A motion was made and unanimously accepted to expand the scope as outlined. The final decision will be made on October 10 when the committee will meet with Assistant VP Gary Heberer, VP Betty Elliott and Interim President Carl Diekhans.
   4. Curriculum and Articulation - Written report; approved. The committee approved five courses for the alternate fall semester schedule, two courses for the Industrial Plant Maintenance program, and three courses for the BAIPS program with the following amendment: SOC 416: Issues in American Public Policy should be PSC 320: Issues in American Public Policy.
   5. Distance Learning - No report. Upcoming committee business includes regarding distance education pay policy, out-of-state student usage of library data bases, WebCT class attendance policy, and the possibility of online degrees.
   6. Facilities - No report. The High Tech Center is projected to be online by late October - first of November. The various required engineering / structural and environmental testing is currently being undertaken on the properties being considered for dormitories. The property previously occupied by the retirement center seems to have asbestos problems. The repairs on the stream at the center of campus are being undertaken. Lundberg Hall restrooms are on schedule for remodel.
   7. Faculty and Administration Evaluations - Information only. The committee is working on the components of faculty evaluations and use of the components. A more thorough report will be given at the next Senate meeting.
   8. General Education - No report. Placement testing figures for the fall semester have dramatically increased. Of 150 students, only 5 listed as have not tested.
   9. Personnel - Oral report. The committee has begun to process of back-filling the position occupied by Nancy Remington upon her leave of absence. The committee is accepting applications for sabbatical.
   10. Scholarships and Awards - No report.
   11. Student Relations - Written report; information only. The committee hopes to assist in the plans to renovate and/or improve the appearance of Café X if funding can be secured. The report included findings from the Student Housing Focus Group which questioned wants and needs for students occupying dorms.
8. OLD BUSINESS:
   1. Cindy Hyslop and Cheryl Pyatt were unanimously elected Part-time Faculty Representatives for the 2001-2002 academic year.
9. NEW BUSINESS:
   1. By-law Change: Library Standing Committee - A proposal to construct a standing library committee was brought forth to Senate. The committee would operate as other Senate committees in advising professional library staff in matters of library policy, library budget requests and acquisition recommendations. Debate followed arguing the purpose of the committee as a policy making entity versus an advisory entity. The suggested participation consists of three members of the library professional staff designated by the Library Director, one representative from each Occupational Education, General Education, Nursing, Bachelor Degree programs, and a representative for the branch campuses appointed by the chair of Distance Education with the Library Committee Chair will be designated by the committee and approved by the GBC Faculty Senate Chair. A sense of the Senate vote was taken and it approved the idea of the committee formation with no dissenting votes. Chair Rice designated it as an ad hoc committee so it may formally convene. Committee representatives are to be in place by Wednesday, October 3. Exact purpose and scope of the committee's capacity and formal committee purpose/procedure will be decided by the committee and brought to Senate for approval.
      1. The draft mission statement as presented on the Senate agenda reads as follows:
         "The mission of the Great Basin College Faculty Senate Library Committee will be to advise the professional library staff in matters of library policy, review of library budget requests, and recommendations for acquisitions. The committee will receive reports from the professional library staff and represent faculty interests in maintaining library resources and services."
10. REGENT'S AWARD NOMINATIONS: Bobbi Claytor was nominated for the Outstanding Student Award for her artistic work with the Great Basin Festival.
11. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS:
    1. The Great Basin Festival - The first of several workshops will be offered by Joe Pachak on Sculpture Armatures during the upcoming weekend. Also, Sol de Mexico, a premier Mariachi group which are up for a Latin Grammy Award this year, will be performing at the Elko Convention Center, Friday, October 5. Tickets are on sale for $20 each.
    2. Grants Writer Jeanie Rosenthal distributed a list of grants available and deadline dates. She encourages faculty to study the list to ascertain if there is money available for their programs or projects. Jeanie is available at any time to speak with interested parties.
    3. If anyone is interested in nomination for the Regent's Teaching Award or the Regent's Creativity Award, please contact Chair John Rice.
12. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 2:03 p.m.