Faculty senate urges study of possible 'university college'

The Holland Faculty Senate voted at its December meeting to urge the creation of a university-wide task force to determine the feasibility and potential structure of a "university college" at Mississippi State.

In a separate decision, the senate declined to accept the recommendations of a report by its Ancillary Affairs Committee regarding outside employment. Instead, the body asked the committee to make a further study of the issue, particularly in regard to what Board of Trustees, Institutions of Higher Learning policies have to say in the matter.

The issue of a "university college" was brought before the senate in an October letter submitted by Sen. David McMillen, requesting, in part, a study of such a proposal. McMillen noted that creation of such a new academic structure had been discussed in recent weeks by the Academic Deans Council and the university Recruitment and Retention Review Committee as a way to improve student retention rates.

The voice vote supporting further study of the outside employment issue came after Sen. Roger King, the Ancillary Committee member presenting the report, reported the College Board staff had not replied to a request for information in the matter. Several senators expressed the feelings of the majority that no vote could be taken on the matter until College Board policy was read and studied.

Also at the December meeting, senators:

• Heard a detailed report by Vice President for Business Affairs Leah Norman on the current state of the university budget and related matters. Norman discussed changes in the Business Affairs accounting operations, particularly the installation of corporate accounting procedures in combination with the Banner accounting software program to keep a day-to-day track of the university budget. Based on the round of applause that followed the 55-minute presentation, information provided by Norman apparently added to the senators' understanding of the university current financial operations and budgetary standing.
• Voted to decline an invitation by the Division of Student Affairs to participate in the formulation of a "statement of values" being formulated for the university. The vote followed the recommendations of the Ancillary Affairs Committee.

A complete summary of business conducted at the December meeting can be read on the Faculty Senate Home Page at http://www.msstate.edu/Org/FS/faculty_senate.html.