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April 24, 2006 Volume 30, Issue 31 |
Wolverton, Swafford elected senate officers
The Robert Holland Faculty Senate has two new leaders for the 2006-07 school year, but it took a combined total of 10 votes to get them in office.
When the last white paper ballots were cleared away at Mitchell Memorial Library, Dr. Robert E. Wolverton Sr. of Foreign Languages had been chosen to succeed Dr. Mark Goodman of Communication as president of the body representing teaching and extension professionals on the Starkville and Meridian campuses.
Dr. Jeanne Swafford of Curriculum and Instruction will be the new vice president. She is to succeed Dr. Peter Wood of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work when all the officers formally assume their posts July 1.
Dr. Carlen Hennington of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education was unopposed for a second term as senate secretary.
In the president’s race, Wolverton defeated David Nagle of Plant and Soil Sciences after four secret votes.
As for the vice president’s post, five separate ballots were required before Homes Hogue of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work decided to withdraw in favor of Swafford. Like the Nagel-Wolverton race, Swafford and Hogue had received roughly equal numbers during at least two of their separate ballotings.
Even though Hogue was no longer in the race, senate rules required one final vote on Swafford. It was taken to formally record that she, like Wolverton—and even the unopposed Hennington—had received a majority 26 or more votes from their colleagues on the 50-member body.
While this year’s officer elections required more voting than has been seen in many years, the entire process in the John Grisham Room was completed in a clear spirit of friendship and professional collegiality among the membership. Many of those in the room have served together as senators for continuing years or on past occasions.
Wolverton, who holds a doctorate from the University of North Carolina, is among MSU’s most senior faculty. He came to the Starkville campus in 1977 as vice president for academic affairs (and before the title of provost was added to the office).
Wolverton served as the university’s second-highest administrator through the remaining eight years of James D. McComas’ nine-year presidential administration. He continued in the office through the early years of President Donald Zacharias’ leadership, when he elected to step down and return to the classroom.
Over his MSU career, Wolverton—the only campus specialist in the Classics—has received several major honors, including the John Grisham Master Teacher and MSU Alumni Association Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching awards.
Swafford, who joined the faculty in 2001, is a doctoral graduate of the University of Georgia. She is a specialist in elementary education literacy.
Held a week earlier than normal because of this year’s holiday, the April faculty meeting also saw Dr. Charles Lee’s final appearance as the land-grant institution’s chief executive. His leadership tenure has included one year as interim and four years as the 17th president.
In his brief presentation at the beginning of the meeting, Lee provided an update on higher education matters addressed in the just-concluded regular session of the Mississippi Legislature. He also thanked the senators for their dedication and service to the institution and state during his five years as its leader.
After wishing them the best in future endeavors, Lee departed to a round of applause by those in attendance.
A complete summary of these and other matters at the April meeting is available at the senate home page. Also, in time, a University Television Center-developed video replay of the entire meeting will be available for viewing at this site.