Faculty Senate reconvenes for first semester meeting

The UNT Faculty Senate held its first meeting of the semester Feb. 13 and heard several presentations on topics including the growth of the UNT System Center, activities in the Office of Disability Accommodation and the project to create a College of Engineering at UNT.

Rollie Schafer, special assistant to President Norval Pohl and professor of biological sciences, talked to the senate about the development plan for the proposed engineering college, which is contingent on Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approval. He said the university proposes to form the new college by January 2003 and place computer sciences, engineering technology and materials science into the new college. The Department of Computer Sciences would be called the Department of Computer Sciences and Engineering, and the Department of Materials Science would be called the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. The plan also calls for the implementation of two new departments within the college — the Department of Electrical Engineering and the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Six new degree plans will eventually be developed — bachelor of science and master of science degrees in computer engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering.

Other speakers included Virginia Wheeless, UNT System vice chancellor for planning, who addressed senators about the history, growth, services and future of the UNT System Center. James Scott, dean of the College of Music, reported on his first six months in the deanship and discussed different elements of UNT's music department. Jimmy Renfro, director of disability services and operations, and Zach Sneed, testing coordinator for the Office of Disability Accommodation, spoke to the senate about the function of the Office of Disability Accommodation and the services it provides to students.

In other business, senators:

• Heard a report from the committee on committees and a report from the charter and bylaws committee, which included the first reading of several changes to the senate's charter and bylaws.
• Heard a short report from David Kesterson, provost and vice president for academic affairs, about the approaching budget cycle and the January Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board meeting.
• Heard a report from senate Vice Chair Jeffrey Oxford about ways to notify faculty and staff when a faculty or staff member has died and about grant money disbursement.
• Heard a report from Chair Juliet Getty asking for feedback from the senate regarding the search to replace Chancellor Alfred F. Hurley, who is stepping down from his position at the end of the fiscal year. Getty is serving on the advisory committee to the chancellor search committee.

The senate's next meeting is at 2 p.m. March 13 in Wooten Hall, Room 322.

BY MICHELLE HALE mhale@unt.edu

Other web resources

• UNT Faculty Senate

Other featured articles in this issue

• Former regent contributes $8 million to UNT campaign
• Solidarity leader and former president of Poland to speak at UNT April 16
• Commission on the Status of Women conference at UNT in early March
• Rec center construction to start in March
• UNT law conference to address issues affecting higher education in Texas
• UNT student named finalist for Truman Scholarship
• Columnist to sign book copies at UNT Feb. 26
• Program features research
• A real sweet deal: Hershey's candy bar nets UNT staff member a new Jeep Liberty

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