Minutes of the Wichita State University Faculty Senate
Monday, April 23, 2012
CH 126 3:30 pm
Members Present: Adler, Barut, Besthorn, Bolin, Be3eson, Bryant, Celestin, Decker, deSilva, DiLollo,
Driessen, Gibson, Hemans, Horn, Hull, Jacobs, Jeffres, Klunder, Kumar, Lewis, Matveyeva,
Miller, Moore-Jansen, Mosack, Pulaski, Rokosz, Ross, Skinner, M. Smith, Solomey, Yeager
Members Absent: Carruthers, Henry, Mandt, Mukeerjee, Russell, P. Smith, Thompson, Toops, Yildirim
Members Excused: Close, Johnson, Rillema
Summary of Action
a. New grade of “IP” approved
b. Undergraduate Catalog copy for Incomplete Grade Policy approved
c. Accepted the Standing Committee Annual reports from:
Academic Affairs, Court of Academic Appeals, Faculty Support, General Education,
Honors, Scholarship and Student Aid, Undergraduate Research and University Admissions
& Exceptions Advisory
I. Call to Order
President Steven Skinner called the meeting to order at 3:30pm
II. Informal Statements and Proposals - None
III. Approval of the Minutes
The minutes of the April 9, 2012, meeting of the Faculty Senate were approved.
IV. President's Report
1. Announcements
a. The last Faculty Senate meeting of the year will take place in two weeks, May
7. That will also be the election meeting for the incoming Faculty Senate.
b. Shocker Pride Celebration is April 25, 3pm in Miller Concert Hall.
c. The Faculty Awards Ceremony and General Faculty Meeting have been scheduled for
May 4, beginning at 2:30 pm in 211 Hubbard Hall. President Skinner urged all senators
to attend.
2. Presidential Search. President Skinner expressed his appreciation to all senators
who participated in the presidential search activities. He announced that the new
president will be named and introduced at a press conference at 10:30am Friday, April
27.
3. President Skinner announced that he and president-elect Ross had been developing
an idea for a retirement gift for Dr. Beggs. Their idea was a plaque with a nicely
worded proclamation that conveyed our appreciation to Dr. Beggs for his service to
the university. The Senate voted to support the project.
4. President Skinner reminded all the chairs of all Senate Committees to submit their
annual reports to Bobbi Dreiling as soon as possible.
V. Committee Reports
Senator Klunder moved to accept the annual reports from the following standing committees:
Academic Affairs, Faculty Support, General Education, Honors, Scholarship and Student
Aid, Undergraduate Research, University Admissions and Exceptions Advisory. Senator
Hull seconded the motion. The motion carried with no dissent.
VI. Old Business
Senator Celestin, chair of the Academic Affairs committee, presented the committee's
recommendation for new Undergraduate Catalog copy regarding the University's Incomplete Grade Policy. The two principal changes to the policy were the following:
a. An incomplete grade would revert to an F, or a default grade entered by the instructor
of record, if the conditions of the incomplete have not been satisfied within a year
after the last day of the class.
b. Define a new grade, IP, for “in progress” for classes that extend over several
semesters (like thesis, dissertation, and capstone senior projects).
A straw vote was taken and these two recommended changes were approved by a show-of-hands
of 19 to 4. Senator Ross moved to implement the policy this summer. Senator Lewis
seconded and the motion carried with no opposition. President Skinner agreed to send
a recommendation to the Graduate Council for the adoption of the IP grade for thesis
and dissertation courses, and for an Incomplete Grade policy for graduate courses
that is identical to that for undergraduate courses. He would then request for them
to forward their recommendation to the Faculty Senate for approval.
VII. New Business -- None
VIII. As May Arise -- None
IX. Adjournment
The meeting of the Faculty Senate was adjourned at 4:30pm.
Submitted by Walter Horn
Secretary of the Faculty Senate