The meeting was called to order by the Chair at 7:45 AM in Room 125, Gazes Auditorium. A quorum was present.

MEMBERSHIP ROSTER:

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Minutes of the April 12, 2005, meeting were approved. The approved minutes are posted on the Senate's Web site.

MEETING PROCEEDINGS

I. NEW BUSINESS

YES Campaign
Representatives from the YES Campaign asked Senators to encourage their constituents to participate. This year’s goal is $315,000. Last year, 29% of the faculty participated; this is an important statistic since foundations and corporations approached for funding frequently ask what percent of faculty participate in a “give back” program.

South Carolina Employee Association – Mr. Norman (Bud) Cooper
Mr. Cooper, a representative from the South Carolina State Employee Association, provided information about the services and goals of the association. Currently, there are 300 members at MUSC, and there is a drive to increase this number. Mr. Cooper encouraged senators to become more knowledgeable about issues concerning state employment and to become advocates for state employees. The state retirement system, vacation time and sick leave have been influenced by the Association.

Committee Reports

New Faculty Orientation
Dr. Kathy Chessman, Chair of the Faculty Senate, reported that through a subcommittee chaired by Ms. Peggy Schachte, the Senate will work with the administration to support two orientation sessions for new faculty. The first session will be held in August and the second in February 2006. An evaluation will occur after these first two sessions.

Dr. Chessman also reported that the Senate will attempt to identify new faculty members on a monthly basis. These new faculty members will receive a letter of welcome from the Chair of the Senate, and an invitation to attend a meeting of the Senate.

Governance Committe - Online Election
Dr. Kelly Ragucci reported that progress is continuing to be made on the program designed to allow online voting. A suggestion was made to clarify the definition of MNAs since this has appeared to be a source of confusion in the past.

Chair's Report

Town Hall Meeting with Dr. John Raymond
Dr. Chessman thanked Dr. John Raymond for providing two Town Hall Meetings during April. She also noted that only 6 senators attended one of the Town Hall Meetings and encouraged senators, if at all possible, to attend all future faculty meetings supported by the Senate.

Chair, Dean, and Provost Evaluations
Dr. Chessman reported that the evaluation forms were delivered last week to the various departments. Senators were encouraged to complete and return the forms; senators were also asked to encourage their constituents to return the forms.

Colleges of Pharmacy Merger
Dr. Chessman reported that the merger between the Colleges of Pharmacy at MUSC and USC is continuing to move forward. There is a search taking place for the Dean at USC and a retreat was held for the two colleges on May 9, 2005.

Open Forum with Dr. John Raymond
Dr. John Raymond, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, attended the Senate meeting for a question/answer session. Topics addressed included funding challenges, evaluation process for Deans and Department Chairs, and ways in which the Senate could support efforts of the administration. Faculty development, mentorship, and diversity were three major areas Dr. Raymond encouraged senate support and participation in future efforts.

II.ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 AM

Next meeting: 7:45 AM, Tuesday, June 14, 2005. Room 125, Gazes Auditorium.

Respectfully Submitted by:
Mary Mauldin, Secretary to the Faculty Senate