Minutes waiting to be approved by Faculty Senate

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Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes

Harrison 123

April 9, 2025

3:15pm-4:30pm

I.            Call to Order 

a.      Meeting was called to order at 3:16pm.

II.            Approval of FS Minutes from March 26, 2025

a.      Gilbert Kalonde moves to approve. Brian D’Urso seconds. None opposed. No abstentions. Approved.

III.            Informational Updates

a.      Dr. Frank Kerins, MSU/MUS Retirement

i.      See slide presentation

ii.      Questions

1.      Is this an MSU thing? No, it is a legislative thing. 

2.      Can you choose?

a.      Just with the 403B.

3.      TIAA outbids them all because they are managing the majority of funds. 

4.      We make the least amount of employer contributed funds compared to public?

a.      Yes.

b.      Can that be changed?

i.      “I think so, yes.” 

c.       What is the difference between the 403B and the 457?

i.      The amount of funds they have available to invest. 

1.      Soon you’ll be able to make these changes from your desk. 

d.      Put pre-tax dollars in a regular IRA and pay the taxes on it later when your tax bracket may be lower.

5.      How is this different from Empower?

a.      Empower is the company who manages the 457.

6.      TIAA people are very helpful

a.      Tell you odds and risks, etc.

7.      Stock market this week?

a.      No suggestions. 

8.      Email fkerins@montana.edu  with questions

b.      University Council Updates

i.      See slide presentation 

ii.      Questions

1.      What is the reason for separating out the discrimination policy?

a.      It was cumbersome with Title IX, so the split that out from the rest. 

IV.            Ice-Breaker and Discussion

a.      What is the most important thing you would want a new president to know about MSU?

i.      Concern of not filling those faculty lines that faculty are retiring from. 

ii.      Issues with low salary, parking, etc. 

iii.      More relaxed than other institutions. 

iv.      Culture of student-being is important. 

V.            Old Business

a.      Faculty Handbook Changes: Added “Definitions” Section

i.      Discussion

1.      None

ii.      Chris Posbergh moves to approve. Doug Downs seconds. None opposed. No abstentions. Approved. 

VI.            Undergraduate Courses and Programs 

a.      Courses – First Reading

i.      HONR 141: Honors Research Symposium

ii.       HONR 415: Endure: Exploring Physical, Mental and Emotional Perseverance in the Face of Life’s Challenges

iii.       PHSX 256: Solving Problems with Python

1.      A physics course that solves problems with Python, not a Python scripting class. 

b.      Courses – Second Reading

i.      AHMS 200: Fundamentals of Psychopathology

ii.       AHMS 211: Patient Care and Substance Abuse

iii.       DDSN 267: Construction Visualization

iv.      GDSN 379: Packaging

v.       GDSN 381: Advanced Typography

vi.      HTR 204: Restaurant Management and Operations

vii.      HTR 455: Advanced Hospitality Management & the Customer Experience

c.      Course Changes – First Reading

i.      SFBS 451R: Food Systems Research

1.      Title change from Sustainable Food Systems

d.      Course Inactivations – First Reading

i.      KIN 412: Field-Based Fitness Assessment

1.      KIN 412 is listed as only being offered as needed based on student demand. The last time a syllabus was created for the course was Fall 2016, but the course has not been listed on the schedule in over ten years. There is no expectation or plan to add KIN 412 back to the schedule.

ii.      PHL 278CS: Origins of Life

1.      This class is no longer taught or required in the curriculum for the Philosophy major.

iii.      WGSS 120D: Why Diversity Matters

1.      No longer offered

e.      Course Inactivations – Second Reading

i.      BIOE 439: Stream Ecology

1.      BIOE 428 Freshwater Ecology now offered instead.

ii.      MUSE 290R: Undergraduate Research

1.      Course has not been offered for 15 years

iii.      NRSG courses no longer offered. Curriculum has been updated.

1.      NRSG 336: Nursing Pharmacotherapeutics

2.      NRSG 341: Psychosocial Nursing Concepts

3.      NRSG 346: Nursing Care of Childbearing Family

4.      NRSG 348: Nursing Care of Child & Family

5.      NRSG 352: Acute and Chronic Illness

6.      NRSG 377: Intro to Community Based Nrsng

7.      NRSG 418: Health Policy/Health Care Econ Cln

8.      NRSG 434: Critical Care and Emergency Nursing

9.      NRSG 435: Spirituality in Healthcare

10.  NRSG 437: Psychiatric Nursing

11.  NRSG 444: Care Management

12.  NRSG 454: Urgent and Palliative Care

13.  NRSG 477: Pop Based Nursing Care in Comm

14.  NRSG 479: Population Health & Leadership

15.  NRSG 487: Nursing Ldrshp/Mgmnt Dvlpmnt

16.  NRSG 489: Research & Statistics to Support Evidence Based Practice

f.        Program Change – Second Reading 

i.      TEBT-BS: Bachelor of Science in Applied Technology Management (Broadfield Teaching Option)

1.      Title change from Bachelor of Science in Technology Education Broadfield Teaching Option

VII.            Graduate Courses and Programs 

a.      Course Changes – First Reading

i.      LRES 586: Lake Ecology for Teachers

1.      Move from LRES to MSSE

2.      New learning outcomes

ii.      NRSG 508: Clinical Leadership Practicum

1.      Updated learning outcomes

iii.      NRSG 575: Professional Paper and Project

1.      Updated learning outcomes and prereqs

iv.      NRSG 607: Diagnostic Reasoning

1.      Updated learning outcomes and mode of delivery

v.      NRSG 610: Health Care Informatics

1.      Updated learning outcomes

vi.      NRSG 611: Program Planning & Evaluation for Quality Improvement

1.      Title change from Program Planning & Evaluation, Outcomes, & Quality Improvement

2.      Updated learning outcomes

3.      Change to prereqs

vii.      NRSG 675: DNP Scholarly Project

viii.      PSPP 547: Biomimicry for Teachers

1.      Updated learning outcomes

b.      Course Inactivations – Second Reading

i.      NRSG 674: Graduate Nursing Scholarly Project Seminar

1.      This course is no longer offered

VIII.            Senators’ Open Conversation 

a.      None

IX.            Public Comment 

a.      None

X.            Executive (Closed) Session

a.      Chair-Elect Nomination(s) and Vote

i.      Scott McCalla nominates Doug Downs. Ada Giusti seconds. 

1.      Platform: Want to increase communication with administration. 

a.      None opposed. No abstentions. Approved. 

XI.            Adjourn 

a.      Meeting was adjourned at 4:30.