Government Department Meeting Minutes

April 28, 2006

Thanks to the Faculty Development Committee for arranging a Brown Bag Seminar by Gardner Selby of the Austin American-Statesman.  Gardner updated us on recent action in the special session of the legislature.

Thanks to the Faculty Development Committee for a series of interesting, education, and stimulating Brown Bag Seminars.

Department meeting:

 Faculty Present: Cecile Durish, Karry Evans, David Ferris, George Finan, Ron Fletcher, Frank Garrahan, Mike Gividen, Stefan Haag, Greg Harrison, Glen Hunt,  Tammy Johannessen, Steve Langley, Lynn Lehle, Jeff Millstone, Judy Nwachie,  Lisa Perez, Veronica Rodriguez, Kris Seago, Gaye Lynn Scott, Marilyn Mote-Yale

Chair's Report

1. Congratulations to Charles Miles and Cecile Durish who will become full time faculty members in the fall of 2006.

2. Any faculty member interested in serving on our Constitution Day planning committee is invited to contact Gaye Lynn Scott.  

3. The Government Department is planning to host a booth for the South Austin Campus opening celebration in the fall.  Anyone interested in participating in this activity should contact Glen Hunt or Lisa Perez-Nichols.

4. All full-time faculty members should have completed the faculty Advising training session.  Students will be receiving a letter in the near future reminding them of the opportunity to visit with faculty members in their major field regarding their course work and their career plans.

Committee Reports

1. Adjunct Faculty Hiring-Jeff Millstone reported that four new adjuncts have been approved and that additional interviews will probably take place in May.

2. Assessment of Student Learning-Joe Engle sent in a report that items to be embedded in student exams will be distributed to random classes within the next week.

3. Faculty Evaluation-Marilyn Mote-Yale announced that all evaluations have been completed.

4. Faculty Development-Stefan Haag made available a study guide he has developed for use with the video "Last Man Standing."
5. Distance Learning-Frank Garrahan and Cecile Durish reported on efforts to develop tools to improve our distance learning courses.

New Course Proposals

Patrick Hughes, Professor of History, presented a proposal to cross list an Honors course he will offer in the Spring of 22007.  This course will emphasis the political transformation of Texas since 1930.  The course will be an honors course and will be listed as both History 2301 and Government 2306.

Stefan Haag presented a proposed honors course in U.S. Government t for the fall of 1007.  This will be an honors/hybrid course.  The course will emphasis political campaigns and elections.  

Dr. Judy Nwachie presented a proposed honors course for the spring of 2007.  This will be a Government 2306 Texas State and Local Government course which will utilize the International Negotiations Modules Project (INMP).

The Department approved all three proposals.

Textbooks

The faculty approved the addition of two texts for Jeff Millstone's Honors course in Texas Government emphasizing the criminal justice system.  Those texts are:

Kane.  Criminal Justice in Texas.   Third edition.  

Cole, Smith.  Criminal Justice in America.  Fourth edition.  2005

Evaluations

The attendees discussed the evaluation process.  It was the consensus of the department that adjunct faculty who do not submit a portfolio or a faculty input form should not be allowed to continue on the eligibility list.  This information will be included in the Government Faculty Handbook for 2007 -2008 and will be widely disseminated in emails during the fall semester.