Three strikes and you're still in
at WSU Faculty Senate -- not out

WINONA, Minn, May 7, 2001 -- Were the Faculty Senate to hold itself to the same attendance standard as the Student Senate, almost 25 percent of the profs on the Senate would be kicked off. Between Aug. 28 and April 23, six of 27 faculty senators missed three or more of the 13 meetings that were held, according to the minutes. No action was taken against the absent profs. In contrast, under an attendance policy approved by the Student Senate in January, student senators are permitted only two unexcused absences.

EXPANDED COVERAGE Reporter: Lauren Osborne

These were the Faculty Senate absences recorded by secretary Bill Ng: Narayan Debnath, computer science: 3 Shirley Eiken, admin info systems: 3 Matt Hyle, econ and finance: 4 Colette Hyman, history: 3 Holly Shi, English: 3 Paul Vance, music: 3 Ng's minutes do not distinguish excused absences from unexcused absences, and senators are not required to notify an officer if they plan to miss meetings.

Alex Yard, Senate president, doesn't see attendance as a problem. Never has there been a problem with quorums to conduct business, he noted. According to the Faculty Senate constitution, a quorum is 16 -- 60 percent of the members, not counting those on sabbaticals and other official leaves.

On average, 4-1/2 senators were absent from each meeting last academic year. Only twice were all senators present. The most senators absent at one meeting was eight.

Vance, who missed meetings on Dec. 11, Dec. 26 and April 9, said he doesn't keep track of missed meetings but guesses that he was busy with music department duties, either meeting with students, at rehearsals or giving lessons. Senate meetings begin at 3 p.m. and typically run until about 5:30. Sometimes, Vance said, other important commitments conflict with Senate meetings and he has to choose between them. "Most of the time," he said, "Senate meetings are easier to catch up on than my other responsibilities."

According to the Faculty Senate constitution, meeting minutes must be distributed within 10 days. Vance looks over minutes from missed meetings and contacts Yard, the Senate president, if he has questions.

The vice president of the Student Senate last year, Jason Fossum, who drafted and enforced the Student Senate attendance policy, said attendance has increased by about 20 percent with the policy. During the fall seamster, the average turnout at a student senate meeting was 70 percent. During spring, average turnout improved to 90 percent.

Yard was impressed with Fossum's initiative but doubtful a similar attendance policy would be effective for the faculty. "Faculty members are busy," Yard said. "They've got meetings, appointments, places to be, things to do. If they don't show up once in awhile, they don't show up. We understand that."

Said Yard: "We don't have an attendance policy, and we don't need one. If someone doesn't show up for a meeting, we trust they have a justifiable reason."

The Faculty Senate serves as the legislative body of the university's Faculty Association and conducts all of the association's business. Its purpose, as stated in its constitution, is to "promote the welfare of the faculty of Winona State University and to improve education at the university." Senate members are elected by and from the members of the Faculty Association and must serve a two-year term. The Faculty Association Senate meets two Mondays per month.