Draft Minutes of the Steering Committee Meeting
January 17, 2007
3:30 p.m.
208 Samford Hall

Attending: Rich Penaskovic, David Cicci, Ann Beth Presley, Kathryn Flynn, Gary Martin, Jack DeRuiter, Roger Garrison, John Heilman

The minutes of the November 3, November 29, and December 14, 2006 Steering Committee meetings were approved with noted amendments. 

Agenda Items for the February and March Senate Meetings

There is concern about how secure campus is.  The Security Task Force, composed of representatives from the City of Auburn and Auburn University, has another meeting in the next week or so.  It is hopeful they can make a report at the February meeting of the Senate.  This would be an Information Item. 

Richard Messina has let Rich Penaskovic know that it would be better if he could present information on the Strategic Planning process at the March Senate meeting.  He will have more information in March than he would have in February.

Marcia Boosinger has been contacted to see if she would be available for the March Senate meeting.  This would provide time for Jay Jacobs and Virgil Starks to address the Senate at the February meeting.  They would like to present information on several new initiatives in the Athletic Department.  It was agreed that 10 minutes would be allocated for their presentation and an additional 10 minutes allocated to questions.

The Teaching Effectiveness Committee is on the fast track with their work on the new teaching evaluation instrument.  They will be asked to come to the Senate with a report, and possibly as an Action Item, for the March Senate meeting.

The committee expressed interest in an update on several items including the Research Park.  Information on the Research Park will need to come from Dr. Richardson.  There was some interest in getting an update on the Water Initiative in either February or March.  A final potential topic discussed was an update on the presidential search.  It was noted that a status report may be made at the Board Meeting and so an update might be able to be done with questions or by inviting Mr. McCrary to address the Senate.