Faculty Senate Agenda – January 22, 2013

· Call Meeting to Order

Approval of December 4, 2012 Minutes
Address by Director of Athletics Ross Bjork
Senate Committee Reports
- Executive Committee
- Academic Affairs
  - Update on Grade Appeal Process (See attached policy draft)
    - Consider the ramifications of creating a new Standing Committee (similar to the Academic Discipline Committee) to create continuity in the Grade Appeal Process
  - Update on Repeating Course and Forgiveness Policies
    - Explore the impact of updating repeating course policy to make it more consistent and potentially more
    - The current forgiveness policy is quite strict compared to similar universities and has a negative impact upon retention. Explore updating this policy to be more in keeping with similar universities.

o Academic Support

Update on Fall Academic Break Schedule
- It has been proposed that the University have both a “Fall Break” and a Thanksgiving Break. This would allow both the faculty and students the opportunity to recharge closer to the middle of the semester rather than only at the end of the semester as we do under our current structure. There is concern that both faculty and students begin to lose focus well before we reach the current academic break and that by having an additional break earlier in the semester may forestall this

Update on Second Bachelor’s Degree Task Force (Dr. Robert Doerksen & Adam Smith)
- The University of Mississippi may confer a second bachelor’s degree upon either its graduates or those of another institution when a student has completed the specific course requirements for the second degree as defined by The University of Mississippi. In addition to the credits used for the first degree, the candidate for the second bachelor’s degree must complete at least 30 semester hours in residence from the school or college recommending the degree, with a minimum 2.00 GPA for those