Last year, the University Faculty Senate began a self-study. We quickly discovered that we needed to establish a better way of communicating to the faculty we represent just what we were doing and of hearing from you about the issues and problems that you wanted addressed. The result is this newsletter. It tells you what we will be doing at the first Senate meeting to be held next Tuesday, September 10th and it also invites you to let us know what issues concern you and what we should be working on. Let us hear from you.

The University Faculty Senate functions as the voice of the faculty in the formulation of policy concerning the academic mission of the university. The body consists of elected faculty members, students, and administrators such as the President, Provost, the four Vice Provosts and other senior administrative officers. The Senate meets on seven Tuesdays during the academic year with committee meetings in the morning and a plenary session in the afternoon. The first meeting this year will take place on Tuesday, September 10, 2002. We welcome visitors to the plenary session that will be held at 1:30 p.m. in 112 Kern Graduate Building.

The agenda for that day consists of two parts:

1) Comments by President Spanier followed by questions and answers and then a presentation to Professor C. R. Rao of the Eberly College of Science honoring him for winning the National Medal of Science.

2) The discussion of five issues:

a) The University Faculty Senate has awarded this year $260,000 in scholarships to 268 deserving students. The Senate will discuss the criteria used to make those awards and will review the sources of funding.

b) The recent plunge in the stock market has greatly diminished the value of faculty investments in TIAA-CREF. The Senate will discuss whether additional investment options should be made available to Penn State employees.

c) Benefits constitute a large proportion of the University budget. The Senate will hear a report dealing with a range of related insurance and benefits issues including health care rates, health plan changes and issues, student immunizations, SERS, and military leave benefits.

d) Several years ago, the Senate addressed the issue of academic advising, a topic of enduring interest. To supervise all matters relating to advising, the Senate established the University Advising Council, chaired by the Vice-Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Education. The Senate will discuss what this Council has done in the past year to improve advising and what it intends to do in the coming year.

e) Recent and proposed construction will change many of the roadway systems on the University Park campus. The Senate will discuss what has been done and what will be done to make it easier to get from one place to another on campus.

The Senate exists to serve the needs of all Penn State faculty. Please let us hear from you about topics that you want to be discussed and problems that need a solution. Send any suggestions you may have to jwm2@psu.edu (John Moore).

To read the minutes of the April 23, 2002 meeting or to learn more about the Senate, go to the Senate website http://www.psu.edu/ufs

John Moore, Chair
University Faculty Senate