Faculty Senate will again review discussions held at the Spring 2002 Faculty Forum to formulate recommendations about faculty development.

Last week, the senate tackled the topic of creating a new office of faculty development. Other issues raised last week included grant writing and creating a central area for faculty to gather.

The senate will also discuss the upcoming State of the University Address and try to decide on a date for it to be held.

As in past weeks, discussion of the proposed revision to Internal Governing Procedures that dictates tuition rates for online courses will continue. The revision would give the power to determine the tuition rate for online classes to Eastern’s president. Interim President Lou Hencken, who has said that the revision will set tuition per credit hour at the in-state rate for online courses.

Roy Lanham, campus minister and director of the Newman Center, will deliver a presentation to the senate about the Fair Trade Coffee Campaign, which is working to sell coffee that gives more of its purchase price to underpaid farmers.

The senate has several communications on its agenda, including an e-mail from Ray Watkins, assistant English professor, asking senate to look into the problems with the university’s network.

Bob Augustine, dean of the College of Graduate Studies and acting assistant vice president for academic affairs for technology, will visit the senate at its Feb. 26 meeting to address the issue, said senate vice chair Reed Benedict, associate sociology/anthropology professor.

Elizabeth Hitch, dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies, sent the senate an update on the search for a dean of the Lumpkin College of Business and Applied Sciences. Hitch chairs the search committee for the dean.

The senate also received an e-mail from Cynthia James of Illinois State University’s Academic Senate about a resolution in the Illinois General Assembly about tuition and fees.

The resolution, now in the Illinois House, recommends that Illinois’ public universities not to raise tuition and fees to fix problems caused by economic downturn on the grounds that tuition has “increased dramatically” in recent decades.

The bill was also sent to the Illinois Board of Higher Education, Benedict said.

Allen Lanham, dean of library services, e-mailed the senate to say that they can start using Booth Library for meetings starting Feb. 26.