Students will now receive their scholarship and award money from Academic Affairs instead of Student Affairs.

A motion transferring the responsibility to distribute student scholarship and awards from Student Affairs to Academic Affairs passed by a 12-1 vote Tuesday. The motion was proposed nearly a month ago, but was amended before it was passed.

Psychology professor Steve Scher was the only senate member to vote no, but he explained he did so because of a lack of information on the topic.

Scher and at least four other senate members said they were confused when Director of Health Services Lynette Drake and Director of Financial Aid Jone Zieren made a presentation to them four weeks ago.

At the Sept. 30 Faculty Senate meeting, Zieren said the financial aid office, which is classified in academic affairs, serves as a clearing house for any scholarship or grant a student receives.

Allison said because Academic Affairs handles enrollment management, it should also handle student scholarships and awards.

Allison remained confident and said there are ways this can be worked out.

“I don’t see what is so complex,” he said.

Empty seat filled

The senate filled one of its vacant seats Tuesday.

Ann Brownson, reference librarian at Booth Library, will assume the late Dr. Luis Clay-Mendez’s seat. The opening for technology professor Mori Toosi remains unfilled.

The senate also discussed the summer bulletin and voted unanimously to suggest it remain in print format. Blair Lord, provost and vice president for academic affairs, had suggested the bulletin be published online.

Vote of confidence

The senate was supposed to talk about the possibility of a vote of confidence against the Board of Trustees, but it was ruled to postpone this discussion because it was untimely.

The senate has expressed discontent about the lack of shared governance, or equal representation in the university’s decisions, in the presidential search process.

Faculty productivity

The executive committee met with interim President Lou Hencken and Provost Blair Lord last Thursday to talk about the Illinois Board of Higher Education. The word productivity opened up discussion similar to last week’s meeting.

At last week’s meeting, the senate got heated about the Illinois Board of Higher Education’s thoughts that state university instructors needed to be more productive. Many senators believe the Illinois Board of Higher Education’s definition of productivity is time spent in the classroom.

Biology professor Bud Fischer took the time Tuesday to reiterate his outrage.

“Nowhere on the list are we pro-active,” he said. “We didn’t make a case for ourselves. I don’t need a lawyer or a businessman telling me what productivity is on a college campus. It’s frustrating.”

Fischer said the senate should have told the Illinois Board of Higher Education how much time and effort instructors put in outside of the classroom.

However, psychology professor Steve Scher said he thought the Illinois Board of Higher Education left the door open for the senate to illustrate what productivity means to Eastern.

“We don’t know about other universities, but we know we’re incredibly productive,” Scher said. “We should focus on our situation”

Eastern has very high retention and graduation rates and this needs to be brought to the Illinois Board of Higher Education’s attention, Fischer said.

Assistant political science professor David Carwell said the senate can tell the Illinois Board of Higher Education anything they want, but they want to see more hours spent in the classroom.

“To not recognize that and to be able to think we’re going to make them see it our way is ridiculous,” Carwell said.

Soliciting funds

John Henry Pommier, associate recreation administration professor, gave the senate an update on the status of Telefund Activities. Pommier explained, a firm named Ruffalo Cody has been hired to solicit funds from Eastern alumni by way of telephone.

However when the firm does not profit, Eastern doesn’t make money.

“The firm called our alumni and pocketed the money,” Pommier said.

Ruffalo Cody is an outside source seeking funds from Eastern alumni. The results have not been up to par, Pommier said.

Ruffalo Cody does employ Eastern students to solicit funds, Sociology professor Reed Benedict said. However, Ruffalo Cody does not exclusively employ Eastern students.

Associate chemistry professor Barbara Lawrence asked if the students identify themselves when they call prospective donors.

“The only time I agree to donate to the caller is if the student that calls me is from the college I went to,” Lawrence said.

Pommier agreed and said he thought it would be a good idea to localize and personalize who calls who. Jill Nilsen, vice president for external relations, and Steve Rich, director of alumni services, will be invited to the senate meeting next week to discuss this issue in more detail.