Faculty Senate members will consider the addition and change of the promotion lines and titles of non-tenure track faculty.

The senate approved a resolution to study promotional lines and title of Non-Tenure Track Faculty at its meeting Tuesday. Senators will recommend faculty who will serve on a committee to conduct the study and bring recommendations back to the senate.

The SIU Board of Trustees and NTTF Association requested the Faculty Senate take responsibility for the study.

Faculty Senate President William Recktenwald said the request came after the recently approved labor agreement with the association.

“It’s to assign the possibility of NTTF to have positions beyond that of senior lecturer and assistant professors,” Recktenwald said.

He said after information is obtained from the study, the addition or revision of titles may be made by the Faculty Senate.

“There are some non-tenure track faculty who have been here for 20 years or more,” he said. “This would be to make sure they get the title and compensation to go with that.”

The approved resolution states if the committee formed to conduct the study determines that promotional lines are in the best interest of the university, the committee will “determine both appropriate titles as well as criteria for appointment to each step.”

The group formed will be an ad hoc committee of members recommended by the senators.

Faculty Senate Senator Allan Karnes asked why the study did not go directly to the charge of the Faculty Senate rather than a newly formed committee.

“The best solution, I thought … rather than simply putting it to the faculty senate to form an ad hoc committee, for it to be the sole task of that committee composed of people that are particularly interested in the task,” said Gerald Spittler, chair of the Faculty Senate committee on governance.

Spittler said the group will consist of senators who will serve beyond the 2011-12 school year.

Senators raised concerns of a balance between faculty and non-tenure track faculty on the committee, Recktenwald said senator Kimberly Asner-Self will be in charge of selecting who serves.

“Our enrollments for spring continue to be soft,” she said. “We continue to see a lag in students who are signing up for courses.”

Cheng said she recommended faculty and staff to encourage students to register before they leave campus for winter break.

Asner-Self said one reason students may purposely wait to sign up for spring classes may involve finances.

“When I was a graduate student, I always waited until the very last minute, because the bursar’s office would charge me the minute that I registerd,” she said. “I don’t know how SIU does it, but I know that the money in my pocket for another three months is a whole lot better than the money in the university’s pocket when I’m that destitute.”

Cheng said the university could look at ways that finances affect when students register.

“Because it could be that we’re discouraging students through flexibility of financially doing what we want them to,” she said.

Cheng said Provost John Nicklow’s office has staff who have been directed to work with students who have holds on their accounts and are unable to register for classes.

Lauren Duncan can be reached at [email protected] pr at 536-3311 ext. 268.

Also at the meeting, Chancellor Rita Cheng said enrollment for the spring semester is low compared to this time last year.

“Our enrollments for spring continue to be soft,” she said. “We continue to see a lag in students who are signing up for courses.”

Cheng said she recommended faculty and staff to encourage students to register before they leave campus for winter break.

Asner-Self said one reason students may purposely wait to sign up for spring classes may involve finances.

“When I was a graduate student, I always waited until the very last minute, because the bursar’s office would charge me the minute that I registerd,” she said. “I don’t know how SIU does it, but I know that the money in my pocket for another three months is a whole lot better than the money in the university’s pocket when I’m that destitute.”

Cheng said the university could look at ways that finances affect when students register.

“Because it could be that we’re discouraging students through flexibility of financially doing what we want them to,” she said.

Cheng said Provost John Nicklow’s office has staff who have been directed to work with students who have holds on their accounts and are unable to register for classes.