The Florida A&M faculty senate met Tuesday in Lee Hall Auditorium to receive updates concerning midterm grades, International Education Week and new academic regulations.
Opening remarks came from Narayan Persaud, faculty senate president, who did not fail to remind the faculty that this is homecoming week and all faculty members should remember to take part in the festivities.
“Must we not forget that this week is homecoming, and for some, it is a reclaiming of their past, and for others it is time to party and to have fun,” Persaud said. “It is a time to reclaim kindred spirits that we all have once shared with this university.”
Next, the floor was open for questioning to Interim Provost Rodner Wright.
He emphasized the submission of midterm grades despite it being homecoming week.
“I didn’t have a lot to talk about today, except one thing in particular that will appear in FAMU Info within the next couple of days that centers on the recording of midterm grades on Blackboard,” Wright said.
A new feature on Blackboard allows faculty members to submit midterm grades for lower division courses. Wright said it was important for faculty to trust in the new software and have the grades submitted prior to the Oct. 25 deadline.
“The office of information technology has created a document that has four simple steps that faculty will be able to use that will enable them to record midterm grades,” he said.
Wright also reminded faculty that Nov. 11 through Nov. 15 is International Education Week.
“The office of international education and development will be sponsoring opportunities celebrating the benefits of international education, such as study abroad and exchange programs,” Wright said.
It was made clear that participation by faculty and students would be appreciated during this week and advertisement about International Education Week would also be valued.
Before the faculty senate meeting was adjourned, regulations that were discussed during last week’s academic policy forum were brought before the senate.
“We are here because this is the next stop to get your approval,” said Valerie White, interim chair of the Academic Policies Committee. “Then we can send these policies to the board of trustees.”
The senate agreed to approve the levels of academic standing, academic honesty, withdrawal due to military activation and termination of academic program regulations.