MINUTES OF THE FACULTY MEETING -- JANUARY 19, 2005

ATTENDEES: C. Barfield, D. Boucias, M. Branham, E. Buss, J. Capinera, S. Choate, T. Fasulo, H. Frank, D. Hahn, D. Hall, A. Hodges, M. Hoy, P. Lawrence, N. Leppla, O. Liburd, J. Maruniak, H. McAuslane, B. McSorley, F. Oi, M. Scharf, F. Slansky, S. Webb, G. White, S. Yu, and P. Howell

The meeting was convened at 1:20.

Capinera announced that it was time for the annual update on his objectives for the past year, and objectives for the upcoming year. He listed the past year objectives and activities as follows:

1. Renovation and installation of equipment in a teaching lab. This was Nation's old lab. It has been completed and there are places for 28 students in there. Capinera also announced that the insect collection has been moved to this lab and it is now secure so that insects cannot be removed from the collection.

2. Distance education program. A distance education program offering MS degrees in entomology and pest management is up and running. D. Hall noted that there is tremendous interest in this program. Capinera said he'll bring James Kocher in at the next meeting to give a presentation on the technologies being developed for the distance ed program.

3. Extension photo CD. Capinera said this has been underway for about 2 years and has now been turned over to Tom Fasulo for production. He said there are 2 more CDs under development for extension faculty and educators.

4. IAEA short course. Capinera said that it successfully graduated 24 students from 23 countries last year.

5. Student endowment fund raising. There is one endowment in the works at the $20,000 level. Also in the works is an endowment with enough funding to allow us to name the Entomology/Nematology Building after someone.

6. Departmental review. This was scheduled for 2005 and preparations are underway. This review may have been postponed until 2006, but Capinera says he has not received confirmation of this postponement.

Capinera then listed the objectives for the coming year as follows:

1. Continue developing CDs, especially on an insect overview. He said help is needed on this project and asked for volunteers.

2. Distance education program. He said that he was working on a pest management CD, and asked for more volunteers.

3. IAEA short course in 2006. Negotiations will be initiated soon.

4. Fund raising efforts. This includes the building naming fund raising.

5. Students knowing Florida insects. The DPM students want assistance learning the most important insects. Capinera said we need to make a collection of the most important Florida insects to help the students familiarize themselves.

In other discussions, Hoy asked if there is a solution to the People Soft problem. Capinera said he has been told that it's here to stay and that we have to figure out how to get used to it. He said it can be done. He said that we had been behind on travel reimbursements, but now that is current due to hiring a new person in the Business Office. He said People Soft is not efficient, but it does get the job done eventually. We have the same graduate student issues this semester as last semester.

Buss asked if we will rehire for Suni's position. Capinera said yes, that position will be filled until we master People Soft but ultimately we need to reduce staffing to a more affordable level.

Hoy asked if we will get paper W2 forms this year or if we have to go on the web to print them. Capinera said we will have paper forms and should have them by the end of January.

Capinera said that a defibrillation unit has been purchased for the department and that Suzie, Nancy and Pam will be trained on it. He suggested that others (faculty) be trained on it as well. Fasulo noted that at one point it was locked in a file cabinet, which defeats the purpose of having the unit. Capinera said he will see that it is available at all times.

D. Hall spoke about the GRE biology issue. He said he received 27 votes on the issue, 17 AGAINST and 10 FOR having the requirement. At this point, no GRE biology score is required, however, it is recommended, especially for those students who will be attempting to obtain a fellowship. It was noted that individual student committees can still require the GRE biology score. It was also discussed that those students who came in Fall 2004 are still under the requirement, as was in force then, but those coming in Spring 2005 are not required to take this exam. Hall noted that the GRE biology is not available in foreign countries.

Hoy stated that she is on the committee to search for a research dean for IFAS. She asked that if anyone knows of anyone who would be suitable for this position, to please let her know the name of the individual(s). Capinera stated that he is on the committee to search for a teaching dean for IFAS and he asked for names also. Buss asked for criteria. Hoy said that chairs, associate and assistant deans, etc., at other institutions would qualify. She said she didn't think that faculty would have the necessary experience to qualify for a deanship. Capinera said they should have administrative experience with accomplishments in the discipline, as well as a record of research and/or teaching.

Capinera called for a vote to recommend Hahn and Scharf for graduate faculty status. Votes were unanimous for both candidates.

Capinera spoke about undergraduates and their need for real research experience. He mentioned that some departments, such as Zoology, have a large undergrad population and that some of them lack research experience because there are not enough opportunities for all of them. He mentioned that there has been talk about doing something like a course or quasi-course that would discuss subjects such scientific method and ethics in research, then provide work in labs. Afterwards, the students would reconvene in the classroom to meet as a group. Barfield was tapped to chair a committee to foster this idea. Branham mentioned that NSF has a program called "Research for Undergrads" that will help fund these types of courses.

Capinera mentioned that the Florida State Fair is coming up February 10-21 and said that we will once again have an entomology exhibit there. He asked for volunteers to go down to the fair, and he also asked for ideas for new exhibits. Leppla said we need innovation. Webb said whatever we do needs to be sturdy. White mentioned that USDA is going and exhibiting. Buss asked about events such as cricket spitting contests. Capinera said that some activities are better suited for only a day or two as we couldn't do certain events for all 12 days. McAuslane asked if more room is needed or if more room could be obtained if needed. Capinera said he doesn't think space will be a problem. He also mentioned that volunteers will be reimbursed for their travel to the fair.

Capinera announced that an extension symposium is coming up. This is meant to bring specialists together. The hurricanes rained out last year's symposium. The next one is tentatively scheduled for April 14-15 in Gainesville, and will be announced later by the dean.

Capinera announced that annual reports are coming due. FAS2 is now UNIFAS. The new and updated version will be ready for work in February. It supposedly will import stuff from other databases into the new program. Myrna and Capinera are already trained on it, and Nancy and Pam will be trained on it, though it is not yet complete.

Capinera announced that this is the time for equipment needs to be determined. Send Sharon a quote and justification for equipment you need and he will try to match funds for it. The funding is for $500 or more. He said he still has about $30,000 in ICR funds to spend. He needs submissions by February 2.

Barfield announced that there are 2 more majors in the department and 3 more are talking about coming in. None have less than a 3.5 GPA. He stated that one undergrad from last year wants to go to med school and she has a very good shot at it. She has been funded to go to Africa to work with AIDS sufferers. She may become a CALS Ambassador.

Buss asked if we would be having more faculty hires in the future. Capinera said the deans may be able to approve hires, but at this point it is unsure if that will happen. It all depends on the budget.

Leppla asked if there are any costs from the hurricanes or other situations that faculty need to be aware of regarding their spending and budgets, or if they need to prepare for in their planning. Capinera said he doesn't know of anything at this time.

Leppla was tapped to head up a committee for the state fair deliberations.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:15.