The Faculty Senate made progress with the promotion and tenure issue through a series of amendments that will accelerate the voting process.

The procedural amendment presented by Dean Ulrichsen, professor of chemical engineering, passed by a vote of 32 to 27.

A friendly amendment changed Ulrichsen’s original proposition, enabling two votes to be taken instead of three: one vote for approval of the comprehensive peer review and another for approval of the review, along with the promotion and tenure portion of the document.

James Werbel, associate professor of management, also had an amendment passed for a tenure review for associate and full professors every seven years.

Questions were later raised about this amendment, concerning the prevention of all faculty being observed for tenure purposes during the same year.

Among other discussed changes, Suraj Kothari, professor of computer science, supported an amendment that would change the voting procedure to two votes.

One vote would involve promotion and tenure, and the other would exclude it.

Kothari’s amendment was debated but failed to be enacted.

In other news:

• Provost John Kozak and Mike Crum, professor of transportation and logistics, gave a report about the set grade point average that transferring athletes must acquire.

“We are trying to create an environment for student athletes where they can succeed academically at ISU,” Crum said.

Crum also elaborated on the initial purpose for the GPA.

When the issue was monitored in the past, he said, there was a tendency for student athletes who received below a 2.2 in their former schools to earn below a 2.0 at ISU.

“We want to identify more at-risk athletes so the department can provide more customized support for these students,” Crum said.

• After some discussion, a budget resolution for the Faculty Senate, which was presented by Suzanne Hendrich, professor of food science, passed unanimously.

• Nominations for the council seats of governance, FDAR and judiciary boards currently are being accepted, as well as for the position of secretary.

The next Faculty Senate meeting will be held March 10 at 7:30 p.m. in Room 260 of the Scheman Building. The public is welcome to attend.