Future plans and ongoing projects designed to benefit all of Iowa State were the key issues discussed at the Faculty Senate’s first meeting of the semester.

At a meeting held earlier this week, the Senate discussed how the controversial program, called “Succeeding with Students,” would be run and who it would include.

The program will focus on three main areas which help to make the ISU experience the best it can be, said Steve Richardson, the program’s representative.

The first portion will focus on the higher educational experience, its pressures and what is expected by the students. The second portion will focus on the budget: how flexible it is, where it comes from and where it goes. The third portion will study how students view the university.

“Succeeding with Students is our first and most important job,” Richardson said. “This is not a training program to teach about the facts of Iowa State.”

One of the concerns voiced by senators is the fact that program discussions, scheduled for Nov. 13, 14, 20, 21 and 30, are for faculty and permanent staff members only. Students are not included.

But Richardson said student input has been sought throughout the process so far. He said students will continue to be involved in the process with the possible addition of the Succeeding with Students program as a part of freshmen orientations. Another concern raised by Sen. Veronica Dark of the Psychology Department, was how the program was formed without prior Faculty Senate approval. Richardson said the committee was formed after a request from the president.

Sen. Suzanne Hendrich of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, also questioned the program’s use of an outside consulting firm. Richardson said the firm was already being supported by funds the university has allocated to support undergraduate education.

In other business, the committee heard a report from Provost John Kozak about what positions the university hopes to fill within the academic year. He said the university hopes to find people to fill the positions of; affirmative action officer, vice provost for extension, vice president of external affairs and assistant vice president of human resources. Kozak said he hopes to involve the Senate in the selection processes.