Category: Lora Collins
Texas State has the highest student-to-faculty ratio of all state public universities, according to figures posted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shows the university’s student-to-faculty ratio reached 29:1 in fall of last year. In comparison, Texas Tech had a ratio of 22:1, University of Texas at Austin 19:1 and University of Texas at San Antonio 24:1 last year.
Texas State’s ratio has steadily risen since 2000, reaching its peak in 2007 at 30 students to one faculty member.
A group has banded together to discuss recreating the Students With Alternative Transportation Program.
Zack Hughes, graduate student, worked with the Associated Student Governement’s S.W.A.T. Task Force. Hughes said students are asking for the revival of the service.
The S.W.A.T. program ran three nights a week and provided safe rides home for Texas State students who had been drinking. The program required a minimum of two officers and approximately 10 volunteers on operating nights to answer phones and drive the rental cars.
Students testing online may need to take a closer look at the honor code.
Faculty, staff and graduate student employees may see an increase in the benefits of the work-life program.
The Faculty Senate has seen a drop-off in applicants for developmental leave according to Chair Debra Feakes.
Faculty Developmental leave applications are due annually Oct. 15. The leave allows faculty to take a full year off with a 50 percent pay cut or a semester off with full pay. Applicants take developmental leave to focus on specific research objectives.
The code police use to enter apartment complexes is no longer secret.
Howard Williams, San Marcos police chief, confirmed officials use a single code to get into local apartment complexes in case of emergencies. However, he said the code is frequently passed around.
Possible changes to red parking permits were addressed at Wednesday’s Faculty Senate meeting.
According to the Parking Services Web site, having a permit does not guarantee a spot on campus. However, some faculty said they believe red permit holders should be assured a spot. Robert Gratz, special assistant to the president, said Parking Services used to operate under a universal permit system — allotting parking authorization in a “first come, first serve” manner.
Faculty and staff are concerned of the misuse of parking permits and are requesting 24-hour faculty spaces.
Concerns of students parking in red zones with green stickers was discussed by Faculty Senators at their Oct. 7 meeting.
Steven Wilson, Faculty Senate secretary, said the lack of faculty parking comes from student disobedience.
“I think the problem is students parking in spaces where they aren’t supposed to,” Wilson said.
Wilson said students are parking in garages they are not allowed to, disregarding warning signs against its legality.
Revisions to the University Honor Code could be underway.
David Wiley, co-chair of the Honor Code Council, said students need to be a part of the group. Wiley, professor in the department of health, PE and recreation, is in the process of filling the council, compiled of faculty and students. Wiley spoke to Faculty Senators at their Wednesday meeting about adding student representation to the council.
Steven Wilson, senate secretary, said the code allows for misinterpretation.
Students with Alternate Transportation funding has be reallocated to support research within the Alcohol and Drug Resource Center.
Joanne Smith, vice president of Student Affairs, said the money needed to be shifted. Smith said university officials have no intentions of renting cars for S.W.A.T. this year.
“The money we had was primarily used to rent the vehicles,” Smith said. “As the interest kept dwindling, one of the things we decided to do for this year is to use the money to utilize the graduate research assistant to help us do more alcohol education.”
