Faculty Senate held its final meeting of the 2016-17 academic school year July 12.
As members filed into JCK 880, the faculty senate office, they planned the first meeting on the 2017-18 school calendar and discussed vacancies of two chair positions from the budget department and university lectures.
The group voted on changing the date for development leave, which allows employees of Texas State time off of teaching to engage in study, research, writing and projects to further university success.
Faculty are to submit a written report of their activity while on leave by March 15. The deadline was originally Jan 15.
Connor Clegg, political science junior, attended the meeting to inform the senate of student government’s initiative to lower the price of textbooks.
“We have the opportunity to save students thousands of dollars over the next four years,” Clegg said.  “I don’t want Texas State to lose students, because we have universities across the state that are making schooling more affordable.”
After a half hour discussion about the textbook legislation student government is intending to propose, senate members discussed the idea with plans to revisit the motion at the next meeting. Clegg also emphasized the importance of a healthy and constructive relationship between student government and faculty senate.
The senate spent the remainder of its meeting discussing the goals of the group in response to the new school year less than two months away.
Janet Bezner, college of health professions, serves as the vice chair of faculty senate. Benzer believes the priority of next year should be to improve overall.
“Our schedule is busy come October,” Bezner said. “I feel like that’s when we get reactive. I want to spend the time before that being proactive.”
Chairman Alex White, college of science and engineering, asked the faculty members present to come up with new goals for the senate. These goals will be discussed and voted on during the first meeting Aug. 30 from 4-6 p.m.