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Senators encouraged to seek second term The Faculty Senate March minutes were approved during the April meeting. Chair’s report—Anne Osborne Kilpatrick  Kilpatrick discussed senate activities at midyear. The improvement of continuity and communication charged to both Governance and University Affairs are proceeding well. Attendance at Senate meetings has been excellent. Work on the future of the Faculty Senate: The chair encouraged people whose terms are expiring this spring to consider a second term, and to consider participating in the leadership of the Senate. This is an exciting time, with our new provost, and a number of initiatives have been undertaken this year. We want the momentum we have begun to continue, and the efforts of the University Affairs Committee to address issues of continuity and communication, and those of the Governance Committee to revise the bylaws process. We will initiate processes to maintain the momentum. University Committees Governance Committee—Elaine Amella, chair. This committee is meeting frequently to present changes to the bylaws, which have not been amended in a long time.  Duties of the officers and various committees, as well as length of terms, and other areas of importance are the subject of this effort. The Senate recommended that senators consider extending the term of office to three years to improve continuity. In addition, the Governance Committee conducts the election, which will take place in the spring. Considerable work has been done to make an accurate list of faculty, and to make sure that all eligible faculty are able to vote. Gender Equity Committee—Tara Hulsey, chair. We are awaiting data regarding UMA salaries and possibly the VA salaries to get an accurate status of gender/racial equity among faculty. Faculty Affairs Committee—Kathy Chessman, chair. The committee is awaiting the report from deans and the provost regarding the proposed  recommendations on the tenure policy as it stands in the Faculty Handbook. The last half of the meeting, the four standing committees met to discuss the work of their committees, as well as two new charges: a request to define/expand on the duties of adjunct faculty, received from Dean Danielle Ripich, Ph.D., and endorsed by John Raymond, M.D. Members of the Faculty Affairs Committee were asked to poll members of each program or college to determine how adjunct faculty members were used to move toward a uniform mechanism. The University Affairs Committee, under the auspices of Paul Gold, convenor, was asked to review the status of the drug free workplace policy and recommend feedback to the Office of the Provost. The next meeting is scheduled for May 6. On the agenda: Perry Halushka, Ph.D., M.D., dean of graduate studies and Tom Higerd, Ph.D., associate provost, will discuss the first year’s implementation of the universitywide faculty contract. Faculty Senate Web site http://www.musc.edu/facsen/ Senators present Basic Sciences: Philippe Arnaud, Lucille London, Eberhard Voit, Sally Self Clinical Sciences: Susan Ackerman, Connie Best, DeAnna Cheek, Paul Gold, George Johnson, Benjamin Saunders, Thomas Steele, Shailesh Patel, Michael Zile Dental Medicine: Richard J. Albenesius, Peter Kobes, Stephen Malley Health Professions: Libby Dismuke, Jennifer Horner, Anne Kilpatrick Library Science and Informatics: Mary Mauldin, Nancy McKeehan, Joann Sullivan  Nursing: Elaine Amella, John Welton Pharmacy: Katherine Chessman, Marc LaPointe,  Joli Fermo   Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.