The SMU Faculty Senate awarded three members for outstanding service to the school Wednesday in the Hughes-Trigg ballroom.

Faculty Senate President William Bridge presented Grace Bowens, Irma Herrera and Dr. Cathey Soutter with the awards.

“There was no disagreement about the quality of the nominees,” Bridge said.

Bowens, administrative assistant for academic support in the Cox School of Business, has been with SMU for 15 years.

“Grace has provided [Cox] with consistent excellent service, ” Bridge said.

Irma Herrera, senior associate director of administration, has been with SMU for 29 years.

“Irma has the courage to go against the flow,” Bridge said.

Dr. Cathey Soutter, Medical Center staff psychologist, has worked with the counseling and testing center for 14 years. Soutter also works with the Women’s Center.

The winners received an engraved plaque listing their achievement as well as discounts from the SMU Bookstore, Spirit Shop, Meadows School of the Arts and Umphrey Lee Dining Services.

Before the awards were given, biology professor Christine Buchanan presented the Admissions and Financial Aid Subcommittee report.

She briefly explained that SMU’s average SAT score is a few points below 1200 and in the fall, SMU will be almost 60 percent female.

After the awards were given, the Academic and Student Policies Committee reports were discussed.

History professor Jim Hopkins explained the First Year Seminar Program, which will better acclimate students to the university. However, only one-third of the class would experience the seminar program.

Hopkins brought up class size as part of the Academic Policies Committee report.

He said that the students will receive a better, more personal education if classes were smaller.

According to biology professor Larry Reuben, there are 200 students in two introductory lecture sections for first-year majors.

“It’s impossible for science and math classes [to be smaller]. It is not in the equation,” professor Robert Gregory said. He also pointed out that SMU does not have enough faculty members to decrease the size of these classes.

Reuben discussed the Student Policies committee report, which touched on the topic of student e-mail.

“Students jump from account to account to avoid spam. They need a better forwarding system,” Bridge said.

This student policy will be published in the new undergraduate catalogue.