Faculty Senate discussed the potential of a Centennial Honorary Degree Committee during its first meeting of the semester Wednesday.

Of the many topics discussed, they voted against the Centennial Honorary Degree Committee. If approved, it would create a process by which SMU faculty could award fellow members honorary degrees as part of the Centennial Celebration.

Many Faculty Senators objected to this committee because honorary degrees are inappropriate, they allow faculty members to award themselves subjectively and it creates major conflicts of interest.

Faculty Senate approved many committees including Academic Policies Committees, All-Universities Finance Committee, Athletic Policies Committee, Committee on Ethics and Tenure, Student Policies Committee, Committee on Research and the Internal Review Committee.

Earlier in the year, the Legal Affairs Committee worked to amend the wording of the termination clause in the faculty handbook.

The clause currently reads that grounds for dismissal are “program discontinuation, misconduct and other adequate cause.” The Faculty Senate moved to reword “misconduct” and clarify “adequate cause.”

Faculty Senate’s suggestion would clear up any potential gray area so that faculty terminations would be indisputably fair. They agree that SMU terminations are usually fair, but this amendment would continue to protect the faculty.

The Legal Affairs Committee will meet Sept. 8 to decide on the request.

The next senate meeting will be Nov. 2 in the Hughes-Triggs Student Center Ballroom West at 3:10 p.m.