After working through the summer to increase the number of faculty employed, Blair Lord provost and vice president for academic affairs reported that the university neither gained nor lost in numbers of faculty employees.

We are basically level across the field, he said. Last spring, academic affairs had looked to increase the number of employed faculty members, but due to several unexpected summer retirements, the department was unable to do so.

The failure to increase the number of faculty was not for lack of effort, Lord said at the Faculty Senate meeting.

The number of employed faculty members was one of the many issues that the senate addressed to the President’s Council during its yearly visit. Ten-day enrollment numbers was another topic the senate asked about.

Friday was the tenth day of the semester, but Admissions was still processing the results as of the meeting and planning to release them today, said President Lou Hencken.

“I can tell you that this is Eastern’s highest enrollment ever,” said Hencken.

Minority enrollment has also increased dramatically, Lord added.

The process of construction was also brought up. Senate member Matthew Monippallil asked if the hurricane would delay the shipment of materials.

Jeff Cooley, vice president for business affairs, said he doesn’t expect any delays as construction works are putting up steal which was not purchased from Louisiana.

Doudna is on schedule, Hencken said. However, anything could happen in the next 22 months before the project’s scheduled completion, he added.

In other business, the senate appointed Daneen Deptula, psychology professor, to the Intercollegiate Athletic Board for a 1-year term.

The next senate meeting will be 2p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20 in 4400 Booth Conference room.