Executive Council met at 1:30 p.m. at 611 Allen Hall. Present were Dr. Mark Keenum, presiding, Dr. Jerry Gilbert, Dr. Bob Williams, Dr. Melvin Ray, Mr. John Rush, Dr. Bill Kibler, Dr. Meghan Millea, Ms. Amanda Bell, Mr. Rhett Hobart, Mr. Mike Rackley, Ms. Lesia Bryant, Mr. Joe Farris, and Ms. Joan Lucas.

Dr. Gilbert presented for approval the OP 1.28, Policy on Amorous Relationships, which had been reviewed and recommended by the Faculty Senate and Staff Council. The policy addresses relationships between employees or between an employee and student and the actions that must be taken to address such relationships, although the policy does not apply to married or related individuals as those relationships are governed by a separate policy on nepotism. The Executive Council recommended approval.

Dr. Gilbert presented for approval HRM Policy 60-323, Staff Compensation Program, which would establish job grades and salary ranges for all university positions, excluding the president and vice presidents, athletic director and coaches, academic deans and faculty, and skilled craft and service maintenance employees. The Council recommended approval.

Dr. Gilbert recommended that existing OP 60.02, Policy on Salary Adjustments, Staff Positions, be rescinded as it is superseded by the proposed new HRM Policy 60-323. The Council recommended approval.

Dr. Kibler presented for approval a revision of OP 91.351, Display of Flag, which governs the display of the official university flags of the United States and the State of Mississippi, and conforms with federal guidelines. The Council recommended approval.

Dr. Williams presented for approval a recommendation from the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine that the forestry equipment show pavilion and show site at the John W. Starr Memorial Forest be named in honor of the late Charles E. Burkhardt, forest supervisor at Mississippi State from 1980 until his death in fall 2011. The Council recommended approval. The proposed naming will be submitted for approval by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning.