Faculty Senate Minutes
October 15, 2009
Call to Order:
Call to order: 4:12 pm, Riggle Room, ADUC
Senators Absent: Verdie Craig, Teresa Ferguson, Cyndi Gibbs, Sarah Hawkins, Julia Hypes, Gary LaFleur, Rebecca Miculinich, Robert Royar
Visitor: Charles Patrick, Kyle Yarawsky, SGA President
Minutes: Senator Perkins moved to approve the minutes of October 1, 2009 as submitted. Motion was seconded. Motion passed.
Committee Review:
Academic Policies: Received clarification from Provost regarding comments on General Education framework; Working with the Provost and Dean of Science and Technology to determine an outline for General Education requirements for Associate Degrees Communications: Working on communication issues i.e., Senate Web site, communication in general
Evaluation: Reviewing Baldridge Criteria for Excellence
Fiscal Affairs: No report
Governance: Will have nominees for University Standing Committees
Professional Policies: No report
Reports:
Regent’s Report
· Board of Regents work session November 19, meeting December 3
· Introduced Kyle Yarawsky, Student Regent
General Education Report
· Approved Type 2 Curriculum Proposal for Core and the approval process
· New work group for First Year Seminar, developing proposal with eight Student Learner Objectives
· Developing a theme and book for General Education
· All comments from the various levels of review for Gen Ed proposals must be submitted to the originator of the proposal by November 13th
· Type 2 proposals are due to General Education Council by November 20th
· Open sessions on General Education: October 22nd 9:00 am to 10:30 am, ADUC 312; October 23rd 8:30 am to 10:00 am, ADUC 312
· At least one member of a team preparing course proposals for Gen Ed must have attended the Fink’s Integrated Course Model Workshop; Another workshop will be held on October 19th from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm in 301 ADUC and on October 28th from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm in the Riggle Room, ADUC; Will be adding workshops on a Tuesday and Thursday
The members asked several questions of Senator McCormick and discussed the General Education Proposal process at length.
Chair’s Report
· The need still exists for a Faculty Assessment Coordinator on the General Education Council.
A member asked what the duties of the Faculty Assessment Coordinator are and if there is a need for a fulltime person and an Assessment Office. The members discussed the Faculty Assessment Coordinator position at length and the meaning of “Faculty”. Provost Hughes asked for clarification of the relationship between the Faculty Assessment Coordinator and the office in Academic Affairs that oversees Assessment and Professional Development in order to maintain continuity in the area of assessment. Chair Berglee suggested the Gen Ed Council review this issue.
· Terry Irons volunteered to serve on the task force to review the University Smoking Policy.
· Senator Chatham provided the Senators with a copy and explained Part 1 - Order of Precedence of Motions and Part 2 - Six Basic Facts about Each Motion from Roberts Rules of Order. The Senators discussed how motions are handled during the meetings.
Provost’s Report· Mid-term grades were discussed
· Attended a session on Senate House Bill 1
· Looking at how our assessment process will fit into statewide assessment of General Education and transfer issues
· Provost provided an outline clarifying the underlying philosophy contained in the “stipulations” document the President asked the Provost to prepare regarding Senate Motion 14.17 - General Education Curriculum and Courses Distribution Proposal
Senate Actions:
Governance:
Item #3, Teacher Education Committee (description update), has been moved by Chair Berglee to review by the Governance Committee prior being returned to the full Senate.
The Governance Committee recommended Ed Reeves fill the vacant position on the Faculty Promotion Committee and Carol Wymer fill the vacant position on the General Education Council. The members approved the recommendations.
Academic Policies:
At the last meeting, the Academic Policies Committee was charged “to evaluate the effect on the original document and report to the full Senate in two weeks” regarding the “stipulations” document attached to Senate Motion 14.17 - General Education Curriculum and Courses Distribution Proposal. The Provost provided the Academic Policies Committee and the Senate members with a “Clarification of Provost Comments on General Education Framework” (a condensed version of the “stipulations document”). Senator Irons stated “the intent was not to modify substantively any of the structure of the framework; the intent was to provide guidance to the General Education Council as they move through the process of implementation of the framework”. Senator Iron’s opinion is that “her comments do not in any way substantively modify what the Senate forwarded to the Administration in the spring”. Senator Irons explained the five points in the clarification document. Senator Irons asked for questions. Senator Irons stated that there are items in the Gen Ed Framework that need to be reviewed. Senator Irons recommended the Senate approve the President’s concurrence with the “stipulations”. The members discussed at length specifically what the motion under consideration was. Regent Morrison moved to take off the table the motion from the October 1st meeting. Discussion followed. Regent Morrison withdrew his motion. A Senator was concerned about how the “stipulations” document will be perceived by the general faculty. The Provost stated that “General Education review and redesign was a result of the President’s directive to do that, and as his Chief Academic Officer, I then took responsibility for it and it is a high priority, because it is an integral part of providing the kind of academic foundation that our students not only should have but deserve to have” and “we will try our very best to do that which is necessary to make this General Education Program a 21st century program.”
Chair Berglee clarified that the motion, from a previous meeting, on the floor now is to reject the “stipulations” document. He stated that the motion went to the Academic Policies Committee and they have presented their findings to the full Senate. Senator Irons offered a friendly amendment to the motion to approve the President’s concurrence with “stipulations”. Senator Katz and Senator Hennen accepted the friendly amendment. Senator Irons moved to end debate and call the question. The motion to accept the “stipulations” as clarified by the Provost’s documentation was approved.
New Business:
Ad-Hoc Constitution Committee is meeting to reviewing the Senate Constitution. Comments should be sent to the Ad-Hoc Constitution Committee.
Announcements:
Senate will not meet until November 5th.
Charles Patrick asked that all faculty submit their workloads in Faculty 180 by tomorrow.
Adjournment: 6:00 pm
