Approved 2-3-05

Thursday
January 20, 2005
2:00 p.m.
MA 211K

AGENDA SETTING

 

PRESENT 
Tamara Chase, Bruce Christensen, Bill Clapp, Lauren Fowler, Michelle Heward, Becky Johns - Chair, Wade Kotter, Molly Smith - Vice Chair, Mike Vaughan, Kay Brown - Secretary

EXCUSED 
Sue Harley, Ann Millner

GUESTS 
Dick Alston, Rob Reynolds, Rick Sline

MINUTES 
Bruce Christensen: Moved to approve the amended minutes from the January 13, 2005 meeting.
Second: Molly Smith
Outcome: The amended minutes were approved.

PLANNING ISSUES 
The Provost talked about a retreat for Deans, Department Chairs, and Executive Committee members. Two time periods are being discussed, at the end of the term in May, or in August prior to the beginning of school. The Deans expressed some support for May, and the Department Chairs were strongly in favor of August. August gives more flexibility. There is a very narrow window in May the week following finals to hold the retreat. It would be a two day overnight retreat possibly in Park City. Executive Committee members had mixed views on the best time to hold the retreat.

Possible Retreat Topics

NW REPORT 
The Provost wants to take the Northwest report and take their observations, positive and negative and meet with different groups to discuss what we can learn from the report and what we can use to guide our future planning. The groups will meet for an hour and a half. Possible dates for the meeting will be emailed to Executive Committee members.

FACULTY PROMOTIONS 
The Provost wants to start a tradition that formally recognizes faculty that are granted tenure or promoted to full professor. The event could be clustered around colleagues (probably a campus event held in the afternoon) or the event could be clustered around family and friends (probably an evening dinner event). We would be looking at around 10-15 people being honored each year.

FACULTY SUPPORT 
The Provost would like to look at different ways to support faculty vitality. He is looking at two ideas: (1) Couple student scholarships with faculty. Students with scholarships would nominate a faculty member who has had an important impact on their college experience. The different colleges would designate one or two of their scholarship recipients to serve on the committee.

The committee would screen the nominations, determine the faculty award winners, and then there would be some type of event that brought the students together with the faculty to present the awards. (2) Something similar to the Lowe Award where faculty are nominated and selected but it would not be a public process, and faculty would not apply. The deans would be very involved in the selection. Faculty would be given reassigned time to pursue scholarship and other activities. Two or three faculty would be selected each year for the award. Executive Committee members were in favor of the second option.

UNION RENOVATION 
Rick Sline presented a proposal that he would like to present to the Faculty Senate at the February 27, 2005 meeting. He is proposing that the Union Building renovation include a 50-75 seat dining room with table service. He believes that faculty should have available a quiet place where they can gather for lunch with colleagues, meet new colleagues, where they can entertain guests after they speak in their classes, and a place where they can bring job candidates to lunch.

MOTION 
Tamara Chase: Moved to forward to the Faculty Senate a proposed faculty resolution in support of a small sit down dining room with table service available to faculty and staff for lunch.
Second: Molly Smith
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

RSPG 
Susan Matt, chair of the Research, Scholarship and Professional Growth Committee presented information on the RSPG Fall awards.

The call for RSPG proposals went to all faculty in September of 2004. Final proposals were due on October 25, 2004, and the committee met on November 1, 2004. The committee had $19,543 of RSPG funds to distribute to all eligible faculty and staff, and $7,500 of Hemingway funds to distribute for Vitality grants. They received 25 proposal asking for a total of $60,907.12. The committee voted to fund 13 projects for a total of $27,042.80. The following projects were funded.

RSPG proposal applications have increased from14 applications Fall semester 2003 to 27 applications Fall semester 2004. Funding, however, has remained the same. The RSPG Committee urges the Faculty Senate to explore ways to increase funding for faculty research.

The RSPG Committee has set new guidelines for conference travel, setting a cap of $1200 per application for total travel related expenses to domestic conferences. They have also set new guidelines for the amount of funding for which applicants should apply. While these are not binding, they make applicants aware that proposals which ask for $3000 or less have the greatest chance of success.

MOTION 
Molly Smith: Moved to forward to the Faculty Senate the RSPG Fall report.
Second: Bruce Christensen
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

FACULTY CONCERN 
Dick Alston met with the Executive Committee to express some concern about the university mission statements in the catalog.

Page 8 of the WSU Catalog states - ". . . Therefore, expressions or actions that disparage an individual’s or group’s ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, age or disability are contrary to the mission of Weber State University."

He was concerned about items being included in the catalog that affect faculty, but have not been reviewed or approved by faculty.

President Thompson formed a Campus Unity Task Force that developed the statement during the 1998-99 academic year. Faculty were represented on the committee. The committee recommended the statement be included in official University publications, but was unaware of the ultimate outcome of the recommendation. The statement was placed in the 2002-2003 WSU catalog. Dick Alston’s main concern was that all committee and task force items that affect faculty need to come to the Executive Committee. Dr. Alston feels the statement was placed in the catalog surreptitiously.

Executive Committee members felt that faculty need to have a stronger voice. Broader cross-campus communications is needed. Communication between the administration and the Executive Committee needs to be improved.

There are some things faculty can do to have a stronger voice

The budget process was briefly discussed. The Provost meets individually with everyone that has a budget funded under Academic Affairs. Ultimately the Provost decides. Budget issues are discussed with the Deans individually and the Associate Provosts. The Faculty Senate Chair thought faculty should have input before final budget decisions are made. Dick Alston indicated that budget percentages in the various categories has changed very little through the years.

CGE 
Curriculum and General Education Committee – Rob Reynolds, Chair

Becky Johns and Rob Reynolds have discussed the possible moratorium on Gen Ed , S.I. and Diversity course proposals. Executive Committee members felt this item needed to be discussed at the January 27 Faculty Senate meeting.

HPHP 
Deletion of the Human Performance major.

MOTION 
Bruce Christensen: Moved to forward to the Faculty Senate the curriculum proposal to delete the Human Performance major.
Second: Michelle Heward
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

TBE 
Telecommunications & Business Education program proposals for A.A.S. degree in Business Systems Technologies, Business Education, Business Systems Technologies Emphasis, Business/Marketing Education Teaching Minor, and Business Education Teaching Minor.

MOTION 
Tamara Chase: Moved to forward to the Faculty Senate from Telecommunications and Business Education the program proposals for A.A.S. degree in Business Systems Technologies, Business Education, Business Systems Technologies Emphasis, Business/Marketing Education Teaching Minor, and Business Education Teaching Minor.
Second: Wade Kotter
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

COM 
Program proposal from Communication for the Communication Teaching Major and Communication Teaching Minor.

The proposed changes in the Communication Teaching Major and Teaching Minor are based on the "Communication Teacher Education Preparation Standards and Guidelines" developed by the National Communication Association.

MOTION 
Wade Kotter: Moved to approve from Communication the program changes for the Communication Teaching Major and Communication Teaching Minor.
Second: Michelle Heward
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

POLS 
Political Science program change for the Political Science Major and Teaching Major.

PSY 
Psychology course change for Group Dynamics - Psy 3560, changing from 2 credit hours to 3 credit hours.

MOTION 
Michelle Heward: Moved to forward from Political Science the program change for the Political Science Major and Teaching Major; and from Psychology the course change for Group Dynamics - Psy 3560, changing from 2 credit hours to 3 credit hours.
Second: Wade Kotter
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

HIST 
B.S. Course Proposal from the History Department for Investigating History - Hist 3000. A new course syllabus was distributed to Executive Committee members. The new syllabus was helpful in outlining the scientific inquiry components of the course.

MOTION 
Michelle Heward: Moved to forward to the Faculty Senate from the History Department the B.S. Course Proposal for Investigating History - Hist 3000.
Second: Bruce Christensen
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

ADJOURN 
The meeting adjourned at 4:40