EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

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

EXCUSED 
Ann Miller

GUESTS 
Hal Elliott

MINUTES 
Approve the minutes from the September 2, 2004 meeting.
Made: Molly Smith
Second: Wade Kotter
Outcome: The minutes were approved.

As stated by the Academic Advising Office in their document the student cannot take a geography 1010 class for physical science credit and take a geoscience or cultural science geography class for social science credit.

The statement on the advising sheet should read: NOTE: DO NOT DUPLICATE DEPARTMENTS PROGRAMS (e.g. have a different course abbreviation) IN OR ACROSS BREADTH AREAS (EXCEPT with the exception of HONORS)

The statement in the Social Sciences section of the Academic Advisement document reads, "Only one course from either Geogr or Geosci may be used to fulfill General Education requirements," should be deleted. The statement in the Physical Sciences and Life Sciences section should read: "Only one course from either Geogr or Geosci may be used to fulfill any one of the General Education the physical science requirements."

Becky Johns will meet with Jill Grob and Bruce Bowen. The Graduation Office will also be contacted to see how the policy is being interpreted as they clear students for graduation.

COMMITTEE CHARGES

Academic Resources and Computing Committee – Lauren Fowler, Liaison

1. Allocate ARCC resources, including Dee Family Technology Grant funds, using consistent, objective, fair, and responsible criteria

• Review funding criteria and procedures for ARCC for possible revision or clarification purposes
• Continue to develop funding criteria for and advertisement of the Dee Family Technology Grant.

2. Assess faculty computer needs, solicit faculty input, and lobby for the faculty’s computer-related interests.
3. Continue to work toward developing a policy for inclusion in the PPM regarding the upgrade and maintenance of faculty computers.
4. Review (with computing support) standards for hardware and software purchases.
5. Continue to improve the means of submitting proposals and decreasing the amount of paperwork involved.
6. Monitor the expenditures of all ARCC funds, including those supported through WSUSA funding.
7. Maintain close communication with other computer resource entities on campus, including WebCT/Vista.
8. Be represented on the IT Council, routinely invite IT Division directors to summarize status of new projects and ongoing IT support.

APPROVAL 
The Executive Committee unanimously approved the above charges for ARCC and moved to forward them to the Faculty Senate.

Admissions, Standards and Student Affairs Committee – Michelle Heward, Liaison

1. Update section 6 of the PPM (Student Services - Residency, Admissions, Registration, Student Fee, Student Code, Student Due Process, etc.).
2. Review the International Baccalaureate Diploma and, if appropriate, propose policy for University acceptance.
3. Determine whether there are policies and/or procedures (PPM) that are affected by the Banner conversion with respect to registration, admission, advising and grading. If so, make appropriate recommendations for changes.
4. Determine whether there is a strategy or policy that would aid the difficulty that students, faculty and staff incur when classes are dropped either by students or financial aid, shortly before the start of the semester.

APPROVAL 
The Executive Committee approved the above charges for ASSA and moved to forward them to the Faculty Senate.

Appointment, Promotion, Academic Freedom, and Tenure Committee – Sue Harley, Liaison

1. Review and write policy addressing institutional recognition of faculty degrees from non-accredited institutions.
2. Review any new college documents.
3. Look at the committee description and membership regulations listed in the Faculty Senate Bylaws (PPM 1-13) for possible revisions and updates.
4. Bring PPM 8-17, 8-18, and 8-20 in line with the 3/6 time line for tenure reviews.
5. Clarify PPM wording on the role of instructor specialists.
6. Clarify the role of the department chair versus the chair of the department ranking tenure committee with regard to the receipt and placement of written recommendations in a candidate’s professional file. This affects PPMs 8-12, 8-13, and 8-17.
7. Determine whether or not the existence of department tenure documents requires any PPM changes.
8. Consider how faculty involvement in undergraduate research should factor into rank and tenure considerations. Provide guidelines for consideration as teaching, scholarship, service, or some combination of categories.

APPROVAL 
The Executive Committee approved unanimously the above charges for APAFT and moved to forward them to the Faculty Senate.

Constitutional Review, Apportionment, and Organization Committee – Bill Clapp, LiaisonCalculate apportionment for Faculty Senate representation using the Hamilton Method and present the apportionment figures to the Faculty Senate during Autumn Semester.

1. Review the appropriate sections of the PPM pertaining to the Faculty Senate and the Faculty Senate Standing Committees and make recommendations.
2. Research questions and make recommendations that are brought to the attention of the CRAO Committee.
3. Update Faculty Senate election policy to include electronic balloting. (PPM 1-13, Article B-II, Section 7.2).

APPROVAL 
The Executive Committee unanimously approved the above charges for CRAO and moved to forward them to the Faculty Senate.

Curriculum and General Education Committee – Wade Kotter, Liaison

1. Refine and begin using web-based submission process developed during 2003-2004.
2. Review and approve curriculum and program proposals.
3. Continue to conduct workshops on an as-needed basis with college curriculum committee chairs to acquaint them with curriculum procedures.

APPROVAL 
The Executive Committee unanimously approved the above charges for CGE and moved to forward them to the Faculty Senate.

Honorary Degree Committee – Bruce Christensen, Liaison

1. Meet separately and early as the faculty portion of the committee to discuss representing in a unified manner the constituent needs and interests of the faculty in the deliberation of the larger committee.
2. Ensure faculty involvement in the nomination and selection of candidates for honorary degrees and for commencement speakers through maintaining the important voice of the faculty and the Faculty Senate as a major force on the institutional committee.
3. Encourage the selection of at least one honorary degree recipient each year who has made an outstanding academic contribution to higher education, preferably a WSU faculty member.
4. Work to achieve a representation of gender and ethnicity among degree recipients and ensure that all recipients are of stature to enhance the image of Weber State University.
5. See that the criteria for honorary degrees are considered , so that the understandable desire of the administration to cultivate donors and potential donors does not overwhelm the deliberations and pass over otherwise worthy candidates.
6. Provide the larger committee with a way to carry forward information so next year’s committee can benefit from work done this year.

APPROVAL 
The Executive Committee unanimously approved the above charges for HD and moved to forward them to the Faculty Senate.

Research, Scholarship, and Professional Growth Committee – Tamara Chase, Liaison

1. Continue to issue RFPs for Research and Instructional Improvement grants and review the proposals in a timely manner.
2. Continue to coordinate deadlines for submission of proposals with the chairs of the Institutional Review Board and the Animal Care and Use Committee.
3. Review and update as needed the proposal guidelines. Clarify and report the criteria for awarding the grant. Explore ways to simplify the process and broaden the criteria.
4. Provide feedback to authors why proposals were not funded.
5. Continue efforts to publicize the committee’s activities. Seek ways to broaden participation campus wide. Explore opportunities to disseminate information about funded projects including workshops in order to provide consistent information and feedback to potential applicants.
6. Develop a proposal for additional funding for RSPG.
7. Work with the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee to find non-monetary ways to promote and recognize faculty research and scholarship.
8. Work with the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee to help faculty identify new methods of scholarship.
9. Look at the committee description and membership regulations listed in the Faculty Senate Bylaws, PPM 1-13, for possible revisions and updates.

APPROVAL 
The Executive Committee unanimously approved the above charges for RSPG and moved to forward them to the Faculty Senate.

Salary, Benefits, Budget, and Fiscal Planning Committee – Becky Johns, Liaison

1. Reinforce the importance of University administrators' commitment to the remaining period of time relative to the five-year plan established March 29, 2001 by the Faculty Senate of obtaining a yearly 6% salary increase to narrow the gap between the CUPA averages and faculty salaries. Provide a detailed report to the Faculty Senate on CUPA salary comparisons by college.
2. Maintain a continuing dialogue with the University administration with regard to salaries, benefits, budgets and updates.
3. Continue to review present policy(ies) and, if necessary and desirable, create and recommend a new policy or policies regarding supplemental pay at WSU. Recommend a policy to the Faculty Senate based on campus-wide faculty discussions.
4. Review and recommend a policy on compensation for online instruction; hold faculty and campus-wide discussions.
5. Provide input on medical benefit issues.

APPROVAL 
The Executive Committee unanimously approved the above charges for SBBFP and moved to forward them to the Faculty Senate.

Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee – Molly Smith, Liaison

1. Continue support for faculty development of teaching and learning strategies by working on the following:

• strategies that stimulate more active student engagement
• assessment of the impact of the Teaching and Learning Forum on the WSU learning environment
• partnerships with various campus initiatives, especially the undergraduate research initiative
• the Last Lecture Program in concert with Student Affairs and Student Government
• monitoring the Student Evaluation of Faculty project

2. Consider strategies to continue Writing Across the Curriculum, Speaking Across the Curriculum and Numeracy Across the Curriculum.
3. Continue to meet throughout the year with new faculty to discuss teaching, learning, and assessment concerns unique to them.
4. Continue support for and strategies for including Adjunct Faculty in TLA activities that assist development of teaching and learning in Weber State University students.
5. Develop strategies that encourage faculty to engage in the scholarship of teaching.
6. Work with the Research, Scholarship and Professional Growth Committee to find non-monetary ways to promote and recognize faculty research and scholarship.
7. Work with the Research, Scholarship and Professional Growth Committee to identify new methods of scholarship.

APPROVAL 
The Executive Committee unanimously approved the above charges for TLA and moved to forward them to the Faculty Senate.

PROVOST INTERVIEW 
The provost candidate interview questions were revised to read as follows:

1. Please take a few minutes and introduce yourself, particularly focusing on your experience as a faculty member, your involvement in faculty governance and your experience working with faculty in an administrative capacity.
2. Scenario: It comes to your attention as provost that a faculty member has a terminal degree from an unaccredited university. Other faculty are questioning her credentials. She was recently awarded tenure and you may assume that a condition for tenure is a terminal degree. University policy is silent regarding whether the degree must be from an accredited university. What factors would you consider in handling this problem and what process would you go through to respond to it?
3. Scenario: Assume that you are at a university that is experiencing great growth in its online offerings. In order to stimulate faculty interest in online instruction, the university previously paid faculty to teach online on a per head basis. That funding structure cannot presently be sustained, although enrollment and quality of instruction need to remain the same or increase. As provost, what factors would you consider in addressing this problem?
4. Scenario: The university has a policy that limits the amount of compensation faculty can receive above their base salary. Some faculty members are exceeding this limit, in large part due to the payment structure for online classes. As provost, what factors would you consider and what constituencies would be involved in reviewing the policy and addressing the problem?
5. We have recently appointed an ad hoc committee to do an extensive review of our graduation requirements, including the general education curriculum. What experience have you had with this in the past? What do you see as the role of the provost in this review? Do you have any advice for us in the process?
6. Is there anything that you would like to add that would help us better understand why faculty should be supportive of your candidacy for provost at this institution?

Michelle Heward will provide the questions to the candidates prior to them meeting with the Executive Committee.

COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS 
Ryan Pace will replace Denise Woodbury from the College of Business on the Admission, Standards and Student Affairs Committee. Molly Smith will contact someone in the Teacher Education Department to serve on the Curriculum and General Education Committee.

Rick Sline was suggested as a possible member to this committee. Becky Johns will contact him and extend the invitation.

TRAINING 
Sam Zeveloff expressed concern about the amount of frequent mandatory training required by the University, i.e. P- Card, Civil Rights, Safe Driving Video. The training becomes a burden to faculty and staff.

WSU operates a decentralized campus and to maintain decentralization there needs to be P-card training, the driving video is state mandated, and the Civil Rights training is required every 36 months to safeguard the university against liability.

ATHLETIC DIRECTOR 
Encourage faculty to attend the presentations of the Athletic Director candidates -

• Curt Apsey, September 14, 2004, Smith Auditorium at 1:30 p.m.
• Steven Holton, September 21st , Union Building, Room 338 at 1:30 p.m.
• Bill Weidner, September 22nd, Union Building, Room 338 at 1:30 p.m.

PROVOST CANDIDATES 
Encourage faculty to attend the campus-wide presentations of the Provost candidates -

• Robert Vartabedian , Wednesday, September 15, Smith Auditorium 2:30 p.m.
• Ernest Rose, Friday, September 17, Smith auditorium 2:30 p.m.
• Michael Vaughan, Monday, September 20, Smith auditorium 2:30 p.m.

ADJOURN 
The meeting adjourned at 3:50 p. m.