Thursday
December 2, 1999
SS115, 2:00 p.m.

PRESENT 
Karen Dewey, Bruce Handley, Kathleen Lukken, Judith Mitchell, Candadai Seshachari - Chair, Sally Shigley, Gene Sessions, John Sillito, John Sohl, Alden Talbot, Dave Eisler, Kay Brown Secretary

EXCUSED 
President Thompson

MINUTES 
Judith Mitchell: Moved to approve the minutes from the November 11, 1999 meeting.
Second: Karen Dewey
Outcome: The minutes were approved.

CRAO 
Constitutional Review, Apportionment and Organization – Jeff Eaton, Chair, reporting on fractional representation issues and faculty apportionment for 2000-2001. In the past fractional representation has been based on what is referred to as "Hamilton’s Method." This method (as applied to our situation) would be defined as follows:

1. The number of faculty in a college (CF) represents a percentage of the total number of eligible faculty (TF), or CF ÷TF. This result is then multiplied by the number of seats to be apportioned (S) and yields a fractional number (X).

X = S(CF ÷ TF)

In our case this translates to X = ( # faculty in each college ÷ total # of faculty) multiplied by 39 (the fixed number of faculty seats).

2. Round each colleges’ fraction X down to a whole number and award at least that many seats with each college having at least one seat.

3. If there are seats left over, and there will be unless all X’s are equal to whole numbers, then allocate those seats one at a time to the colleges ordered by the size of the fractional part above a whole number, beginning with the college with the largest fractional part.

The CRAO Committee considered several ways to deal with fractional representation including Hamilton’s Method. The results of their committee discussions are as follows:

1. Change the constitution so there could be a flexible number of representatives such that any fractional value equal to or greater than 0.5000 could be rounded up. NOT RECOMMENDED. The problems with this approach are many. It would be impossible to retain a fixed administration to faculty ratio ("not less than a one (1) to three (3) ratio" as defined by the constitution) as is currently achieved by the 13:39 ratio of representation.

2. Transfer fractions from the previous year such that colleges that were over represented in one year would have that fraction subtracted in the following year and colleges that were under represented would have their fraction added the following year. NOT RECOMMENDED. This approach would create a nightmare of calculations and make consistency extremely difficult. It would also result in apportionment not actually representing current numbers of faculty, but an artifact of previous apportionment calculations.

3. Continue to use Hamilton’s Method of apportionment. RECOMMENDED. The concern over the method of apportionment of the WSU Faculty Senate seats was brought about by not having the standard procedure (Hamilton’s Method) passed from one chair of the CRAO to the next. As there is no completely fair method of apportionment (this is mathematically proven by Balinski and Young’s theorum provided to Jeff Eaton by Kent Kidman), it is the recommendation of the CRAO committee that Hamilton’s Method be used. It is the obligation of the chair of the CRAO committee (or continuing members of that committee should the previous chair not be available) to pass this method on to the next chair. As such, by codifying Hamilton’s Method of apportionment we can maintain consistency and the method is as fair as any other.

Fractional ranking of colleges from highest fraction to lowest and resulting faculty representation:

The numbers in bold in the fifth and sixth columns indicate how the inequalities of the Hamilton’s Method tend to even out over time. In the 1998-1999 assessment of faculty apportionment, the College of Applied Science and Technology was awarded an additional seat with a fraction of 4.5392 and the College of Arts and Humanities was denied an additional seat with a fraction of 8.5226. This year, A&H gained 2 faculty members (a 2% increase) while the number of faculty in AS&T remained the same. This changed the fractions such that this year A&H (8.6872) is awarded an additional seat and AS&T (4.5284) loses its additional seat. As such, small changes in the number of faculty will constantly move the ranking of colleges (in terms of their fractional representation) so that over time different colleges are awarded an additional seat.

MOTION 
Gene Sessions: Moved to forward the CRAO report and faculty apportionment for 2000-2001 to the Faculty Senate for the December 16, 1999 meeting.
Second: John Sohl
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

TLA 
Bob Higginson, Chair of the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee, and Director of the Teaching and Learning Forum will be taking a leave of absence from the University effective December 31, 1999. The Executive Committee discussed the possibility of an interim director to finish out the year and then in the Spring solicit applications from those interested in heading up the Teaching and Learning Forum/Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee for a three year term.

The Teaching and Learning Forum has done some interesting things this Fall to try and get a sense of how faculty perceive the Forum, and what they would like to see the Forum involved in. A survey was sent out by the Forum with approximately two thirds of the faculty responding to the survey. The results of the survey will be sent out to all faculty.

MOTION 
Sally Shigley: Moved to appoint an interim chair of the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee/Director of the Teaching and Learning Forum.
Second: Bruce Handley
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

Three members of the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee were discussed as possibilities for the position of interim chair.

MOTION 
Gene Sessions: Moved to have Judy Mitchell contact the suggested faculty members as possibilities for the interim chair position of the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee/Director of the Teaching and Learning Forum.
Second: John Sillito
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

Half time, reassigned time for this position was discussed along with budget issues such as the New Faculty Retreat and office staff. These items will be revisited and discussed in the Spring.

COMMITTEE ON DIVERSITY 
The WSU Diversity Task Force on Teaching and Learning, co-chaired by Gene Bozniak and Sandra Powell, was discussed. Information regarding funding opportunities for "diversity" course proposals has been sent to faculty. This information has caused some confusion and faculty are asking how this Task Force on Teaching and Learning is related to the Teaching and Learning Forum.

The Executive Committee was concerned about course proposals that are funded through the Task Force on Teaching and Learning, RSPG Committee, and other groups that fund curriculum proposals that have not been reviewed by the Curriculum and General Education Committee. The Executive Committee felt that before funding was given for new course development or revisions to current courses, those proposals would need to be sent to the Curriculum and General Education Committee for approval.

The Executive Committee would like to invite Gene Bozniak, Sandra Powell, Richard Ulibarri, Rosemary Conover, David Greene, Jim Wilson, and Gary Godfrey to Executive Committee in January to present their concern over courses being funded, developed and taught without being reviewed by the University Curriculum and General Education Committee.

Also discussed was the possibility of a charge to the RSPG Committee for 2000-2001 to look at separating Instructional Improvement from Research, Scholarship and Professional Growth.

UNIVERSITY ASSESSMENT 
Kathleen Lukken reported on the proposed WSU Assessment Administrative Standing Committee. The purpose of the committee, oversight, the general coordination board for assessment, and reporting lines for this committee were discussed. Proposed membership:8 faculty representing the academic colleges and the library, 1 representative of the office of Institutional Research, 1 academic dean, 1 representative each from the divisions of Student Affairs, University Relations, Administrative Services and Information Technology, 2 students, director/associate provost for assessment (chair, non-voting member).

Kathleen Lukken will present the proposed WSU Assessment Administrative Standing Committee document to President’s Council, make revisions, and come back with the updates made to the document.

GRADUATION APPROVAL 
The Executive Committee discussed with Kathleen Lukken and Dave Eisler the current graduation application process. The new form has instructions for the students on the graduation process. The question of electronic clearance and signature clearance on the graduation form was discussed, and which sign-off takes precedence.

CATALOG 
The December catalog deadline was discussed. Several possibilities and deadlines were debated along with the idea of disconnecting curriculum and program proposals from a catalog deadline. The Provost expressed concern about getting the catalog printed Spring Semester so that the University could use it as a recruiting tool. If the catalog is not available to attract new freshmen, the University is at a disadvantage.

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE 
The Faculty Senate holiday open house will be held at Dr. Seshachari’s home on Friday, December 3 between 6:00 and 9:00 p.m.

COMMITTEE REPLACEMENTS 
Chloe Merrill will be on sabbatical Spring Semester. A replacement for her on the Curriculum and General Education Committee will need to be made as she is the only representative from the College of Education. Debra Huber is a member of the Research, Scholarship, and Professional Growth Committee. She is serving as Interim Director of Nursing and would like to be replaced on the RSPG Committee. A replacement for her from the College of Health Professions will need to be made..

FINAL EXAMS 
Concern was expressed about the exam schedule at the Davis Campus and the Ogden Campus Students taking exams at the Davis Campus from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. followed by 9:30 a.m. exams at the Ogden Campus have not been given traveling time between exams. The Provost will check with the Davis Campus and accommodations will be made.

ADJOURN 
The meeting adjourned at 4:20 p.m.

NEXT MEETING 
The next meeting will be the Agenda Setting meeting on December 9, 1999.