AGENDA SETTING

1.      Approval of the minutes from the November 17, 2011 meeting.

2.      Diversity Requirement
         Memo from Tom Mathews

3.     Gen Ed Course Discontinuance
         Probationary Period for Gen Ed Courses - Charge Gen Ed Committee
         PPM 4-2 Catalog Language

4.      LEAP Program
         Curriculum Oversight

5.      Academic Resources & Computing
         Replace Marek Matyjasic

6.      Senate Carryover Membership

7.      Professional Development Funds

8.      Other Items

MINUTES

PRESENT
Julie Buck, Patti Cost, Shelly Costley, Colleen Garside, Ed Hahn, Stephen Hill, Colin Inglefield, Ann Millner, Michelle More, Brian Rague, Mike Vaughan, Kay Brown, Secretary

GUESTS
Erika Daines, Mark Simpson

EXCUSED
Ann Milner

MINUTES
Michelle Paustenbaugh: Moved to approve the minutes from the November 17, 2011 meeting.
Second: Stephen Hill
Outcome: The minutes were approved.

DIVERSITY REQUIREMENT
Memo from Tom Mathews discussing moving the diversity requirement to General Education.

Discussion

• 73% of our students take diversity through their Gen Ed. 27% of the student take their Gen Ed plus a diversity course.

• The new Humanities and Creative Arts learning outcome include diversity elements.

• Courses that currently have the DV designation are scheduled for review Fall 2012.

• Transfer courses from other schools have to be evaluated by the Registrar’s Office as to whether they qualify as a diversity course.

• Students are required as part of their Gen Ed to take six hours in the Social Science area and nine hours in Humanities/Creative Arts to fulfill. These areas will address diversity.

• The Diversity requirement was a student initiative. Student Government officers have been contacted and will be discussing this requirement.

• Regent’s policy R 470 says that Gen Ed should address intercultural communication.

• WSU currently requires students to take 35-38 hours to complete the Gen Ed requirement. WSU on top of the Gen Ed hours requires an additional three hours to complete the diversity requirement.

• Regent’s guideline recommend 30-39 for Gen Ed hours.

The Gen Ed Committee and the Curriculum Committee will work together in setting up a subcommittee to discuss the Diversity requirement and the possibility of absorbing the requirement into the Gen Ed requirements.

GEN ED DISCONTINUANCE
Current Policy for Gen Ed Discontinuance:

New language could be added to the above policy to state: Unless approved for renewal during the probationary year, the course cannot be applied toward a student’s Gen Ed credit total starting on the academic year immediately following probation, regardless of the catalog year assigned to the student on admission as described in the University PPM 4-2, Section II-A.

PPM 4-2 Catalog Requirements, item A 3a states: (3a)"A student must complete graduation requirements within six (6) years for baccalaureate degree candidates or three (3) years for associate degree candidates.

PPM 6-22 Student Code states: (B 7b) Inquire and be informed of course, program, major, and institutional requirements, and expect that such requirements will not be changed for students already enrolled in a program without reasonable alternatives being provided.

Discussion

• According to current policy, students have six years to use Philosophy 2200 to fulfill the QL requirement.
• The Math Department can make exceptions and allow a student to use Philosophy 2200 for the QL requirement.
• How do you cleanly discontinue a Gen Ed course?
• Students need to be informed that the discontinued Gen Ed designated course will no longer count toward the Gen Ed requirements.
• Departments have a one-year probationary period to reapply for Gen Ed status.
• The probationary period for Philosophy 2200 will end with the 2012-2013 academic year.
• Alternative math courses are available to students to use for the QL requirement.
• If the course number for Philosophy 2200 was changed at the end of the probationary period it would give a clean transition for a course no longer approved for the QL Gen Ed designation.
• The Philosophy Department intends to continue offering the course.
• If the Philosophy Department wanted to resubmit the course for the QL designation, they would have to do so Fall Semester 2012.

Suggested Changes to Policy Language

• Make clear that the course counts toward Gen Ed if taken before the end of the probationary period.
• Could include in the language that the course number needs to be changed once the probationary period is completed. The Registrar felt a new course number should not be mandated.
• Include in the policy that the change needs to be communicated to students.
• Students could be informed that a course is in a probationary state and it will no longer be counted as QL after the probationary period (give specific date).
• Brian Rague and Colleen Garside will revise the policy language and bring it to the Agenda Setting meeting.

GEN ED REVIEW
The five-year review cycle of Gen Ed courses will be discussed at the January 19, 2012 meeting.

3. Existing Gen Ed courses will be reviewed for possible renewal of their Gen Ed status during the Fall Semester of their final or fifth seventh year of approval. A similar procedure and the same curriculum forms will be used to generate, review, and approve course proposals for renewing courses.

CURRICULUM OVERSIGHT

Discussion

• The LEAP Program was originally under the English Department. It is now housed in Continuing Education which is not an academic department.
• The Provost indicated that there are three issues to consider:

(1) What do you do with curriculum that does not fit within an academic college? Curriculum is not handled consistently. Honors has been allowed to handle their own curriculum (It is however, review by a faculty advisory board and reviewed for approval by the Curriculum Committee.). The Provost mentioned the BIS Program as another outlier.

(2) Faculty Status - Does a faculty member need to be in one of the seven academic colleges to be considered faculty? Originally, the Director of Honors was not a faculty member.

Policy (PPM 8- 6 Faculty Appointments) does not require that a person be in one of the seven colleges to be a faculty member, but it does require them to be in one of the seven academic colleges or the Library to receive tenure or be tenure track.

(3) PPM 8-6 outlines what faculty can call themselves. The way the policy reads now requires that it be updated every year. Unfortunately the policy has not been updated for several years.

PPM 8-6 - V. AFFILIATIONS
To insure clarity, avoid misrepresentations or misunderstandings, and provide the most accurate information for students and the community, ranks or titles of faculty listed in the catalog and on business cards will be limited to being affiliated with one of the following departments or programs. Exceptions will be first negotiated with and approved by the dean of the college of the faculty member seeking exception, then sent forward for approval of the APAFT committee.

College of Applied Science & Technology
Automotive Technology, Business Education, Computer Science, Construction Management Technology, Design Graphics, Engineering Technology, Computer and Electronic Engineering Technology, Interior Design Technology, Manufacturing Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Technical Sales, Telecommunications

College of Arts & Humanities
Art, Art Education, Art History, Communication, Dance, English, English As A Second Language, French, German, Japanese, Music, Music Education, Spanish, Theatre Arts

College of Business & Economics
Accounting, Business Administration, Business and Economics, Economics, Finance, Information Systems and Technologies, Management, Marketing, Supply-Chain Management

College of Education
Child and Family Studies, Teacher Education, Health Promotion and Human Performance

College of Health Professions
Clinical Laboratory Science, Dental Hygiene, Emergency Care & Rescue, Health Administrative Services, Health Science, Medical Records Technology, Nursing, Radiologic Science, Respiratory Therapy

College of Science
Botany, Chemistry, Geosciences, Mathematics, Microbiology, Physics, Zoology

College of Social & Behavioral Sciences

Criminal Justice, History, Political Science, Philosophy, Psychology, Social Work, Gerontology, Sociology, Anthropology, Archaeology, Military Science, Aerospace Studies, Geography

Stewart Library
Library Science

• Faculty in the LEAP Program were not counted in the faculty apportionment this year.
• The Honors Director was counted in the apportionment as a faculty member in the English Department as she continues to teach in that department. Faculty teaching courses for the Honors Program are counted as faculty in their respective academic departments.
• Would we ever just hire an Honor’s faculty member?

ARCC
Academic Resources & Computing Committee

Marek Matyjasic needs to be replaced on the committee. It was suggested that Mahmud Akelbek be asked to serve on the ARCC Committee.

SENATE CARRYOVER MEMBERSHIP
Information regarding Senate carryover membership was distributed. The deadline for college elections is 15, 2012.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Professional development funds are available to Executive Committee members in the amount of $300.00.

PER DIEM RATES
Some faculty have had questions about the per diem rates given to faculty. Nancy Emenger, Director Purchasing Department, was contacted. Per diem rates are based on airline departure times. This is consistent with state policy. If a conference includes meals, the per diem rate still apply.

TLA POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
The application deadline for Director of Teaching, Learning & Assessment is January 18.

RETIREMENT
The Provost reported that 32 faculty took the separation incentive offered to faculty 65 years of age or older. The Provost predicts that in Fall 2013 there will be 50 or 60 new faculty on campus.

FACULTY OMBUDSMAN
The Provost suggested that the Executive Committee consider appointing a faculty ombudsman to be an advocate available to faculty.

Discussion and Criteria

• Senior faculty
• Formerly a member of the Faculty Board of Review
• The Provost would support the position with reassigned time or compensation.
• The Student Process Officer position could be used as a model.
• Desirable appointment period would be for 3 to 5 years.
• Do you solicit applications or do you appoint? A person could be appointed by the Executive Committee and approved by the Faculty Senate.
• Years of service at Weber State (10 years).
• Full Professor
• A list of former members of the Faculty Board of Review will be sent to Executive Committee members.
• Mediation training would be a plus.
• Would this position be available to employees hired as faculty, but with appointments lower than dean positions and higher than department chairs?
• Would the ombudsman have any power to make recommendations?
• Michelle Paustenbaugh will look at other schools with ombudsmen.
• The Vice President for Student Affairs, will be contacted by the Faculty Senate Chair, regarding the model they use for the Student Process Officer.

NEXT MEETING
Agenda Setting meeting, January 19, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. in MA 211K.

ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 4:00 p.m.