Approved 11-8-01

Thursday
October 11, 2001
2:00 p.m.
MA 318

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
AGENDA SETTING

PRESENT
Bruce Christensen, Bill Clapp, Gary Dohrer, Dave Eisler, Mark Henderson, Ron Holt, Marie Kotter, Monika Serbinowska, Gene Sessions, Jenny Turley, Kay Brown - Secretary

EXCUSED 
Paul Thompson

MINUTES 
Bruce Christensen: Moved to approve the minutes from the October 4, 2001 meeting.
Second: Ron Holt
Outcome: The minutes were approved.

CURRICULUM & GENERAL EDUCATION 
Curriculum and General Education Committee – Jim Wilson reporting.

Dumke College of Health Professions - Clinical Laboratory Science - Course change for Principles of Clinical Chemistry II - CLS 2213, and a program change for the Clinical Laboratory Technician (CLT) and Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) Programs.

MOTION 
Bruce Christensen: Moved to forward to the Faculty Senate from Clinical Laboratory Science the course proposal change for Principles of Clinical Chemistry II - CLS 2213, and the program changes for Clinical Laboratory Technician (CLT) and Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS).
Second: Gary Dohrer
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

LIAISON ASSIGNMENT 
Bill Clapp has been serving as liaison to the Curriculum and General Education Committee. Bill will now be serving as liaison to the Online Instruction and Distance Learning Ad Hoc Committee. It was proposed that Mark Henderson serve as liaison to the Curriculum and General Education Committee as well as his current assignment as liaison to the Honorary Degree Committee.

MOTION 
Marie Kotter: Moved to approve the recommendation that Mark Henderson serve as liaison to the Curriculum and General Education Committee as well as his current assignment as liaison to the Honorary Degree Committee.
Second: Gary Dohrer
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

UNIVERSITY RANKING TENURE EVALUATION COMMITTEE 
The Executive Committee discussed who should be recommended to the Faculty Senate to serve as chair to the University Ranking Tenure Evaluation Committee. Committee members: College of Applied Science & Technology - Bill Clapp, Carl Grunander (Alternate); College of Arts & Humanities - Gary Dohrer, Paul Joines (Alternate); Business & Economics - Jim Swearingen, Al Harris (Alternate); College of Education - Myron Davis, Jim Bird (Alternate); Health Professions - Gary Nielsen, Jane Van Valkenberg (Alternate); Library - John Sillito; Science - John Sohl, Spence Seager (Alternate); Social & Behavioral Sciences - Linda Eaton, Richard Ulibarri (Alternate).

It was suggested that John Sillito be asked to serve as chair of the University Ranking Tenure Evaluation Committee.

MOTION 
Mark Henderson: Moved to recommend to the Faculty Senate John Sillito to serve as chair of the University Ranking Tenure Evaluation Committee.
Second: Jenny Turley
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

ONLINE INSTRUCTION CHARGES Committee charges for the Online Instruction and Distance Learning Committee were discussed and drafted to present to the Faculty Senate.

Draft charges:  

The Committee on Online Instruction and Distance Learning shall be concerned with standards and guidelines for online instruction and distance learning, planning for the future of such instruction, developing procedures for managing and reviewing online and other distance-learning courses, and studying issues relative to the evaluation of distance-learning instructors.

  1. Revisit the Online Guidelines for Good Practice and, if necessary, make recommendations for additions and changes.
  2. Develop a Vision Statement for online instruction. Discuss and make recommendations on the future of online instruction and distance learning at WSU.
  3. Design a process for establishing, evaluating, and governing online courses. Investigate issues relative to access by department chairs, deans, and others to course content and performance, to include the possibility of a peer-review process.
  4. Study issues that may be unique to distance-learning courses relative to the evaluation of instructors and instruction with regard to such issues as ranking/tenure and merit, and faculty workload and compensation.
  5. Determine boundaries, partnerships, and overlaps with other Senate committees. Interface with the Constitutional Review, Organization, and Apportionment Committee determining if this committee should become a standing committee of the Senate.
  6. When requested, serve as an advisory committee to Distance Learning in Continuing Education.

MOTION 
Marie Kotter: Moved to forward to the Faculty Senate the above committee charges for the Online Instruction and Distance Learning Ad Hoc Committee.
Second: Mark Henderson
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

STUDENTS 
The Executive Committee discussed the participation of students on the committee.

MOTION 
Bruce Christensen: Moved to propose to the Faculty Senate that two students serve on the Online Instruction and Distance Learning Ad Hoc Committee.
Second: Jenny Turley
Outcome: The motion passed with 1 opposed.

ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS 
One faculty member is needed to serve on the Food Service Committee. This committee will be reviewing the university’s commitment to Marriott. Two faculty members are needed to serve on the Union Building Planning Committee. Currently, there is a student initiative to raise money to reconstruct the Union Building. Executive Committee members discussed possible faculty membership on these two committees.

The Executive Committee decided to forward to the Food Service Committee the names of Denise Woodbury and Valerie Aston. The names of Thom Kearn and Dave Feller will be forwarded as faculty representatives to serve on the Union Building Planning Committee along with Joyce Buck, Matt Mouritsen, and Eric Stern as possible alternates.

ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCILS 
At the Utah Council of Faculty Senate Leaders’ September meeting, the group discussed the Faculty Senate Chair/President sitting on President’s Council. Weber State was the only institution in attendance that day which does not include the Faculty Senate Chair/President as part of President’s Council.

The leadership style at Weber State is to have decisions affecting the University be made by President’s Council. Concern was expressed about faculty having access to the President, but not to President’s Council where the decisions are made. Current issues and past issues have come before the faculty well after the process has been started. Having the Senate Chair sit on President’s Council would give the faculty a broader view.

Gene Sessions and Gary Dohrer will meet with President Thompson and Dave Eisler on October 18, and relay to them the unanimous sentiment of the Executive Committee that the Faculty Senate Chair should be included as a regular member of President’s Council.

CURRICULUM COMMITTEES 
Concern has been expressed by a faculty member regarding faculty who sit on College Curriculum Committees, and/or the University Curriculum Committee as well as Executive Committee and Faculty Senate. The Executive Committee did not feel this was unusual or something to be concerned about. Gene Sessions will follow up and contact the faculty member.

NEXT MEETING 
The Executive Committee plans to meet on November 1, 2001.

ADJOURN 
The meeting adjourned at 3:30 p.m.