Approved 3-22-01

Thursday 
March 8, 2001
2:00 p.m.
MA 211K

PRESENT 
Bruce Christensen, Gary Dohrer, Dave Eisler, Ron Holt, Marie Kotter, Judy Mitchell, Dan Schroeder, Gene Sessions, Sally Shigley, Alden Talbot, President Thompson, Kay Brown - Secretary

MINUTES 
Marie Kotter: Moved to approve the minutes from the March 8, 2001 meeting.

Second: Gene Sessions
Outcome: The minutes were approved.

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES 
There has been some concern of students serving on the Faculty Senate and voting on Faculty matters. Currently there are four student senators which converts to ten percent of voting members of the Faculty Senate. About twenty five years ago the students wanted faculty evaluations to be made available to students. As a compromise the students were given four Faculty Senate seats so that they could discuss with faculty issues of concern. It was at this time that the student were also given a seat on the Institutional Council and the Board of Regents. The initial design was to have representatives for traditional male and female students, nontraditional students, and minority students. Originally there were four areas of representation, however, this has not been adhered to through the years.

CRAO 
Two issues have been forwarded to the Constitutional Review, Apportionment, and Organization Committee, (1) Student representatives serving on the Faculty Senate, (2) Faculty Senate members being tenure track or have worked at Weber State for a designated period of time prior to serving on the Senate and under contract to serve a three year period of time.

ASSA  Admissions, Standards, and Student Affairs Committee – Susan McKay, Chair

Summary Report on Findings on Grade Inflation - The literature search revealed a consensus that grade inflation does indeed exist nationwide. Overwhelmingly, the blame was placed on administrative policies in the areas of withdrawals; admission standards; repeats; and especially the use of student evaluations for pay, promotion, and tenure decisions. Another area that received attention was concern over student welfare. The third important area is the capitulation of faculty to the pressures of societal change such as the student-as-consumer mentality that payers of high tuition are entitled to high grades or that higher education is the natural right of everyone.

College grade averages at WSU bu individual colleges were computed from 1991 through 2000. Data prior to 1991 was not in a useable format. The data indicates a break as WSU converted from quarters to semesters when many of our upper division students moved through and graduated. The following year the grades in most colleges went back down. Over a ten year period, the grade inflation upward trend at WSU is extremely weak.

President Thompson felt that faculty have an obligation to each other to get together and work toward an agreement on grades. Faculty have an impact on each other. This issue is worthy of discussion. Grades were very different in the sixties, seventies and eighties. Departments need to have a notion of how many "A’s" are appropriate.

It was suggested that department chairs review grades. This information can be obtained through the Institutional Research Office, by course, by professor, by department, etc.

MOTION 
Judith Mitchell: Moved to forward to the Faculty Senate meeting March 29, 2001 as an information item the report from the ASSA Committee on grade inflation and have March Everest and Susan McKay attend the Faculty Senate meeting to present the information and answer questions.

Second: Marie Kotter
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

SUPPLEMENTAL PAY 
A report on supplemental pay was compiled during 1999-2000. Dave Eisler will send a copy of the report to EK Valentin and Craig Oberg. Dave Eisler is currently looking at supplemental pay. The number of faculty who are significantly out of compliance with University policy has declined.

ADJOURN 
The meeting adjourned at 3:00 p.m.