Approved 9-5--02

Wednesday
August 21, 2002
12:00 noon
MA 318

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

PRESENT
Tony Allred, Lee Badger, Bill Clapp, Gary, Dohrer, Dawn Gatherum, Michelle Heward, Diane Kawamura, Marie Kotter, Molly Smith, Kay Brown - Secretary

EXCUSED
Dave Eisler, President Thompson

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
The APAFT Committee needs a representative from the College of Science. Marie Kotter will contact faculty from the College of Science. The ARCC Committee needs a representative from the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Lee Badger will contact the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. The CGE Committee needs a representative from the College of Business and Economics. Tony Allred will contact the College of Business and Economics.

Bob Wadman will replace Lee Sather on the Athletic Board.

COMMITTEE CHARGES 
Discussion of committee charges for the 2002-2003 academic year.

ACADEMIC RESOURCES AND COMPUTING

PPM 1-13, Article 5, Section 4.1: The Committee on Academic Resources and Computing shall recommend policies and operational procedures on the acquisition and utilization of computers and academic resource material.
  1. Allocate ARCC resources.
  2. Monitor the expenditures of all ARCC funds, including those supported through WSUSA funding.
  3. Clarify funding relationship with RS&PG and investigate merging the two committees.
  4. Be represented on the IT Council and routinely invite IT Division directors to summarize status of new projects and ongoing IT support.
  5. Maintain close communication with all other computer resource entities on campus.
  6. Develop a policy for inclusion in the PPM regarding the upgrade and maintenance of faculty computers.

MOTION 
Michelle Heward: Moved to approve the above draft charges for the Academic Resources and Computing Committee to the Faculty Senate for approval.
Second: Marie Kotter
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

ADMISSIONS, STANDARDS AND STUDENT AFFAIRS

PPM 1-13, Article 5, Section 4.2: The Admissions, Standards and Student Affairs Committee shall be concerned with standards for admission, retention and graduation from the University and policies pertaining to student affairs.

  1. Continue to monitor the STAARS programming of previous and current Faculty Senate legislation.
  2. PPM 4-20 Review policy on repeating courses to improve GPA and transfer repeats for GPA improvement from prior schools.
  3. PPM 6-4 Review withdrawal policy - last day to withdraw from class.
  4. Continue to handle student initiatives as they come from Student Senate.
  5. Monitor the work of the ad hoc task force on mathematics and receive recommendation if faculty legislation will be required.
  6. PPM 4-1, IV Review dual degrees and determine if the current policy on multiple degrees applies or needs to be amended.
  7. Review the University Tier and College Tier criteria, page 13 of the current catalog. Problem: students are here 3 years before they can take upper division courses which lengthens time for completion of degree.

MOTION 
Dawn Gatherum: Moved to approve the above draft charges for the Admissions, Standards, and Student Affairs Committee to the Faculty Senate for approval.
Second: Marie Kotter
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

APPOINTMENT, PROMOTION, ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND TENURE

PPM 1-13, Article 5, Section 4.3: The committee on Appointment, Promotion, Academic Freedom and Tenure shall formulate policies and operational procedures on these matters and on due process and merit.
  1. Propose clarifying language for the PPM and other university documents on faculty titles based on background information gathered last year.
  2. Clarify language in PPM on role of APAFT committee in reviewing college tenure documents and review any new college documents.
  3. Address timing of advancement in rank from instructor to instructor specialist to be congruent with revised timing for tenure and promotion in rank from Assistant to Associate Professor.
  4. Reevaluate the purpose and procedures of the University Ranking Tenure Evaluation Committee. If this committee is retained consider rewriting the committee’s procedures. Consider adding a requirement that the committee use the criteria from the appropriate college to evaluate the candidates.
  5. Review dated guidelines for report of student evaluation of faculty to candidates being reviewed.

MOTION 
Bill Clapp: Moved to approve the above draft charges for the Appointment, Promotion, Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee to the Faculty Senate for approval.
Second: Diane Kawamura
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW, APPORTIONMENT AND ORGANIZATION

PPM 1-13, Article 5, Section 4.4: The Committee on Constitutional Review, Apportionment and Organization shall review, update and preserve the integrity of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Weber State University faculty government. This Committee shall study ratios of college representation on the Senate and recommend procedures for electing its members. The Committee shall also be responsible for recommending policies on the organization and operational procedures of the University.

  1. Calculate apportionment for Faculty Senate representation using the Hamilton Method and present the apportionment figures to the Faculty Senate during Autumn Semester 2002.
  2. Investigate establishing a new Faculty Senate Standing Committee for Online Education and Distance Learning.
  3. Review the election process for the selection of Faculty Senate Chair and Vice Chair.

MOTION 
Bill Clapp: Moved to approve the above draft charges for the Constitutional Review and Apportionment Committee to the Faculty Senate for approval.
Second: Diane Kawamura
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

CURRICULUM AND GENERAL EDUCATION

PPM 1-13, Article 5, Section 4.5: The committee on Curriculum and General Education shall study and evaluate the curriculum and general education needs of the University, initiate new programs and revise old ones and consider specified proposals of instructional departments or individual faculty member.
  1. Review and approve curriculum and program proposals.
  2. Continue to conduct workshops on an as needed basis with college curriculum committee chairs to acquaint them with curriculum procedures.
  3. Review process and make recommendation to cut down on paperwork.

MOTION 
Diane Kawamura: Moved to approve the above draft charges for the Curriculum and General Education Committee to the Faculty Senate for approval.
Second: Lee Badger
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

HONORARY DEGREE

PPM 1-13, Article 5, Section 4.6: Faculty members on the Honorary Degree Committee shall review the recommendations presented to them and shall act as the faculty representatives on the Committee on Commencement and Honorary Degrees.
  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, preferable 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.

MOTION 
Diane Kawamura: Moved to approve the above draft charges for the Honorary Degree Committee to the Faculty Senate for approval.
Second: Dawn Gatherum
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

PPM 1-13, Article 5, Section 4.7: The Committee on Research, Scholarship and Professional Growth shall recommend policies on research, scholarship, teaching loads, instructional and faculty development and faculty productivity., It shall facilitate faculty in obtaining grants, travel funds, physical facilities, etc., to pursue research and scholarly activities.
  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 and forms to ensure they are clear to applicants.
  4. 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 applicants.
  5. Develop a proposal for additional funding for RSPG.
  6. Investigate the possibility of combining ARCC and RSPG

It was suggested that Cliff Nowell, chair of the Research, Scholarship and Professional Growth Committee meet with the Executive Committee to discuss funding criteria.

MOTION 
Bill Clapp: Moved to approve the above draft charges for the Research, Scholarship and Professional Growth Committee to the Faculty Senate for approval.
Second: Michelle Heward
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

SALARY, BENEFITS, BUDGET, AND FISCAL PLANNING

PPM 1-13, Article 5, Section 4.8: The Committee on Salary, Benefits, Budget and Fiscal planning shall study, evaluate and make recommendations on salaries, salary schedules, cost of living, retirement plans, annuities, health and life insurance, hospital plans, other faculty benefits, budget and fiscal planning.

This Committee shall not exceed ten members with representation from each organization unit. The Faculty Senate chair shall serve as the Executive Committee liaison. A subcommittee shall serve under the direction of the Committee and represent the faculty in salary and related negotiations with the University administration. No two members of this subcommittee shall be from the same organizational unit. This subcommittee shall consist of the Faculty senate chair, the chair of the Committee on Salary, Benefits, Budget and Fiscal Planning and a third member nominated by the Committee and approved by the Faculty Senate.
  1. Reinforce the importance of University administrators’ commitment to the third year goal of obtaining the 6% necessary to further narrow the gap between the CUPA averages and faculty salaries.
  2. Follow through with the Payroll Office ways to itemize the various payments included in the check.
  3. Monitor health insurance coverage, options, and potential changes in vendors.
  4. Investigate the ramifications of the new IRS ruling disallowing the designation of miscellaneous income (such as honoraria) to personal expense accounts in departments.
  5. Maintain a continuing dialogue with the University administration with regard to the impact of the current budget cut on salaries, benefits, budgets, and fiscal planning.
  6. Continue to investigate the effect of the new promotion and tenure schedule on salaries and make recommendations.

MOTION 
Dawn Gatherum: Moved to approve the above draft charges for the Salaries, Benefits, Budget and Fiscal Planning Committee to the Faculty Senate for approval.
Second: Diane Kawamura
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT

PPM 1-13, Article 5, Section 4.9: The Committee on Teaching, Learning and Assessment shall endeavor to enhance the learning environment. It shall study, evaluate, and make recommendations on issues affecting the teaching environment and the assessment of student learning. It shall also advise the chair of the committee and coordinate the activities of the Forum for Teaching and Learning.
  1. Continue support for faculty development of teaching and learning strategies by:
     A.   Offering workshops, discussions, and seminars on effective learning, teaching and assessment, especially concerning recently passed curricular initiatives;
    B.   Continuing to create forums for faculty to showcase diverse scholarly and teaching activities, including projects funded through RSPG;
    C.   Develop and implement plans to increase participation in the Teaching, Learning and Assessment projects.
  2. Clarify the responsibilities of the Forum in regards to non-tenure track and adjunct faculty in conjunction with the Adjunct Faculty Task Force.
  3. Assess the effectiveness of the New Faculty program and the need for increasing follow-up activities for new faculty.
  4. Strengthen the Forum’s commitment to WAC, SPEC, and Numeracy Across the Curriculum, and the university diversity requirement.

MOTION 
Lee Badger: Moved to approve the above draft charges for the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee to the Faculty Senate for approval.
Second: Diane Kawamura
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR ONLINE INSTRUCTION AND DISTANCE LEARNING

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. Determine boundaries, partnerships, and overlaps with other Senate committees. Interface with the Constitutional Review, Organization, and Apportionment Committee recommending to the Faculty Senate if this committee should become a standing committee of the Senate.
  2. 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.
  3. Work with APAFT to 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.
  4. Develop a process by which the committee’s activities are reported to the Executive Committee and Faculty Senate.
  5. When requested, serve as an advisory committee to Distance Learning in Continuing Education.

Charges addressed in 2001-02

Revisit the Online Guidelines for Good Practice and, if necessary, make recommendations for additions and changes.

Develop a Vision Statement for online instruction. Discuss and make recommendations on the future of online instruction and distance learning at WSU.

MOTION 
Bill Clapp: Moved to approve to the above draft charges for the Online Instruction and Distance Learning Ad Hoc Committee to the Faculty Senate for approval.
Second: Michelle Heward
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

FALL BREAK 
The Fall Break student proposal and Faculty Senate recommendation will be scheduled for Fall 2003.

GRADUATION 
The Executive Committee discussed graduation issues, i.e. cost, honorary degree recipients, December and May commencements, making graduation more student friendly. Marsha Richter and Ann Millner will be invited to meet with the Executive Committee.

BUDGET CUTS 
The Faculty Senate budget was cut $1,737. Expenses for the 2001-02 year were in excess of funds available which makes this year’s budget $2,500 less than the previous year. The committee discussed ways to cut down on expenses.

ADJOURN 
The meeting adjourned at 4:10 p.m.