Chair: Al Talbot
Liaison: Michelle Heward

Chair: Kathy Herndon
Liaison: Molly Smith

Motion: Moved to approve the Faculty Senate committee membership for 2003-2004.
Made: Diane Kawamura
Second: Molly Smith
Outcome: The motion was approved.

6. ELECTION OF THE FACULTY BOARD OF REVIEW COMMITTEE MEMBERS – Michelle Heward

Ballots were distributed to Senate members who will be serving during the 2003-2004 academic year for Faculty Board of Review members. Alma Harris, Brenda Kowalewski, and Tony Spanos were elected to serve two year terms. Marie Kotter and Dan Schroeder were elected as alternates.

7 INSTITUTIONAL PLANNING – President Millner

President Millner talked about ongoing planning and goal setting at the University. She wants to put together a Planning Council to start that process. The colleges will be electing representatives to serve on this planning council. In addition to faculty representatives there will be administrative members, staff, students, trustees, and alumni on the council. The group will begin meeting in early June. There will be a preliminary meeting with the group in early June. The Planning Council will be outlining the process and the work to follow. This group will help us pull together in setting some long-range University goals. This Planning Council will not work on the program review process. The University has an ongoing program review process.

8. ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES – Norm Tarbox

Sidewalk Traffic - Administrative Services has been working on a plan to reduce the number of vehicles on sidewalks at the University. This has been a difficult process because we are use to using the sidewalks here at the university for convenience sake to access buildings; some buildings have been built without loading docks; ample service stalls have not been in place close to buildings. The policy includes physical barriers at 13 different locations on campus, enhanced enforcement, reworking of the permit process, and learning to do business differently. This item will go to the Trustees in May. Excerpts from the policy are stated below:

"Unsafe conditions occur on campus walkways when wheeled vehicles are operated near pedestrians. This policy establishes regulations for safe operation of vehicles on walkways."

9. ONLINE INSTRUCTION AND DISTANCE LEARNING AD HOC COMMITTEE – Cheryl Hansen, Chair

Course Review Process -

1. It is recommended that WSU Online make copies of the Guidelines for Good Practice and the Course Review form available to department chairs for approval of newly developed courses.
2. It is recommended that this tool be available to faculty as a resource for conversion of existing courses to Web CT.
3. This form will be included with other course approval documents issued by Continuing Education.
4. The department chair will sign the final statement that the course was reviewed and is ready to be offered. The statement signed by the chair for final course approval will read: "This course has been reviewed and complies with according to the institution’s WSU Online Guidelines for Good Practice."
5. The WSU Online Course Review form is recommended only as an internal document for department use to help insure the quality of online offerings.

The aim of this review process is to help faculty develop quality online courses and to assist departments in assuring that online offerings represent the best of local practice. The Online and Distance Learning Ad Hoc Committee is hopeful this Course Review Process will be part of the approval package that the department chair receives from WSU Online.

A suggestion was made to change item #4 to read as highlighted above. A suggestion was also made for item IV Overall Course Quality, question 2 - Students should spend approximately at least the same amount of time on the online course as they would for a campus course. The change was accepted as a friendly amendment.

Motion: Moved to approve the above course review process.
Made: Molly Smith
Second: Bill Clapp
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

Some faculty saw a short term need for the course evaluation to address problems specific for online courses and felt a sunset clause should be added to the motion.

Motion: Moved to approve the above course evaluation process.
Made: Bill Clapp
Second: Susan Matt
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

10. CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW, APPORTIONMENT AND ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE – Tamas Szabo, Chair

PPM 1-13, Article B-XIII, Amendments states: "These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the Faculty Senate present and eligible to vote at a regular Senate meeting, but a proposal to amend the Bylaws may not be voted upon at the meeting at which it is first moved."

Second reading of CRAO recommendation - The CRAO Committee unanimously recommends that the Faculty Senate Bylaws be amended to include the following after section 4.6:

Speaking against the motion -

Curricular issues should be dealt by the Curriculum and General Education Committee.

Assessment issues should be dealt with by the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee.

Academic freedom and tenure issues should be dealt with by the Appointment, Promotion , Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee.

The same standards should apply to the online courses as apply to other courses.

Should there be a distinction between online courses and other courses?

Specific charges could be given committees to deal with online course issues.

WSU Online now reports to the Provost. If there are academic issues that need to be dealt with, they should be dealt with by an administrative committee not a Faculty Senate committee.

The constitution states that ad hoc committee can only be established for two years. In October the two years will be completed for this ad hoc committee.

The Web CT committee is discussing some of the online issues.

Speaking in favor of the motion -

The other committees have never dealt with online courses.

Online courses are not ready to be turned over to other committees.

A new ad hoc committee could be established.

There needs to be some approval process for approval of new online courses.

The Online Instruction and Distance Learning Committee does not deal with salary issues, curriculum issues or other Faculty Senate Committees.

Problems are ongoing. There have been three ad hoc committees to deal with online instruction issues.

Motion: Moved to approve the Online Instruction and Distance Learning Committee be made a permanent standing committee of the Faculty Senate.
Made: Bill Clapp
Second: Rick Sline
Outcome: The motion failed.

Motion: Moved to thank the Online Instruction and Distance Learning ad hoc Committee for the extraordinary work they have done.
Made: Dan Schroeder
Second: Rick Sline
Outcome: Unanimous vote of thanks for the work completed by the Online Instruction and Distance Learning Committee.

11. ADMISSIONS, STANDARDS AND STUDENT AFFAIRS – Erika Daines, Chair

The following resolution was received from Student Senate. The Admissions, Standards, and Student Affairs Committee reviewed the Student Senate proposal, discussed it and passed it unanimously.

Resolution - "The Admissions, Standards and Student Affairs Committee recommends that faculty be strongly encouraged to use an online electronic grade book once Web CT is operative."

Several faculty discussed the need to wait and try out the program for the electronic grade book. Students felt this would be very valuable to students.

Motion: Moved to approve the recommendation of the Admissions, Standards and Student Affairs Committee that faculty use an online electronic grade book once Web CT is operative.
Made: Laura MacLeod
Second: Brody Barnes
Outcome: The motion failed with 10 in favor, 20 opposed and 2 abstentions.

12. APPOINTMENT, PROMOTION, ACADEMIC FREEDOM, AND TENURE COMMITTEE – John Sohl, Chair

PPM 3-02, I

C. Non-Salaried Employee - an employee paid for hours worked or by project who does not qualify for benefits defined in PPM 3-45 except as noted.

1. Adjunct Faculty - an individual having professional or specialized training, employed on a temporary or part-time basis, to provide instruction or instructional related services for one or more credit bearing courses. An adjunct faculty must be appointed by an academic dean for a specific period of time and may be given a title containing an academic rank provided the additional title of "adjunct" precedes the designation of rank. Such appointment has no significance for the achieving or holding of tenure. Adjunct faculty qualify for I.D. card privileges as defined in PPM 3-42 II A and 3-45 III C.

3. Concurrent Faculty - Faculty in high schools or applied technology colleges which have been approved by the respective departments at WSU to teach concurrent enrollment courses. Generally these are courses taught at the faculty member’s home institution. These faculty are not employees of Weber State University and are generally not compensated by Weber State University. Concurrent faculty do not usually receive I.D. card privileges, but could if defined in the contract at the time of appointment. (A list of potential privileges can be found in PPM 3-42 II A and 3-45 III C.)

4. Research Faculty - Persons working on campus in a position whose primary support comes from an external agency or institution. Typically these faculty are engaged in scholarship associated with a particular department or organization on campus. Research faculty must be appointed by an academic dean for a specific period of time and may be given a title containing an academic rank provided the additional title of "research" precedes the designation of rank. Such appointment has no significance for the achieving or holding of tenure. Research faculty qualify for I.D. card privileges as defined in PPM 3-45 III C.

5. Affiliate Faculty - This is a special category awarded by the President upon recommendation of the appropriate department chair and dean. The title would apply to a person whose employment is with an organization that is associated with the university by contract or to a person who is a practicing professional or independent scholar associated with the university for specific research purposes. Affiliate faculty may be given a title containing an academic rank provided the additional title of "affiliate" precedes the designation of rank. Such appointment has no significance for the achieving or holding of tenure. Affiliate faculty qualify for I.D. card privileges as defined in PPM 3-45 III C.

The difference between concurrent and adjunct faculty was discussed extensively. It was suggested that the exception at the end of item #3 be taken out as well as I.D. privilege statements under each category. Faculty discussed the need for tuition waivers to be the same.

Motion: Moved to approve the changes presented by the APAFT Committee to PPM 3-02, I, 3-30b, 3-42 , 3-45, 5-25d, 8-2, 8-3, only some of which are listed above. Complete copies of the documents are on file in the Faculty Senate Office.
Made: Bill Clapp
Second: Ann Ellis
Outcome: The motion passed with 2 abstentions.

Motion: Moved to adjourn until next Thursday, May 1, 2003 at 3:00 p.m. to discuss the remaining items on the agenda.
Made: Susan McKay
Second: Lee Badger
Outcome: The motion passed with 20 in favor and 12 opposed.

ADJOURN 
The meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.