Approved 3-20-08

Thursday
March 6, 2008
2:00 p.m.
MA 211K
 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

PRESENT
Laine Berghout, Lloyd Burton, Dave Ferro, Colleen Garside, Bruce Handley, Ann Millner, Peggy Saunders, Gene Sessions, Mike Vaughan, Jim Wilson – Kay Brown, Secretary

MINUTES
Dave Ferro: Moved to approve the minutes from the February 14, 2008 meeting.
Second: Wade Kotter
Outcome: The minutes were approved.

ELECTIONS
As a result of the general faculty election held between March 3 and March 5, 2008 the following faculty were elected to the 2008-2009 Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate: Dave Ferro - Applied Science & Technology, Colleen Garside - Arts & Humanities, Shannon Butler - Arts & Humanities, Bruce Handley - Business & Economics, Peggy Saunders - Education, Bill Zundel - Health Professions, Laine Berghout - Science, Gene Sessions - Social & Behavioral Sciences, and Wade Kotter - Library Lloyd Burton, Bob Hogge, Laura MacLeod, and Susan Matt served as election tellers. Voter participation was down this year with 225 faculty participating out of 489 (46%). Participation of faculty in 2007 was 53%, and 58.7% of the faculty cast ballots in 2006.

CRITERIA FOR PRESENTING
The following criteria for presenting to the Faculty Senate was reviewed and discussed.

Criteria for presenting to the Faculty Senate: The request should include a written description of what will be presented to the Senate, and why it is appropriate for the Senate.

1. How might this topic lead to Senate action?
2. What kind of a recommendation from the Senate or policy change are you anticipating?
3. What other venues might be available to you?

Requests should be received by the Faculty Senate Office the Thursday prior to the Agenda Setting meeting.

The Executive Committee felt the criteria would help those requesting Senate time to decide whether or not this venue would be of value to them.

MASTER DEGREE COURSES
 Laine Berghout - reviewed current curriculum policies for master degree programs.

Curriculum PPM Section 2 - A master’s degree program must have a minimum of 30 credit hours with a maximum of 36 credit hours.

Curriculum PPM Section 9 - The committee recommends that no more than 25% of the total master degree credit hour requirements be from any combination of 3000, 4000 and 500 level courses.

The Curriculum Committee would like to develop better guidelines for courses that have dual listings (e.g. 4010/6010) to insure that the upper division numbers mean something, e.g. if the two courses are being lectured as one (3010/5010) that the course content serves both populations so that it is not watered down for the higher number and not beyond the appropriate level for the lower course number.

It was suggested that discussion with the Graduate Council take place. The Graduation Council has also been discussing credit hours, and what constitutes a master’s degree.

Provost Vaughan indicated that master degree programs would not be approved by the Regents if they had fewer than 30 credit hours. Some programs have over 60 credit hours. He felt that the language of “a maximum of 36" was a problem. The Provost felt that the language could be changed to read, “written justification for programs in excess of 36 will need to be provided.” With regard to “no more than 25% of the total master degree credit hour requirements be from any combination of 3000, 4000 and 500 level courses, the Provost felt that stating a proportion creates problems because it is not clear whether you are increasing or decreasing the rigor of the program. The Provost felt that a statement of a set number of credit hours (e.g. 30) at the 6000 level would be a better requirement.

MOTION
Laine Berghout: Moved to charge the Curriculum Committee to review the guidelines for master degree courses and programs and discuss possible revisions with the Graduate Council.
Second: Lloyd Burton
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

LEGISLATURE
President Millner was thanked for her work with the Legislature. President Millner discussed some of the legislation passed and items not passed that affected Weber State and the other state institutions.

ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 3:33 p.m.