1.     Roll Call

2.     Approve the minutes from the April 17, 2008 meeting

3.     Student Members of the Faculty Senate
        Michelle Johnson, Tyler Lathem, Dan Schwab, Victoria Thompson

4.     Welcome
        Bret Ellis, Vice President for Information Technology
        Yas Simonian, Dean of the Dumke College of Health Professions
        Ryan Thomas, Associate Provost

5.     Research, Scholarship & Professional Growth Committee – Therese Grijalva, Chair 2007-08
        Spring 2008 Awards

6.     Committee Membership Changes
        Appointment, Promotion, Academic Freedom & Tenure - Cori Tadehara replaces Cath Stilwell
        Constitutional Review, Apportionment & Organization - Shaun Jackson replaces Kathy Payne
        Environmental Issues Ad Hoc Committee - Larry Clarkson replaces Mark Biddle
        Faculty Board of Review - Brooke Arkush replaces Yas Simonian
        Teaching, Learning & Assessment - Leigh Shaw replaces Autumn Behringer

7.     Approval of Committee Charges for 2008-09

8.      Academic Calendar - Mike Vaughan

Next Meeting: October 16, 2008

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1.     ROLL

2.     APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

Motion: Moved to approve the minutes from the April 17, 2008 meeting.
Made: Warren Hill
Second: Rick Sline
Outcome: The minutes were approved.

3.     ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Teaching, Learning and Assessment Position Announcement
• If Senate members are unable to attend the Senate meeting they should find a substitute to attend in their place.

4.     INTRODUCTION OF STUDENT MEMBERS

Michelle Johnson, Tyler Lathem, Dan Schqwab and Victoria Thompson were introduced to the Senate.

5.     WELCOME

• Bret Ellis, Vice President for Information Technology
• Yas Simonian, Dean of the Dumke College of Health Professions
• Ryan Thomas, Associate Provost

6.     RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP & PROFESSIONAL GROWTH COMMITTEE

       Therese Grijalva, Chair 2007-08 reporting

During the Spring 2008 term, the committee issued two RFPs. The first requested Hemingway Faculty Excellence and Collaborative proposals, and the second requested proposals for research, instructional improvement, Hemingway New Faculty and Hemingway Vitality Grants. Unfortunately, the first RFP resulted in one proposal. As such, the committee extended the deadline to correspond with the second RFP (March 19). On March 19^th, the committee received 49 proposals, 18 of which were Hemingway Faculty Excellence (HE) and Hemingway Collaborative (HC) proposals. The 18 HE and HC proposals totaled $156,038.62. The remaining 31 proposals totaled $53,191.56. The RSPG committee received $4000 from OUR to be used for student assistants. Details of the awards are presented below.

HE and HC: Awarded $59,729 out of a possible $59,729.

Colleges Represented

• Science (4): $36,352
• Science/Business and Economics/Social Sciences (1): $19,909.22
• Arts and Humanities and the Community Involvement Center (1): $3,467.78
• RSPG: Awarded $15,374.45 out of a possible $15,375.

        Hemingway New Faculty: Awarded $13,075 out of a possible $15,000.

        Hemingway Vitality: Awarded $8,504 out of a possible $8,504.

        OUR: Awarded $2,604 out of a possible $4,000.

        Colleges represented:

• Science (9) $13,943
• A&H (7) $12,158.87
• COAST (1) $527
• SS (5) $10,381
• ED (1) $904
• B&E (1) $1,643.58

Motion by the Research, Scholarship & Professional Growth Committee for the Senate to approve the report of the Research, Scholarship & Professional Growth Committee.
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously

7.     COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP CHANGES

• Appointment, Promotion, Academic Freedom & Tenure - Cori Tadehara replaces Cath Stilwell
• Constitutional Review, Apportionment & Organization - Shaun Jackson replaces Kathy Payne
• Environmental Issues Ad Hoc Committee - Larry Clarkson replaces Mark Biddle
• Faculty Board of Review - Brooke Arkush replaces Yas Simonian
• Teaching, Learning & Assessment - Leigh Shaw replaces Autumn Behringer

Motion: Moved to approve the membership changes stated above.
Made: Bruce Handley
Second: John Sohl
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

8.      COMMITTEE CHARGES FOR 2008-09

ACADEMIC RESOURCES AND COMPUTING

1. Allocate ARCC resources, including Dee Family Technology Grant funds, using consistent, objective, fair, and responsible criteria.

A. Review funding criteria and procedures for ARCC for possible revision or clarification purposes.

B. Continue to develop funding criteria for and advertisement of the Dee Family Technology Grant.

2. Assess faculty and student computer needs, solicit faculty input, and lobby for the faculty’s computer-related interests.

3. Review (with computing support) standards and policies for hardware and software purchases.

4. Continue to improve the means of submitting proposals and decreasing the amount of paperwork involved.

5. Monitor the expenditures of all ARCC funds, including those supported through WSUSA funding.

6. Maintain close communication with other computer resource entities on campus, including CE and IT online instruction.

7. Be represented on the IT Council and IT Steering Committee, and routinely invite directors to summarize status of new projects and ongoing IT/CE support.

8. Coordinate faculty representation on other IT related committees.

9. Improve communication between faculty, IT/CE, administration regarding technology issues and advise said bodies of faculty needs.

10. Sponsor a faculty/staff IT Users Group to share information, ideas, and solutions regarding the use of technology at Weber State.

11. Continue to function as a nexus of information regarding IT issues between faculty, staff, and students, acting in an advisory capacity, and investigate its position as a decision making body.

1. Meet with the Vice President of Student Affairs to review any student affairs issues which may need to be addressed.

2. Receive a report from the Associate Provost about continuing evaluation on MAPP.

3. Review data on concurrent enrollment courses and make recommendations.

1. Determine the status of proposed changes to the intellectual property sections of the PPM that are currently under review by the University Counsel and make recommendations for policy changes in response to the results of that review.

2. Examine the language used in the PPM for Instructors, Instructor Specialists, and Visiting Professors, and recommend revisions of this language that may be required in order to eliminate inconsistencies.

3. Review the language in Section 8 of the PPM regarding consistency of language and policy.

4. Review the schedule for submission of materials and responses by the Faculty Board of Review and make a recommendation.

5. Review the current definition of tenure and make a recommendation.

1. Calculate apportionment for Faculty Senate representation using the Hamilton Method and present the apportionment figures to the Faculty Senate during Autumn Semester.

2. Research questions and make recommendations that are brought to the attention of the CRAO Committee.

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. Work with the General Education Improvement & Assessment Committee to review the strengths and weaknesses of the Diversity requirement.

4. Monitor the Faculty Senate paperless curriculum approval process and work with the Executive Committee to address problems and make improvements.

5. Align program proposal format and requirements for consistency with Board of Regent’s policies.

6. Develop in conjunction with the General Education Improvement & Assessment Committee General Education rubrics that lead to assessment of General Education courses.

7. Consider in conjunction with the General Education Improvement & Assessment Committee changes to the current university requirements for the bachelor of science degree.

ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES AD HOC COMMITTEE

2. Serve as a local and statewide source for scientifically-based information and for leadership on environmental issues affecting Utah and the Wasatch Front.

3. Help facilitate integration of environmental initiatives into academic affairs, student affairs, and facilities management.

4. Review status as a Faculty Senate committee and determine if steps should be taken for it to become a Standing Committee.

GENERAL EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT & ASSESSMENT

1. Develop a plan to communicate mission statements and learning outcomes to faculty.

2. Sustain cross disciplinary faculty discussions of general education.

3. Analyze enrollment data and/or transcripts of recent graduates to identify those courses most often used to satisfy the breath requirements of general education. Summaries by college, as well as the university as a whole, should be produced.

4. Develop in conjunction with the Curriculum Committee General Education rubrics that lead to assessment of General Education courses.

5. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the Diversity (DV) requirement. This assessment should include significant input from the Student Senate as this requirement was established at their request.

6. Explore promising initiatives including e-portfolios, disciplinary advising template, and linked courses including online courses.

7. Consider in conjunction with the Curriculum Committee changes to the current university requirements for the bachelor of science degree.

1. Examine the differences between the December and May Commencements and recommend ways to make the events more uniform. Discuss the advisability of eliminating December Commencement as a possible solution to the problem.

2. Analyze data for May and December commencement including cost and attendance. Make recommendations.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. Consider ways to encourage more nominations from faculty for honorary degrees,

6. Encourage the selection of at least one honorary degree recipient each year who has made an outstanding academic contribution to higher education, preferably a WSU faculty member.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. Provide the larger committee with a way to carry forward information so next year’s committee can benefit from work done this year.

1. Continue to issue requests for proposals (RFPs) for Research and Instructional Improvement grants, and Hemingway Vitality, Excellence and Collaborative awards, 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. Clarify and report the criteria for awarding the grant. Explore ways to simplify the process and broaden the criteria.

4. Provide feedback to authors why proposals were not funded.

5. Continue efforts to publicize the committee’s activities. Seek ways to broaden participation campus wide. Explore opportunities to disseminate information about the funded projects, including workshops, in order to provide consistent information and feedback to potential applicants.

6. Work with the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee to find non-monetary ways to promote and recognize faculty research and scholarship.

7. Work with the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee to help faculty identify new methods of scholarship.

8. Look at the committee description and membership regulations listed in the Faculty Senate Bylaws, PPM 1-13, for possible revisions and updates.

9. Explore collaborative roles with other funding sources, i.e. CIC (Community Involvement Center), OUR (Office of Undergraduate Research), Hall family, ARCC (Academic Resources & Computing Committee).

1. Equity Adjustments and Merit - Look at dollar amounts each year.

2. Narrow the gap between online teaching and face to face teaching.

3. Review salary compression by rank using CUPA data, and make a recommendation.

4. Monitor implementation of the new sick and family leave policy for faculty.

5. Investigate broadening the definition of dependents in the faculty sick leave policy PPM 3-21a, A.

PPM 1-13, Article B-5, Section 4.10: Committee on Teaching, Learning and Assessment The Committee on Teaching, Learning and Assessment endeavors to enhance the learning environment at Weber State University. When the opportunity and need arise, and as charged by the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate, the Committee studies, evaluates, and makes recommendations on issues affecting the teaching environment and the assessment of student learning at Weber State University. It also advises the Chair of the Committee in his or her capacity, as the Director of the Teaching and Learning Forum and supports the activities of the Teaching and Learning Forum.

1. Continue to provide faculty development of teaching and learning through a range of established forums and opportunities yet to be created. These may include, but are not limited to the following:

2. Explore ways to increase participation in all TLA sponsored events. 3. Talk about ways a database of faculty and community expertise, and those interested in sharing, in various aspects of teaching and learning could be compiled.

4. Continue to assess the effectiveness of established forums in serving faculty needs in teaching, learning, and assessment.

5. Develop, monitor, and assess a number of ways to promote faculty awareness, attendance, and support for TLA sponsored opportunities for professional development including monthly calendars of events.

6. Work with RS&PG Committee to find non-monetary ways to promote and recognize faculty scholarship and research.

7. Work with various campus entities (OUR, CIC, and the like) to help faculty identify new methods of scholarship.

8. Investigate the potential of moving the new faculty retreat closer and changing the number of days the retreat is held.

Pulled from the above list of charges were the charges to the General Education & Assessment Committee, and the Salary, Benefits, Budget & Fiscal Planning Committee.

Motion by the Executive Committee to approve the charges to the Academic Resources & Computing Committee, the Admissions, Standards & Student Affairs Committee, the Appointment, Promotion, Academic Freedom & Tenure Committee, the Constitutional Review, Apportionment & Organization Committee, the Curriculum Committee, the Environmental Issues Ad Hoc Committee, the Honorary Degree Committee, the Research, Scholarship & Professional Growth Committee and the Teaching, Learning & Assessment Committee.
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

GENERAL EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT & ASSESSMENT

1. Develop a plan to communicate mission statements and learning outcomes to faculty.

2. Sustain cross disciplinary faculty discussions of general education.

3. Analyze enrollment data and/or transcripts of recent graduates to identify those courses most often used to satisfy the breath requirements of general education. Summaries by college, as well as the university as a whole, should be produced.

4. Develop in conjunction with the Curriculum Committee General Education rubrics that lead to assessment of General Education courses. Consider a sunset rule for courses to undergo periodic review.

5. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the Diversity (DV) requirement. This assessment should include significant input from the Student Senate as this requirement was established at their request.

6. Explore promising initiatives including e-portfolios, disciplinary advising template, and linked courses including online courses.

7. Consider in conjunction with the Curriculum Committee changes to the current university requirements for the bachelor of science, and bachelor of arts degrees.

Motion: Moved to approve the addition to charge 4 as stated above. This addition also applies to the Curriculum Committee.
Made: John Sohl
Second: Warren Hill
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

Motion: Moved to approve the above change to charge 7 as stated above. This additional charge also applies to the Curriculum Committee
Made: John Sohl
Second: Warren Hill
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

1. Equity Adjustments and Merit - Look at dollar amounts each year.

2. Narrow the gap between online teaching and face to face teaching.

3. Review salary compression by rank using CUPA data, and make a recommendation.

4. Monitor implementation of the new sick and family leave policy for faculty.

5. Investigate broadening the definition of dependents in the faculty sick leave policy PPM 3-21a, A.

6. Review salary increments given current faculty for completion of a degree in light of the level of the degree and the expectation of the job.

Motion: Add an additional charge to the Salary, Benefits, Budget & Fiscal Planning Committee as stated above.
Made: Warren Hill
Second: Jeff Grunow
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

9.     ACADEMIC CALENDAR

Mike Vaughan presenting -

We have been talking about a change in the academic calendar for several years. The survey last spring regarding the academic calendar came back mixed for support of a change to the calendar for Fall and Spring; 52% were in favor of a change, 48% were not in favor of a change, 9% of the faculty did not respond to the question.

The survey proposed the question of changing Summer Term for a calendar of two 7 week blocks with one 14 week block. The faculty survey indicated 57% in favor and 43% opposed with 9% not responding to the question. There is flexibility in these summer blocks allowing you to teach a four week course by starting a week or two later, or by ending early.

The Provost would like to move ahead with the summer calendar change and implement the 7 plus 7 with one 14 week block for summer term.

Elements left for the Fall and Spring Semester Calendar

• Once you do Summer the begin and end dates for Fall and Spring fall into place.
• This leaves 32 weeks to work with for Fall and Spring, 15 +1 Fall and 15 +1 Spring. Holidays and breaks come out of the 32 weeks.
• You need one week from Spring to Summer.
• Two weeks Summer to Fall
• Three weeks between Fall to Spring
• Preserve Spring Break, and the Thanksgiving Holiday

With the present calendar you lose four days in the Fall (Labor Day, Fall Break, and the Thanksgiving holiday), and you lose seven days in the Spring (Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, and Spring Break).

Possible Options to the Calendar

• Add Thursday to the Fall Break
• Add Wednesday to the Thanksgiving break
• Equal Terms
• 60 Minute class periods (The time could be used as they wish, e.g. 50 minutes of lecture, 10 minutes for student interaction, or student/teacher interaction, or not use the extra 10 minutes at all.) Questions were raised about the optional use of the time, and the expectations of the students.
• Start time of class time (7:00 vs. 7:30 a.m.)
• Currently we do about 5% of our classes at 7:00 a.m. A decade ago we did 10% of our classes at 7:30 a.m. 8:00 a.m. is not a heavily used hour. The 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. hours are the most popular.
• Lengthen or shorten time in between classes.

Questions and Discussion by the Senate

ADJOURN

The meeting adjourned at 4:25 p.m.