1. ROLL

2. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

3. ADDITIONAL SENATE MEMBERS

Yousef Al-Awadhi, Tyler Lathem, Eric McKinney, and Katelynne Wilson-Shaw will be the student member of the Faculty Senate for 2009-10. Elene Kvernadze, Legislative Vice President, will be replacing one of the students on the Faculty Senate. Robert Fudge will serve as the Senate Parliamentarian this year. Bruce Davis is the Dean of Continuing Education and will join the Senate in that capacity.

4. ADMINISTRATIVE MEMBERS

PPM 1-13 - ARTICLE B-V. COMMITTEES OF THE FACULTY SENATE
Section 3. Membership of Standing Committees

Administrative Members
Academic Resources and Computing - Richard Sadler
Admissions, Standards and Student Affairs - Yas Simonian
Appointment, Promotion, Academic Freedom, and Tenure - Warren Hill
Curriculum - Jack Rasmussen
Environmental Issues - Lewis Gale
General Education Improvement and Assessment - Ryan Thomas
Research, Scholarship, and Professional Growth - Dale Ostlie
Salary, Benefits, Budget, and Fiscal Planning - Joan Hubbard
Teaching, Learning and Assessment - Madonne Miner

Ex Officio Members
Admissions, Standards & Student Affairs - Chris Rivera and Mark Simpson
Curriculum - Mark Simpson and Brian Stecklein
Salary, Benefits, Budgets & - Bruce Davis

Motion by the Executive Committee to approve the administrative appointments and ex officio appointments to the Faculty Senate Standing Committees as stated above.
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

5. RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP & PROFESSIONAL GROWTH COMMITTEE – Marjukka Ollilainen, Chair

Spring 2009 Awards

The RSPG Committee received nine Collaborative and Excellence proposals in February 2009 requesting a total of $83,608. Six projects were funded as follows: A&H (3) $28,851, Education (2) $19,614, and B&E (1) 11,535 for a total of $60,000.

The RSPG Committee received 50 proposals for funding in March 2009 (nine RSPG proposals, 18 Hemingway Faculty Vitality, nine Adjunct Vitality, and 14 Hemingway New Faculty proposals) which totaled $89,868 in requests. The total amount funded was $68,409: RSPG $31,225, Hemingway New Faculty $15,305, Hemingway Vitality $11,059, Hemingway Adjunct Vitality $6,500, OUR $4,320. The RSPG Committee received an extra $10,00 from the Provost’s Office. RSPG will carry forward a little over $5,000 to use in the 2009 cycle.

A list of those receiving spring awards is located at: http://www.weber.edu/Research/hvg_2008_2009.html

6. APPROVAL OF COMMITTEE CHARGES

1. Determine the status of proposed changes to the intellectual property sections of the PPM that are currently under review by the University Counsel. If appropriate, make recommendations for policy changes in response to the results of that review. Open deadline because the committee is working with an entity outside of the committee itself.

2. Review language in Section 8 of the PPM regarding consistency of language and policy. Particular attention should be paid to the language used for Instructors, Instructor Specialists, and Visiting Professors. December 2009 deadline for completion.

3. Develop a comprehensive review policy for non-tenure track part-time or full-time faculty. Final deadline is open at this time. Progress report due March 2010.

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. (December deadline)
    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 by ASSA and/or Faculty Senate. (on-going)

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

3. Appoint a person from ASSA as a faculty liaison to the committee overseeing the alignment WSU’s textbook policy with the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. (this academic year)

4. Revise current policy to allow associate of arts and associate of science degrees from select colleges/universities in the surrounding states to be given the same transfer status as AA/AS degrees within the Utah System of Higher Education. (by December, 09)

5. Review and make recommendations about the policy of not allowing final exams the week prior to the regularly scheduled final exam period. (by December, 09)

6. Review and align academic policies for transfer students. (PPM 6-2 III. 2. b. regarding the appropriate admission status of transfer students with cumulative GPA less than a 2.0. Policy refers to PPM 4-17 [Academic Standards Policy] for placement of "warning" or "probation." However, PPM 4-17 II states the cumulative GPA of students who transfer to the University will be computed on the work taken only at WSU. PPM 4-17 needs to address transfer admissions placement of warning or probation. (by December, 09)

7. Review whether the test results of DANTES military exams should be considered for WSU credit similar to CLEP test results. (by December, 09)

8. In consultation with the WSU Graduate Council, develop guidelines for new graduate programs, including:

• Credits required
• Requirements such as a thesis
• Number of 5000 level courses accepted and/or dual numbered courses
• Common core emphasis
• Foreign language requirement in MA programs
• Other items?

(by March, 2010)

9. Review and update the policy that specifies language requirements for international students.

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

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

3. Review PPM 1-13, clarify language and make a recommendation regarding Library representation on the Executive Committee. (January deadline)

4. Review the policy on student representation on Faculty Senate Standing Committees. (January deadline)

5. Review PPM policies (20 years or older) to identify possible action.

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. Implement the adopted review process for assessment of General Education courses. In consultation with the General Education Improvement and Assessment Committee chair, recommend improvements to the review process. (Report on the progress by November)

4.  Develop new general education approval forms for the core general education areas that incorporate the learning outcomes for those areas as they are approved by Faculty Senate.

5.  Incorporate in the Curriculum Committee PPM the guidelines recommended by ASSA for graduate program level courses.

6.  Provide a report on the recent history and current status of Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degree-requirements at WSU. Recommend changes to the current university requirements for the Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees that will promote a more natural fit of degree with major. (March 2010 deadline)

1. Help facilitate the modeling of best practices for economic and environmental sustainability at WSU.

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.

1. Develop and implement a plan for formalized collection and reporting of assessment data and systematic improvement of all general education, diversity (DV), and scientific inquiry (SI) courses. (An outline of the plan including milestones should be submitted for Executive Committee review by the end of September, 2009 with monthly review of progress thereafter.)

2. In consultation with the Provost’s office, review the organization of Gen Ed at WSU and develop an improved organizational plan than will allow for effective oversight and development of Gen Ed. The plan should address issues of consistent leadership and incorporate representative subcommittees for breadth and core Gen Ed areas. (An outline of the plan including milestones should be submitted for Executive Committee review by the end of September, 2009 with monthly review of progress thereafter.)

3. In consultation with representatives from each of the general education core areas, oversee the development of mission statements and intended learning outcomes for WSU General Education Core Requirements that are consistent with Utah State Board of Regents policy. (This charge should be completed by December, 2009)

4. In consultation with the WSU Student Senate, assess the strengths and weaknesses of the Diversity (DV) requirement. Propose changes that will better accomplish the goals of the diversity requirement. (This charge should be completed by March, 2010)

5. Work with the Curriculum Committee, as needed, to evaluate the existing General Education courses that will undergo review during the 2009-10 academic year. Based on the results of the review process, recommend clarifications and modifications of mission statements and learning outcomes to Gen Ed breadth area committees.

1. Utilizing information gathered last year, discuss the advisability of eliminating December Commencement and aligning Weber State University practices with other higher education institutions in the state of Utah. Recommendation due December 2009. 

2. 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.

3. 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.

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

5. Encourage the selection of at least one honorary degree recipient each year who has made an outstanding academic contribution to higher education, preferably a retired WSU faculty member or past faculty member who has left Weber State University. Current faculty members are not eligible.

6. 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.

7. 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.

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

RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH
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 including adjunct faculty. 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. Any recommendations should be given to Executive Committee by December, 2009.

9. Keep in communication and continue to cooperate and coordinate with OUR (Office of Undergraduate Research), CIC (Community Involvement), Hall family, and ARCC (Academic Resources and Computing Committee).

10. Continue to coordinate with OUR to provide faculty with funding for research assistants.

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

2. Investigate the difference in compensation between online and face to face teaching. (December/January 2010 deadline)

3. Review salary compression by rank using CUPA data, and make a recommendation. (February 2010 deadline)

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

5. Re-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. (October 2009 deadline)

6. Review policy 3-51 concerning fixed and adjunct salary rates. (October 2009 deadline)

7. Review CUPA salary comparison data for recommendation on salary.(February 2010 deadline)

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:

• Sponsor a Teaching & Learning Symposium in conjunction with the Office of Academic Affairs;
• Sponsor the Last Lecture and Faculty Forum in conjunction with the Office of Academic Affairs and RSPG;
• Sponsor the annual New Faculty Retreat;
• Sponsor and promote book discussion groups, small working collaborations, mentoring networks, workshops, and retreats.

2. Experiment with new forms of professional development to expand Teaching and Learning Forum activities, promote more participation across campus, and engage faculty in multiple ways.

3. Explore ways to increase participation in all TLA sponsored events and further promote professional development in teaching and learning.

4. Support efforts of individual faculty, departments, and other groups in experimenting with pedagogical innovation, curriculum design, and assessment and evaluation.

5. Work with various campus entities (OUR, CIC, etc.) to help faculty identify new methods of scholarship.

6. Work with other campus entities (e.g., WSU Online) to further support adjunct faculty.

7. Investigate models for professional development at other campuses and develop a plan for professional development that is incorporated into the general university plan for 2010-2013. (March 2010 deadline)

Deadline dates were added to some of the Salary, Benefits, Budgets, and Fiscal Planning Committee charges as stated above.

Motion by the Executive Committee to approve the above stated charges.
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

7. CURRICULUM COMMITTEE – Erika Daines, Chair

Motion by the Curriculum Committee to approve the curriculum proposals stated above.
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

8. OTHER ITEMS

ADJOURN

The meeting adjourned at 3:27 p.m.