1. Approval of the minutes from the October 7, 2010 meeting

2. Faculty Senate Packets – Michael Hernandez

3. WSU Revised Mission Statement

4. Research, Scholarship & Professional Growth – Marjukka Ollilainen, Chair
    Fall 2009, Spring 2010 Awards

5. Academic Calendar – David Ferro, Bruce Bowen

6. Curriculum Committee – Erika Daines, Chair

Curriculum

Teacher Education - Course proposal for Social and Emotional Needs of the Gifted - Med 6440

Manufacturing & Mechanical Engineering Technology - Program change for Pre-Engineering

History - Program change and new course proposals for History of Christianity in Europe - Hist 4280, and Tudor and Stuart England - Hist 4335

Health Administrative Services - Program change for Health Administrative Services

Humanities Gen Ed Renewal

Stewart Library - Humanities on the Internet - Libs, Comm, Eng, FL, Thea, Art TD/ HU 1115

Honors Program - Perspectives in the Humanities - Hnrs HU 1540

Performing Arts - History and Literature of Contemporary Theatre - Thea 3323

Foreign Languages - Introduction to Foreign Literature in Translation - FL HU 2600, and Study Abroad - Fl HU 2851

Communications - Principles of Public Speaking - Comm HU 1020, Mass Media and Society - Comm HU 2010, and Introduction to Interpersonal and Small Group Communication - Comm HU 2110

Political Science & Philosophy - Introduction to Philosophy - Phil HU 1000, Contemporary Moral Problems - Phil HU 1120

Sociology & Anthropology - Language and Culture - Anth HU/DV 1040

PRESENT
Shelly Costley, Colleen Garside, Azenett Garza, Ed Hahn, Sue Harley, Michael Hernandez, David Malone, Ann Millner, Brian Rague, Peggy Saunders, Kay Brown, Secretary

EXCUSED
Mike Vaughan

GUESTS
Erika Daines, David Ferro, Marjukka Ollilainen

MINUTES
Ed Hahn: Moved to approve the minutes from the September 9, 2010 meeting.
Second: Colleen Garside
Outcome: The minutes were approved.

SENATE PACKETS
The Environmental Issues Committee would like to see the Senate information be distributed paperless.

MOTION
Michael Hernandez: Moved to forward to the Faculty Senate for discussion paperless agenda packets.
Second: Shelly Costley
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

MISSION STATEMENT

Proposed WSU Mission Statement
Weber State University is a comprehensive regional university providing associate, baccalaureate and master degree programs in a broad variety of liberal arts, sciences, technical and professional fields. The university provides excellent educational experiences for its students through extensive personal contact among faculty, staff and students in and out of the classroom. To accomplish its mission, the university, in partnership with the broader community, engages in research, artistic expression, public service, economic development, and community-based learning experiences in an environment that encourages freedom of expression while valuing diversity."

MOTION
Colleen Garside: Moved to forward to the Faculty Senate as an information item the above proposed mission statement.
Second: Shelly Costley
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

RSPG
Research, Scholarship & Professional Growth Committee – Marjukka Ollilainen, Chair

Fall Awards 2009 - The committee awarded—either partially or in full—22 of the 27 applications, a total of $31,128 for faculty research, instructional improvement, and travel. Details of the requests, awards, and the recipients with project titles are presented below.

RSPG Research/Instructional Improvement
Requests: 9 applications, total $20,171
Approved: 8 applications (89%)
Awarded: $15,000 out of a possible $15,000
All funds spent

Hemingway Faculty Vitality
Requests: 18 applications, total $25,997
Approved: 14 applications (78%)
Awarded $15,056 out of a possible $15,65
Remaining HFV balance – $601

Office of Undergraduate Research
Approved: Partial funding for two applications (one funded also from RSPG, one funded also from Hemingway Vitality)
Awarded $1,126 out of a possible $2,500
Remaining balance: $1,374

Hemingway Collaborative and Excellence Awards - The committee initially received 13 proposals (two of them were deemed inappropriate for the excellence and Collaborative categories and were moved to the second call). The remaining 11 proposals (five Collaborative and six Excellence) entailed funding requests for $65,257. The proposals were rated and ranked by committee members and then discussed in a meeting on March 3. The committee recommended nine (out of the 11) projects to be awarded and the committee’s recommendations were approved by the Hemingway Family on March 31, 2010.

Hemingway Vitality, New Faculty, and Adjunct Vitality Awards - On April 5, the committee received 44 proposals, ten were RSPG proposals, 21 Hemingway Faculty Vitality proposals, eight Adjunct Vitality proposals, and five were Hemingway New Faculty proposals with a grand total of $78,514 in requests. The committee rated and ranked the applications and awarded 36 projects either in full or partially and spent altogether $51,106 (of the available $52,368). The average size of an approved grant was a $1,419, and the largest requested (and approved) category was Hemingway Vitality, which is mainly used for funding domestic and overseas conference travel.

RSPG: Awarded $15,440 (out of a possible $15,000). (Balance -$440)

Hemingway New Faculty: Awarded $8,298 (out of a possible $10,000) (Balance $1,702)

Hemingway Vitality: Awarded $20,994 (out of a possible $20,994)

Hemingway Adjunct Vitality: Awarded $5,000 (out of a possible $5,000)

OUR: Awarded $1,374 (out of a possible $1,374)

Currently there are about $45,000 in overdue projects. In many cases the department have not been reimbursed for the project expenditures.

The Environmental Issues Committee would like to talk with the RSPG Committee about initiating a carbon emissions offsetting fee for air travel.

ACADEMIC CALENDAR
Academic Calendar – David Ferro presenting.

The model they are working on has three equal semesters comprised of thirteen weeks plus one. The week at the end could be used for finals, projects or class lecture. However, federal guidelines require a 15 week semester to qualify for federal aid. Federal guidelines require that within a seven day period you need to have one class day or testing day. An institution can apply for an exception through the Department of Education. The process could take 6, 8, 9 months before being approved. Also, the exception would need to be renewed every eight years.

The Executive Committee felt continued discussion of the 13 plus 1 semester model adjusted to comply with the federal guidelines (classes could start on a Friday and end on a Monday) needed to take place. A question was raised, "Do we want to be on the minimal edge of the federal guidelines?"

This item will come back to the Executive Committee in November.

CURRICULUM

Teacher Education - Course proposal for Social and Emotional Needs of the Gifted - Med 6440
Manufacturing & Mechanical Engineering Technology - Program change for Pre-Engineering
History - Program change and new course proposals for History of Christianity in Europe - Hist 4280, and Tudor and Stuart England - Hist 4335
Health Administrative Services - Program change for Health Administrative Services

Humanities Gen Ed Renewal
Stewart Library - Humanities on the Internet - Libs, Comm, Eng, FL, Thea, Art TD/ HU1115
Honors Program - Perspectives in the Humanities - Hnrs HU 1540
Performing Arts - History and Literature of Contemporary Theatre - Thea 3323
Foreign Languages - Introduction to Foreign Literature in Translation - FL HU 2600, and Study Abroad - Fl HU 2851
Communications - Principles of Public Speaking - Comm HU 1020, Mass Media and Society - Comm HU 2010, and Introduction to Interpersonal and Small Group Communication - Comm HU 2110
Political Science & Philosophy - Introduction to Philosophy - Phil HU 1000, Contemporary Moral Problems - Phil HU 1120
Sociology & Anthropology - Language and Culture - Anth HU/DV 1040
English - Introduction to Literature - Engl HU/DV 2200, Introduction to Fiction - Engl HU 2220, Introduction to Poetry - Engl HU/DV 2240, Introduction to Drama - Engl HU 2290, Masterpieces of Literature - Engl HU 2510, Perspectives on Women’s Literature - Engl HU/DV 2710, Introduction to Shakespeare - Engl HU 3500, World Literature - Engl HU/DV 3510, Literature of the Natural World - Engl HU 3520, and Themes and Ideas in Literature - Engl HU 3750

MOTION
Peggy Saunders: Moved for forward to the Faculty Senate the above curriculum items.
Second: Shelly Costley
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

UNIVERSITY COMMITTEE
University Ranking Tenure Evaluation Committee

MOTION
Peggy Saunders: Moved to forward to the Faculty Senate as a recommendation Alicia Giralt as Chair of the University Ranking Tenure Evaluation Committee for 2010-11.
Second: Sue Harley
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

LETTER TO FACULTY
A letter has been sent to all faculty, staff, Board of Trustees and donors from Spencer Seager and Michael Slabaugh in the Chemistry Department stating some concerns regarding faculty salaries , overload pay rate, increases in salaries for administrative executive positions and an increase in the number of executive positions over a ten year period.

Some of the data in the letter is incorrect. Figures from the Provost’s Office regarding average faculty salaries using 9-month full-time equivalent salaries were distributed as well as salary base increments for instructional wage rates.

Executive Committee members felt that the concerns raised in the letter required a response. A review process in taking place in the College of Science. Executive Committee members felt that the review process needed to be completed before formally addressing the issues and concerns raised in the letter.

ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 3:45 p.m.