FACULTY SENATE AGENDA Smith Lect

FACULTY SENATE
AGENDA
Smith Lecture Hall, WB 206-207, 3:00 p.m.
March 24, 2011

1. Approval of the minutes from the February 17, 2011 meeting

2. Faculty Governance Award – Awarded by David Ferro
Presented to Doris Geide-Stevenson

3. Election of 2011-12 Faculty Senate Chair and Vice Chair

Information Items:

4. Tobacco Free Campus – Justin Neville
Student Senate Proposal

5. Admissions, Standards & Student Affairs – Kathleen Herndon, Chair
Policy for Graduate Programs

Action Items:

6. Faculty Titles in the University Catalog
Executive Committee Recommendation

7. Constitutional Review, Apportionment & Organization – Allyson Saunders, Chair
Program Discontinuance.

8. General Education Improvement & Assessment – Jeff Grunow, Chair
Creation of Area Gen Ed Committees

9. Curriculum Committee – Erika Daines, Chair
Geography - Map Reading and Land Navigation - Geog 1002

Accounting - Accounting for Global and Complex Entities - Actg 5140; Program change for Bachelor of Science in Accounting

Honors - Exploring Key Concepts in the Humanities - HNRS 2010; Gen Ed Humanities proposal for Exploring Key Concepts in the Humanities - HNRS 2010

10. Salary, Benefits, Budget & Fiscal Planning – Lloyd Burton, Chair
Supplemental Pay Model

11. Other Items

MINUTES

MEMBERS - Listed Alphabetically

Aaron Ashley
Mark Baugh - Excused
Marissa Birch -Student
Jim Bird
Julie Buck
Russell Burrows
Karen Burton
Tracy Callihan
Matt Choberka - Jim Jacobs representing
Patti Cost
Shelly Costley
Ken Cuddeback
Dick Dahlkemper
Bruce Davis
Curtis DeFriez - Pat Shaw representing
Stephen Francis
Janelle Gardner
Colleen Garside
Azenett, Garza
Afshin Ghoreishi
Ed Hahn
Bruce Handley
Rod Hansen
Kami Hanson, Parliamentarian - Excused
Sue Harley
Brady Harris - Student - Absent
Michael Hernandez
Warren Hill - Admin.
Joan Hubbard - Excused
Colin Inglefield
JoEllen Jonsson
David Malone
President Millner - Admin. - Excused
Madonne Miner - Admin.
Michelle More
Justin Neville - Student
Cliff Nowell
Dale Ostlie - Admin.
Ryan Pace - Eric Smith representing

Thom Priest
Brian Rague
Jack Rasmussen - Admin. - Excused
Richard Sadler - Admin. - Excused
Peggy Saunders - Excused
Gene Sessions
Amanda Sowerby
Yas Simoniaan - Stephanie Bossenberger representing
Ryan Thomas
Shelley Thomas - Excused
Victoria Thompson - Student
Lisa Trujillo - Sally Cantwell representing
Michael Vaughan - Admin.
Jeff Ward - Fon Brown representing
Huiying Wei-Arthus - Marjukka Ollilainen representing
Josh Winegar
Jan Winniford
Michelle Zwolinski

Colleen Garside, Parliamentarian
Kay Brown, Secretary

2011-12 Faculty Senate Members

Laura Anderson
Sally Cantwell
Kraig Chugg
Brian Davis
Azenett Garza
Stephen Hill
Chris Hoagstrom - Absent
Tom Mathews
Wei Qiu - Excused
Mali Subbiah
Vikki Vickers
Glen West
Joseph Wolf

1. ROLL

2. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

Motion: Moved to approve the minutes from the February 17, 2011 meeting.
Made: Warren Hill
Second: Colleen Garside
Outcome: The minutes were approved.

3. FACULTY GOVERNANCE AWARD

In October of 1998 the Weber State Chapter of the Utah Association of Academic Professionals (UAAP) donated funds returned to them when the UAAP disbanded. These funds were set up in an endowment from which the interest income would fund an annual UAAP faculty award and stipend for service to faculty governance.

David Ferro presented the Faculty Governance Award to Doris Geide Stevenson.

Doris Geide Stevenson represents the most serious and devoted of service-oriented faculty members at Weber State University. She has served on almost countless committees at the University, college, and department level. But, the award for faculty governance doesn't just get awarded on the basis of years of service, but the distinction that those appointments have brought. Dr. Stevenson is well regarded across the University for her comprehensive understanding of University policies, her attention to detail, her objective and fair mindedness in examining any issue, her calm demeanor, hard working attitude, and, to put it bluntly, her fearlessness in calling a spade a spade. The most recent example of University level service where these skills were brought to the table was in her appointment to chair the first ever program discontinuance committee.

4. ELECTION OF 2011-12 FACULTY SENATE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR

Candidates for Faculty Senate Chair: Colleen Garside, Colin Inglefield, Ed Hahn, Michelle More, and Brian Rague. Colleen Garside was elected Chair of the Faculty Senate for 2011-12.

Candidates for Faculty Senate Vice Chair: Julie Buck, Shelly Costley, Ed Hahn, Colin Inglefield, Michelle More, and Brian Rague. Brian Rague was elected Vice Chair of the Faculty Senate for 2011-12.

5. TOBACCO FREE CAMPUS – Justin Neville

The Weber State Student Association is proposing a Smoke Free Campus

The Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) group recommends adopting a tobacco-free policy. SWAT also recommends:

Campus-wide outdoor smoking ban

Adoption of a formal anti-tobacco advertising policy

Prohibiting all campus entities from accepting monies from tobacco companies

Increased marking of smoking cessation resources.

Currently 381 colleges and universities in the Unites States have already adopted smoke-free policies for their campuses, including, but not limited to, the New York and Pennsylvania Systems of Higher Education, Boise State, and University of Kentucky. Southern Utah University, Utah State University and Salt Lake Community College are discussing such a policy.

Benefits

Decreases exposure to secondhand smoke.
Decreases the potential of underage tobacco use.
Reduction of illness, injuries, hazzards, and unsafe behavior.
Respect for others
It would promote clean air and a healthy environment.

Discussion

This policy would take away the rights of smokers.
Some faculty felt there were problems with the wording in the survey questions and the interpretation of the data.
The Utah Clean Air Act prohibits smoking within 25 feet of the buildings.
Can a policy such as this be enforced?

How do you address compliance with the policy? Campus police are aware of the proposal and are willing to help monitor compliance.
Should we designate smoking areas?
Loss of work time if employees have to leave campus to smoke.
Clarify what it means in the proposal, "Prohibiting all campus entities from accepting monies from tobacco companies." Is this a problem? In the past, the Rodeo Club has accepted funds from a tobacco entity. What is the definition of a tobacco company? Does this refer to "parent companies?" If the university endorses a tobacco free campus them monies from tobacco companies should not be accepted.

Call for the Question
Made: Colleen Garside
Second: Thom Priest
Outcome: The motion to close discussion passed.

Motion: Moved to show support of the Faculty Senate for the Student Senate proposal for a tobacco free campus.
Made: Bruce Handley
Second: Sue Harley
Outcome: The motion failed with 11 in favor and 17 against, and 3 abstentions.

6. ADMISSIONS, STANDARDS & STUDENT AFFAIRS – Kathleen Herndon, Chair

Charge 6 - In Consultation with the WSU Graduate Council, develop guidelines for new graduate programs including:

Credits required

Requirement such as a thesis

Common core emphasis

Foreign language requirement

Other

The graduate program guidelines were written by the Graduate Council and presented to the ASSA Committee. The complete policy can be viewed online at http://faculty.weber.edu/senate/ Click on the March 24 Senate meeting to find the agenda and document.

The ASSA Committee suggests that this information be located in the catalog. They also suggest that certain portions of the guidelines be placed in the PPM. The ASSA Committee and the Graduate will review the document and suggest which specific pieces would be appropriate for certain sections of the PPM.

Senate members would like to see stronger standards for graduate programs. It was pointed out that the document was designed by the Graduate Council to accommodate existing practice. These are minimum standards. Weber State has eleven graduate programs on campus.

7. FACULTY TITLES IN THE CATALOG

Motion by the Executive Committee to remove all titles from the department sections in the catalog (Department Chairs and faculty will not be listed with titles).

Outcome: The motion passed with 1 abstention.

8. CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW, APPORTIONMENTS & ORGANIZATION – Allyson Saunders, Chair

PPM 1-14a Program Modification or Discontinuance Review Procedure.

I. REFERENCES

Utah State Board of Regent Policies and Procedures:
R401, Approval of New Programs, Program Changes, Discontinued Programs, and Program Reports
R411, Review of Existing Programs
R481, Academic Freedom, Professional Responsibility and Tenure
R482, Bona Fide Financial Exigency and Personnel Reduction

II. OVERVIEW

This policy defines the role of the faculty and the Faculty Senate when a program (See Regent’s Policy 481 for definition) has been recommended for discontinuance or when modifications have been recommended, which would adversely or critically affect faculty in a program or academic unit. Program modification or discontinuance is not initiated for curriculum that has gone through the university curriculum approval process.

A. Program or organization unit modification or discontinuance may be initiated by the State Board of Regents, the president, the provost or a vice president, a dean, a department chair, a program director, or a group or member of the faculty of their organizational unit.

~~B. Any deliberation related to program or organizational unit modification or discontinuance should involve the~~ ~~following groups or individuals:~~

~~1. the faculty of the affected program or academic unit~~,
2. the chair of the affected unit,
3. an academic dean
4. the provost,
5. the president, and
6. the Faculty Senate.

Friendly amendments addressed the following changes. The section, Overview, above shows the changes to that section.

1. Fixed the last few words in II. Overview A paragraph: of their organizational unit.
2. Deleted II Overview B
3. Renumbered the following paragraphs: B-H.
4. II Overview B (new paragraph B) rearranged the wording
5. III Review Process C. 1: added "d," The Provost and renumbered old "d" to "e."
6. III Review Process D. 2: added "other."

The complete policy can be viewed online at http://faculty.weber.edu/senate/ Click on the March 24 Senate meeting to find the agenda and document.

The Provost supports the proposed changes to PPM 1-14a and does not anticipate any issues with President’s Council and Board of Trustees. Currently, two program modifications are under discussion. Those involved in the program modifications would like to see the proposed program changes happen before the end of this academic year. Until the Board of Trustees approves the above changes to PPM 1-14a at the April 12 meeting, the old policy will be in effect. The old policy allows modifications to be made before the conclusion of the academic year. The new policy would not.

Motion by the Constitutional Review, Apportionment & Organization Committee to approve the changes to PPM 1-14a Program Modification or Discontinuance Review Procedure.
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

9. GENERAL EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT & ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE – Jeff Grunow, Chair

Proposal for the creation of General Education Area Committees.

Proposal: In order to serve its mission, the University GE Committee herein proposes the creation of four (4) GE Core area committees (Composition; American Institutions; Quantitative Literacy; Computer and Information Literacy) and five (5) GE Breadth area committees (Humanities; Creative Arts; Social Sciences; Physical Sciences; Life Sciences), to serve as an interface between the University GE Committee and the many departments which offer General Education courses.

The following suggestions were made:

GE Area Committee Composition: Committee members will be selected by the University GE Committee and shall serve a three year term, with a third of the committee being rotated out each year. Each GE Area Committee should have

a) one GE Area Chair faculty member from a department that teaches a GE course in that area,

b) no fewer than 3, ~~and no more than 5~~, additional faculty members drawn from different departments that teach a GE course in that area, and

c) two faculty members from departments outside that GE area (one of which will be a standing University GE Committee member). ~~Committee members will be selected by the University GE Committee and shall serve a three year term, with a third of the committee being rotated out each year.~~

The entire document can be found at: http://faculty.weber.edu/senate/ Click on the March 24 Senate meeting to find the agenda and document.

The Area Committees review Gen Ed courses for assessment purposes. Gen Ed course proposals and Gen Ed course renewals will still be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee.

Changes to the document

"Dance" under Creative Arts will be included in "Performing Arts."

Each Gen Area Committees should have: b) no fewer than 3 ~~, and nor more than 5, additional~~ faculty members drawn from different departments . . ."

Motion by the General Education Improvement & Assessment Committee for the creation of General Education Area Committees.
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

10. CURRICULUM COMMITTEE – Erika Daines, Chair

Currently there are course numbers that also contain a letter. The letter added at the end of the course makes it a new number for the course. Custom programming is needed when a letter is added because it is now a five digit course number instead of a four digit course number. Course numbers that contain a letter will be phased out.

Curriculum

Geography - Map Reading and Land Navigation - Geog 1002

Accounting - Accounting for Global and Complex Entities - Actg 5140; Program change for Bachelor of Science in Accounting

Honors - Exploring Key Concepts in the Humanities - HNRS 2010; Gen Ed Humanities proposal for Exploring Key Concepts in the Humanities - HNRS 2010

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

11. SALARY, BENEFITS, BUDGET & FISCAL PLANNING – Lloyd Burton, Chair

Budget Items – Mike Vaughan, Provost

The Regents will set the tuition structure March 25, 2011
PEHP Insurance - Full-time salaried employees premium sharing will go from $12.77 to $16.72 per pay check for single coverage, $26.91 to $38.79 for double coverage, and $42.78 to $56.04 for family coverage. The most effected employee is affected about $300 a year. The least effected employee is affected around $100 a year. To compensate for the increase in medical benefits for the past two years, each full-time employee will receive a base salary increase of $600 a year, effective April 1, 2011. It will show up in the April 18 pay check. There is a mechanism to tax shelter the $600 so that it is tax neutral.
Faculty Compression and Equity - Monies will be made available to address the most serious equity and retention issues on campus. Money made available for faculty equity issues will be just over a half a million dollars. Deans were asked to allocate equity dollars for faculty they thought were candidates for equity money. Equity money is for equity not for merit. Equity allocations will be given to 124 faculty. The average amount will be between $2,000 and $3,000. Of those receiving equity 47% are Full Professors, 23% are Associate Professors, 10% are Assistant Professors, and 9% are Instructors.

Supplemental Pay Model – Lloyd Burton, Chair, Salary, Benefits, Budget & Fiscal Planning Committee

The Supplemental Pay Model has been presented at college meetings for discussion. One of the concerns with the model was a stair step jump in compensation based on enrollment. The revised model smooths out the compensation curve based on enrollment. Small enrollment classes will be negotiated separately with Continuing Education.

The Supplemental Pay Model can be viewed at: http://faculty.weber.edu/senate/ Click on the March 24 Senate meeting to find the agenda and document.

Speaking Against the Motion

This model is punitive. We should support supplemental pay models that increase pay for faculty.
This model is divisive.
This model pits faculty against faculty.
If there are abuses in the online system, let’s find them and eliminate them or correct them.
Face to face compensation should be increased.
This model will damage our ability to deliver quality online instruction.
This policy will disadvantage programs.
We will lose our best teachers.
It could decrease enrollment in online classes.
The multipliers do not address the increase in work with the increase in enrollment.
Having a strong supplemental pay policy is a good recruiting tool

Speaking in Favor of the Motion

Supplemental pay should not be a major part of our income.
60-70% of faculty will gain money from the proposed model; 30% will be lose money.
Teaching large numbers of students through supplemental pay should not be our way of teaching.
Those teaching online have more flexibility than those teaching face to face. Face to face instructors should be compensated more.
The model does not addressed how many SCH’s are given to a department.

Provost’s Proposal

The average online compensation and average pay for faculty who teach face to face are the same. The distributions around the average are radically different. The Provost proposes keeping online as it is and pay face to face on the basis of $35 per student per credit hour beginning Fall 2011.

Responses to the Provost
The Provost’s plan has not been analyzed. We need to know the pros and cons.

Call for the Question
The motion passed with 1 abstention.

Motion: Send back to the Salary, Benefits, Budget & Fiscal Planning Committee to examine pay guideline as proposed by the Provost to keep online supplemental pay as is and pay face to face on the basis of $35 per student per credit hour beginning fall 2011.
Made: Sue Harley
Second: Rod Hansen
Outcome: The motion passed with 3 abstentions.

12. OTHER

Warren Hill will retire at the end of this academic year. He expressed his thanks for working at Weber State and the opportunity to work with the Faculty Senate.

ADJOURN

The meeting adjourned at 5:10 p.m.