Thursday, September 9, 1999
SS115, 2:00 p.m.

PRESENT:  Karen Dewey, Bruce Handley, Judith Mitchell - Vice Chair, Candadai Seshachari - Chair, Sally Shigley, John Sillito, John Sohl, Alden Talbot, Paul Thompson, Kay Brown - Secretary.

EXCUSED:  Dave Eisler, Gene Sessions

MINUTES

John Sohl: Moved to approve the minutes of August 26, 1999
Second: Judith Mitchell
Outcome: The minutes were approved.

DAVIS CAMPUS

Bruce Davis, Director of the Davis Campus, presented information to the Executive Committee. Although Davis County is among Utah=s fastest growing areas, the Utah System of Higher Education delivers just 16 degree programs within its borders. The leadership of the House and the Senate have expressed a desire to make more degree programs available in Davis County. The Regents want to be responsive to the community needs and desires. Currently there are 4 certificate programs and 4 associate degree programs offered in partnership with the Davis Applied Technology Center. Independent of that partnership are 3 associate degree programs and 1 bachelor degree program offered at the Davis Campus. Beginning Spring 2000 an English major will be added to the Davis Campus programs. Currently there are 1,000 students at the Davis Campus.

The Executive Committee felt that Weber State needed to move ahead with their commitment to the Davis Campus. Faculty need to be behind the movement. It was suggested that a group of faculty be assigned to teach their full load at the Davis Campus so that there is a community of critical mass.

FTE

President Thompson reported that the current statistics show the enrollment FTE count up 738 students. This number reflects a 7.1% increase in enrollment. The enrollment figure will change slightly after the third week of school.

ATHLETICS

President Thompson received information on a conference hosted by Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa entitled Faculty Trying to Stop the Corruption in Inter Collegiate Athletics. President Thompson is supportive of sending a faculty member to the conference.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Allen Simkins is putting together a small work group looking at health benefits. Dr. Simkins is currently working with Joan Ogden and Dick McDermott. They are in need of additional help and are looking at others to meet with them. Also being put together is an advisory group of faculty and staff. The notion is that the work group will do the technical pieces, with the advisory group looking at how the pieces will affect employees of Weber State. President Thompson will bring some names to the Executive Committee for approval. The members of the Health and Benefits Task Force will work with the Faculty Salary, Benefits, Budget, and Fiscal Planning Committee. The administration desires broad participation on this important issue.

SALARIES

The University is in the process of preparing their budget request for the legislature. The proposed budget went to the Commissioners Office in August and to the Regents last week. The nine institutions have identified salaries of faculty and staff as the top priority of their budget. President Thompson is desirous of getting broader participation in the lobbying effort.

Judith Mitchell and Candadai Seshachari attended a meeting of the Council of Faculty Leaders September 2, 1999 at Utah State University. The primary discussion centered around salary compensation and benefits. WSU salary issues are shared concerns across the state. They discussed an initiative by student leaders in support of faculty salaries. The Board of Regents will be pushing for raises. Contacts by the Council of Faculty Leaders will be made with important legislators.

The legislature is reluctant to bond to build a building or to free up money from I-15 so that funds can be used for education. The interest rate to borrow money is as low now as it has been for 30 or 40 years. Money was recently borrowed at 3.4%. However, regardless of the low interest rate, the legislature is reluctant to bond.

Dave Eisler is putting together a small task force to look at supplemental pay for faculty. The Executive Committee felt this group needed to work closely with the Faculty Salary, Benefits, Budget, and Fiscal Planning Committee. In accordance with the PPM this task force should be a study group and gather data and then go to the Faculty Salary, Benefits, Budget, and Fiscal Planning Committee with their recommendations. The Faculty Salary, Benefits, Budget, and Fiscal Planning Committee would then review the findings of the task force and make recommendations to the Faculty Senate.

FACULTY SENATE OFFICES

Kathleen Lukken proposed relocating the Faculty Senate Offices. With the reopening of the Browning Center, offices have become available in Building 1 and on the second floor of the Miller Administration Building. The committee discussed the pros and cons revolving around the two proposed locations. The Executive Committee concluded that the Miller Administration Building would be the best space available. Kay Brown will work with the architect to help design the needed space for the Faculty Senate. Two offices, one for the Faculty Senate Chair and one for the Office Manager, are needed as well as a workroom and access to a conference room.

ASSESSMENT

Assessment at Weber State is more than Program Review, and it is more than assessing your student major outcomes. The whole University has to accept the Mission Statement. We need to move from the Mission Statement and define some specific or precise outcomes that we think are the products of our Mission Statement. Based on those precise outcomes, we will need to determine what kind of surveys, data, or information will need to be collected. This process will help us as an institution decide if we are meeting our mission. Most of the University=s Mission Statement is focused on teaching and learning, however, student major outcomes is only one aspect of several assessment activities that are taking place.

Program Review has existed for more than a decade. It was put on hold during semester conversion and is being reimplemented this year. It has been modified and revised to reflect more accurately some of the assessment procedures that are taking place. Each department needs to develop a mission statement, develop statements of learning outcomes, and determine assessment tools. Assessment is a University wide effort. There is a need to coordinate what is happening across campus.

MOTION

John Sillito: Moved to forward the Program Review and Assessment information to the Faculty Senate for the September 23, 1999 meeting.
Second: Judith Mitchell
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

FACULTYBOARD OF REVIEW

The Executive Committee discussed the position of Chair of the Faculty Board of Review for the 1999-2000 academic year. Randy Scott is currently serving as Chair of that committee. The Executive Committee suggested Sue Harley to serve as Chair for 1999-2000. Executive Committee members were in agreement. Sue Harley=s name will be presented to the Faculty Senate at the September 23, 1999 meeting for approval.

TLA COMMITTEE

Patti Cost is no long at Weber State. A replacement for her on the Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Committee is needed.

MOTION

Bruce Handley: Moved to replace Patti Cost on the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee with Shannon Butler.
Second: John Sohl
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

CRAO

COMMITTEE Kathy Payne is no longer at Weber State. A replacement for her on the Constitutional Review, Apportionment, and Organization Committee is needed.

MOTION

Bruce Handley: Moved to replace Kathy Payne on the Constitutional Review, Apportionment, and Organization Committee with Stella Chang.
Second: Karen Dewey
Outcome: The motion passed unanimously.

Shannon Butler and Stella Chang will be contacted. If they accept the positions offered, their names will be presented to the Faculty Senate at the September 23, 1999 meeting.

Faculty apportionment was discussed. Weber State currently has 39 Faculty Senators, 4 Student Senators, with 11 Administrative Members, the President and the Provost. The total number of administrative and faculty members shall not exceed 52. (PPM 1-13, 3.1, p.3)

TRAVEL SUPPORT

The Faculty Senate Office will make available to Executive Committee members $500 in support of travel for professional development.

ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 4:07 p.m.

NEXT MEETING

The next meeting will be the Agenda Setting Meeting on September 16, 1999.