Draft 9-13-12
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHARGES FOR 2012-2013
Drew Weidman, Chair
Patti Cost, Liaison
ACADEMIC RESOURCES AND COMPUTING
PPM 1-13, Article 5, Section 4.1: The Committee on Academic Resources and
Computing shall recommend policies and operational procedures on the acquisition
and utilization of computers and academic resource material.
1. Allocate ARCC resources, including Dee Family Technology Grant funds, using
consistent, objective, fair, and reasonable criteria. (Spring)
2. Review funding criteria and procedures for ARCC for possible revision or
clarification purposes. (Fall)
3. Continue to improve the means of submitting proposals and decreasing the
amount of paperwork. Evaluate opportunities for “paperless” workflows
campus-wide. (Ongoing)
4. Assess faculty and student computer needs, solicit faculty input, and lobby
for the faculty’s computer-related interests.
5. Examine product implementations in computer labs to determine if some
products could be used on a campus-wide basis. (Ongoing)
6. Review (with computing support) standards and policies for hardware and
software purchases. (Ongoing)
7. Maintain close communication with other computer resource entities on campus,
including CE and IT online instruction. Advise these entities of faculty needs.
8. Research ways to strengthen academic computing, specifically in the areas of
visualization, simulation, and scientific analysis.
9. Align ARCC process with the ITAC (Information Technology Advisory Council)
process.
10. Investigate and report on the committee reorganizations in IT, specifically
the portfolio divisions and its effect on faculty representation on IT
committees. (Fall)
Kristin Nelson, Chair
Shelly Costley, Liaison
ADMISSIONS, STANDARDS AND STUDENT AFFAIRS
PPM 1-13, Article 5, Section 4.2: The Admissions, Standards and Student
Affairs Committee shall be concerned with standards for admission, retention and
graduation from the University and policies pertaining to student affairs
1. Review and update PPM 7-1, Press and Radio Relations, regarding university
communications and related means of announcing university activities and events
to the broader Ogden community. (Fall)
2. Review and update PPM 7-3, Clearance of Material Concerning the University,
as it relates to the upcoming capital campaign. (Fall)
3. Review and update PPM 6-22, Student Code, regarding academic incidents and
appeals. (Fall)
4. Study PPM 6-22, Student Code, and make recommendations concerning students
recording lectures, and dissemination.
5. Establish a timeline with dates and directives for students wishing to file a
complaint against a faculty member (PPM 6-22). (Spring)
Chris Eisenbarth, Chair
Brian Rague, Liaison
APPOINTMENT, PROMOTION, ACADEMIC FREEDOM, AND TENURE
PPM 1-13, Article 5, Section 4.3: The Committee on Appointment, Promotion, Academic Freedom and Tenure shall formulate policies and operational procedures on these matters and on due process and merit.
1. Review and, if needed, amend policies relating to intellectual property,
copyright, patents, etc (such as PPM 4-35) with special attention on the
policy’s impact to faculty scholarship and research.
2. Formulate a change to policy regarding dismissal of tenure track faculty
during the probationary period. Specifically, develop a written policy to
address the cases in which a candidate receives an unsatisfactory progress
toward tenure in an interim review.
3. Clarify the processes and expectations for situations in which issues occur
toward the end of the semester. How soon do these issues need to be resolved? Is
a faculty member obligated to be on campus in the summer? (Fall) Situations to
consider include:
A. The appeal of tenure decisions by faculty.
B. Faculty grievances where one faculty member is aware of another faculty
member who has committed a violation of policy. Do you compel the faculty member
to be on campus in the summer or do you deny a faculty member a timely
resolution?
4. Subsequent to review of the survey instrument completed in Spring 2012 by an
hoc task force appointed by the Executive Committee, update PPM 1-17, Selection
and Evaluation of Academic Deans, per the recommendations submitted by the
2010-2011 APAFT committee (Charges 4, 6, 7). Specifically, PPM 1-17 should
include: (Fall)
A. Clear delineation between the initial appointment, interim two-year review,
and evaluation for reappointment.
B. Consequences of the interim review and reappointment evaluation must be made
clear, for example, in salary increases, terms or reappointment, etc.
5. Report on possible revisions of college and departmental policy regarding
terminal degree exceptions for promotion and tenure. Is a degree in relative
field implied? (Fall)
6. Are policies necessary to define appointments, evaluation, and removal of
dean appointed directors who operate at a level below the department chair?
(Spring)
7. Review and revise the statement contained in PPM 8-11, III, C - Tenure
Process: Faculty members who have been granted extensions of the probationary
period beyond the normal six years shall annually be subject to formal review.
The statement asserts that faculty granted extensions are still required to put
their file together and undergo the review. The policy effectively states that
the faculty member will be reviewed every year until they receive tenure. (Fall)
Timothy Herzog, Chair
Kathy Herndon, Liaison
CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW, APPORTIONMENT, AND ORGANIZATION
PPM 1-13, Article 5, Section 4.4: The Committee on
Constitutional Review, Apportionment and Organization shall review, update and
preserve the integrity of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Weber State
University faculty government. This Committee shall study ratios of college
representation on the Senate and recommend procedures for electing its members.
The Committee shall also be responsible for recommending policies on the
organization and operational procedures of the University.
1. Calculate apportionment for Faculty Senate representation using the Hamilton
Method and present the apportionment figures to the Faculty Senate during Fall
Semester. (November deadline).
2. Research questions and make recommendations that are brought to the attention of the CRAO Committee. (Ongoing)
3. Review PPM for nonsubstantive terminology changes such
as department name changes, etc. (Fall)
4. Review PPM policies (20 years or older) to identify possible action. (Time
permitting)
Jim Wilson, Chair
Vikki Vickers, Liaison
CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
PPM 1-13, Article 5, Section 4.5: The Curriculum Committee (CC) shall study
and evaluate the curriculum needs of the University by reviewing program,
certificate, and course proposals (including courses proposed to fulfill
specific General Education designations as defined in the CC manual), which have
been approved by college curriculum committees or programs that report directly
to the Office of Academic Affairs.
1. Review and approve curriculum and program proposals.
2. Continue to conduct workshops for college curriculum committees on an
as-needed basis to acquaint them with curriculum procedures. (Fall)
3. Develop a new approval form for courses to satisfy the diversity requirement
using criteria (Intercultural Knowledge Rubric) approved by Faculty Senate.
(Fall)
4. Pass new forms for Humanities and Creative Arts General Education courses.
(Fall)
5. Discuss and form parameters for workshops. Is a 14-week workshop a course?
(Fall)
6. Discussion of responsibilities of the committee, in particular who can make
submissions to the committee. Should curriculum submissions come from an
academic department? (March)
7. Discuss policy on prerequisite changes involving another department. Could
this be handled by agreement through email? (March)
8. Does the new catalog software allow a paperless curriculum process? (March)
Alice Mulder, Chair
Ed Hahn, Liaison
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES COMMITTEE (EIC)
PPM 1-13, Article B-5, Section 4.6: Committee on Environmental Issues
The Environmental Issues Committee shall help facilitate the integration of
environmental initiatives into academic affairs, student affairs, and facilities
management. The committee shall serve as a local and statewide source for
scientifically-based information and for leadership on environmental issues
affecting Utah, the Wasatch Front and WSU campus communities.
1. Continue to organize the EIC’s speaker, film, and discussion series, often in
partnership with numerous departments programs, and organizations across campus.
(Monthly)
2. Keep the EIC website up-to-date and producing two to four issues of a
newsletter over the academic year. (Ongoing)
3. Work with Student Affairs and the Sustainability Office to secure ongoing
student sustainability funding, with the hope of getting the funding added to
the base budget in order to grow the program and to provide a stable financial
platform for future years. (Ongoing)
4. Review the WSU STARS application (EIC will be responsible for the academic
and research component of the application) with an eye toward getting SILVER
certification by applying points from existing programs and working to address
areas of deficiency. (Ongoing)
5. Coordinating with the WSU Student Environmental Club to increase student
involvement and awareness with environmentally-and sustainability-related
issues. (Ongoing)
6. Coordinate and host a faculty sustainability/environmental syllabus
development retreat. This retreat helps WSU earn points in the STARS category
“Incentives for Developing Sustainability Courses.” This is scheduled for April
2013. (Spring)
7. Continue exploring best practices in office power conservation: power strips,
campus campaigns, new software programs that reduce desktop computer electricity
use, etc. (Ongoing)
8. Continue working with Facilities Management to explore ‘greener" ways to
manage campus lawns and create more xeriscaped areas. (Ongoing)
9. Assist in hosting the Intermountain Sustainability Summit in February 2013.
(Spring)
10. Continue to build partnerships with student organizations, the WSU Outdoor
Program, alumni, the City of Ogden, other universities statewide, the Teaching
and Learning Forum, and more. (Ongoing)
11. Advertise and promote on campus, review, and select projects for the
2012-2013 Student Sustainability Research Awards, and the Faculty Sustainability
Research Awards (Spring)
12. The EIC Chair will sit on the Student Sustainability Fund Committee to guide
ideas for and help oversee student projects that utilize the $9000 available for
the 2012-2013 academic year. (Ongoing)
13. Initiate discussions across campus in partnership with the Sustainability
Office to address WSU’s commuting-related Scope 3 emissions, which form a
significant percentage of the university’s carbon emissions which will need to
be addressed to meet the university’s Climate Action Plan. (Spring)
14. Consider student proposals (Brady Harris) for making WSU a smoke-free
campus, and make a recommendation to the Faculty Senate. (Fall)
15. Explore support for a potential WSU Environmental Education Initiative. This
center serve as a center for coordinating overlapping projects such as community
outreach, and curriculum-related, alumni related, student-affairs related
environmental issues. Most of the other Utah universities have centers (e.g.,
the Tanner Center for Environmental Humanities at the University of Utah).
(Spring)
Steven Peterson, Chair
John Armstrong, Liaison
GENERAL EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT & ASSESSMENT
PPM 1-13, Article 5, Section 4.6: The General
Education Committee (GE) shall articulate the mission and goals for the General
Education program and University core requirements and review these on a regular
basis. The General Education Committee shall define the standards for the
General Education program and oversee the assessment of the General Education
program and University core requirements.
1. In consultation with WSU’s deans and department chairs, members of the GEIAC
will identify faculty members to fill vacancies on the General Education Area
Committees: Composition; American Institutions; Quantitative Literacy; Computer
& Information Literacy; Humanities; Creative Arts; Social Sciences; Physical
Sciences; Life Sciences. (Ongoing)
2. Determine if diversity – which was rolled into general education – will be
handled by the existing area committees or if we are going to set up a separate
area committee for diversity.
3. The GEIAC will guide the GE Area Committees as they systematically collect
and analyze assessment data and make recommendations for the improvement of
general education courses in their area.
• Provide training to the GE Area Committees in the proper collection,
reporting, and assessment of data collected and – if requested by the college,
department, or program – provide training in the proper collection, reporting,
and assessment of data collected to faculty teaching general education courses.
• The GE Area Committees will provide a report to the GEIAC on the data
collected during the spring and summer 2012 semesters (Due January 15, 2013).
The GEIAC will provide a summary report to the Faculty Senate March 2013.
• Provide and document interpretations and clarifications as to the intent of
the general education outcomes to faculty.
Ann Ellis, Chair
Patti Cost, Liaison
HONORARY DEGREE
PPM 1-13, Article 5, Section 4.6: Faculty members on
the Honorary Degree Committee shall review the recommendations presented to them
and shall act as the faculty representatives on the Committee on Commencement
and Honorary Degrees.
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Consider ways to encourage more nominations from faculty for honorary
degrees.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Provide the larger committee with a way to carry forward information so next
year’s committee can benefit from work done this year.
Azenett Garza, Chair
Ryan Pace, Liaison
RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH
PPM 1-13, Article 5, Section 4.7: The Committee on
Research, Scholarship and Professional Growth shall recommend policies on
research, scholarship, teaching loads, instructional and faculty development and
faculty productivity. It shall facilitate faculty in obtaining grants, travel
funds, physical facilities, etc., to collaborative research and scholarly
activities.
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. 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).
9. Continue to coordinate with OUR to provide faculty with funding for research
assistants.
David Malone, Chair
Colleen Garside/Brian Rague, Liaison
SALARY, BENEFITS, BUDGET, AND FISCAL PLANNING
PPM 1-13, Article 5, Section 4.8: The Committee on
Salary, Benefits, Budget and Fiscal planning shall study, evaluate and make
recommendations on faculty salaries, benefits, budgets and fiscal planning
issues.
This Committee shall not exceed nine members with representation from each
organization unit. The Faculty Senate chair shall serve as the Executive
Committee liaison. A subcommittee shall serve under the direction of this
Committee and represent the faculty in salary and related negotiations with the
University administration. No two members of this subcommittee shall be from the
same organizational unit. This subcommittee shall consist of the Faculty Senate
chair, the chair of the Committee on Salary, Benefits, Budget and Fiscal
Planning and a third member nominated by the Committee and approved by the
Faculty Senate.
1. Examine the dollar amounts of equity and merit adjustments each year.
2. Review campus salary levels using CUPA data, turnover data, and data from
regional peer institutions.
3. Study and make recommendations on current practice by Continuing Education on
the distribution of overload hours given to colleges. (Fall)
4. Examine salary options for compensation increases and prioritize
recommendations.
5. Review and make recommendations on current compensation model for
supplemental pay. (Fall)
6. Explore compensation model for promotions. (Fall)
7. Explore and make recommendations on overload teaching and reassigned time.
Are they mutually exclusive? (Spring)
Jordan Hamson-Utley, Chair
Ed Hahn, Liaison
TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE
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.
This committee shall have one faculty Representative from each organizational
unit. The chair of the committee shall be selected from a pool of applicants by
a selection committee appointed by the Executive Committee and comprised of
members of the Executive Committee and the Committee on Teaching, Learning and
Assessment. The Committee shall be recommended to the Senate by the Executive
Committee. The chair will serve for a three-year term and will be evaluated
annually by members of the Committee on Teaching. Learning and Assessment. The
chair of the committee shall be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the
Forum on Teaching and Learning.
1. Continue to sponsor and promote book discussion groups for fall and spring
semesters
2. Continue to sponsor the Faculty Forum along with the Last Lecture during the
fall semester (October 17, 2012)
3. Continue sponsoring the annual New Faculty Retreat each August
4. Continue to sponsor the annual Adjunct Faculty Retreat (February 2, 2013)
5. Co-sponsor the Teaching with Technology – Professional Development Program
with Continuing Education; this will include a select cohort of faculty members
interested in researching and developing mobile technology for use in the
classroom or online. Presentations will be part of this program open to all
faculty members to attend. The hope is for this to be an annual program.
(Spring)
5. Sponsor brown bags on topics related to pedagogy twice a month during the
fall and spring semesters in Lampros Hall
7. Sponsor graduate student fellowship for one master student during their
second year to help with various TLA events, building and maintaining the
digital library, and to help faculty interested in pedagogical research across
disciplines. A tuition waver and stipend are provided (All year)
8. Sponsor professional learning groups for any group of faculty wanting to meet
with common interests (Ongoing)
9. Continue to support and maintain the digital technology library, specifically
podcasts of training and workshops sponsored by the Teaching and Learning Forum
(Ongoing)
10. Sponsor Teaching with Technology forum tentatively scheduled for March of
2013
11. Facilitate the Mobile Learning Initiatives related to the use of mobile
technology in educational settings. This is sponsored by the Weber State IT
department where up to ten grants will be awarded for the fall and spring
semesters. (Could this be coordinated with ARCC?)
12. Co-sponsor iBooks Author with Apple during the spring 2013 semester to
assist faculty with creating and publishing educational materials, this is a
small group of selected faculty with the goal of continuing in the following
years (Spring)