Minutes for Faculty Senate Meeting
April 17, 2012
2:00 p.m. EB 162
Meeting 2012-04

Meeting called to order at 2:00 p.m.

Chairman, Secretary, and Quorum were present.

Attendance: 2012 04 Faculty Senate Attendance

March 20, 2012 minutes approved

Individual Reports

Chancellor Miller.

i.         Thanks again for all your hard work. 

ii.         BOG report:  Faculty Workload

o   Suzanne Ortega did a fabulous job educating the BOG regarding everything that the faculty actually do: research, teaching, and service.

o   More timely reporting of workload

o   More specific regarding research and service, re: workloads and reductions

o   Report on performance funding

o   Move from growth- to performance-based model.

o   Appears to be a good model for UNCW

o   Senate Bill 575: Give supervision over SPA employees to BOG

o   This is something that the community colleges already do.

o   Please refer to BOG policy.  I don't believe that it hurts staff's rights.

o   Reminders about Installation events, and encouragement to participate in Commencement.

President of the Senate Lugo.

i.         Faculty Assembly update

o   Academics First – Highlights of workgroup discussion on April 26 (Yield to R. Burt).

§  Background initiative that came out of Faculty Assembly

o   Changes in two general areas: 1. general minimum admission requirements; 2. academic policies developed by faculty on individual campuses.

o   Committee tasked with forming general guidelines that focused on admission requirements and that would then be customized by the individual campuses.

o   Next phase focuses on academic policies

o   Survey of Provosts conducted shows general agreement regarding point #1, and a wide range on point #2.

o   Process will be gradual, and there should be plenty of time for campuses to respond to any possible impositions from above.

o   Question from Provost Barlow:  Now that the champion, Sandy Gravett, is leaving her post, are there others looking to champion Academics First?

o   Response:  Yes, many in General Administration.

o   Why is this seen as beneficial?

o   Public perception is that the UNC system is capricious.

o   Attempt to establish baseline for comparative purposes regarding retention rates.   

§  Students can repeat a course they passed with D± only once.

§  Both courses count as attempted hours in GPA

§  Students can repeat a course with an F until they pass

§  Faculty should be involved in "intervention contracts"

§  Grade replacement not permitted

§  W's limited to three allowed until the last day of classes

o   Performance-based model:

§  Seven items prescribed by GA

§  Three to be negotiated. Provost working with a committee.

§  One critique: the performance-based models don't measure quality of education, but rather focus on quantitative methods.

§  Hope items addressing quality can be included as one or more of the three items to be negotiated.

ii.          Ad-Hoc RTP committee formed

o   Tasked with providing a report with actionable items by March-April 2013

iii.          Special order of the day: SACS update (Lugo yields to Posey)

o   Key timeline points: QEP proposal due January 2013.  Onsite review 19-21 March 2013.

Committee Reports

i.               The University Studies committee offers the following motion
[Motion 2012-04-M01]:

o   Recommendations for Explorations Beyond the Classroom and Thematic Transdisciplinary Clusters, and catalogue copy to finalize phase II implementation of US (this motion follows up on Senate motion 2011-09-M05).

[2012_04_M01a].

o   Motion from CSB for a waiver from Thematic Transdiscplinary Clusters for Cameron students who enroll in a second option within the school.
[2012_04_M01b].

o   Motion from CSC for a waiver from Thematic Transdisciplinary Clusters for majors who opt for the Digital Arts or Business Concentration.
[2012_04_M01c].

o   Motion from WSE for a waiver from Thematic Transdisciplinary Clusters for students who major in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, or Middle Grades Education, and for those who pursue licensure in Secondary Education.
[2012_04_M01d].

[Motion 2012-04-M01 passes

ii.               The Steering Committee offers the following motions:
 

o   [Motion 2012-04-M02 Committee on Student Matters
To replace the committees on Admissions, Student Affairs, Financial Aid and Bookstore.

      [Motion 2012-04-M02  passes without dissent 

o   [Motion 2012-04-M03 QEP
That the Faculty Senate endorse the proposed Quality Enhancement Plan titled "eTeal: experiencing Transformative education through applied learning."

§  (Proposed amendment)

           [Motion 2012-04-M03 withdrawn]

o   New motion introduced: [Motion 2012-04-MO4]:

The Faculty Senate endorses a QEP centered on Applied Learning with an emphasis on instructor-centered development opportunities.

 

o   Discussion: 

o   Kim Cook: 

§  Original intent was to gain support for concept of applied learning, not for the wording of the plan itself.

§  Final plan won't be submitted to SACS until January 2013.

o   Other discussion:

§  Where is additional money going?

§  For director, for faculty opportunities.

§  Much feedback is tied to how can we streamline process, e.g., student travel.

§  Issue is that UNCW is amazingly innovative in terms of applied learning.  Focus needs to be on improving applied learning as a two-way street, so that the people who are doing the best work in applied learning.

§  Wording of document seems top-down.  Hope focus is on faculty, not administrative concerns.

§  So much emphasis on training faculty when major issue is that money could be better spent on applied learning already being done.

§  Speaking to motion actually on the floor, we need to remember that SACS mandates that we have a QEP.

             [Motion 2012-04-MO4 passed by a vote of 27 in favor, 17 against]

iii.            Report from the IT committee (Pemberton)

o   Use of online SPOTS

o   Next generation library system

o   More consistent policy regarding borrowing

o   Scholarly communication issues, Copyright issues.

o   Please complete survey on Randall Library

o   Blackboard is going to change format, but content should be maintained.

 

iv.            Report from the Evaluation Committee (Ashe)

o   Pilot of Idea Center instrument has been implemented.

o   Data acquisition process for SPOT being reexamined.

v.              Report from the Handbook Committee (Lugo)

o   Revisions still in process.

o   Goal is to have the Handbook as a single pdf document.

vi.            Report from the Research Committee (Evers)

o   Work done on Cahill and Scholar Award

Old Business.  None noted.

New Business.  None noted.

Good of the order (Open forum)

o   QEP

§  I hope we don't have a second set of assessment on faculty who are already doing applied learning.

§  Main concern.  What does instructor-centered mean with regard to centralized administration vs. individual needs and expertise of departments?

o   Two Faculty Senate Forums to be seeded in Faculty Senate Sharepoint site:

§  RPT

§  QEP

o   What's status of proficiency profile?

§  Participation was high, thanks to online method of administration of survey.

§  Learning Council invited to communicate with Faculty Senate.  Issue drawn to attention of Steering Committee.

o   Concern raised regarding ensuring student participation in online evaluation methods.

§  Evaluation Committee is investigating appropriate strategies.

§  Yes, we want to improve numbers, but also make sure process is carried out correctly.

o   What are the guiding principles regarding control over class seats?

§  Newly formed Committee on Student Matters could address this.

o   Plans for next academic year:

§  Continued work on consolidation and efficacy of university committees on Advancement

Announcements.  None.

Meeting adjourned at 3:20.