Faculty Senate Minutes:  October 2, 2009

 

 

Attendance:

 

Faculty Senate

 Name

 

 College

 Attendance

 Representatives

 

 

 

 

1

 

 Aworuwa

 B.

 CELA

 Present

2

 

 Gandy

 T.

 CELA

 Present

3

 

 Garick

 S.

 HBS

 Present

4

 

 Govindaswamy

 V.

STEM

 Present

5

 

 Haque

 M.A.

 Business

 Present

6

 

 Hamilton

 J.

CELA

 Absent

7

 

 Harris

 M.

CELA

 Present

8

 

 Humphrey

 P.

 Business

 Present

9

 

 Jordan

 T.

 HBS

 Present

10

 

 McCallum

 M.

STEM

 Absent

11

 

 Owen

 R.

 Business

 Present

12

 

 Racheotes

 P.

HBS

 Present

13

 

Vainstein

 F.

STEM

 Present

Others  in attendance:

R. Stripling, M. Edwards

 

 

Report from Provost:

 

Dr. Stripling expressed her appreciation for the invitation and for the opportunity to work with the Faculty Senate again this year.   Maya Edwards was introduced and explanation given regarding the type of projects Maya would be working on in her new position.   

 

1.       Dr. Stripling and Maya will present information on the following:

a.       Student grade appeal process – M. Edwards

b.      Faculty Professional Development – M. Edwards

c.       Summer faculty salaries and associate level salaries – Dr. Stripling

d.      Other questions for Dr. Stripling

 

1.a.  UP 3.02.99.H1.01: Discussion and Resolution of Grade Disputes, Grievances and Appeal Processes.

 

·         There was a problem last year regarding contradicting information concerning deadlines for each step in the catalog.  This problem has since been corrected. To develop the proposed policy and procedures, Maya Edwards reviewed several Texas universities’ policies.  The main changes include: 

o   New deadlines for each step of the process

o   A review completed at the dean’s level, not the provost’s level

o   Dean decides if student’s complaint has merit to go to committee or denies appeal.

o   Criteria for consideration is if the grade was “arbitrary and error of fact, or discrimination”.

o   If appeal is denied by Dean, student can appeal to the provost in writing.

o   Dean sets up smaller committee to include one student affairs member,

o   one graduate or undergraduate (match the level of the course in dispute), and one faculty member.

o   Written documentation is required from both student and instructor

o   Documents will be made available to student and instructor.

o   Documentation will be reviewed by committee at the beginning of the committee meeting.

o   Guidelines for the meeting will be developed.

 

·         Dr. Stripling responded to the question raised, “What if a student wants to bring a lawyer to the meeting?”   The student can bring anyone they want.  They would have to notify the university in advance.  The university doesn’t have the right to deny attendance. The notification would need to be in writing and the university has the right to bring legal representation.  The university controls the meeting and who talks.

·         Dr. Stripling asked Faculty Senate to respond to the grade appeals policy and procedures’ proposal within a month.

 

            1.b.  Faculty Professional Development

·         This has been budgeted and needs to align with university strategic plan for next three years.  A needs assessment will be accomplished through an online survey of the faculty. The survey will address: topic suggestions to meet faculty; college or university needs; rank topics; consider short term and long term goals; delivery preferences; and suggestion for presenters including both outside-university and inside-university experts.

·         Professional development may be mandatory if related to university goals. Professional development may be voluntary involving college or department needs and groups.  One idea is that everyone who is teaching lower division students will need “millennium student.”

 

 

            1.c.  Summer faculty salaries  and associate professor salaries

·         The university is exploring a change in summer salaries and adjustment of the associate level salaries. The current concepts under consideration is lowering of summer salaries and increasing the associate level salaries.   A comparison chart of faculty salaries across Texas universities was reviewed. It demonstrates that our university has comparable salaries at the assistant and full professor levels, but has low salaries at the associate level. 

·         Dr. Stripling responded to the question, “What is driving that”?  The change is due to the analysis of how much it costs to deliver per semester hour, by course and by faculty.

·         Both the state and the university system are examining university’s effectiveness in relationship to funding.  The expectation is greater productivity for more money or same productivity with less money.

·          The funding for summer 2010 salaries is in place and will not be changed. One change for the summer sessions and the mini-mester is an increase in enrollment criteria: undergraduate courses will need 15 students; graduate courses will need 8 students. To ensure that we are still meeting student needs small classes may be approved and the instructor would receive a proportional salary. This salary criterion was used summer 2009. More changes concerning enrollment may occur with the downward expansion and based upon the demand of students.

                 

·         Proposed changes to lower summer salaries in 2011 are expected to yield funds that would be applied to associate level salary adjustments. 

 

·         Faculty Senate representatives responded with their initial concerns:

 

o   that summer salary changes created a serious morale issue for faculty.

o   our concern was ensuring that student needs are met during the summer.

o   If salaries are lowered, faculty may not elect to teach in the summer.

o   If salaries are adjusted proportionately with enrollment numbers (below enrollment requirement) both faculty and adjuncts may decide not to teach, therefore students would be left without courses they needed and retention rates and completion rates may be impacted.   

o   The response was that the situation was being looked at in a measured thoughtful way.

·            Dr. Stripling concluded by asking Faculty Senate Representatives to go back to their colleagues about the issues and that the deans have Faculty Senate as a standing item on the college meeting agenda.

 

1.d . Other questions for Dr. Stripling

·         The question was asked as to the possibility of a Faculty Senate representative being on the Administrative Council.  Dr. Stripling responded that President Rathburn has her as the “faculty” representative.

·         Dr. Stripling has asked college deans to include faculty senate, and technology and classroom environment issues as standing items on the college meetings.

 

2.      Approval of Minutes

      Motion to approve the Minutes of 9/11/09 was made by S. Garick and seconded

      by M.A. Haque.

 

3.      Announcements

      J. Hamilton and M.A. Haque will be representatives at the Texas Council of Faculty Senates meeting in Austin 10/23-24/09.

 

4.      Reports

a.      The Faculty Status committee elected P. Racheotes as Chair.

      Issues assigned to Faculty Status were summer salaries and associate level salary            compression.

 

b.      Academic Affairs committee elected T. Jordan as Chair.

Issues assigned to Academic Affairs are grade appeal policy and professional development. 

 

A meeting of the committee will be called to review information/input from colleagues regarding professional development and its meaning.

 

c.       Graduate Council – S. Garick reported a need to be available for the meeting.

Regarding admissions of graduate students from foreign countries, the transcripts and the BS degree as well as the legitimacy of the institution need to be reviewed and not just turned down if student had a three year college degree.

 

d.       Undergraduate Curriculum Committee – V. Govindaswamy reported that the BS of Science, Sociology and Drama had been approved.

                  

e.       Faculty Senate Executive Committee – The committee met and discussed the agenda.

 

f.         Constitution/Bylaws Committee – The committee will report on their recommendations next month.

 

5.      Old Business

·         Research Enhancement Grant Final Reports are in for three Research grants given for 2008-09. 

 

·         Faculty Senate meeting dates are as follows:  10/2/09, 10/30/09,  11/13/09,  12/11/09,  2/12/10,  3/12/10,  4/9/10,  5/14/10.

 

 

6.      New Business

·         The applications for 2009-10 Research Enhancement Grants are due for $5,000 to be awarded.  There will be no out-of-state travel or hardware included.  Motion by S. Garick and seconded by T. Gandy to accept report.

 

·         Program Coordinators will be required to have 20 office hours. This issue was assigned to Faculty Status committee for further exploration.

 

7.      Motion to adjourn was made by S. Garick and seconded by B. Owen.  Motion passed.

 

Submitted by M. Harris, FS Secretary/Parliamentarian