14. Spring Semester Classes (IFO addition)
15. Reduction of Residency Requirement (IFO addition)
16. Budget FY03 - Financial Stability (administration addition)
17. Information

 

Senate approved the appointment of Therese Sheridan to the Athletics and Hall of Fame Committee.

The administration acknowledged this Senate recommendations.

2. Senate election (report)

Senate approved the report of the Elections Committee that Christa Matter had been elected to fill the remaining year in David Bratt's Senate term.

The administration received the Senate election result.

Senate approved A2C2 recommendations to approve the following courses.

I. Course/Program Proposals

A. New Courses

ENG 290 Literary Studies (5)

BIOL 490 Issues in Biology (3)

ENG 470 Seminar in American Literature (3)

ENG 471 Seminar in British Literature (3)

II. University Studies Courses

A. Arts & Science Core - Fine & Performing Arts

ART 110 Experiencing Art (3)

B. Unity & Diversity - Critical Analysis

MATH 315 Chaos Theory (3)

III. Flag Courses

A. Writing Flag

PSYC 350 Psychological Testing and Measurement (3)

HHP 445 Medical Aspects of Exercise (3)

B. Oral Flag

MTED 420 Teaching Mathematics in the Secondary School II (4)

STAT 425 Modern Methods of Data Analysis (3)

MATH 440 Abstract Algebra (4)

C. Mathematics/Statistics or Critical Analysis Flag

MTED 125 Mathematics for Elementary Teachers (4)

MATH 220 Combinatories & Graph Theory (3)

MATH 260 Multivariable Calculus (4)

MATH 270 Differential Equations and Linear Algebra (4)

MATH 310 Number Theory (3)

MTED 322 Modern Geometry (4)

PSCY 231 Statistics (3)

The administration received these courses.

Senate also approved the document, prepared by the Registrar and OKd by A2C2, describing the dovetailing of WSU's University Studies areas and the ten areas of the Mn Transfer Curriculum. (However, it should be noted that no MnTC area corresponds to the WSU Basic Skills-Physical Development and Wellness area.)

The administration acknowledged the Senate recommendation.

Senate passed a motion, as recommended by the Honors Council and A2C2, to discontinue the university Honors Program. During the discussion, some Senators advised that broad faculty support/involvement should first be evident before the program is resurrected.

The administration acknowledged the Senate recommendation.

6. Reassigned time (request for information)

Senate passed a motion to bring to Meet and Confer the following questions: How many credits of contractual reassigned time did (or do) WSU faculty receive (e.g., last year or this year)? How many of these were replaced? And the same two questions, this time regarding non-contractual reassigned time.

The administration nodded to this request.

Senate referred the Hazing Policy to an ad hoc committee of Senators.

The administration acknowledged the referral.

8. "Strategic Options" (report)

Senate considered whether it wished to become involved in exploring the items listed on the "Strategic Options" slide from the administration's presentation about budgets and enrollments. It referred the question to the Executive Committee for its recommendation.

The Executive Committee has deliberated and will be making its recommendations at the next Faculty Senate meeting.

9. FA response to NCA report

In response to a passage in the NCA report, Senate passed a motion to (a) state at Meet and Confer that Article 22 has nothing to do with program assessment; and (b) ask for a copy of WSU's response to the NCA report.

Comments:

1. The administration has provided D. Bratt with a copy of WSU's response to the NCA report. D. Bratt has e-distributed to the Faculty Senate.

2. The administration agreed with IFO's comment regarding Article 22.

 

10. On-line or web course schedule (recommendation)

After considerable discussion, Senate passed a motion to recommend at Meet and Confer that WSU return to the printed version of the semester class schedule (in addition to, not instead of, the web version).

Some of the comments concerned ways in which the web version might be improved, e.g.,

--increase the speed and improve the reliability of access

--improve the correspondence between the schedule pages and the registration pages

--choose a legible font

--fix the pop-up menu (it sometimes stalls).

Many other comments were critical of the idea of relying entirely on the web version, no matter how much it might be improved, e.g.,

--advertising might reduce the cost of the booklet

--enough might be printed so anyone who wanted it in that format could get it

--savings are reduced when students (and faculty) print the web pages in toto

--some students have offered to pay $1 for a printed copy

--questions such as 'Which Stats course is offered in Fall and which in Spring by another department?' can't be answered easily without referring to earlier semesters' printed schedules

--the printed version is easier to use when paging through all departments' offerings in search of elective courses

--the web page entirely eliminates the common kind of advising that occurs when faculty and student meet in a hallway and begin talking about what the student might take.

Administration Comments:

1. Cost was a concern with many printed copies.

2. Having the most recently updated version is the most important aspect of the on-line version.

3. Advisors should be given a paper-copy, perhaps an often-updated PDF copy that dept's can print off would be useful. The administration would provide extra funds for dept's who would print PDF copies for faculty who desire a paper copy for advising purposes.

4. Provide Gen Ed codes directly on the web course pages.

 

Senate passed a motion to express at Meet and Confer "frustration that, at both the state and the local level, items are not brought to Meet and Confer in a timely manner, thereby preventing these items from receiving considered advice and recommendation. This in turn affects working conditions covered by PELRA."

The local items referred to include the US-MnTC document (#4, above) and the decision to make the spring course schedule available only on the web (#10, above).

This motion will also go to statewide M&C in response to MnSCU's practice of giving little or no notice before initiating policies or changing practices.

Administration Comments:

1. Will try to do better!

 

The administration provided a request from MAPE. A list of similar request might be forth-coming from Coalition.

The following is a list of university-wide committees that MAPE would like to have reps on:

AUTC 2 rep's, Calendar, Students Affairs, Lyceum, Safety, Gender Issues, Orientation, Space Utilization, Long Range Planning and Assessment, Commencement and Honorary Degrees, Sesquicentennial, Technology.

The Wellness Committee requests the addition of the Fitness Center Director to the Wellness committee. At this time the Fitness Center Director is a MSUAASF position and the committee allocation is for 1 MSUAASF rep. Currently the Director of Student Health Services is the MSUAASF rep. Both of these positions seem to be appropriate to the committee roster.

D. Bratt requests that Alex Yard replace D. Bratt on the Sesquicentennial committee. The administration accepted the substitution request.

The Rochester Board member had charged that the Winona campus was skimming money off the top for use in Winona before spending money in Rochester that the legislature or Board had earmarked for Rochester.

The Chancellor promptly ordered an internal MnSCU audit to see if the claim could be substantiated.

The audit found that WSU loses money in Rochester. The administration gave a document detailing the audit.

Faculty Exec's reported that many first-year students still don't have classes. Some first-year classes have been filled since last Wednesday. Many students are on wait-lists. What is the administration's response?

Administration Comments:

1. Krueger/Richardson have received ~10 calls from students and parents.

2. Having ~100 extra students was not projected early enough in terms of faculty needs; right now, the only option is to blue-card for most cases!

3. Students e-reserving seats for friends could be a problem.

4. Perhaps 4-year guarantees could be given priority during registration.

 

Information only to the administration that by a 2/3 vote, Senate rejected the A2C2 recommendation to approve a 19-30 credit residency requirement for those transfer students participating in the MN Business Teacher Education Transfer Plan.

The administration received the notification.

At noon Dec. 3, the administration held a meeting with all constitution group leaders to discuss the Governor's request that all state agencies should plan to trim 5% (10% over two years) from their budgets for next year. The administration has requested a university-wide Task Force to study this budget problem.

Task Force composition:

2 faculty, 2 administration, 1 MAPE, 1 AFSCME, 1 MSUAASF, and 7 students.

[VPAA and Student-Senate-President as co-chairs]

The Task Force charges are to explore how the following issues can affect the deficit:

(a) Restructure cuts,

(b) Enrollment,

(c) Advancements (i.e. grants, gifts, new $'s), and

(d) Tuition

The Task Force should start immediately and report on findings ASAP, no later than early April.

Without any increases in tuition, the projected deficits are:

$1.7M without Recission, $3.2M with 5% Recission, $4.7M with 10% Recission.

December 12 to 18 could be the close-off for last admission. The administration believe it would be difficult to make many more cuts.

D. Krueger noted that he appreciates being the WSU President at this (and perhaps future) difficult time.

The administration believes that one-time money should only be used for one-time uses. This budget problem could be long-term, therefore one-time money should not be considered for this use. Examples of one-time money (from extra student tuition) include: summer faculty research, summer travels/speakers, and equipment.

The administration gave an up-to-date fixed-term list to D. Bratt.

Adjourned 3:57 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Bill Ng.