IV. President's Report

Since the last Senate meeting I have attended an IFO Board meeting (with Mary Kesler and Bruce Svingen) and an IFO Governmental Relations Committee meeting (with Darrell Downs and Bruce Svingen). I also spoke briefly to the officers of the state student organization for the state universities in MnSCU, which met in Winona. I emphasized the need for students to vote, particularly in light of the severity of the budget crisis and the likelihood that Higher Ed funding could be an attractive target if the wrong people get elected to the legislature.

Bruce Svingen was re-appointed IFO Board liaison to the Governmental Relations Committee; Darrell Downs was reelected co-chair of that committee.

Deb Jappe (St Cloud) was re-appointed IFO Academic Affairs Coordinator.

As previously announced by Colin Ward, our rep on the IFO Multicultural Issues Committee, that group will hold a retreat 9/27-28 for faculty of color. Those wishing to attend should contact Colin Ward or Pat Arseneault at the IFO office.

MnSCU efforts to involve state university faculty in resolving transfer issues continue in two directions:

1. "Arena" rounds to examine courses proposed by technical colleges for inclusion in the MN Transfer Curriculum are scheduled for 11/15 and 3/28. As they did last year, these will involve panels of 2 faculty in the (approximately) appropriate disciplines from state universities, 1 from the community colleges, and 1 from the technical. MnSCU believes that, after these sessions are completed, the TC's will have learned about as much about our expectations as they're going to, and should be cut loose to make their own decisions about such courses, just as the CCs do.

  2. "Discipline meetings."

a. Following up on the "discipline meetings" held at Cragans last spring (involving accounting, biology, chemistry, English, political science, psychology, sociology, and allied health), work on the issues identified at these sessions will continue this fall. Note that this effort, unlike the one in a, above, is NOT limited to Mn-Transfer Curriculum.

b. A group will be convened to examine oral communication issues related to MnTC's "communication" area. [Anyone interested in participating can pursue further at the web-site.]

c. Other disciplines will be convened in the spring to begin the "Cragans process" described in a.

Kathy Schott will be getting a new computer (via IFO funds).

Chancellor McCormick and a truckload of administrators and Trustees will descend upon WSU's Winona campus Tuesday, 9/24. Senators are invited to lobby the group as they tour the campus, particularly 10:45-12:00 or so, and to ask pointed questions at the open session at 1:30 in Kryzsko. Themes might include budget, support for MnSCU's Center for Teaching and Learning", and anything else you've a mind to talk about.

On Saturday of this week I will be playing the unaccustomed role of Father of the Bride, so Senators can anticipate a particularly disjointed Meet and Confer session on Monday. In addition, in order to set the proper tone of gravity and intimidation when discussing with my future son-in-law how my daughter is to be treated, I will be bringing the WSU mace with me to the wedding.

 

V. Review of Meet and Confer Notes of September 1, 2002

Additional notes:

Item 5: Report had WSU listing with B.A.S. in Health Sciences. Administration stated they put it there just in case we will approve it later. Senators expressed concern that it's false advertising and that it should not be listed until it receives approval. The administration also stated that it was listed to be in competition with the U. of M. Still, Senate sentiments reflect objection to a listing of unapproved degree and in fact will attempt to pursue the Rochester issue with the Chancellor during his visit Tuesday.

Meet and Confer Notes received by Senate.

VI. Committee Reports

A. A2C2

I. Subcommittee Members

A. Course and Program Proposal Subcommittee representative by college

1. Business: Sohail Subhani

2. Education: Roger Riley, James Reidy

3. Liberal Arts: Win Lewis, Amy Hermodson

4. Nursing & Health Science: Linda Smith

5. Science & Engineering: Ed Thompson, Jeanne Franz

B. University Studies Subcommittee

1. Science & Engineering: Richard Shields

2. Math/Stats: Terry Price

II. Notifications (information only)

A. English: one-time course offering

1. ENG 319 Theories and Methods in TESOL (2 SH) - Spring 2003

B. Foreign Languages: USP Notification

1. FREN 101 Beginning French I 101 (4 SH)

2. FREN 102 Beginning French II (4 SH)

3. FREN 201 Intermediate French I (4 SH)

4. FREN 202 Intermediate French II (4 SH)

5. FREN 402 French Lit. I (3 SH)

6. FREN 403 French Lit. II (3 SH)

7. FREN 301 French Composition (4 SH)

8. FREN 401 Phonetics (3 SH)

9. GERM 101 Elementary German I (4 SH)

10. GERM 102 Elementary German II (4 SH)

11. GERM 201 Intermediate German I (4 SH)

12. GERM 202 Intermediate German II (4 SH)

13. GERM 302 German Composition and Conversation (4 SH)

14. GERM 401 Early Medieval to Baroque Literature (3 SH)

15. GERM 402 18th & 19th Century Literature (3 SH)

16. GERM 403 20th Century German Literature (3 SH)

17. SPAN 101 Elementary Spanish I (4 SH)

18. SPAN 102 Elementary Spanish II (4 SH)

19. SPAN 201 Intermediate Spanish I (4 SH)

20. SPAN 202 Intermediate Spanish II (4 SH)

21. SPAN 301 Spanish Composition & Conversation (4 SH)

22. SPAN 302 The Culture of Spain (3 SH)

23. SPAN 401 Spanish Literature I (3 SH)

24. SPAN 402 Peninsular Literature II (3 SH)

C. Global Studies: one-time course offering

1. CHIN 101 Chinese Language & Culture (3 SH) - Fall 2002

D. Mass Communication: one-time course offering

1. MCOM 415 Picture the River (3 SH) - Fall 2002

E. Psychology

1. PSY 498 Seminar in Psychology changed from 3 SH to variable 1-3 SH. The grade only restriction will also be deleted.

Senate received the A2C2 report. Charla Miertschin was re-elected as chair of A2C2.

B. Graduate Council

No report

C. Government Relations

Darrell Downs briefly reported:

1. Had first GRC meeting. If anyone would like to see list of GRC legislative items, let GRC members know.

2. More people are needed for the Carlson and Weinner lobbies/door-knocks.

3. A couple of Senate seats are still vacant.

4. Impending budget problems make legislative budget requests rather cautious and pessimistic. Higher Ed. could be among targets for cuts, especially since legislators believe we have other revenue means (i.e. raise tuition). It's now more important than ever to have the "right" person elected.

5. Check out candidate web pages for their platforms.

D. Personnel Policies and Grievance

No report

E. Committee on Committees

No report

VII. Old Business

A. Final Exam Policy

The catalog and registrar's WebPages both state that every class will have a final exam. Some Senators recall having established with an earlier Academic VP that the policy instead should be something like "every class will meet during the exam period" or "every class must have a final exam/experience. Administration asked at Meet and Confer what wording the faculty would suggest to replace 'every class
will have a final Exam."

Senate Comments:

1. Do we need any wording?

2. It's totally inappropriate for the administration to tell faculty to have an exam, period!

3. There should still be a posting of exam schedules.

C. Professional Quality Improvement (Workload) Task Force Report

A PQI (Teaching Load) Task Force report (dated August 22, 2002) was in the Senate packet. The Task Force (one faculty from each College, three academic administrators, and the Comptroller) met during the summer of 2002 and issued the report. The report contained three recommendations:

Recommendation I

That the university determine the level of infrastructure support (staffing, etc.) That can be made available to increase the use of internships, co-op study, Study Abroad, and other such programs.

Recommendation II

That the university conduct a study and make recommendations regarding definitions, rewards, and incentives for instructors and departments that have offered or may in the future offer high-enrollment sections of courses, sometimes known as mega-sections.

Recommendation III

A series of recommendations that refer to the university establishing a May Term as a third summer session, running approximately 3-1/2 weeks, during which a student would take and a faculty member would teach a single course.

Comments:

1. What happens if no students sign up for one's contracted May term course?

2. Concern was raised that an additional May term might even raise faculty teaching load!

3. Rec's don't appear to reduce faculty workload.

4. Nothing in our IFO contract speaks to a May term...a big problem with contract language when May term is not present. Rec III doesn't appear to be within the IFO contract language.

5. 3-1/2 weeks is too short to teach any skills course.

6. Like Rec's I and II, Rec-III should also be studied before being established.

7. Spreading out teaching load with a May term could conflict with summer session appointments.

8. Having students sign up for May term courses could increase revenue, or not.

9. Mega-sections are against the philosophy of small classes and quality, both of which WSU advertises!

10. Some Senators claim they can do just as good a job in mega-sections as in a regular-sized class, though perhaps only in certain disciplines.

11. However, administrators do compare notes for mega-sections and could use it to pressure other departments into doing mega-sections.

12. WSU has gone away from mega-sections, why are we going back?

M. Hyle/B. Ng moved to send the Task Force report to PP&G for contractual considerations.

Motion Carried.

D. University Studies Program Director Search

The administration has suggested that a committee of 5 faculty and 1 administrator conduct an internal search to fill the USP Director position.

C. Killion/S. Smith moved to refer to Committee on Committees for solicitation of faculty membership.

Motion Carried.

E. Tau Center

An announcement flyer for Chancellor James McCormick visit on 9/24 was given to Faculty Exec's at the last Meet and Confer. The Tau Center is on the tour list for the Chancellor. A bid for the Tau Center is being pursued by WSU. Is Faculty Senate in agreement? WSU needs to move quickly. The Tau Center can be used for more dorm beds. The system's Revenue Bonds could still be available if WSU gets the bid. There might be another bidder for the Tau Center.

Senate Comment:

1. Total renovations are required to change At Center into a regular dormitory...so wouldn't that take a lot of money!

2. Might be a mute point if WSU doesn't get the bid (since possibly bidding against a high bidder!).

 

F. Admission Standards (4:15 - Admissions Director, Doug Schacke)

An ad hoc task force of faculty and staff late last spring recommended that the standards for admission to WSU be changed. The report received by Senate stated that by changing the current requirements to top of high school graduating class and ACT of 21 and above would only give WSU a class of ~1,200 students, well below the quantitative goal of 1,550. A reasonable alternative appears to be in setting a base minimal for the ACT score. The following new criteria for freshmen admission is proposed by the Ad Hoc Committee on Freshmen Admissions Criteria (effective 9/3/02):

1. *Accept students whom:

- Hold an ACT of 21 or greater OR

- Graduated in top of H.S. class with ACT of 18 or greater

2. *Defer admission decision for those who don't meet the above criteria but who:

- Hold an ACT of 18-20 AND graduated in top 51st-60% of HS class, OR

- Graduated in to 50% of class (with less than an 18 composite ACT)

Students deferred in September or October will be reviewed in mid-November

Students deferred in November or December will be reviewed in mid-January

*Turndown all other students

These two new criteria should allow WSU to increase academic qualifications, yield ~1,500 new freshmen, and close freshmen admissions at a later date.

Comments:

1. "Graduated" means students admitted but will be graduating during the spring before the fall admission year.

2. WSU is significantly ahead of low-grade schools.

3. Students are applying to more schools.

4. If retention rate goes up, then we might accept less than 1,500.

5. The best predictive factor for student success might be high school rank/success.

6. Admission councilors will be looking at more sophisticated means (such as assessment models) that could relate ACT, HS rank, public versus private schools, and SAT to student success.

7. Special cases will continue to receive case-by-case considerations, even with the new standards.

8. Senate appreciates the job done by the task force.

C. Killion/M. Kesler moved to accept the new admission standards.

Motion Carried.

G. Revisions of Regulation 3-27, 3-28, and Transmittal Form for Grants (4:00 - Grants Director Nancy Peterson)

Because of new Federal laws/regulations/definitions, WSU has to make changes to its Conflicts of Significant Financial Interests Policy as related to Grants and Sponsored Projects. The proposed changes must be in place and up-to-date in order to allow faculty and staff to apply for NSF and PHS funds and for WSU to be in compliance with federal regulations. The changes were reflected/detailed within Regulations 3-27, 3-28, and the Transmittal Form.

Reg. 3-28: Conflict Review Committee only needs to be constituted if a case arises.

Reg. 3-27: In order to be complaint with new NSF regulation, language needs to be revised. Only then will NSF approve/provide grants to WSU.

C. Killion/P. Miene moved to approve changes in Transmittal Form, Reg. 3-27(minus Tentative Addendum), and Reg. 3-28.

Motion Carried.

H. Library Administration (5:10)

The administration has proposed that "Interim" be removed from Christine Clements' current title ("Interim Dean of the Library"). The Library faculty have been consulted regarding this change.

Senate Comments:

1. Concern raised (again) with female administrators having combined jobs/positions. Will take to Meet and Confer.

2. The above concern/issue was also addressed at the Delegate Assembly.

3. Is the reason for double-duties due to money-saving measures? Where exactly are the savings?

4. Can someone with the qualifications as Associate VP have qualifications as in a Dean of Library? i.e. Can Assoc. VP's (or Academic VP's) get through a National Search for a Dean of Library?

5. Possible conflict of interest (at least with budgetary matters) for one person in both positions.

6. This change could be construed as an insult to...!

7. Do we need a Dean of the Library? Can a Director of Library do the same? Does accreditation place constraints on WSU needing a Dean of Library?

C. Hyman/S. Smith moved to strongly object the removal of the word "Interim" from Christine Clements current title "Interim Dean of the Library," and requests a more thorough review process.

Motion Carried.

I. CHEA Paper on Information about Educational Quality Vis a Vis Accreditation

Not discussed.

J. E-Learning Center (3:30 - Ken Graetz, Director of the E-Learning Center)

Ken Graetz addressed the Senate regarding his role as Director of the E-Learning Center and the role of the E-Learning Center:

1. Contact Ken directly with Blackboard questions.

2. E-Learning Center focuses on several aspects of technology:

a. faculty development - focus groups, user groups, drop-in services, support for faculty with various web-E-projects.

b. research projects related to technology use.

c. innovative projects related to technology use.

d. individual faculty supports.

3. Blackboard server software must be reliable. Problems were encountered this fall.

4. Protect/Secure faculty usage/web-sites/property

5. Improve communications between/among IT/E-Learning-Center/faculty.

6. New version of BB server software is being tested, perhaps will be up next semester, and should get improved performance. WSU has outgrown the present BB version. The new version should have better features for importing, etc.

7. All web pages in the old version should be transparently transferred to the new software.

8. Ken Graetz is faculty's direct contact.

9. The old BB server appears to be an obstacle for faculty producing web-pages this fall, the new version should decrease faculty work.

10. The Faculty Fellows program has disappeared. Dialogue should (re) begin on Faculty Fellows.

K. COMTEC Director Vacancy Notice

IFO queried the administration on the posting of a NOV for a COMTEC Director, in the MSUAASF area. This was a half-time position listed as reassigned time for an Engineering faculty. The Engineering faculty has returned to full-time teaching. The NOV listed a full-time appointment with both teaching and Director duties.

Senate Comments:

1. B.S. in Engineering but can teach up to 11 semester hours? Is this common practice? Could this jeopardize Engineering accreditation?

2. Where is the money coming from? COMTEC $ ?

3. Since all previous occupants of the COMTEC Director position belonged to the IFO unit, shouldn't this position be IFO?

L. Paper versus Tech

Not discussed.

M. Last Day to Drop Procedure

The Registrar should be clearer about drop/add procedures and should inform faculty earlier.

 

IX. Adjournment

Faculty Senate adjourned at 5:38 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

 

Bill Ng.