MINUTES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

OF THE FACULTY SENATE

Monday, August 31, 2009; Mason Hall, room D1, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.

 

      Present:  Jim Bennett, Rick Coffinberger, David Kuebrich, Janette Muir, Peter Pober, Larry Rockwood,       Peter Stearns, Susan Trencher.

 

I.  Approval of Minutes April 17, 2009:  The minutes were approved as distributed. 

 

Chair Peter Pober expressed his appreciation for everyone's mentoring, quoting Clarence Darrow; “..we need not agree, but we must disagree with class and civility...”.  He wishes to move forward, (past) covered issues; to enable all to have an opportunity to speak.  Let's get the work done.

 

II.  Announcements

• New Senator Orientation – Wednesday Sept 2 – 3:00 p.m. Robinson B113.  So far two Senators have confirmed they will attend.  Two former returning Senators unlikely to attend. 
• Special Called Meeting on Budget Issues – Wednesday, Sept. 16,  4:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the Harris Theater with Provost Stearns and Sr. Vice President Morrie Scherrens– announcement to be sent out today. 
• Senate Officers Appointed for AY 09-10:  Parliamentarian – Star Muir; Sergeants-at-Arms – Penny Earley and Heibatollah Baghi; Chair Pro Tempore – Suzanne Slayden.
• FSVA Meeting (tentatively scheduled) for Saturday, September 12^th canceled by FSVA, will meet later in semester.

 

III.  Progress reports, business, and agenda items from Senate Standing Committees

 

A.  Academic Policies – Janette Muir

• Bob Ehrlich motion on grading changes – committee to discuss with Susan Jones (Registrar)
• Military credits – awaiting proposal from Andrew Flagel (Dean of Admissions) and also to work with Rick Davis (Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education). Proposal pertains to undergraduate-level credits, not graduate-level.
• Appeal for academic clemency from CHSS Student Policies and Appeals Committee.  Basically the proposal looks art how much time does student have to appeal? In some circumstances, students may need more time (beyond first semester back).  Suggestion made to provide counseling when students (first) come back, unsure how this works with individuals colleges/advising officers.  Any recommendations the Academic Policies Committee may make will be university-wide.   How does this link with completed credits vs. attempted credits (about) three years ago? 
• A new program (to be) launched to step up international student recruitment.   Program to include first, transitional year in which students would be granted credits for language classes.  In response to a question raised, the Provost responded should English Language Institute courses be offered for credit,   would move out of University Life to Provost's Office, one way or another.  Focus first on opportunities in China; as returns realized, to extend into different regions.
• SCHEV has had some questions about new BAS (Bachelor of Applied Science) program, vote scheduled in September.

 

     B.  Budget and Resources – Rick Coffinberger

• Budget Planning Team (BPT) Meetings:  Rick attended the June and July meetings, unable to attend August meeting.  Hopefully more information will become available at the end of (next month) regarding state budget cuts.  Much discussion about furloughs among faculty; there are a lot of nervous people.  Rick will attend the next BPT meeting Sept. 8^th.
• No further action on salary data occurred over the summer.
• General discussion about the recent Budget Forum offered by Provost Stearns and Sr. V.P. Morrie Scherrens on August 10^th  –   see Mason Gazette (August 11, 2009) article for more information at  http://gazette.gmu.edu/articles/14261

 

C.  Faculty Matters – Larry Rockwood

• Faculty Evaluation of Administrators Survey is ready for distribution next week.
• Free speech policy and related issues:  Morrie Scherrens and  Larry Czarda (VP for Administration) are putting together a proposal.  The Faculty Matters Committee, with Dave Kuebrich and Victoria Rader, will review and provide feedback.  Victoria Rader is a member of the University Life Committee, which is also dealing with this; all working independently.  Professor Jim Kozlowski met with the Faculty Matters  Committee last year and provided some background information. 

 

D.    Nominations – Jim Bennett

• Nominee slates for the Faculty Senate and University Standing Committees are done. Thanks to all who volunteered to serve.

 

     E.  Organization and Operations

• Grievance Committee charge revision written up and will be dealt with as soon as committee has its first meeting.
•  External Academic Relations Committee charge  expired.  To include materials sent last spring from (then-committee chair) Debbie Boehm-Davis in revision.
• O&O Committee charge revision to include consideration of proposed changes to Faculty Handbook,- - what if the O&O Committee does not want to accept this responsibility?    Proposed clarifications to charge of Academic Initiatives Committee:  Provost Stearns did send some suggested language to amend charge last spring; it was too late in the year to bring back up to the Senate.
• Faculty Handbook Section 2.10.3 revision proposal to include participation of  faculty in assessment of student learning outcomes, proposed by Karen Gentemann – opposition expressed to add this requirement to faculty duties, particularly for term faculty. 

 

IV.  Agenda Items for September 9^th

• Provost Stearns Fall 2009 brief remarks – a list of issues for 2009-10 was distributed and will be projected onto transparencies at the meeting.
• Report from Sharon Pitt on Blackboard issues
• Report from Walt Sevon on phone/voicemail issues, we have requested information to post on how to access phone system.  Also we will ask him to address problems where department copy card servers have been down; cards cannot be read by machines.
• Election of Officers of Senate and University Standing Committees.
• Resolution of Appreciation for Mrs. Nancy DeLaski (from CVPA Senators – if received on time)
• Report on English Composition (101) and (302) exemptions by exam AY 08-09 received June 2009 from General Education Committee – to submit as amendment to their annual report.

 

V.  New Business/Discussion Topics

• In the absence of O&O participation in discussion of Faculty Handbook revision topics, questions about primary affiliation and (specific) definition of governance rights should be sent to the Faculty Matters Committee.
• Swine flu discussion:  faculty need to be prepared for more on-line delivery; as well as allowances for absence from class due to illness.  Student Health Services is acquiring vast quantities of the swine flu vaccine, some will be stored in the bio labs. 
• The Provost reported that we are significantly oversubscribed at all levels – good, but an issue too as it creates obvious tensions particularly with the bookstore, food service lines longer, etc.  How does this impact on enrollment targets?  Will they shift significantly next year?  The Provost responded that this will be worked out over time.  Virtually every collegiate unit is over; no one should be anxious.  We may want to scale back depending on what the state does.  GMU is the only state university with an overage – need for (more state) money to support more students.  The percentage of out-of-state students (17%) stable from last year. 
• The Economics Department is very upset about GMU's non-participation in the National Research Council's assessment of research doctoral programs.  GMU was 42^nd at the last rating, anticipated that Economics could have risen to the top 20-25%; impacting both recruitment and fundraising.  The Provost recounted that when the request was received in 2005, $25,000 required to participate.  At that time, the Provost decided this not a sensible investment in that budget situation, and regretted not consulting widely among the faculty.  We will do an independent calculation of where GMU would have stood and will post it.  Also finds that organizations which charge that kind of money for this is rather questionable, but acknowledged his mistake.
• Should classroom technology be moved out from DOIT and come under the Provost's Office?  Present system wagging the dog in light of many problems with Blackboard last year.  Peter Pober will consult with President Merten on this issue. 
• In response to a question raised, the AP Committee will ascertain whether new grade forms in use only in CHSS or throughout the university.  The new forms bypass the chairs, going directly to the deans. 
• Dave Kuebrich received release time for the fall semester, release time for the spring semester to be discussed once the new chairs are elected.
• Job descriptions for the new associate provost positions will be solicited from the Provost Office.
• Need for more oversight from recently inactive Nontraditional, Interdisciplinary, and Adult Learning Committee (NIAL). Discussion about need for brief semester reports from university committees.
• Peter Pober will email Rector Volgenau about President Merten's performance bonus this year.
• To contact Rick Davis (Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and Chair, General Education Committee) about the need for mechanism in which new program proposals which impact classes in other areas are better communicated in advance.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Meg Caniano

Clerk, Faculty Senate