Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes
February 1, 2007

Senators: Bill McCracken, Ellie Baldwin, Steven Werman, Barbara Borst, Judy Goodhart, Keith Fritz, Maureen Neal, Jane Arledge, Carolyn Quinn-Hensley (for Josh Butler), Bill Tiernan, Tim Casey, Tim Hatten, Doug O'Roark

Guests: Carol Futhey, Cathy Barkley, Dale Doty, Russ Walker, Diane Dawson

Minutes Secretary: Jessica Cowden

I. ANNOUNCEMENTS

Tiernan announced that Robby Kallina is seeking a new member for the Campus Judicial Board. He encouraged the senators to ask their faculty for volunteers.

II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The motion was made, seconded, and passed to approve the Curriculum Committee minutes from November 9, 2006. (Casey/Neal)

The motion was made, seconded, and passed to receive the Curriculum Committee minutes from November 16, 2006 and December 7, 2006. (Arledge/Tiernan)
Discussion: Casey presented some concerns about the volume of approvals going through the Curriculum Committee. He also inquired as to how much discussion takes place concerning staffing patterns in new course and concentration additions.

The motion was made, seconded, and passed to approve the Curriculum Committee minutes from October 26, 2006. (Casey/Neal)

There was also a question about the Graduate Council minutes from December that have not yet been received. Futhey agreed to speak to Harry Tieman.

III. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE UPDATE - CASEY

" Academic Affairs will be offering training workshops.
" Paired classes were discussed. In the final analysis, these courses were found to have been successful overall. The major factor for success seemed to be the rapport of the students with each other within the class.
" They also discussed whether or not to increase the Assessment Committee representation. There is not currently representation from each department.
o They are in the process of building a three-year assessment plan. Hatten suggested inviting Myra Heinrich or Jessica Miller to attend a future Senate meeting to discuss their progress.

IV. SENATE POLICY MANUAL

Casey, Neal, and Butler were charged with looking into the policies that were not included in the new version of the Faculty Handbook, especially those pertaining to the Senate Standing Committees and their duties. Casey's perception is that many of the duties that used to be assigned to other committees have since been redirected to the Senate. His suggestion was to clarify the charges and memberships in order to make the Senate more effective by allowing the Standing Committees to accomplish specific tasks on their own. The committees would then report back to the Senate who would determine how to act upon their findings.

V. GRADE APPEALS PROCESS

Hatten sent out a copy of the Grade Appeals policy as it appears in the Student Handbook. The policy states that if a student has an issue with a grade they are to go to the instructor, then to the Department Head, and then to the VPAA. Goodhart commented that there have been two occasions in Nursing where students have gone through the appeals process after bypassing the instructors, the Department Head, and the VPAA going straight to the Dean of Students and the President instead. In one recent instance the Nursing Department was then asked to change the student's grade from an F to an Incomplete.

" The Nursing Department is concerned about this trend as well as the effects it could potentially have on their accreditation.

" Neal pointed out that an infringement of policy as well as the results of allowing a Nursing student to continue on without proper training could result in legal liability and even a wrongful death suit.

" Werman pointed out that it is also cause for concern that the policy only appears in the Student Handbook and no other manual.

" Quinn-Hensley suggested inviting the President and the Dean of Students to attend the next Senate meeting. Goodhart suggested inviting Kristi Reuss to attend as well. Arledge added the suggestion that the Senate go to the Board if no resolution is reached at that point. The Senate agreed that was the best course of action.

VI. ACADEMIC AFFAIRS TEACHING WORKSHOPS

Some teaching workshops will be offered by Academic Affairs. Speakers will be brought in to cover topics such as motivating students. The goal is not to instruct faculty on how to teach, but rather to provide new teaching strategies.

VII. ELECTION OF FACULTY TRUSTEE

O'Roark's two-year term as Faculty Trustee is nearly complete. The idea of lengthening the term was discussed, as all other Board representation is longer than two years. This would require changing the state law. It would be possible, however, to ask the Board to piggy-back this issue onto other legislation they are attempting to pass this year.

Nominations for the new Trustee will be solicited both via e-mail as well as one-on-one and should be sent to Bill Tiernan.

O'Roark also suggested going through the necessary procedures to grant the Faculty Trustee voting rights, which may also help the Board comply with the new equal political affiliation legislation without having to add new members or cut current members. He also added that he would be willing to run for a new term if there was a chance of getting the vote.

Meeting adjourned at 5:01 pm.

Respectfully submitted,
Jessica Cowden
Minutes Secretary