APPROVED
Kennedy
Presiding: Dr. John
Rapp
Senators Present: Anderson, Biddle, Biers, Bork, Chen, Courte, Darrow, Donnelly, Doyle, Eloe, Gauder, Gerla, Grunenwald, Hallinan, Hardie, Ilg, Kocoloski, Lewis, Meyers, Moot, Morman, Mullins, Pestello, Roecker-Phelps, Saliba, Schworer, Skill, Thimmes, Thompson, Villalobos, Vitale, Watras, Yungblut
Guests: Rogatto, Westendorf
1.
Opening Prayer:
Monalisa Mullins began the meeting with a
prayer.
2.
Roll Call:
Thirty-four of thirty-nine Senators were present.
3.
Approval of Minutes: The minutes of
4.
Announcements
Global Lead, a diversity
consulting firm, will hold training sessions on February 19 & 20.
Proposals are being accepted
regarding Academic Excellence. John Rapp
encourages everyone to consider submitting a proposal.
5.
Students with Disabilities and Final Exams, l-04-01
John Rapp, on behalf of the Select
Calendar Committee and the Academic Policies Committee, presented Senate
Document I-04-01 to the Academic Senate for a vote. The action is legislative.
This policy amends Document no.
l-03-10, Final Examination Week, in order to assist students with
disabilities. Faculty are
encouraged to accommodate them if they have 2 or more final exams on the same
day, including alternative testing sites.
Q:
What is the definition of “disabled student”?
A:
There is no single definition.
The Office for Students with Disabilities handles the verification and
screening for disabilities.
Favor: 34
Oppose: 0
Abstain: 0
6.
To Amend Two Subsections of the Constitution of the
Academic Senate, l-04-02
Harry Gerla, on behalf of the Faculty Affairs
Committee, presented Senate Document I-04-02 to the Academic Senate for a
vote. The action is legislative.
There are two subsections that require revision. The first part concerns situations when a
member of the Senate is on leave or sabbatical.
The constitution is “fuzzy” on this issue, as it only speaks to the
event when a Senator is unable to “complete” a term. The amendment would allow the runner-up in
the Senatorial election to fill the position until the elected Senator returns
or the term expires. This amendment
would also provide the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate the ability
to appoint an interim senator when the elected Senator cannot serve and no
runner-up is available.
Favor: 34
Oppose: 0
Abstain: 0
The second subsection deals with the current
Constitution language requiring all amendments to the Senate Constitution to be
discussed at a “general faculty meeting,” which has not been generally
followed. This amendment would reflect
the current practice of discussing amendment changes at announced forums open
to all faculty.
Favor: 34
Oppose: 0
Abstain: 0
7.
Reports from Standing Committees
Calendar Committee: John Rapp reported on behalf of Linda Hartley. The committee is now working on the 2004-2005 calendar. Highlights include:
a. New Student move-in on a Thursday.
b. Provisions for a Fall break on a Monday and Tuesday (not Friday).
c. Concerns about a long study period right before finals: there would be 2 study days, a weekend as well as Christmas on Campus prior to start of finals.
d. 42, not 43, Monday/Wednesday/Friday classes.
Q: In the Winter semester there is a Thursday & Friday mid-term break: Why? It seems arbitrary. Why not switch the start of term to a Wednesday instead of beginning on a Monday?
A: Not enough Monday-only classes if the term starts on a Wednesday.
Q: If the new students move in on a Thursday, how does that affect regular campus business?
A: There is the possibility of Arena shuttle parking for faculty and staff. We would bus employees, keep the University open and hold orientation.
Comments: We need to look more closely at the possibility of a Thursday move-in date, especially in regards to logistics with such things as computer distribution. And perhaps this move-in day would mean a day off for faculty and staff?
Comment: We are switching from 43 to 42 class times while discussing academic excellence. Wrong message?
Q: Why the 10-day Easter break? That’s one more extra travel day than Spring break. What about shortening it by a day?
A: No one is back on Easter Monday. Classes are light because of travel.
Comment: The proposed calendar will work only if the grades are actually submitted by Dec. 20. It’s a tight turnaround for the College. If grades are mailed later than Dec. 22, it becomes more difficult to deal with probation cases.
Comment: Advocate for a Jan. 5 start date for Winter term. It’s hard for both students and faculty to “gear up” and most likely some students wouldn’t show up for the Jan. 3 date.
Student comment: If First Term classes start on a Monday and upperclass students move in on Sunday, there is concern that’s not enough adjustment time. Would prefer a later start date or possibly a Saturday move-in date.
Comment: Need to keep the priorities that were passed at the December Academic Senate meeting in mind.
Comment: We need to resolve this calendar issue quickly as we are beginning to receive student deposits and parents are making reservations for the August move-in. Is it premature to resolve within the next couple weeks given all the issues and concerns?
Q: What is the timeline for orientation?
A: 1 day for move-in and 3 days of orientation.
Comment: The logistics of move-in weekend are big. We are transformed into a service center for families, wouldn’t want to fall flat on our face because of too little time for planning. Preference for Wednesday start.
Q: What about dropping the Fall break and go back to the usual calendar?
A: The Fall break was a locus for the calendar dates.
Straw poll:
Monday start date: 9
Wednesday start date: 16
Q: Why the push for Monday finals?
A: Important for one full exam week.
The general consensus was to leave new student move-in day on a Saturday and the First Term to begin on a Wednesday for the 2004-05 Academic year.
Faculty Affairs Committee: Harry Gerla
reported for the FAC. The committee is
working on the following items:
e.
The issue whether the Vice President of Research
should hold a voting seat on the Academic Senate. The first proposal that the Vice President
position should be a nonvoting member generated much criticism.
f.
Proper use of student evaluations in faculty
evaluation, retention and merit consideration.
The committee will be assisted by the Faculty Development Committee and
Deb Bickford as well as by Joe Untener.
Academic Policies Committee: Dave Biers reported for the APC. The committee is working on the following items:
a. Last day to Add a course. For Tuesday/Thursday classes, current practice allows for after the 4th course meeting. The committee will be recommending a change for the last Add day to the 5th day of classes.
b. Appropriateness of Withdraws. There have been suggestions for a W-P (Pass) and a W-F (Fail); the committee is reviewing this idea.
c. M.S. degree in Mathematics Education. The committee expects to seek approval for a new M.S. degree in Mathematics Education at the next Academic Senate meeting.
d. Thematic clusters. The review for thematic clusters was delayed, but the group is now ready to appoint a subcommittee to look into the matter.
e. Definition of academic probation. There are questions that a 1.7 GPA is too lenient. The committee will be looking at data and previous trends.
Student Academic Policies Committee: Adam Kocoloski reported for the SAPC. The committee is working on the following items:
a.
Student assessments:
The committee is looking into the best ways to give feedback to teaching
faculty.
b.
Last day to Withdraw.
c.
Feasibility of 2-hour final exams for evening
classes.
The meeting adjourned at
Respectfully submitted: Heidi Gauder, Secretary of the Academic
Senate.