[Approved August 30, 2007]

Minutes of the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate

August 23, 2007

St. Mary’s 113 B; 12:00 PM

 

Present:  D. Biers (presiding), T. Eggemeier, A. First, P. Johnson, R. Kearns, L. Laubach, J. O’Gorman, R. Penno, F. Pestello, A. Seielstad, R. Wells

 

J. Farrelly (Faculty Board)

 

Roll Call: 

Eleven of the twelve members of the Committee were present. 

 

Prayer and Welcome:

D. Biers opened the meeting with a prayer of thanks.  Members of the Committee introduced themselves.

 

Approval of Minutes:

April 19, 2007 were carried over to the next meeting for approval.

 

 

Review of Agenda Items:

The main point of business was the review of issues that currently need to be placed on the agenda of the Executive Committee and the Academic Senate.  Priorities for addressing these issues will be determined at the meeting of August 30, 2007.

  • Senator Doyle has submitted information comparing grades in WI02 (the last semester without +/- grading) to WI07.  He has asked that the Academic Senate consider this information.  Copies of the information will be distributed for the next ECAS meeting.
  • The Promotion and Tenure Policy (DOC-I-06-10) will be voted on by the faculty during the week of September 17-24.  Fifty percent of the tenured and tenure-track faculty need to vote and fifty percent of those voting need to approve the document for the policy to go into effect. D. Biers will address the faculty at the September 7 meeting.  There will be open discussion at the September 14 meeting of the Academic Senate.  Open meetings will be held at 3:00 PM on September 11 (Biers and Wells) and September 12 (Doyle and Johnson) in KU 222.  G. Doyle will send a message to all deans asking them to communicate with faculty about the importance of the issue and the importance of voting.
  • Process for appointment of University committees needs to be finalized.  R. Penno will bring forward recommendations.  It was noted that some committee charges specify the process of appointment.
  • ECAS needs to develop a policies and procedures handbook for the working of the Academic Senate and its committees.
  • The issue of post-tenure review is now in FACAS.  A letter from Allen Hill, former chairperson of the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees was reviewed.  Work on post-tenure review needs to be completed before the Promotion and Tenure Policy can be implemented.
  • J. Untener would like to meet with ECAS to discuss the HLC visitation process.  The HLC team will be on campus September 17-19.  This issue will be place on the August 30 ECAS agenda.
  • R. Perales has requested time at the September 14 meeting of the Academic Senate to discuss the Campus Master Plan.  F. Pestello will consult with D. Biers later this week once it is clear where that planning process is.
  • J. Untener has forwarded a document regarding the University Assessment Plan to APCAS.  This will be sent to the Executive Committee for consideration and assignment.
  • T. Eggemeier would like time at an Academic Senate meeting to discuss the graduate strategy.
  • The role of the Academic Senate in the budget process needs to be determined.  The administration is looking for ways to assure faculty and student input before decisions are made without repetitive meetings for President and Provost Council members.
  • Membership of the Academic Senate need to be finalized.  E. Gustafson has moved into the position of dean of SBA.  Her Senate position needs to be filled.  There are two student positions that will be filled by elections in September.
  • The document on evaluating faculty teaching is assigned to FACAS.  It is on hold as work on the post-tenure issue begins.
  • On-going oversight issues need to be reviewed for each standing committee.
  • The policy on Senate responsibility in relation to new and removed academic programs needs attention.
  • The Graduate School is developing procedures for graduate certificate programs that will need to come to ECAS.
  • There is a new withdrawal policy for COM 110, 111, 112, and 113 that should be brought to the Academic Senate for approval.
  • The background check policy should be reviewed so that the Academic Senate understand how implementation is progressing.
  • The issue of diversity is important for the campus.  It proposed that the Academic Senate take a more active role in developing policies related to diversity.

 

Possible agenda items for the September 14 meeting of the Academic Senate:

  • Promotion and Tenure Policy (DOC-I-06-10)
  • The Campus Master Plan
  • The graduate Strategy

 

Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 1:10 PM.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

Patricia A. Johnson, Secretary