Minutes: FACAS Meeting, 1/24/08

Time and Location: 10:30 – 11:30 am, KL 505

Present: D. Biers, G. Doyle (chair), E. Gustafson, P. Johnson, L. Laubach, Y. Raffoul, D. Sink, L. Snyder, R. Wells

Absent: T. Lasley, C. Letavec, S. Wilhoit (Faculty Board)

1. Minutes of 1/17/08 were approved as written.

2. Several FAC members reported on the results of the letter sent to ECAS stating that a new and separate Post-tenure Review procedure should not be implemented at UD. Rather PTR should be integrated into the Sabbatical and Annual Review policies. The Provost expressed regret that the FAC was not able to develop a new PTR policy, and thought the Board of Trustees would also be disappointed. Members of the FAC/ECAS countered that they felt that integrating PTR into other existing polices, and implementing it by existing department committees would achieve the desired results without adding additional burdens to the faculty.

The Provost asked that an expression of PTR philosophy and the suggestion that the present Sabbatical and Annual Review processes be reviewed for completeness and consistence across the campus be brought to the Senate, asking for their concurrence. He also stated that there needs to be more peer review. Furthermore, there must be a procedure to peer review faculty who do not opt for a sabbatical.

3. It was suggested by the FAC that the audit of the Sabbatical policy be conducted by a faculty member making face-to-face interviews, mostly with other faculty members who had recent sabbaticals.

4. The FAC will review the audit of the Sabbatical and Annual Reviews policies, and determine how peer review will be integrated into those two policies. The resulting new policies must be approved by the Senate, but not by the faculty.

5. A suggestion that the Annual Review be changed from the calendar year to the academic year was discussed; make the Annual Review due e.g. May 15 or Sept 15. This would give more time for administrative and peer review.

6. Becky Wells will rewrite the PTR philosophy, still emphasizing peer consultation, expressing reasons why it is necessary, and adding that we should integrate it into the Sabbatical and Annual Review policies. It was noted that the teaching evaluation policy will incorporate a great many peer components.

7. The next meeting is scheduled for 10:30 am on Thursday, Jan 31, 2008 in KL 505.