M12317

Faculty Senate Minutes

Monday, January 23, 2017

Clinton Hall 126, 3:30PM-5:00PM

Senators Present: Ahmed, Anderson, Asaduzzaman, Babnich, Barut, Bolin, Brooks, Bryant, Castro, Chand, Chopra, Close, Cramer, Decker, Dehner, English, Ewing, Hendry, Hull, Keene Woods, Koehn, Kreinath, Johnson, Moore-Jansen, Mosack, Muthiachareon, Myose, Price, Pulaski, RIfe rillema, Rokosz, Ross, Shaw, Shukaev, Solomey, Taher, Walker, Wehee, Willi, Yildirim

Senators Absent: Birzer, Deibel, Mahapatro

Senators Excused:

Summary of Actions:

1. Accepted appointment of Kathy Delker (University Libraries) to the General Education Committee
2. Accepted appointment of Past President Moore-Jansen as ombudsperson

I. Call to Order – Meeting called to order at 3:30PM by President Yildirim

II. Informal Statements and Proposals
1. Senator Brooks recommended that faculty consider 8-week classes as a way for students to complete programs more quickly and Senator Moore-Jansen suggested that a quarter system should be considered.
2. Senator Castro stated that there still are administrative issues to iron out with 8- week classes as the second 8-week class does not always get counted in the department.

III. Approval of Minutes
1. Minutes of the December 12, 2016 meeting were accepted as presented.

IV. President's Report
1. Introductions – President Yildirim introduced Werner Golling, Vice President for Finance and Administration and Teri Hall, Vice President for Student Affairs.
2. President's Distinguished Service Awards – The deadline for nominations is noon on Friday, January 27th. Submit nominations to the Office of Faculty Senate or email Bobbi Dreiling.
3. President's Budget Advisory Committee – The first meeting was held Friday, January 20, 2017.
i. Provost Vizzini identified the charges of the committee, University Budget Director Miller provided a 2017 and 2018 budget overview, Dr. Claycomb, Assistant to the President for Strategic Planning, shared the university strategic plan and VP for Finance and Administration Golling addressed the guiding principles.
ii. The three sub-committees will focus on: efficiency, priorities and revenue. The meetings are open and faculty are encouraged to attend as many meeting as possible and provide feedback to the Budget Advisory Committee or the Faculty Senate Planning and Budget Committee.
iii. One of the guiding principles of the committee is to be transparent and to communicate with the campus. To that end the meetings will be publicized across campus. The main committee meeting time is on the webpage. The subgroup meeting times have not been published yet.
iv. President Yildirim encouraged faculty to attend and ask good questions. Additionally, the Faculty Senate Planning and Budget committee will meet every Friday and members will attend the subcommittee meetings.
4. General Faculty Meeting - President Yildirim shared the agenda for the general faculty meeting which is scheduled for Friday, January 27th, from 3:30-5:00PM in Hubbard Hall 208. The primary agenda item is the proposed revision to the Faculty Senate Constitution Article 1 Section 1a – expanding the eligibility for faculty senate membership. Please send any questions to President Yildirim or President-elect Shaw.
5. Climate Survey Task Force – The task force will disaggregate the data and provide a detailed analysis of the findings.
6. KBOR Meeting
i. The weapons policy FAQs are currently being updated at the KBOR website.
ii. The Governor has proposed a budget that provides flat funding for higher education.
iii. Kansas Senator Baumgardner is interested in having a common application form for all KBOR institutions.
iv. The Governor has challenged institutions to develop a $15K four-year degree.
v. KU's university senate and ESU faculty senate have passed a resolution calling for extending the exception and/or banning guns on campus.
vi. Credit for prior learning policy – as related to AP exam scores of 3 or above. KBOR is not asking for grades, just credit for prior learning. Required scores vary by subject/content. According Senior Associate VP Muma prior learning would be noted on a student's transcript as credit earned and not a letter grade.
vii. Potential impact on Kansas, NC, Mississippi and Tennessee – discriminating against LGBTQ. Provost Vizzini clarified that Kansas was listed because student groups are allowed to discriminate based on religion. California has “banned state-funded travel for employees” to the aforementioned states. The policy took effect on January 1, 2017.
viii. Higher Education Day - January 19, 2017, was the first higher education day at the capitol. Although there was not a lot of traffic President Yildirim felt it served the purpose. Dean Livesay reminded the senators that March 10, 2017 the graduate research symposium will be held at the capitol.
ix. Legislative Update – The first budget cut; next new revenues (3% cut for next year, 7% cut for this year, etc.). Numerous proposals are being put forward; including a tuition freeze; however, at this point the tuition freeze is only speculation.
x. WSU-WATC Merger – The merger has moved to the legislature. The current proposal is:
1. a less disruptive model;
2. four-year and advanced degrees will be offered only by WSU;
3. 2-year program will be offered by WATC;
4. WATC students taking WSU courses should meet the admission standard;
5. separate HLC accreditation;
6. WATC will not extend their general education offerings;
7. collaborative joint planning for new programs – 2+2 or 2+2+2;
8. WATC students will have access to WSU Dorms and,
9. WATC will be able to apply for grants.
Q: Will WSU and WATC hold separate graduation ceremonies? R: Provost Vizzini responded that it was a good question and no one had asked it yet.
Q: Will students be able to access our library or resources? R: Don't know.
Provost Vizzini noted that the WATC reporting structure would be through WSU rather than the county. President Yildirim thought they would be state employees.
Q: Will faculty who teach English become part of the English department or stay where they are? R: Provost Vizzini stated they will be a branch campus so what is currently being done know will continue.
xi. FAR – Risk-taking – The new FAR has a positive risk taking component. The FAR is designed by Academic Affairs and not by the Faculty Senate. Q: When the UniSCOPE model passed it was up to department to determine how to use it, how will that impact the FARs? Academic Affairs is designing a new FAR and will work on this as colleges redesign their T&P procedures. President Yildirim noted the following concerns from faculty:
1. Did this new Merit Report form, with the addition of section IV; Positive Risk-Taking, go through the Faculty Senate or the Academic Affairs Committee?
2. While the understanding is that we are not being evaluated on Positive Risk-taking, the fact that we didn't know it was being included in merit reports means a lot of faculty were not actively thinking about these things. Communication would have been helpful.
3. In the strategic plan Goal 4 state: “Accelerate the discovery, creation and transfer of new knowledge…” vs. FAR state: “Accelerating the discovery, creation, or transfer of new knowledge via inventions, innovations, or technologies that are market driven.”
xii. GED College Credit – This is similar to credit for prior learning. Math is considering a waiver for developmental math and placement if a student scores as a level 4 or credit for Math 111 if a student scores at a level 4. Senior Associate VP Muma stated that the initial request for consideration came from a legislator who sees the GED as a way to open doors for students in poverty. Math has instructed Senior Associate VP Muma to go ahead with level 3 or level 4. Senator Moore-Jansen stated that math was strongly supportive of this although there are questions about how this would transfer to other disciplines. It was recommended that this go through the general education committee and that the programs/departments be involved in how it should be done.
xiii. Spring 2017 Surveys – The following surveys will be administered this semester:
1. Faculty Survey of Student Engagement -Tuesday, March 28, 2017
2. National Survey of Student Engagement
3. Provost Feedback Survey
xiv. Weapons Policy - As previously noted the Weapons Policy FAQ is being updated on the KBOR website. Only Emporia State and KU have posted statements. The question presented to the senate was: Should we have a statement? After much discussion it was decided that President Yildirim will draft a resolution and it will be put on the next Faculty Senate agenda.
xv. Shockers for Conceal Carry is a student organization in need of a faculty advisor. If interested, please contact President Yildirim.

V. Committee Reports
1. Rules Committee
i. Kathy Delker was accepted to the General Education Committee

VI. Old Business – None

VII. New Business
1. Shared Governance Statement – This was the first reading of the proposed shared governance statement. Senator Price noted that item 2 sounded more like a T&P conversation and asked how it fit with shared governance. President Yildirim responded that the statement includes staff and wanted to make sure if possible that staff could serve on committees. There is the recognition that staff and faculty senates are different. Provost Vizzini commented that we are looking at one policy to address all three senates. Senator Solomey asked about the 3 credit hour course reduction as not all faculty teach 3 credit hour courses. The second reading will take place at the next senate meeting.
2. Ombudsperson appointment - Senator Ross' term as ombudsperson expired on 6-1-2016. The executive committee nominated Past President Moore-Jansen. Past President Moore-Jansen was accepted as ombudsperson.
3. Ombudsperson policy – Policy shared, but not discussed
4. General Faculty Meeting Absentee Voting – A few faculty asked about absentee voting. The Executive Committee recommended not to have absentee voting for the general faculty meeting on January 27th as absentee voters would not be part of the discussion and there may be amendments to the item being voted on. There was no discussion regarding the question of what we should do for future meetings.
5. Council for Former Senate Presidents – President Yildirim would like to form a standing committee of the former senate presidents that would meet twice a year or as needed. They would not create policy, but would serve as an advisory council to the Executive Committee. The Senate President would direct question to the council and the council could provide the historical/background knowledge on issues/problems and be consulted for policy clarifications.
Q: Are they being regularly consulted? R: Not currently, this would be a formal way of providing feedback.
Q: Would this be automatic or could they chose not to participate? R: They will receive e-mails, but can chose not to participate. It was suggested that they be an ad hoc committee rather than a standing committee.
Q: Could it be identified in the charge that it is advisory in nature and it is up to the Senate President to decide it they should be consulted. President Yildirim will put a proposal together to bring before the senate.
6. Provost Vizzini, Academic Affairs Update – Provost Vizzini complimented the College of Fine Arts for the School of Art, Design and Creative Industries Faculty Biennial.
i. Provost Vizzini noted that the budget committee will post information as soon as they get it.
ii. Senator Solomey asked about the funding levels associated with the graduate school's expectations that faculty advising PhD candidates pursue grant proposals. Provost Vizzini supports the idea that PhD candidate should have active participation in grant writing. Provost Vizzini noted that all faculty who are performing scholarship should be able to supervise masters' students. With PhD candidates the expectation is that the student has been exposed to writing grants.
iii. Provost Vizzini was asked numerous questions regarding the university's official stance on the weapons (concealed carry) policy, including whether the university had shared the results of the survey, why the university has advocated in other areas but not this one, and whether WSU has an obligation to provide safety to students, faculty and staff. Provost Vizzini stated that “we have expressed our views”, but that WSU is not actively advocating for a ban on concealed carry in the Legislature. Provost Vizzini commented that he is choosing not to make a statement in his capacity as Provost, the university has developed a policy and it has been put forward.
iv. Provost Vizzini was asked if he was aware of an anonymous letter that was mailed to some of the faculty regarding the building bidding process. Provost Vizzini stated he was aware of the letter and it was his understanding that the bid process had gone through proper procedures. He was asked about the changing of the bid. Provost Vizzini commented that he did not know the specific process utilized, but one of the requirements necessary since the university still owns the land was that personal funds had to be used in order that the loans could be guaranteed and only one bidder was able to come up with the additional collateral. The process did undergo a state audit.
v. Provost Vizzini was asked about the guiding principles for the President's Budget Advisory Committee. Provost Vizzini stated that guiding principles such as do you cut across the board or do you choose specific items were discussed and is asking the budget committee on Friday to discuss what guiding principles to focus on.
vi. Senator English acknowledged the Academic Affairs Office for the tip of the week finding it useful. It was noted that students are getting a coherent message on a weekly basis.

VIII. As May Arise – None

IX. Adjournment – at 5:08 PM

Respectfully submitted

Janice Ewing, Secretary